Directory A-Z
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Customs Regulations
Discount Cards
Electricity
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Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Health
Insurance
Internet Access
Language Courses
Legal Matters
Maps
Money
Opening Hours
Post
Public Holidays
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Directory A-Z
PRACTICALITIES
Currency Euro
Electric current 230V, 50Hz
Smoking Banned in all enclosed public spaces.
Weights & measures Metric
Major newspapers Centre-left El País (www.elpais.com), centre-right El Mundo (www.elmundo.es) and right-wing ABC (www.abc.es). The widely available International New York Times includes an eight-page supplement of articles from El País translated into English, or check out www.elpais.com/elpais/inenglish.html.
Radio Radio Nacional de España (RNE) has Radio 1, with general interest and current-affairs programs; Radio 5, with sport and entertainment; and Radio 3 (Radio d'Espop). Stations covering current affairs include the left-leaning Cadena Ser, or the right-wing COPE. The most popular commercial pop and rock stations are 40 Principales, Kiss FM, Cadena 100 and Onda Cero.
TV You can watch Spain's state-run Televisión Española (TVE1 and La 2) or the independent commercial stations (Antena 3, Tele 5, Cuatro and La Sexta). Regional governments run local stations, such as Madrid's Telemadrid, Catalonia's TV-3 and Canal 33 (both in Catalan), Galicia's TVG, the Basque Country's ETB-1 and ETB-2, Valencia's Canal 9 and Andalucía's Canal Sur. Cable and satellite TV is becoming widespread.
Book Your Stay Online
For more accommodation reviews by Lonely Planet authors, check out http://lonelyplanet.com/hotels/. You’ll find independent reviews, as well as recommendations on the best places to stay. Best of all, you can book online.
Accommodation
Spain's accommodation is generally of a high standard, from small, family-run hostales (budget hotels) to the old-world opulence of paradores (state-owned hotels).
Officially, places to stay are classified into hoteles (hotels; one to five stars), hostales (one to three stars) and pensiones (basically small private hostales, often family businesses in rambling apartments; one or two stars). These are the categories used by the annual Guía Oficial de Hoteles, sold in bookshops, which lists almost every such establishment in Spain (except for one-star pensiones), with approximate prices. Tourist offices and their websites also have lists of local accommodation options.
Checkout time in most establishments is noon.
Reservations
Although there's usually no need to book ahead for a room in the low or shoulder seasons, booking ahead is generally a good idea, if for no other reason than to avoid a weary search for a room. Most places will ask for a credit-card number or will hold the room for you until 6pm unless you let them know that you'll be arriving later.
Seasons
Prices throughout this guidebook are generally high-season maximums. You may be pleasantly surprised if you travel at other times. What constitutes low or high season depends on where you are and when. Most of the year is high season in Barcelona or Madrid, especially during trade fairs that you're unlikely to know about. August can be dead in the cities, but high season along the coast. Winter is high season in the ski resorts of the Pyrenees and low season in the Balearic Islands (indeed, the islands seem to shut down between November and Easter).
Finding a place to stay without booking ahead in July and August in the Balearics and elsewhere along the Mediterranean Coast can be difficult and many places require a minimum stay of at least two nights during high season. Weekends are high season for boutique hotels and casas rurales (rural homes), but low season for business hotels (which often offer generous specials) in Madrid and Barcelona. Always check out hotel websites for discounts.
Prices
At the lower end of the budget category there are dorm beds (from €17 per person) in youth hostels or private rooms with shared bathrooms in the corridor. If you're willing to pay a few euros more, there are many budget places, usually hostales, with good, comfortable rooms and private bathrooms. In relatively untouristed or rural areas, the prices of some boutique or other hotels can sometimes drop into the budget category, especially during low season.
Spain's midrange hotels are generally excellent; you should always have your own private bathroom, and breakfast is sometimes included in the room price. Boutique hotels, including many that occupy artistically converted historical buildings, largely fall into this category and are almost always excellent choices.
And a final word about terminology. A habitación doble (double room) is frequently just that: a room with two beds (which you can often shove together). If you want to be sure of a double bed (cama matrimonial), ask for it!
SLEEPING PRICE RANGES
Throughout this guidebook, accommodation listings are grouped according to price bracket. Establishments within each bracket are then listed in order of author preference. Each place to stay is accompanied by one of the following symbols (the price refers to a double room with private bathroom):
€ less than €65
€€ from €65 to €140
€€€ more than €140
The price ranges for Madrid and Barcelona are inevitably higher:
€ less than €75
€€ from €75 to €200
€€€ more than €200
Accommodation Types
Airbnb (www.airbnb.com) is a popular online booking service that covers a range of accommodation types, from apartments and houses to private rooms in somebody's house.
Apartments, Villas & Casas Rurales
Throughout Spain you can rent self-catering apartments and houses from one night upwards. Villas and houses are widely available on the main holiday coasts and in popular country areas.
A simple one-bedroom apartment in a coastal resort for two or three people might cost as little as €40 per night, although more often you'll be looking at nearly twice that much, and prices jump even further in high season. More luxurious options with a swimming pool might come in at anything between €200 and €400 for four people.
Rural tourism has become immensely popular, with accommodation available in many new and often charming casas rurales. These are usually comfortably renovated village houses or farmhouses with a handful of rooms. They often go by other names, such as cases de pagès in Catalonia, casas de aldea in Asturias, posadas and casonas in Cantabria and so on. Some just provide rooms, while others offer meals or self-catering accommodation. Lower-end prices typically hover around €30/50 for a single/double per night, but classy boutique establishments can easily charge €100 or more for a double. Many are rented out by the week.
