This section covers just the basics on traveling in Spain (for much more information, see Rick Steves’ Spain). You can find free advice on specific topics at www.ricksteves.com/tips.
Spain uses the euro currency: 1 euro (€) = about $1.30. To convert prices in euros to dollars, add about 30 percent: €20 = about $26, €50 = about $65. (Check www.oanda.com for the latest exchange rates.)
The standard way for travelers to get euros is to withdraw money from ATMs (which locals call a cajero automático) using a debit or credit card, ideally with a Visa or MasterCard logo. Before departing, call your bank or credit-card company: Confirm that your card will work overseas, find out the PIN code for your credit card, ask about international transaction fees, and alert them that you’ll be making withdrawals in Europe. To keep your valuables safe, wear a money belt.
Dealing with “Chip and PIN”: Much of Europe is adopting a “chip-and-PIN” system for credit cards, and some merchants rely on it exclusively. European chip-and-PIN cards are embedded with an electronic chip, in addition to the magnetic stripe used on our American-style cards. This means that your credit (and debit) card might not work at automated payment machines, such as those at train and subway stations, toll roads, parking garages, luggage lockers, and self-serve gas pumps. Memorizing your credit card’s PIN lets you use it at some chip-and-PIN machines—just enter your PIN when prompted. If a machine won’t take your card, look for a machine that takes cash or see if there’s a cashier nearby who can process your transaction. The easiest solution is to pay for your purchases with cash you’ve withdrawn from an ATM using your debit card (Europe’s ATMs still accept magnetic-stripe cards).
Smart travelers use the telephone to reserve or reconfirm rooms, reserve restaurants, get directions, research transportation connections, confirm tour times, phone home, and lots more.
To call Spain from the US or Canada: Dial 011-34 and then the nine-digit number. (The 011 is our international access code, and 34 is Spain’s country code.)
To call Spain from a European country: Dial 00-34 followed by the nine-digit number. (The 00 is Europe’s international access code.)
To call within Spain: Just dial the local nine-digit number.
To call from Spain to another country: Dial 00 followed by the country code (for example, 1 for the US or Canada), then the area code and number. If calling European countries whose phone numbers begin with 0, you’ll usually have to omit that 0 when you dial.
Tips on Phoning: A mobile phone—whether an American one that works in Spain, or a European one you buy when you arrive—is handy, but can be pricey. If traveling with a smart-phone, switch off data-roaming until you have free Wi-Fi. To make cheap international calls, you can buy an international phone card in Spain; these work with a scratch-to-reveal PIN code at any phone, allow you to call home to the US for pennies a minute, and also work for domestic calls within Spain. Insertable phone cards, usable only at pay phones, are reasonable for calls within Spain (and work for international calls as well, but not as cheaply as the international phone cards). Calling from your hotel-room phone is usually expensive, unless you use an international phone card. For much more on phoning, see www.ricksteves.com/phoning.
To ensure the best value, I recommend reserving rooms in advance, particularly during peak season. Email the hotelier with the following key pieces of information: number and type of rooms; number of nights; date of arrival; date of departure; and any special requests. (For a sample form, see www.ricksteves.com/reservation.) Use the European style for writing dates: day/month/year. For example, for a two-night stay in July, you could request: “1 double room for 2 nights, arrive 16/07/13, depart 18/07/13.” Hoteliers typically ask for your credit-card number as a deposit.
These days, many hotels change prices from day to day according to demand. Given the economic downturn, hoteliers are often willing and eager to make a deal. I’d suggest emailing several hotels to ask for their best price. Comparison-shop and make your choice.
In general, hotel prices can soften if you do any of the following: offer to pay cash, stay at least three nights, or mention this book. You can also try asking for a cheaper room or a discount, or offer to skip breakfast.
By our standards, Spaniards eat late, having lunch—their biggest meal of the day—around 13:00-16:00, and dinner starting about 21:00. At restaurants, you can dine with tourists at 20:00, or with Spaniards if you wait until later.
