Spain Moorish palaces, Gaudí’s architecture, mountain landscapes and Mediterranean shores

The Euro (EUR) is the currency, and ATMs are widely available in Madrid, Barcelona and smaller towns alike, so there’s little need to arrange currency before you travel. Contactless card payment is standard for almost every transaction, including small purchases at a tapas bar.

Castilian Spanish is the national language, but Catalan, Basque (Euskara) and Galician all hold co-official status in their respective regions, meaning street signs, menus and announcements in Barcelona or the Basque Country may appear in the regional language first. English is spoken confidently in major tourist areas regardless, but this regional linguistic identity is worth understanding as a matter of local pride rather than simply a variation of Spanish.

Spain’s clocks were shifted to Central European Time for political reasons during the 1940s, despite the country’s geography aligning more naturally with the UK’s time zone, meaning Spanish clock time now runs roughly an hour ahead of where the sun actually is. This is the real reason behind famously late Spanish meal times, since a 9pm dinner corresponds to a much earlier actual daylight hour, and restaurants in tourist areas increasingly open earlier to accommodate visitors, though a genuinely local dinner still often starts after 9pm.

Yes, tap water throughout Spain is safe to drink, including in Madrid, Barcelona and rural areas. Some regions have notably harder water that affects taste rather than safety, which is why you’ll sometimes see bottled water preferred locally even though the tap water itself poses no risk.

Cards, particularly contactless, are accepted almost everywhere in Spain’s cities and larger towns, though small family- run bars and market stalls occasionally still prefer cash. A modest amount of Euros is worth carrying for these smaller, more traditional establishments.

Tipping isn’t obligatory, and rounding up a bill or leaving small change for good service is genuinely appreciated rather than expected. This is a considerably lighter tipping culture than in the US, closer to a thank-you gesture than a required part of the transaction.

Spain uses Type C and Type F sockets, the standard European two-pin design, running at 230V. This is a widely recognised shape covered by virtually any universal travel adapter.

This varies considerably by region and city size, since smaller towns still widely observe a traditional midday closure, sometimes for two or three hours, while larger cities like Madrid and Barcelona have moved toward continuous opening hours, particularly in areas with heavy tourist footfall. Checking specific opening hours for smaller towns on your itinerary is worth doing rather than assuming the traditional pattern has disappeared everywhere.

Flamenco is a genuinely participatory art form, and rhythmic clapping (“palmas”) and calling out encouragement (“olé”) at emotionally intense moments are an expected, active part of a proper performance rather than a distraction from it. This is a notable contrast to the more reverent silence expected at a Portuguese fado performance, so approaching the two very differently, despite their geographic proximity, gets the experience right in each case.

Considerably further ahead than most European sites, since tickets for the Sagrada Família and other major Barcelona and Madrid attractions can sell out weeks or even months in advance during peak season, not simply the few days’ notice that suffices elsewhere. Confirming these bookings as soon as your itinerary and dates are set, rather than closer to departure, is genuinely necessary here rather than just good practice.