Agencies include the following:
Camping & Caravan Parks
Spain has around 1000 officially graded campings (camping grounds). Some of these are well located in woodland or near beaches or rivers, but others are on the outskirts of towns or along highways. Few of them are near city centres, and camping isn’t particularly convenient if you’re relying on public transport. Tourist offices can always direct you to the nearest camping ground. Camping grounds are officially rated as 1st class (1ªC), 2nd class (2ªC) or 3rd class (3ªC). There are also some that are not officially graded, usually equivalent to 3rd class. Facilities generally range from reasonable to very good, although any camping ground can be crowded and noisy at busy times (especially July and August). Even a 3rd-class camping ground is likely to have hot showers, electrical hook-ups and a cafe. The best ones have heated swimming pools, supermarkets, restaurants, laundry service, children’s playgrounds and tennis courts.
Camping grounds usually charge per person, per tent and per vehicle – typically €4.50 to €9 for each. Children usually pay a bit less than adults. Many camping grounds close from around October to Easter. You occasionally come across a zona de acampada or área de acampada, a country camping ground with minimal facilities (maybe just tap water or a couple of barbecues), little or no supervision and little or no charge. If it’s in an environmentally protected area, you may need to obtain permission from the local environmental authority to camp there.
With certain exceptions – such as many beaches and environmentally protected areas and a few municipalities that ban it – it is legal to camp outside camping grounds (but not within 1km of official ones!). Signs usually indicate where wild camping is not allowed. If in doubt, you can always check with tourist offices. You’ll need permission to camp on private land.
Useful websites:
Guía CampingACCOMMODATION SERVICES
Online version of the annual Guía Camping (€13.60), which is available in bookshops around the country.
Camas, Fondas & Hospedajes
At the budget end of the market, places listing accommodation use all sorts of overlapping names to describe themselves. In broad terms, the cheapest are usually places just advertising camas (beds), fondas (traditionally a basic eatery and inn combined, though one of these functions is now often missing) and casas de huéspedes or hospedajes (guesthouses). Most such places will be bare and basic. Bathrooms are likely to be shared, although if you're lucky you may get an in-room lavabo (washbasin). In winter you may need to ask for extra blankets.
Pensiones
A pensión is usually a small step up from the camas, fondas and hospedajes in standard and price. Some cheap establishments forget to provide soap, toilet paper or towels. Don't hesitate to ask for these necessities.
Hostales
Hostales are a small step up from pensiones. The better ones can be bright and spotless, with rooms boasting full en-suite bathroom – baño privado, most often with a ducha (shower) rather than bathtub – and usually a TV, air-conditioning and/or heating.
Hotels
The remainder of establishments call themselves hoteles and run the gamut of quality, from straightforward roadside places, bland but clean, through to charming boutique gems and on to superluxurious hotels. Even in the cheapest hotels, rooms are likely to have an attached bathroom and there will probably be a restaurant.
Among the more tempting hotels for those with a little fiscal room to manoeuvre are the 90 or so paradores (
%in Spain 902 54 79 79; www.parador.es), a state-funded chain of hotels in often stunning locations, among them towering castles and former medieval convents. Similarly, you can find beautiful hotels in restored country homes and old city mansions, and these are not always particularly expensive.
A raft of cutting-edge, hip design hotels with cool staff and a New York feel can be found in the big cities and major resort areas. At the top end you may pay more for a room with a view – especially sea views or with a balcón (balcony) – and will often have the option of a suite.
Many places have rooms for three, four or more people where the per-person cost is lower than in a single or double, which is good news for families.
Many of the agencies listed under Apartments, Villas & Casas Rurales also have a full portfolio of hotels.
Monasteries
An offbeat possibility is staying in a monastery. In spite of the expropriations of the 19th century and a sometimes rough run in the 20th, numerous monastic orders have survived across the country. Some offer rooms to outsiders – often fairly austere monks' or nuns' cells.
Monastery accommodation is generally a single-sex arrangement, and the idea in quite a few is to seek refuge from the outside world and indulge in quiet contemplation and meditation. On occasion, where the religious order continues ancient tradition by working on farmland, orchards and/or vineyards, you may have the opportunity to work too.
Useful resources include the following:
Alojamientos Monásticos de EspañaWEBSITE
A guidebook to Spain's monasteries by Javier de Sagastizabal and José Antonio Egaña, although it needs an update (the latest edition dates to 2003).
Refugios
Refugios (hostels) for walkers and climbers are liberally scattered around most of the popular mountain areas (especially the Pyrenees), except in Andalucía, which has only a handful. They're mostly run by mountaineering and walking organisations. Accommodation, usually bunks squeezed into a dorm, is often on a first-come, first-served basis, although for some refugios you can book ahead. In busy seasons (July and August in most areas) they can fill up quickly, and you should try to book in advance or arrive by mid-afternoon to be sure of a place. Prices per person range from nothing to €15 or more a night. Many refugios have a bar and offer meals (dinner typically costs €8 to €12), as well as a cooking area (but no cooking equipment). Blankets are usually provided, but you'll have to bring any other bedding yourself (or rent it at the refugio). Bring a torch too.
The Aragonese Pyrenees are particularly well served with refugios; check out the following:
Albergues & Refugios de AragónACCOMMODATION SERVICES
(www.alberguesyrefugiosdearagon.com)
To make reservations in refugios and albergues.
Federación Aragonesa de MontañismoACCOMMODATION SERVICES
(FAM;
GOOGLE MAP
; %976 22 79 71; www.fam.es; 4th fl, Calle Albareda 7)
The FAM in Zaragoza can provide information, and a card will get you substantial discounts on refugio stays.
Hostels
Spain has 250 or so youth hostels – albergues juveniles, not to be confused with hostales (budget hotels) – as well as hundreds of backpackers' hostels dotted around the country. These are often the cheapest places for lone travellers, but two people can usually get a better double room elsewhere for a similar price.
The hostel experience in Spain varies widely. Some hostels are only moderate value, lacking in privacy, often heavily booked by school groups, and with night-time curfews and no cooking facilities (although if there's nowhere to cook there's usually a cafeteria). Others, however, are conveniently located, open 24 hours and composed mainly of small dorms, often with a private bathroom. An increasing number have rooms adapted for people with disabilities. Some even occupy fine historic buildings.
Most Spanish youth hostels are members of the Red Española de Albergues Juveniles (REAJ, Spanish Youth Hostel Network; www.reaj.com), the Spanish representative of Hostelling International.