For a fun early dinner at a bar, build a light meal out of tapas—small appetizer-sized portions of seafood, salads, meat-filled pastries, deep-fried tasties, and so on. Many of these are displayed behind glass, and you can point to what you want. Tapas typically cost about €2 apiece, but can run up to €10 for seafood. While the smaller “tapa” size (which comes on a saucer-size plate) is handiest for maximum tasting opportunities, many bars sell only larger sizes: the ración (full portion, on a dinner plate) and media-ración (half-size portion). Jamón (hah-MOHN), an air-dried ham similar to prosciutto, is a Spanish staple. Other key terms include bocadillo (baguette sandwich), frito (fried), a la plancha (grilled), queso (cheese), tortilla (omelet), and surtido (assortment).
Many bars have three price tiers, which should be clearly posted: It’s cheapest to eat or drink while standing at the bar (barra), slightly more to sit at a table inside (mesa or salón), and most expensive to sit outside (terraza). Wherever you are, be assertive or you’ll never be served. Por favor (please) grabs the attention of the server or bartender. If you’re having tapas, don’t worry about paying as you go (the bartender keeps track). When you’re ready to leave, ask for the bill: “¿La cuenta?” To tip for a few tapas, round up to the nearest euro; for a full meal, tip about 5 to 10 percent for good service.
By Train and Bus: For train schedules, check www.renfe.es. Since trains can sell out, it’s smart to buy your tickets a day in advance at a travel agency (easiest), at the train station (can be crowded; be sure you’re in the right line), or online (at www.renfe.es; when asked for your Spanish national ID number, enter your passport number; or from the US try www.raileurope.com). Futuristic, high-speed trains (such as AVE) can be priced differently according to their time of departure. To see if a railpass could save you money, check www.ricksteves.com/rail.
Buses pick up where the trains don’t go, reaching even small villages. But because routes are operated by various competing companies, it can be tricky to pin down schedules (check with local bus stations, tourist info offices, or www.movelia.es).
By Plane: Consider covering long distances on a budget flight, which can be cheaper than a train or bus ride. For flights within Spain, check out www.vueling.com, www.iberia.com, or www.aireuropa.com; to other European cites, try www.easyjet.com and www.ryanair.com; and to compare several airlines, see www.skyscanner.com.
By Car: It’s cheaper to arrange most car rentals from the US. For tips on your insurance options, see www.ricksteves.com/cdw. Bring your driver’s license. You’re also technically required to have an International Driving Permit—a translation of your driver’s license (sold at your local AAA office for $15 plus the cost of two passport-type photos; see www.aaa.com). For route planning, try www.viamichelin.com. Freeways come with tolls (about $4/hour), but save lots of time. A car is a worthless headache in cities—park it safely (get tips from your hotel). As break-ins are common, be sure all of your valuables are out of sight and locked in the trunk, or even better, with you or in your hotel room.
Emergency Help: For police help, dial 091. To summon an ambulance, call 112. For passport problems, call the US Embassy (in Madrid, tel. 915-872-200, after-hours emergency tel. 915-872-200) or the Canadian Embassy (in Madrid, tel. 913-828-400). For other concerns, get advice from your hotel.
Theft or Loss: Spain has particularly hardworking pickpockets—wear a money belt. Assume beggars are pickpockets and any scuffle is simply a distraction by a team of thieves. If you stop for any commotion or show, put your hands in your pockets before someone else does.
To replace a passport, you’ll need to go in person to an embassy (see above). Cancel and replace your credit and debit cards by calling these 24-hour US numbers collect: Visa—tel. 303/967-1096, MasterCard—tel. 636/722-7111, American Express—tel. 336/393-1111. File a police report either on the spot or within a day or two; it’s required if you submit an insurance claim for lost or stolen railpasses or travel gear, and can help with replacing your passport or credit and debit cards. Precautionary measures can minimize the effects of loss—back up your photos and other files frequently. For more information, see www.ricksteves.com/help.
Time: Spain uses the 24-hour clock. It’s the same through 12:00 noon, then keep going: 13:00, 14:00, and so on. Spain, like most of continental Europe, is six/nine hours ahead of the East/West Coasts of the US.
Siesta and Paseo: Many Spaniards (especially in rural areas) still follow the traditional siesta schedule: From around 13:00 to 16:00, many businesses close as people go home for a big lunch with their family. Then they head back to work (and shops re-open) from about 16:00 to 20:00. (Many bigger stores stay open all day long, especially in cities.) Then, after a late dinner, whole families pour out of their apartments to enjoy the cool of the evening, stroll through the streets, and greet their neighbors—a custom called the paseo. Tourists are welcome to join this people-parade.
