 Spain (Spanish: España ) is a diverse country in Mediterranean Europe , sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea.
Visa Regulations
A visa is not required for a U.S. or Canadian citizen holding a valid passport unless he expects to stay in Italy more than 90 days. If, after entering Italy, the tourist decides he would like to stay more than 90 days, he can apply, once only, at any police station for an extension of an additional 90 days. He will be asked to prove that he is a bona fide tourist with adequate means of support. As a rule, permission is granted immediately. Non-American citizens should check current visa requirements with the nearest Italian Consulate before departure.
Documentation required to travel to Spain varies according to the country of origin.
If you are a citizen of the EU, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein : you need a valid passport or ID card. Under 16s can be included on the passport of their father, mother or tutor, as long as they have the same nationality as the passport holder and are travelling with him/her. Furthermore, if the young person is travelling with an ID card, this should be accompanied by parental authorisation.
If you are travelling from one of the following countries (Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, El Salvador, the USA, Guatemala, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, Monaco, Nicaragua, New Zealand, Panama, Paraguay, Republic of Korea, San Marino, the Vatican, Singapore, Uruguay or Venezuela) : you must present a valid passport, which will allow you to remain in Spain for a maximum period of 90 days.
If you come from another country , you should apply for a visa from the Spanish Consulate in your place of residence, subject to criteria established by the EU. You will also require a valid passport. You may be required to specify the reason for your application for entrance to Spain. Furthermore, if considered opportune, the Spanish authorities may require a document showing the establishment of accommodation in Spain, confirmation of booking on an organised tour, a return ticket or ticket for a tourist itinerary, or an invitation by a third party. In addition, they may also require you to show that you are in possession of sufficient funds for maintenance during your stay in Spain.
It is advisable to take out travel insurance for your trip.
Given that conditions may vary, we suggest that you contact the Spanish Embassy or Consulate to verify these requirements before you start your trip.
Hotels, Apartments, Cruises, Vacations in Spain
Useful information
Currency:
Spain is part of the European Union and the Eurozone; as such it replaced Spanish pesetas with the Euro (symbol: €) in the year 2002. Since it has been only a few years since the introduction of Euro cash, a few people will still use the old national currency names. For example, it is entirely possible that a Spaniard would still refer to peseta. They mean Euros and Cents, so just mentally substitute the two.
Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange currency. An exception are shops and restaurants at airports. These will generally accept at least US Dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate. If you wish to exchange money, you can do so at any bank (some may require that you have an account there before they will exchange your money), where you can also cash in your traveller's cheques. Currency exchanges, once a common sight, have all but disappeared since the introduction of the Euro. Again, international airports are an exception to this rule.
Credit cards are well accepted. Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that. Notice many Spanish stores will ask for your passport, driving license or ID card before accepting your credit card. Although somewhat awkward for people from Eurozone countries that do not have an ID Card, this measure helps avoid credit card robbery.
Currency exchange Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange currency. An exception are shops and restaurants at airports. These will generally accept at least US Dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate. If you wish to exchange money, you can do so at any bank (some may require that you have an account there before they will exchange your money), where you can also cash in your traveller's cheques. Currency exchanges, once a common sight, have all but disappeared since the introduction of the Euro. Again, international airports are an exception to this rule.
Credit cards are well accepted. Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that. Notice many Spanish stores will ask for your passport, driving license or ID card before accepting your credit card. Although somewhat awkward for people from Eurozone countries that do not have an ID Card, this measure helps avoid credit card robbery.
Business Hours The most common business hours are Monday through Saturday, from 9.30 h to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h.
Big shopping centres and department stores open from 10.00 h to 21.00 or 22.00 h uninterruptedly. These big stores open sometimes on Sunday.
In coastal cities, in high season, shops are usually open passed 22.00 h.
Pharmacies open from 9.30 to 13.30 h, and from 16.30 to 20.00 h. In all major cities you can find pharmacies that open 24 hours. Pharmacies follow a rolling late-hour schedule, which is published in the newspapers, and is posted at all pharmacies.