Most of the REAJ member hostels are also members of the youth hostel association of their region (Andalucía, Catalonia, Valencia etc). Each region usually sets its own price structure and has a central booking service where you can make reservations for most of its hostels. You can also book directly with hostels themselves. Central booking services include the following:
Andalucía (%902 51 00 00; www.inturjoven.com)
Catalonia (%93 483 83 41; www.xanascat.cat)
Valencia (%902 22 55 52; www.gvajove.es)
Prices at youth hostels often depend on the season, and vary from about €15 to €21 for those under 26 (the lower rate is usually applied to people with ISIC cards too) and between €18 and €28 for those 26 and over. In some hostels the price includes breakfast. A few hostels require you to rent sheets (around €2 to €5 for your stay) if you don't have your own or a sleeping bag.
For youth hostels, most require you to have an HI card or a membership card from your home country's youth hostel association. You can obtain an HI card in Spain at most hostels.
A growing number of hostel-style places not connected with HI or REAJ often have individual rooms as well as the more typical dormitory options. Prices can vary greatly as, not being affiliated to any organisation, they are not subject to any pricing system. A good resource for seeking out hostels, affiliated or otherwise, is Hostel World (www.hostelworld.com).
Finally, you will sometimes find independent albergues offering basic dormitory accommodation for around €10 to €18, usually in villages in areas that attract plenty of Spanish walkers and climbers. These are not specifically youth hostels – although the clientele tends to be under 35. They're a kind of halfway house between a youth hostel and a refugio. Some will rent you sheets for a couple of euros, if you need them.
Customs Regulations
Duty-free allowances for travellers entering Spain from outside the EU include 2L of wine (or 1L of wine and 1L of spirits), and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars or 250g of tobacco.
There are no restrictions on the import of duty-paid items into Spain from other EU countries for personal use. You can buy VAT-free articles at airport shops when travelling between EU countries.
Discount Cards
At museums, never hesitate to ask if there are discounts for students, young people, children, families or seniors.
Senior Cards Reduced prices for people over 60, 63 or 65 (depending on the place) at various museums and attractions (sometimes restricted to EU citizens only) and occasionally on transport.
Student Cards Discounts (usually half the normal fee) for students. You will need some kind of identification (eg an International Student Identity Card; www.isic.org) to prove student status. Not accepted everywhere.
Youth Card Travel, sights and youth hostel discounts with the European Youth Card (www.euro26.org), known as Carnet Joven in Spain. The International Youth Travel Card (IYTC; www.istc.org) offers similar benefits.
Electricity
Electrical plugs in Spain can also be round, but will always have two round pins. The second image is for Gibraltar.
Embassies & Consulates
The embassies are located in Madrid. Some countries also maintain consulates in major cities, particularly in Barcelona.
Australian Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 353 66 00; www.spain.embassy.gov.au; 24th fl, Paseo de la Castellana 259D, Madrid)
Canadian Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 382 84 00; www.canadainternational.gc.ca/spain-espagne/; Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259D; Velázquez); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %932 70 36 14; Carrer d'Elisenda de Pinós 10); Málaga (
GOOGLE MAP
; %95 222 33 46; Plaza de la Malagueta 2)
French Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 423 89 00; www.ambafrance-es.org; Calle de Salustiano Olózaga 9); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 270 30 00; www.consulfrance-barcelone.org; Ronda de la Universitat 22B) Further consulates in Bilbao and Seville.
German Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 557 90 00; www.spanien.diplo.de; Calle de Fortuny 8); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 292 10 00; www.barcelona.diplo.de; Passeig de Gràcia 111)
Irish Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 436 40 93; www.embassyofireland.es; Paseo de la Castellana 46); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 491 50 21; Gran Via de Carles III 94)
Japanese Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 590 76 00; www.es.emb-japan.go.jp; Calle de Serrano 109; 
mGregorio Marañon)
Moroccan Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 563 10 90; www.embajada-marruecos.es; Calle de Serrano 179; mSanto Domingo); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %932 89 25 30; Calle Béjar 91) Further consulates-general in Algeciras, Almería, Bilbao, Seville, Tarragona and Valencia.
Dutch Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 353 75 00; espana.nlembajada.org; Torre Espacio, Paseo de la Castellana 259D); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %934 19 95 80; Avinguda Diagonal 611) Further consulates in Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Torremolinos.
New Zealand Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 523 02 26; www.nzembassy.com/spain; 3rd fl, Calle de Pinar 7, Madrid)
UK Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 714 62 00; www.gov.uk/government/world/spain; Paseo de la Castellana 259D, Torre Espacio, Madrid); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 366 62 00; Avinguda Diagonal 477; Hospital Clinic); Palma de Mallorca (
GOOGLE MAP
; %902 109 356; Edifici B, Carrer del Convent dels Caputxins 4) Further consulates in Alicante, Bilbao, Ibiza and Málaga.
US Embassy Madrid (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 587 22 00; spanish.madrid.usembassy.gov; Calle de Serrano 75, Madrid); Barcelona (
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 280 22 27; barcelona.usconsulate.gov; Passeig de la Reina Elisenda de Montcada 23-25; 
dFGC Reina Elisenda) Consular agencies in A Coruña, Fuengirola, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia.
Gay & Lesbian Travellers
Homosexuality is legal in Spain and the age of consent is 13, as it is for heterosexuals. In 2005 the Socialist president, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, gave the country's conservative Catholic foundations a shake with the legalisation of same-sex marriages in Spain.
Lesbians and gay men generally keep a fairly low profile, but are quite open in the cities. Madrid, Barcelona, Sitges, Torremolinos and Ibiza have particularly lively scenes. Sitges is a major destination on the international gay party circuit; gays take a leading role in the wild Carnaval there in February/March. As well, there are gay parades, marches and events in several cities on and around the last Saturday in June, when Madrid's gay and lesbian pride march takes place.
