Spain

Time & Date: GMT +1

Currency

Spain is part of the European Union, so we use the EURO. Although USD would be accepted in some shops and tourist places, we advise to use only our currency
Credit cards are widely accepted anywhere, but some small merchants like kiosks, taxis or some bars would not take cards, specially for minor payments of below 20 EUR. ATMs are present everywhere, but our recommendation is still to have always some cash at hand for any purpose.

Languages

Against what our long tourism tradition could lead you to imagine, English is not so widely spoken in the streets, so it might be hard sometimes to find anyone who speaks the language, specially outside the touristic routes. The disadvantage is not really big though considering the Spanish ability and readiness to cooperate with foreigners: do not be surprised if your question congregates a number of people discussing which could be the best answer to your need.

Food & Drinks:
Spanish customs are quite different from the rest of European standards. We start our morning normally at 08.00 am, have lunch by 0200 pm and dinner from 0900 pm. If you get your dinner ordered at 0600 pm, be sure you are in a tourist place and surely if you see any Spaniard around, they might be having a quite late lunch 
Lunches and dinners are normally complete in Spain, including starter, main and desert, while breakfast could be simpler, with only coffee, a toast or churros and if at all an orange juice.

Many day by day matters are discusses at a bar with a coffee, so it is not a surprise that you can count more bars only in Madrid than in whole Belgium (even though they drink more beer per person…) and you will always see busy places no matter where you travel or what hour of the day you enter.

The secret of our kitchen is olive oil and garlic. Expect plentiful of both in your dishes and enjoy the tasting results of its use. Fresh ingredient is the rule, varying from meat to fish. Its not strange to get good quality “menu of the day” in any local bar for anything between 10 and 15 EUR, including bread, drink and coffee.

Travel Insurance:
When buying your travel insurance, always check the small print – some policies specifically exclude ‘dangerous activities’, which could be anything from scuba diving to horse riding. You should check whether the medical coverage is on a pay first, claim later basis and, more importantly, ensure that your medical coverage includes the cost of medical evacuation.

Visa:
Depending on the purpose of your travel to Spain, there are different types of visas that will apply to the occasion. Whether you are planning to go on a visit, study or work and reside there permanently, you will have to apply for a different Schengen Visa, accordingly.

International Airports:
Madrid, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca are the three biggest ones, but you can also consider other options, like Bilbao, Malaga, Seville, Valencia, or even Vigo, Santander or Santiago