Sights: Major attractions can be swamped with visitors; carefully read and follow this book’s crowd-beating tips (visit at quieter times of day, or—where possible—reserve ahead). At many churches, a modest dress code is encouraged and sometimes required (no bare shoulders, miniskirts, or shorts).
Holidays and Festivals: Spain celebrates many holidays, which can close sights and attract crowds (book hotel rooms ahead). For more on holidays and festivals, check Spain’s website: www.spain.info. For a simple list showing major—though not all—events, see www.ricksteves.com/festivals.
Numbers and Stumblers: What Americans call the second floor of a building is the first floor in Europe. Europeans write dates as day/month/year, so Christmas is 25/12/13. Commas are decimal points and vice versa—a dollar and a half is 1,50, and there are 5.280 feet in a mile. Spain uses the metric system: A kilogram is 2.2 pounds; a liter is about a quart; and a kilometer is six-tenths of a mile.
This Snapshot guide is excerpted from the latest edition of Rick Steves’ Spain, which is one of more than 30 titles in my series of guidebooks on European travel. I also produce a public television series, Rick Steves’ Europe, and a public radio show, Travel with Rick Steves. My website, www.ricksteves.com, offers free travel information, a Graffiti Wall for travelers’ comments, guidebook updates, my travel blog, an online travel store, and information on European railpasses and our tours of Europe. If you’re bringing a mobile device on your trip, you can download free information from Rick Steves Audio Europe, featuring podcasts of my radio shows, free audio tours of major sights in Europe, and travel interviews about Spain (via www.ricksteves.com/audioeurope, iTunes, Google Play, or the Rick Steves Audio Europe free smartphone app). You can follow me on Facebook and Twitter.
Tourist Information: www.spain.info
Passports and Red Tape: www.travel.state.gov
Packing List: www.ricksteves.com/packlist
Cheap Flights: www.kayak.com
Airplane Carry-on Restrictions: www.tsa.gov/travelers
Updates for This Book: www.ricksteves.com/update
If you’d like to share your tips, concerns, and discoveries after using this book, please fill out the survey at www.ricksteves.com/feedback. Thanks in advance—it helps a lot.
Spanish has a guttural sound similar to the J in Baja California. In the phonetics, the symbol for this clearing-your-throat sound is the italicized h.
| Good day. | Buenos dias. | bway-nohs dee-ahs |
| Do you speak English? | ¿Habla Usted ingliés? | ah-blah oo-stehd een-glays |
| Yes./No. | Si./No. | see/nch |
| I (don’t) understand. | (No) comprendo. | (noh) kohm-prehn-doh |
| Please. | Por favor. | por fah-bor |
| Thank you. | Gracias. | grah-thee-ahs |
| I’m sorry. | Lo siento. | loh see-ehn-toh |
| Excuse me. | Perdóneme. | pehr-doh-nay-may |
| (NO) problem. | (No) problema. | (noh)proh-blay-mah |
| Good. | Bueno. | bway-noh |
| Goodbye. | Adiós. | ah-dee-ohs |
| one/two | uno/dos | oo-noh/dohs |
| three/four | tres / cuatro | trays/kwah-troh |
| five/six | cinco / seis | theen-koh/says |
| seven/eight | siete / ocho | see-eh-tay/oh-choh |
| nine/ten | nueve / diez | nway-bay/dee-ayth |
| How much is it? | ¿Cuánto cuesta? | kwahn-toh kway-stah |
| Write it? | ¿Me lo escrible? | may loh ay-skree-bay |
| Is it free? | ¿Es gratis? | ays grah-tees |
| Is it included? | ¿Está incluido? | ay-stah een-kloo-ee-doh |
| Where can I buy/find..? | ¿Dónde puedo comprar/encontrar...? | dohn-day pway-doh kohm-prar/ayn-kohn-trar |