Useful Resources
In addition to the following resources, Barcelona's tourist board publishes Barcelona – The Official Gay and Lesbian Tourist Guide biannually, while Madrid's tourist office has a useful 'Gay & Lesbian Madrid' section on the front page of its website (www.esmadrid.com).
GayBarcelonaGAY & LESBIAN
News and views and an extensive listings section covering bars, saunas, shops and more in Barcelona and Sitges.
Gay IberiaGAY & LESBIAN
(Guía Gay de España; www.gayiberia.com)
Gay guides to Barcelona, Madrid, Sitges and 26 other Spanish cities.
Gay Madrid 4 UGAY & LESBIAN
A good overview of Madrid's gay bars and nightclubs.
Night Tours.comGAY & LESBIAN
A reasonably good guide to gay nightlife and other attractions in Madrid, Barcelona and seven other Spanish locations.
Orgullo GayGAY & LESBIAN
Website for Madrid's gay and lesbian pride march and links to gay organisations across the country.
ShangayGAY & LESBIAN
For news, upcoming events, reviews and contacts. It also publishes Shanguide, a Madrid-centric biweekly magazine jammed with listings (including saunas and hard-core clubs) and contact ads. Its companion publication Shangay Express is better for articles with a handful of listings and ads. They're available in gay bookshops and gay and gay-friendly bars.
Organisations
Casal LambdaTOURIST INFORMATION
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 319 55 50; www.lambda.cat; Carrer de Verdaguer i Callís 10; 
h5-9pm Mon-Sat; mUquinaona)
A gay and lesbian social, cultural and information centre in Barcelona's La Ribera.
Colectivo de Gais y Lesbianas de MadridGAY & LESBIAN
(Cogam;
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 522 45 17; www.cogam.es; Calle de la Puebla 9; h10am-2pm & 5-9pm Mon-Fri; mCallao or Gran Vía)
Offers activities, has an information office and social centre, and runs an information line (%91 523 00 70; h10am-2pm Mon-Fri).
Coordinadora Gai-Lesbiana BarcelonaGAY & LESBIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 298 00 29; www.cogailes.org; Carrer de Violant d’Hongria 156; mPlaça del Centre)
Barcelona’s main coordinating body for gay and lesbian groups. It also runs an information line, the Línia Rosa (%900 601601).
Federación Estatal de Lesbianas, Gays, Transexuales & BisexualesGAY & LESBIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 360 46 05; www.felgtb.org; 4th fl, Calle de las Infantas 40; h8am-8pm Mon-Thu, 8am-3.30pm Fri)
A national advocacy group, based in Madrid, that played a leading role in lobbying for the legalisation of gay marriages.
Fundación TriánguloGAY & LESBIAN
(
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 593 05 40; www.fundaciontriangulo.org; 1st fl, Calle de Melendez Valdés 52; h10am-2pm & 5-8pm Mon-Fri; mIglesia)
One of several sources of information on gay issues in Madrid; it has a separate information line, Información LesGai (%91 446 63 94).
Health
Spain has an excellent health-care system.
Availability & Cost of Health Care
If you need an ambulance, call 061. For emergency treatment, go straight to the urgencias (casualty) section of the nearest hospital.
Farmacias offer valuable advice and sell over-the-counter medication. In Spain, a system of farmacias de guardia (duty pharmacies) operates so that each district has one open all the time. When a pharmacy is closed, it posts the name of the nearest open one on the door.
Medical costs are lower in Spain than many other European countries, but can still mount quickly if you are uninsured. Costs if you attend casualty range from nothing (in some regions) to around €80.
Altitude Sickness
If you're hiking at altitude, altitude sickness may be a risk. Lack of oxygen at high altitudes (over 2500m) affects most people to some extent. Symptoms of Acute Mountain Sickness (AMS) usually develop during the first 24 hours at altitude but may be delayed by up to three weeks. Mild symptoms include headache, lethargy, dizziness, difficulty sleeping and loss of appetite. AMS may become more severe without warning and can be fatal. Severe symptoms include breathlessness, a dry, irritative cough (which may progress to the production of pink, frothy sputum), severe headache, lack of coordination and balance, confusion, irrational behaviour, vomiting, drowsiness and unconsciousness.
Treat mild symptoms by resting at the same altitude until recovery, usually for a day or two. Paracetamol or aspirin can be taken for headaches. If symptoms persist or become worse, immediate descent is necessary; even 500m can help. Drug treatments should never be used to avoid descent or to enable further ascent.
Hypothermia
The weather in Spain's mountains can be extremely changeable at any time of year. Proper preparation will reduce the risks of getting hypothermia: always carry waterproof garments and warm layers, and inform others of your route.
Hypothermia starts with shivering, loss of judgment and clumsiness. Unless rewarming occurs, the sufferer deteriorates into apathy, confusion and coma. Prevent further heat loss by seeking shelter, wearing warm dry clothing, drinking hot sweet drinks and sharing body warmth.
Bites & Stings
Nasty insects to be wary of are the hairy reddish-brown caterpillars of the pine processionary moth (touching the caterpillars' hairs sets off a severely irritating allergic skin reaction), and some Spanish centipedes have a very nasty but nonfatal sting.
Jellyfish, which have stinging tentacles, are an increasing problem at beaches along the Mediterranean coastline.
The only venomous snake that is even relatively common in Spain is Lataste's viper. It has a triangular-shaped head, grows up to 75cm long, and is grey with a zigzag pattern. It lives in dry, rocky areas, away from humans. Its bite can be fatal and needs to be treated with a serum, which state clinics in major towns keep in stock.
Water
Tap water is generally safe to drink in Spain. If you are in any doubt, ask ¿Es potable el agua (de grifo)? (Is the (tap) water drinkable?). Do not drink water from rivers or lakes as it may contain bacteria or viruses that can cause diarrhoea or vomiting.
Insurance
A travel-insurance policy to cover theft, loss, medical problems and cancellation or delays to your travel arrangements is a good idea. Paying for your ticket with a credit card can often provide limited travel-accident insurance and you may be able to reclaim the payment if the operator doesn't deliver. Worldwide travel insurance is available at lonelyplanet.com/travel_services. You can buy, extend and claim online anytime – even if you're on the road.