 Telephone & Fax
Public Telephones
To make a call to Spain from overseas , you should dial +34 (the code for Spain) followed by the telephone number (9 digits).
To call another country from Spain , then dial 00 followed by the country code and the telephone number. You can make calls from phone boxes. These work with coins or cards available from "estancos" (licensed outlets for tobacco/stamps).
To make national calls within Spain you should dial the number with no prefix. This number should comprise 9 digits, regardless of whether it is a landline or mobile.
To use your mobile in Spain you should be aware that coverage here uses GSM technology, meaning that it is incompatible with some countries such as the USA or Japan. In this case you need a tri-band mobile in order to call. If you have a compatible handset, you should get in touch with your mobile company to make sure that you can use your mobile in Spain (they will activate the international roaming service on your account). Once you have taken these steps at home, you will be able to use your mobile in Spain as if it were a Spanish handset: i.e. you should dial 00 + the country code to make international calls.
Internet
If you wish to get online to check your email, or for any other reason, you should go to one of the many establishments that offer this kind of connection: telephone houses, cybercafés, etc. Internet connections are also available at airports, major railway and bus stations, and at some shopping centres. Generally, these services work with coins.
Electricity:
Voltage of city power grid - 220V, frequency 50HZ Time zone:
From the end of March until the end of October, Spain time goes from GMT+1 to GMT+2 (GMT = Greenwich Meridian Time).
 Safety
Police
There are four kinds of police:
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'Policía Municipal' or 'Local' (metropolitan police). Uniforms change from town to town, but they use to wear black or blue clothes with pale blue shirt and a blue cap (or white helmet) with a checkered white-and-blue strip. This kind of police keeps order and rules the traffic inside cities, and they are the best people in case you are lost and need some directions. Although you can't officially report theft to them, they will escort you to 'Policia Nacional' headquarters if required, and they will escort the suspects to be arrested also, if needed.
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'Policía Nacional' wear dark blue clothes and blue cap (sometimes replaced by a baseball-like cap), unlike Policía Municipal, they do not have a checkered flag around their cap/helmet. Inside cities, all offenses/crimes should be reported to them, although the other police corps would help anyone who needs to report an offense.
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'Guardia Civil' keeps the order outside cities, in the country, and regulates traffic in the roads between cities. You would probably see them guarding official buildings, or patrolling the roads. They wear plain green military-like clothes; some of them wear a strange black helmet ('tricornio') resembling a toreador cap, but most of them use green caps or white motorcycle helmets.
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Given that Spain has a high grade of political autonomy released to its regional governments, some of them also have regional law forces, such as Policía Foral in Navarra, the Ertzaintza in the Basque Country or the Mossos d'Esquadra in Catalonia.
All kinds of police also wear high-visibility clothing ("reflective" jackets) while directing traffic, or in the road.
Theft
Spain is a safe country, but you should take some basic precautions:
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Try not to show expensive cameras in depressed areas.
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Always watch your bag or purse in touristic places, buses, trains and meetings.
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Do not carry large amounts of money with you.
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Beware of pickpockets when visiting areas with large numbers of people, like crowded buses or the Puerta del Sol.
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In Madrid and also in Barcelona, some criminal groups think that people from the far east (especially Japan) are easy prey.
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Don't hesitate to report crimes to local police.
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In general, you must bear in mind that those areas with a larger number of foreign visitors, like some crowded vacation resorts in the East Coast, are much more likely to attract thieves than places which are not so popular among tourists.
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Avoid gypsy women offering rosemary, refuse it always; they will read your future, ask for some money, and your pocket will probably be picked. Some gypsy women also will approach you on the street repeating "Buena suerte" ("good luck") as a distraction for another gypsy women to try to pickpocket you. Avoid them at all costs.
Swindles you should avoid
Some people could try to take advantage of your ignorance of local customs.
