Welcome to the land of eternal sunshine and fun, the land that gave the world spectacular bullfighting, fiery flamenco and the great Gaudi. Every city is full of architectural monuments, parks, museums and, of course, some of the most beautiful beaches on the planet. Go on an adventure and let the interesting facts about Spain guide the way for the curious traveller.
Fact 1. Mountains, beaches and cafés
Spain is 90% mountainous, or to be precise, 650 metres above sea level. Its capital is the highest in Europe. In addition to the mountains, Spain boasts two thousand amazing beaches and a record number of entertainment facilities, of which there are more than 350,000! The number of sunny days here also breaks all records and amounts to 280 clear days!
Fact 2. Two breakfasts
The Spanish breakfast is unusual in its structure: in the morning, before going to work, Spaniards usually limit themselves to a cup of coffee or a glass of orange juice. These may be accompanied by sweets: toast (tostadas), biscuits (galletas) or a croissant with jam. The Spaniards have their second breakfast between 11 a.m. and 11.30 a.m. At this time, office life comes to a standstill as all workers take tables in nearby cafes.
When going on holiday to Spain, put aside your usual schedule and enjoy your time without time constraints. If you want to eat — eat; if you want to dance — dance; that's what self-respecting Spaniards believe.
Fact 3. Surprising Spanish traditions
Any country is attractive with its traditions, which tourists love to talk about when they arrive home, and Spain is no exception. Of course, it isn't easy to list all the traditions, but it is probably appropriate to tell about how the Spanish celebrate New Year's Eve.
On this night, when the old is replaced by the new year, it is customary to eat 12 grapes, and it should be done under the chimes. Each grape represents one of the twelve months; the swallowed berry will surely bring good luck and success. Shops even sell special sets of 12 beautifully packaged grapes.
Fact 4. La Tomatina
In addition to bullfighting, Spain has given the world another spectacular event, namely the Battle of the Tomatoes. This event takes place in August in Buñol, a suburb of Valencia, where people from all corners of the world are invited.
As a result, tens of thousands of people come out on the city streets after the signal of firecrackers begins to throw tomatoes at each other with noise and laughter. Windows, doors and public places are closed for the celebration, more than 100,000 tonnes of tomatoes are used, and many joyous memories are made.
The incredible thing is that the next day, there is no trace of the tomato juice that flooded the streets up to the first floor.
Fact 5. The largest oceanarium in Europe
Valencia has a place that is a must-visit for the whole family — it is the Oceanographic Oceanarium, with more than 110,000 square metres of aquatic areas. Its grounds entertain numerous visitors with more than 45,000 sea creatures.
Besides its enormous size, the oceanarium has another feature that differentiating it from other aquariums worldwide. Firstly, it has one of the most giant dolphin tanks in the world, with a capacity of 26 million cubic metres of water (approximately 25 Olympic-sized pools of water).
Fact 6. Spain is a football country!
Football in Spain is more than the number 1 sport, so every resident sooner or later joins the fans of the best football teams, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Not surprisingly, in 2010, to treat the Spaniards, a most unusual match involving two teams took place.
One team was a standard set of players of eleven people, and the second had as many as 200 players, all of whom were children aged 5 to 11 years old. The match was friendly and ended with a score of 5:3 in favour of the professional players.
Well, we recommend all tourists to visit one of the matches in Spain or at least see the famous stadiums with an excursion programme. We are sure this event will leave a lasting impression in your memory.
Fact 7. Leader among the donor countries
This interesting fact about Spain should become an example for many countries because it concerns saving lives. The fact is that Spain has been a leader in organ transplantation for the last fifteen years.
Not only that, this idea is actively supported by 90% of the local population, agreeing to give organs of their relatives whose life has come to an end. Interestingly, in some churches, you can notice signs with the following text: "Leave your organs on earth, you won't need them in heaven".
Fact 8. The most expensive restaurant in the world
Surprisingly, the most expensive restaurant you will find is in Spain. It's Sublimotion in Ibiza at the Hard Rock Hotel. It only seats 12 people. The kitchen is run by the world-famous chef Paco Roncero, who has two Michelin stars. Dinner for one person in it costs about 1900 euros. For this price, visitors can enjoy a high-tech gastronomic show.
Fact 9. The most popular city among tourists
Barcelona is not only one of Spain's most beautiful cities but also a favourite among tourists. It is visited by around 15 million guests annually, who come here to enjoy the architectural structures, unusual museums, fantastic parks and galleries.
Fact 10. The global leader with the most Blue Flag beaches
Every year, maritime countries compete with each other in the number of "Blue Flags", an award given to a beach for its environmental friendliness, cleanliness of the coast and waters, and excellent conditions for beach holidays. Spain has been the global leader for the nation with the most Blue Flag beaches every year since 1994. With stunning 627 Blue Flag beaches across the country, you'll be spoilt about where to spend a beach day in Spain.
Spain is a country that has a holiday feeling at any time of year. It may be due to the Spaniards' mentality that there is no need to think about tomorrow if you have to live for today.
It will be felt by everyone who is going to visit this sunny and hospitable land. And if you still need to decide what to do during your holiday in Spain, explore our collection of children's and family activities in this country — you will find something interesting.