Internet Access
Wi-fi is almost universally available at most hotels, as well as in some cafes, restaurants and airports; generally (but not always) it's free. Connection speed often varies from room to room in hotels (and coverage sometimes is restricted to the hotel lobby), so always ask when you check in or make your reservation. Some tourist offices may have a list of wi-fi hot spots in their area.
Good internet cafes are increasingly hard to find; ask at the local tourist office. Prices per hour range from €1.50 to €3.
Language Courses
Among the more popular places to learn Spanish are Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca and Seville. In these places and elsewhere, Spanish universities offer good-value language courses.
The Escuela Oficial de Idiomas (EOI; www.eeooiinet.com) is a nationwide language institution where you can learn Spanish and other local languages. Classes can be large and busy but are generally fairly cheap. There are branches in many major cities. On the website's opening page, hit 'Centros' under 'Comunidad' and then 'Centros en la Red' to get to a list of schools.
Private language schools as well as universities cater for a wide range of levels, course lengths, times of year, intensity and special requirements. Many courses have a cultural component as well as language. University courses often last a semester, although some are as short as two weeks or as long as a year. Private colleges can be more flexible. One with a good reputation is Don Quijote (www.donquijote.com), with branches in Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca and Valencia.
It's also worth finding out whether your course will lead to any formal certificate of competence. The Diploma de Español como Lengua Extranjera (DELE) is recognised by Spain's Ministry of Education and Science.
Legal Matters
If you're arrested, you will be allotted the free services of an abogado de oficio (duty solicitor), who may speak only Spanish. You're also entitled to make a phone call. If you use this to contact your embassy or consulate, the staff will probably be able to do no more than refer you to a lawyer who speaks your language. If you end up in court, the authorities are obliged to provide a translator.
In theory, you are supposed to have your national ID card or passport with you at all times. If asked for it by the police, you are supposed to be able to produce it on the spot. In practice it is rarely an issue and many people choose to leave passports in hotel safes.
The Policía Local or Policía Municipal operates at a local level and deals with such issues as traffic infringements and minor crime. The Policía Nacional (091) is the state police force, dealing with major crime and operating primarily in the cities. The military-linked Guardia Civil (created in the 19th century to deal with banditry) is largely responsible for highway patrols, borders, security, major crime and terrorism. Several regions have their own police forces, such as the Mossos d'Esquadra in Catalonia and the Ertaintxa in the Basque Country.
Cannabis is legal but only for personal use and in very small quantities. Public consumption of any illicit drug is illegal. Travellers entering Spain from Morocco should be prepared for drug searches, especially if you have a vehicle.
Maps
Small-Scale Maps
Some of the best maps for travellers are by Michelin, which produces the 1:1,000,000 Spain Portugal map and six 1:400,000 regional maps covering the whole country. These are all pretty accurate and are updated regularly, even down to the state of minor country roads. Also good are the GeoCenter maps published by Germany's RV Verlag.
Probably the best physical map of Spain is Península Ibérica, Baleares y Canarias published by the Centro Nacional de Información Geográfica (%955 56 93 20; www.cnig.es; edificio Sevilla 2, 8th fl, módulo 7, Avenida San Francisco Javier 9, Madrid), the publishing arm of the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (IGN; www.ign.es; Calle General de Ibáñez de Ibero 3, Madrid). Ask for it in good bookshops.
Walking Maps
Useful for hiking and exploring some areas (particularly in the Pyrenees) are Editorial Alpina's Guía Cartográfica and Guía Excursionista y Turística series. The series combines information booklets in Spanish (and sometimes Catalan) with detailed maps at scales ranging from 1:25,000 to 1:50,000. They are an indispensable hikers' tool (and some come in English and German), but they have their inaccuracies. The Institut Cartogràfic de Catalunya puts out some decent maps for hiking in the Catalan Pyrenees that are often better than their Editorial Alpina counterparts. Remember that for hiking only, maps scaled at 1:25,000 are seriously useful. The CNIG also covers most of the country in 1:25,000 sheets.
You can often pick up Editorial Alpina publications and CNIG maps at bookshops near trekking areas, and at specialist bookshops such as these:
Altaïr (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 342 71 71; www.altair.es; Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes 616) In Barcelona.
Altaïr (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 543 53 00; www.altair.es; Calle de Gaztambide 31; h10am-2pm & 4.30-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-2.30pm Sat; mArgüelles) In Madrid.
La Tienda Verde (
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 535 38 10; www.tiendaverde.es; Calle de Maudes 23) In Madrid.
De Viaje (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 577 98 99; www.deviaje.com; Calle de Serrano 41; h10am-8.30pm Mon-Fri, 10.30am-2.30pm & 5-8pm Sat; mSerrano) In Madrid.
Librería Desnivel (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %90 224 88 48; www.libreriadesnivel.com; Plaza de Matute 6) In Madrid.
Quera (
MAP
GOOGLE MAP
; %93 318 07 43; www.llibreriaquera.com; Carrer de Petritxol 2) In Barcelona.
Money
The most convenient way to bring your money is in the form of a debit or credit card, with some extra cash for use in case of an emergency.
ATMs
Many credit and debit cards can be used for withdrawing money from cajeros automáticos (automatic teller machines) that display the relevant symbols such as Visa, MasterCard, Cirrus etc. Remember that there is usually a charge (around 1.5% to 2%) on ATM cash withdrawals abroad.
Cash
Most banks and building societies will exchange major foreign currencies and offer the best rates. Ask about commissions and take your passport.
Credit & Debit Cards
These can be used to pay for most purchases. You'll often be asked to show your passport or some other form of identification. Among the most widely accepted are Visa, MasterCard, American Express (Amex), Cirrus, Maestro, Plus and JCB. Diners Club is less widely accepted. If your card is lost, stolen or swallowed by an ATM, you can call the following telephone numbers toll free to have an immediate stop put on its use: Amex (%900 994426), Diners Club (%902 401112), MasterCard (%900 971231) and Visa (%900 991216, 900 991124).