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In Spanish cities, all taxis should have a visible fare table. You shouldn't agree a fixed price to go from an airport to a city: in most cases, the taxi driver will be earning more money than without a pre-agreed tariff.
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In many places of Madrid, especially near Atocha station, there are people ('trileros') who play the "shell game". They will "fish" you if you play, and they will most likely pick your pocket if you stop to see other people play. 
Other things you should know
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All stores, hotels and restaurants should have an official complaint form, in case you need it.
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The emergency telephone number (police, firefighters, ambulances) is 112. You may call it from any phone at no cost, in case you need to.
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People from European Union and a few more European countries can freely use public health system, if they have the appropriate intereuropean sanitary card. That card does not work in private hospitals. Agreements are established to treat people from a few American countries; see the Tourspain link below for more info.
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However, do not hesitate to go to any healthcare facility should you be injured or seriously ill, as it would be illegal for them not to treat you, even if you are uninsured.
Health
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Though most foreigners tend to think Spain is a warm place, it can be terribly cold in winter, especially in the Central Region and in the North, and in some places it is also rainy in summer. Remember to travel with adequate clothes.
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In summer, avoid direct exposure to sunlight for long periods of time to prevent sunburn and heatstroke. Drink water, walk on the shady side of street and keep a container of sun cream (suntan lotion) handy.
 Transport
Driver's License You must be 18 year old:
To drive in Spain you must be aged 18 or over. To rent a vehicle you must be 21 or over. Many companies also require you to have held your driver's license for a minimum of one or two years. Remember that you will also require a credit card to rent a vehicle.
A valid driver's license:
If you are the citizen of an EU member state, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland or Liechtenstein, or of one of the countries that has adopted the standard license as agreed in the Geneva or Vienna conventions: you only require your valid driver's license. If you are from another country you will require an International Driver's License
Road safety regulations while driving:
There are a series of road safety regulations you must be aware of when driving in Spain. They are as follows:
- Talking on a mobile phone is prohibited while driving, unless you use a hands-free system.
- Car radios and mobile phones must be switched off while re-fuelling.
- Children under 3 years must be strapped into a suitable seat for their weight and height.
- A reflective jacket must be used when getting out of the car on the road or the hard shoulder.
- Warning triangles must be deployed if the vehicle has stopped on the road or hard shoulder.
Furthermore:
- Established speed limits must be obeyed.
- Alcohol levels must not exceed 0.5 g/l in the bloodstream (0.25 mg/l in exhaled air).
- Seatbelts must be worn by driver and all passengers, in front and back seats.
- Helmets must be worn on motorbikes, mopeds and bicycles.
 Highways and Roads Highway
Trains
Bus
The easiest way to get around most parts of Spain is by bus. Most major routes are point to point, and very high frequency. There is a different operator for each route, but usually just one operator per route. At the bus station, each operator has its own wicket. The staff at any of them are usually happy to tell you who operates which route, however.
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Hitchhiking is not illegal, however Spain does not have a strong hitchhiking culture and getting a ride can be much more difficult than in other European countries.
Boat
Wherever you are in Spain, from your private yacht you can enjoy gorgeous scenery and distance yourself from the inevitable crowds of tourists that flock to these destinations. May is a particularly pleasant time to charter in the regions of Costa Brava, Costa Blanca and the Balearic Islands as the weather is good and the crowds have yet to descend. The summer months of July and August are the hottest and tend to have lighter winds. There is no low season for the Canary Islands, as the weather resembles springtime all year round. If you would like to bareboat anywhere in Spain, including the Balearic or Canary Islands, a US Coast Guard License is the only acceptable certification needed by Americans to bareboat. For everyone else, a RYA Yacht Master Certification or International Certificate of Competence will normally do. Although a skipper may be required, a hostess/chef may or may not be necessary. Dining out is strong part of Spanish custom and tradition. If you are planning on docking in a port and exploring fabulous bars and restaurants a hostess/cook may just be useful for serving drinks and making beds. Extra crew can take up valuable room on a tight ship. |