| I’d like/We’d like... | Quiero / Queremos... | kee-ehr-oh/kehr-ay-mohs |
| ...a room. | ...una habitación. | oo-nah ah-bee-tah-thee-ohn |
| ...a ticket to—. | ...un billete para—. | ooh bee-yeh-tay pah-rah |
| Is it possible? | ¿Es posible? | ays poh-see-blay |
| Where is...? | ¿Dónde está...? | dohn-day ay-stah |
| ...the train station | ...la estación de trenes | lah ay-stah-thee-ohn day tray-nays |
| ...the bus station | la estación de autobuses | lah ay-stah-thee-ohn day ow-toh-boo-says |
| ...the tourist information office | ...la oficina de turismo | lah oh-fee-thee-nah day too-rees-moh |
| Where are the toilets? | ¿Dónde están los servicios? | dohn-day ay-stahn lohs sehr-bee-thee-ohs |
| men | hombres, caballeros | ohm-brays, kah-bah-yay-rohs |
| women | mujeres, damas | moo-heh-rays, dah-mahs |
| left/right | izquierda/derecha | eeth-kee-ehr-dah/day-ray-chah |
| straight | derecho | day-ray-choh |
| When do you open/close? | ¿A quéhora abren / cierran? | ah kay oh-rah ah-brehn/thee-ay-rahn |
| At what time? | ¿A qué hora? | ah kay oh-rah |
| Just a moment. | Un momento. | oon moh-mehn-toh |
| now/soon/later | ahora / pronto / más tarde | ah-oh-rah/prohn-toh/mahs tar-day |
| today/tomorrow | hoy / mañana | oy/mahn-yah-nah |
| I’d like / We’d like... | Quiero / Queremos... | kee-ehr-oh / kehr-ay-mohs |
| ...to reserve... | ...reservar... | ray-sehr-bar |
| ...a table for one / two. | ...una mesa para uno / dos. | oo-nah may-sah pah-rah oo-noh / dohs |
| Non-smoking. | No fumador. | noh foo-mah-dohr |
| Is this table free? | ¿Está esta mesa libre? | ay-stah ay-stah may-sah lee-bray |
| The menu (in English), please. | La carta (en inglés), por favor. | lah kar-tah(ayn een-glays) por fah-bor |
| service (not) included | servicio (no) incluido | sehr-bee-thee-oh(noh) een-kloo-ee-doh |
| cover charge | precio do entradea | pray-thee-oh day ayn-trah-dah |
| to go | para llevar | pah-rah yay-bar |
| with / without | con / sin | kohn / seen |
| and / or | y / o | ee / oh |
| menu(of the day) | menú (del dia) | may-noo(dayl dee-ah) |
| specialty of the house | especialidad de la casa | ay-spay-thee-ah-lee-dahd day lah kah-sah |
| tourist menu | menú turístico | meh-noo too-ree-stee-koh |
| combination plate | plato combinado | plah-toh kohm-bee-nah-doh |
| appetizers | tapas | tah-pahs |
| bread | pan | pahn |
| cheese | queso | kay-soh |
| sandwich | bocadillo | boh-kah-dee-yoh |
| soup | sopa | soh-pah |
| salad | ensalada | ayn-sah-lah-dah |
| meat | carne | kar-nay |
| poultry | aves | ah-bays |
| fish | pescadeo | pay-skah-doh |
| seafood | marisco | mah-ree-skoh |
| fruit | fruta | froo-tah |
| vegetables | verduras | behr-doo-rahs |
| dessert | postres | poh-strays |
| tap water | agua del grifo | ah-gwah dayl gree-foh |
| mineral water | agua mineral | ah-gwah mee-nay-rahl |
| milk | leache | lay-chay |
| (orange) juice | zumo (de naranja) | thoo-moh (day nah-rahn-hah) |
| coffee | café | kah-feh |
| tea | té | tay |
| wine | vino | bee-noh |
| red / white | tinto / blanco | teen-toh / blahn-koh |
| glass / bottle | vaso / botella | bah-soh / boh-tay-yah |
| beer | cerveza | thehr-bay-thah |
| Cheers! | ¡Salud! | sah-lood |
| More./Another. | Más./Otro. | mahs /oh-troh |
| The same. | El mismo. | ehl mees-moh |
| The bill, please. | La cuenta, por favor. | lah kwayn-tah por fah-bor |
| tip | propina | proh-pee-nah |
| Delicious! | ¡Delicioso! | day-lee-thee-oh-soh |
For hundreds more pages of survival phrases for your trip to Spain, check out Rick Steves’ Spanish Phrase Book.