Moneychangers
You can exchange both cash and travellers cheques at exchange offices – which are usually indicated by the word cambio (exchange). Generally they offer longer opening hours and quicker service than banks, but worse exchange rates and higher commissions.
Taxes & Refunds
In Spain, value-added tax (VAT) is known as IVA (ee-ba; impuesto sobre el valor añadido). Visitors are entitled to a refund of the 21% IVA on purchases costing more than €90.16 from any shop, if they are taking them out of the EU within three months. Ask the shop for a cash back (or similar) refund form showing the price and IVA paid for each item, and identifying the vendor and purchaser. Then present the refund form to the customs booth for IVA refunds at the airport, port or border from which you leave the EU.
Tipping
Menu prices include a service charge. Most people leave some small change if they're satisfied: 5% is normally fine and 10% extremely generous. Porters will generally be happy with €1. Taxi drivers don't have to be tipped but a little rounding up won't go amiss.
Travellers Cheques
Can be changed (you'll often be charged a commission) at most banks and building societies. Visa, Amex and Travelex are widely accepted brands with (usually) efficient replacement policies. Get most of your cheques in fairly large denominations (the equivalent of €100 or more) to save on any per-cheque commission charges. It's vital to keep your initial receipt, and a record of your cheque numbers and the ones you have used separate from the cheques themselves.
Opening Hours
Standard opening hours are for high season only and tend to shorten outside that time.
Banks 8.30am–2pm Monday to Friday; some also open 4pm–7pm Thursday and 9am–1pm Saturday
Central post offices 8.30am–9.30pm Monday to Friday, 8.30am–2pm Saturday (most other branches 8.30am–8.30pm Monday to Friday, 9.30am–1pm Saturday)
Nightclubs midnight or 1am to 5am or 6am
Restaurants lunch 1pm–4pm, dinner 8.30pm–11pm or midnight
Shops 10am–2pm and 4.30pm–7.30pm or 5pm–8pm; big supermarkets and department stores generally open 10am–10pm Monday to Saturday
Post
The Spanish postal system, Correos (%902 197 197; www.correos.es), is generally reliable, if a little slow at times.
Postal Rates & Services
Sellos (stamps) are sold at most estancos (tobacconists' shops with 'Tabacos' in yellow letters on a maroon background), as well as at post offices.
A postcard or letter weighing up to 20g costs €0.75 from Spain to other European countries, and €0.90 to the rest of the world. For a full list of prices for certificado (certified) and urgente (express post), go to www.correos.es (in Spanish) and click on 'Calculador de Tarifas'.
Sending Mail
Delivery times are erratic but ordinary mail to other Western European countries can take up to a week (although often as little as three days); to North America up to 10 days; and to Australia or New Zealand (NZ) between 10 days and three weeks.
Public Holidays
The two main periods when Spaniards go on holiday are Semana Santa (the week leading up to Easter Sunday) and July and/or August. At these times accommodation in resorts can be scarce and transport heavily booked, but other places are often half-empty.
There are at least 14 official holidays a year – some observed nationwide, some locally. When a holiday falls close to a weekend, Spaniards like to make a puente (bridge), meaning they take the intervening day off too. Occasionally when some holidays fall close, they make an acueducto (aqueduct)! Here are the national holidays:
Año Nuevo (New Year's Day) 1 January
Viernes Santo (Good Friday) March/April
Fiesta del Trabajo (Labour Day) 1 May
La Asunción (Feast of the Assumption) 15 August
Fiesta Nacional de España (National Day) 12 October
La Inmaculada Concepción (Feast of the Immaculate Conception) 8 December
Navidad (Christmas) 25 December
Regional governments set five holidays and local councils two more. Common dates:
Epifanía (Epiphany) or Día de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings' Day) 6 January
Jueves Santo (Good Thursday) March/April. Not observed in Catalonia and Valencia.
Corpus Christi June. This is the Thursday after the eighth Sunday after Easter Sunday.
Día de Santiago Apóstol (Feast of St James the Apostle) 25 July
Día de Todos los Santos (All Saints Day) 1 November
Día de la Constitución (Constitution Day) 6 December
Safe Travel
Most visitors to Spain never feel remotely threatened, but a sufficient number have unpleasant experiences to warrant an alert. The main thing to be wary of is petty theft (which may of course not seem so petty if your passport, cash, travellers cheques, credit card and camera go missing). What follows is intended as a strong warning rather than alarmism. In other words, be careful but don't be paranoid.
GOVERNMENT TRAVEL ADVICE
The following government websites offer travel advisories and information for travellers:
French Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres EuropeennesWEBSITE
(www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/fr/conseils-aux-voyageurs_909)
Scams
There must be 50 ways to lose your wallet. As a rule, talented petty thieves work in groups and capitalise on distraction. Tricks usually involve a team of two or more (sometimes one of them an attractive woman to distract male victims). While one attracts your attention, the other empties your pockets. More imaginative strikes include someone dropping a milk mixture on to the victim from a balcony. Immediately a concerned citizen comes up to help you brush off what you assume to be pigeon poo, and thus suitably occupied you don't notice the contents of your pockets slipping away.
Beware: not all thieves look like thieves. Watch out for an old classic: the ladies offering flowers for good luck. We don't know how they do it, but if you get too involved in a friendly chat with these people, your pockets almost always wind up empty.
On some highways, especially the AP7 from the French border to Barcelona, bands of thieves occasionally operate. Beware of men trying to distract you in rest areas, and don't stop along the highway if people driving alongside indicate you have a problem with the car. While one inspects the rear of the car with you, his pals will empty your vehicle. Another gag has them puncturing tyres of cars stopped in rest areas, then following and 'helping' the victim when they stop to change the wheel. Hire cars and those with foreign plates are especially targeted. When you do call in at highway rest stops, try to park close to the buildings and leave nothing of value in view. If you do stop to change a tyre and find yourself getting unsolicited aid, make sure doors are all locked and don't allow yourself to be distracted.
Even parking your car can be fraught. In some towns fairly dodgy self-appointed parking attendants operate in central areas where you may want to park. They will direct you frantically to a spot. If possible, ignore them and find your own. If unavoidable, you may well want to pay them some token amount not to scratch or otherwise damage your vehicle after you've walked away. You definitely don't want to leave anything visible in the car (or open the boot – trunk – if you intend to leave luggage or anything else in it) under these circumstances.
Theft
Theft is mostly a risk in tourist resorts, big cities and when you first arrive in a new city and may be off your guard. You are at your most vulnerable when dragging around luggage to or from your hotel. Barcelona, Madrid and Seville have the worst reputations for theft and, on very rare occasions, muggings.
Anything left lying on the beach can disappear in a flash when your back is turned. At night avoid dingy, empty city alleys and backstreets, or anywhere that just doesn't feel 100% safe.
Report thefts to the national police. You are unlikely to recover your goods but you need to make this formal denuncia for insurance purposes. To avoid endless queues at the comisaría (police station), you can make the report by phone (902 102 112) in various languages or on the web at www.policia.es (click on Denuncias). The following day you go to the station of your choice to pick up and sign the report, without queuing.
Telephone
The reasonably widespread blue payphones are easy to use for international and domestic calls. They accept coins, tarjetas telefónicas (phonecards) issued by the national phone company Telefónica and, in some cases, various credit cards. Calling from your computer using an internet-based service such as Skype is generally the cheapest option.
Collect Calls
Placing una llamada a cobro revertido (an international collect call) is simple. Dial 99 00 followed by the code for the country you're calling (numbers starting with 900 are national toll-free numbers):
Australia 900 99 00 61
Canada 900 99 00 15
France 900 99 00 33
Germany 900 99 00 49
Ireland 900 99 03 53
Israel 900 99 09 72
New Zealand 900 99 00 64
UK for BT 900 99 00 44
USA for AT&T 900 99 00 11, for Sprint and various others 900 99 00 13
Mobile Phones
Spain uses GSM 900/1800, which is compatible with the rest of Europe and Australia but not with the North American system unless you have a GSM/GPRS-compatible phone (some AT&T and T-Mobile cell phones may work), or the system used in Japan. From those countries, you will need to travel with a tri-band or quadric-band phone.
You can buy SIM cards and prepaid time in Spain for your mobile (cell) phone, provided you own a GSM, dual- or tri-band cellular phone. This only works if your national phone hasn't been code-blocked; check before leaving home. Only consider a full contract if you plan to live in Spain for a while.
All the Spanish mobile-phone companies (Telefónica's MoviStar, Orange and Vodafone) offer prepagado (prepaid) accounts for mobiles. The SIM card costs from €10, to which you add some prepaid phone time. Phone outlets are scattered across the country. You can then top up in their shops or by buying cards in outlets, such as estancos (tobacconists) and newsstands. Pepephone (www.pepephone.com) is another option.
If you plan on using your own phone while in Spain, check with your mobile provider for information on roaming charges, especially if you're using a phone from outside the EU.
Phone Codes
Mobile (cell) phone numbers start with 6. Numbers starting with 900 are national toll-free numbers, while those starting 901 to 905 come with varying costs. A common one is 902, which is a national standard rate number, but which can only be dialled from within Spain. In a similar category are numbers starting with 800, 803, 806 and 807.
International access code 00
Spain country code 34
Local area codes None (these are incorporated into listed numbers)
Phonecards
Cut-rate prepaid phonecards can be good value for international calls. They can be bought from estancos (tobacconists), small grocery stores, locutorios (private call centres) and newsstands in the main cities and tourist resorts. If possible, try to compare rates. Many of the private operators offer better deals than those offered by Telefónica. Locutorios that specialise in cut-rate overseas calls have popped up all over the place in bigger cities.
Useful Phone Numbers
Emergencies 112
English-speaking Spanish international operator 1008 (for calls within Europe) or 1005 (rest of the world)
International directory enquiries 11825 (calls to this number cost €2)
National directory enquiries 11818
Operator for calls within Spain 1009 (including for domestic reverse-charge – collect – calls)
Time
Time zone Same as most of Western Europe (GMT/UTC plus one hour during winter and GMT/UTC plus two hours during the daylight-saving period).
Daylight saving From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October.
UK, Ireland, Portugal & Canary Islands One hour behind mainland Spain.
Morocco Morocco is on GMT/UTC year-round. From the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October, subtract two hours from Spanish time to get Moroccan time; the rest of the year, subtract one hour.
USA Spanish time is USA Eastern Time plus six hours and USA Pacific Time plus nine hours.
Australia During the Australian winter (Spanish summer), subtract eight hours from Australian Eastern Standard Time to get Spanish time; during the Australian summer, subtract 10 hours.
12- and 24-hour clock Although the 24-hour clock is used in most official situations, you'll find people generally use the 12-hour clock in everyday conversation.
Tourist Information
All cities and many smaller towns have an oficina de turismo or oficina de información turística. In the country's provincial capitals you will sometimes find more than one tourist office – one specialising in information on the city alone, the other carrying mostly provincial or regional information. National and natural parks also often have their own visitor centres offering useful information.
Turespaña (www.spain.info) is the country's national tourism body, and it operates branches around the world. Check the website for office locations.
Travellers with Disabilities
Spain is not overly accommodating for travellers with disabilities but some things are slowly changing. For example, disabled access to some museums, official buildings and hotels represents a change in local thinking. In major cities more is slowly being done to facilitate disabled access to public transport and taxis; in some cities, wheelchair-adapted taxis are called 'Eurotaxis'. Newly constructed hotels in most areas of Spain are required to have wheelchair-adapted rooms. With older places, you need to be a little wary of hotels who advertise themselves as being disabled-friendly, as this can mean as little as wide doors to rooms and bathrooms, or other token efforts.
Worthy of a special mention is Barcelona's Inout Hostel, which is completely accessible for those with disabilities, and nearly all the staff that work there have disabilities of one kind or another. The facilities and service is first-class.
Organisations
Accessible Travel & LeisureDISABLED TRAVELLERS
(%01452-729739; www.accessibletravel.co.uk)
Claims to be the biggest UK travel agent dealing with travel for people with a disability, and encourages independent travel.
Barcelona TurismeDISABLED TRAVELLERS
(%932 85 38 34; www.barcelona-access.com)
Website devoted to making Barcelona accessible for visitors with a disability.
Accessible Madrid DISABLED TRAVELLERS
Madrid's tourist-office website has some useful information (type 'Accessible' into the search box). You can download the free, generally outstanding 152-page Madrid Accessible Tourism Guide; it covers everything from sights, restaurants and transport to itineraries through the city. The site also allows you to download a list of wheelchair-accessible hotels, and a PDF called 'Madrid Accessible Tourism Guide', a list of wheelchair-friendly restaurants, shopping centres and museums.
ONCEDISABLED TRAVELLERS
(Organización Nacional de Ciegos Españoles;
GOOGLE MAP
; %91 532 50 00, 91 577 37 56; www.once.es; Calle de Prim 3, Madrid; mChueca or Colón)
The Spanish association for the blind. You may be able to get hold of guides in Braille to a handful of cities, including Madrid and Barcelona, although they're not published every year.
Society for Accessible Travel & HospitalityDISABLED TRAVELLERS
(SATH;
GOOGLE MAP
; %212-447-7284; www.sath.org; 347 Fifth Ave at 34th St, New York, USA, Suite 605; h9am-5pm; 
gM34 to 5th Ave, M1 to 34th St, 
b6 to 33rd St)
A good resource, that gives advice on how to travel with a wheelchair, kidney disease, sight impairment or deafness.
Visas
Spain is one of 26 member countries of the Schengen Convention, under which 22 EU countries (all but Bulgaria, Cyprus, Ireland, Romania and the UK) plus Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland have abolished checks at common borders. Bulgaria and Romania were due to become a part of the Schengen Area in January 2014, but their accession was postponed after disagreement among EU-member countries.
The visa situation for entering Spain is as follows:
Citizens or residents of EU & Schengen countries No visa required.
Citizens or residents of Australia, Canada, Israel, Japan, New Zealand and the USA No visa required for tourist visits of up to 90 days.
Other countries Check with a Spanish embassy or consulate.
To work or study in Spain A special visa may be required – contact a Spanish embassy or consulate before travel.
Extensions & Residence
Schengen visas cannot be extended. You can apply for no more than two visas in any 12-month period and they are not renewable once in Spain. Nationals of EU countries, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland can enter and leave Spain at will and don't need to apply for a tarjeta de residencia (residence card), although they are supposed to apply for residence papers.
People of other nationalities who want to stay in Spain longer than 90 days have to get a residence card, and for them it can be a drawn-out process, starting with an appropriate visa issued by a Spanish consulate in their country of residence. Start the process well in advance.
Volunteering
Volunteering possibilities in Spain:
Earthwatch InstituteVOLUNTEERING
Occasionally Spanish conservation projects appear on its program.
Go AbroadVOLUNTEERING
At last count it had links to 54 different volunteering opportunities in Spain.
Sunseed Desert TechnologyVOLUNTEERING
(%950 52 57 70; www.sunseed.org.uk)
This UK-run project, developing sustainable ways to live in semi-arid environments, is based in the hamlet of Los Molinos del Río Agua in Almería.
Women Travellers
Travelling in Spain as a woman is as easy as travelling anywhere in the Western world. That said, you should be choosy about your accommodation. Bottom-end fleapits with all-male staff can be insalubrious locations to bed down for the night. Lone women should also take care in city streets at night – stick with the crowds. Hitching for solo women travellers, while feasible, is risky.
Spanish men under about 40, who've grown up in the liberated post-Franco era, conform far less to old-fashioned sexual stereotypes, although you might notice that sexual stereotyping becomes a little more pronounced as you move from north to south in Spain, and from city to country.
Work
Nationals of EU countries, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Iceland may freely work in Spain. If you are offered a contract, your employer will normally steer you through any bureaucracy.
Virtually everyone else is supposed to obtain a work permit from a Spanish consulate in their country of residence and, if they plan to stay more than 90 days, a residence visa. These procedures are well-nigh impossible unless you have a job contract lined up before you begin them.
You could look for casual work in fruit picking, harvesting or construction, but this is generally done with imported labour from Morocco and Eastern Europe, with pay and conditions that can often best be described as dire.
Translating and interpreting could be an option if you are fluent in Spanish and have a language in demand.
Language Teaching
This type of work is an obvious option for which language-teaching qualifications are a big help. Language schools abound and are listed under 'Academias de Idiomas' in the Yellow Pages. Getting a job is harder if you're not an EU citizen, and the more reputable places will require prospective teachers to have TEFL qualifications. Giving private lessons is another avenue, but is unlikely to bring you a living wage straight away.
Sources of information on possible teaching work – in a school or as a private tutor – include foreign cultural centres such as the British Council and Alliance Française, foreign-language bookshops, universities and language schools. Many have noticeboards where you may find work opportunities or can advertise your own services.
At Pueblo Inglés (www.puebloingles.com), native English-speakers (not necessarily qualified teachers) can get work conversing with Spaniards in English at summer camps and other locations.
Tourist Resorts
Summer work on the Mediterranean coasts is a possibility, especially if you arrive early in the season and are prepared to stay a while. Check any local press in foreign languages, such as the Costa del Sol's Sur in English (www.surinenglish.com), which lists ads for waiters, nannies, chefs, babysitters, cleaners and the like.
Yacht Crewing
It is possible to stumble upon work as crew on yachts and cruisers. The best ports at which to look include (in descending order) Palma de Mallorca, Gibraltar and Puerto Banús.
In summer the voyages tend to be restricted to the Mediterranean, but from about November to January, many boats head for the Caribbean. Such work is usually unpaid and about the only way to find it is to ask around on the docks.