Espagne Hotels Reservation

The View

Spain is a diverse country in Mediterranean Europe, sharing the Iberian Peninsula with Portugal at the western end of the Mediterranean Sea. Among many places, Spain is the home of the thriving capital Madrid, the vibrant coastal city of Barcelona, the famous running with the bulls at Pamplona, and the city where flamenco was born: Sevilla.With great beaches, fun nightlife, many cultural regions and historic cities, Spain makes a great destination for any kind of trip. A country of large geographical and cultural diversity, Spain is sometimes a surprise to people who know its reputation for great beach holidays. There is everything from lush meadows, snowy mountains, huge marsh and salines and deserts in the south east.
 
The Country

Spain is a member of the European Union and the Schengen Agreement, which governs its visa policies. No visa is required for citizens of other EU member states, and those of nations with whom the European Union has special treaties. There are no border controls between Spain and other Schengen Agreement nations, making travel less complicated.

Unsurprisingly, the official and universal language used in Spain is Spanish , but it’s more complicated than that, as it differs in pronunciation and other details. It is part of the Romance family of languages – along with Portuguese, Italian, French, and Romanian - and is more properly called Castilian (castellano). However, there are a number of languages — Catalan, Basque, Galician, Asturian, Valencian, Balear, etc — spoken in various parts of Spain. Some of these languages are dominant in their respective regions, and following their legalization in the 1978 constitution, they are co-official with Castilian. Except Basque (whose origin is still discussed) the languages of the Iberian Peninsula are all associated with the Romance family of languages and are fairly easy to pick up if you know Castilian well.In addition to the native languages, English or French are commonly studied in school. If you are visiting a touristic area you will find people who are fluent in several languages. You won’t be so lucky in other places as most Spaniards speak English rather poorly. Your best bets are young urban people. Speak slowly, use simple words and don’t hesitate to use gestures or a notebook to be understood. Chances are people will understand words more easily if you write them down.

As part of the European Union, Spain replaced the Pesetas with the Euro 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 conversion. For example, it is entirely possible that a Spaniard would still refer to pesetas. Do not expect anybody to accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange currency. Exceptions are shops and restaurants at airports. These will generally accept at least US Dollars at a slightly worse exchange rate.

Spanish people are very passionate about the quality, intensity and taste of their coffee and good freshly brewed coffee is available almost everywhere.The usual choices are solo, the milk-less espresso version; cortado, solo with a dash of milk; con leche, solo with milk added; and manchado, coffee with lots of milk. The Spanish beer is not too bad at all and well worth a try. Most popular local brands include San Miguel, Cruzcampo, Mahou, Ambar, Estrella Galicia, Keller and many others, including local brands at most cities; import beers are also available. In Spain, beer is often served from a tap in 25 cl or 33 cl tube glasses. Bigger servings are rare, but you can also ask for a "corto", "zurito" or simply "una cerveza" or "tanque" to get a half size beer, perfect to drink in one go and get quickly to the next bar while having tapas. The drinking age in Spain is 18. People under this age are forbidden to drink and buy alcoholic drinks, although enforcement in tourist and clubbing areas is more relaxed. Cava is Spanish sparkling wine and was invented after a long lasting dispute with the French about the right name for the sparkling wine. The Spanish called it for a long time champan, but the French argued that champagne can be made only from grapes grown in the Champagne region in France. Nevertheless, Cava is a quite successful sparkling wine and 99% of the production comes from the area around Barcelona.

There are many different kinds of tourist accommodations, ranging from hotels, pensions, rented villas, to camping or even monasteries. "7% VAT is not included" is a common trick for mid-range guesthouses and hotels: always check the small print when you choose your place to stay. VAT is IVA in Spanish. Besides the coasts, Spain is rich in tourists-friendly inland small villages, like Alquezar: with narrow medieval streets, charming silence and isolation, still good selection of affordable restaurants and accommodation. There are plenty of hostels in Spain, mostly in Madrid, with prices varying from €15 to €25 per night.

The People

Spaniards in general are very patriotic about both their country and/or the region in which they live. Avoid arguments about whether people from Catalonia or the Basque Country are Spaniards or not. Safety is not a concern in case you engage in an argument but you will be dragged in a long, pointless discussion.
It is customary to kiss friends, family, and acquaintances on both cheeks upon seeing each other and saying goodbye. Male-to-male kisses of this sort are limited to family members –a firm handshake is expected instead.

Spaniards of all regions are keen to maintain physical contact while talking, such as putting a hand on your shoulder, patting your back, etc. These should be taken as signs of friendship. During lunch or dinner, Spaniards do not begin eating until everyone is seated and ready to eat. Likewise, they do not leave the table until everyone is finished eating. Table manners are otherwise standard and informal. When the bill comes, it is common to pay equally, regardless of the amount or price each has consumed.

When Spaniards receive a gift or are offered a drink or a meal, they usually refuse for a bit, so as not to seem greedy. This sometimes sparks arguments among especially reluctant people, but it is seen as polite. Remember to offer more than once (on the third try it must be fairly clear if they will accept it or not). On the other hand, if you are interested in the offer, politely smile and decline it, saying that you don’t want to be a nuisance, etc. but relent and accept when they insist. When in a car, the elderly and pregnant always ride in the passenger’s seat, unless they request not to.

Spaniards do not drink or eat in the street. Bars (not franchises) will rarely offer the option of food to take away. Especially unheard of is the "doggy bag".
Appearing drunk in public is generally frowned upon.
In Spanish beaches it is okay for women to sunbathe topless. This practice is particularly common in touristic areas. Full nudity is only allowed in "clothing-optional" or nudist beaches.

While Spaniards are not the most punctual people in the world, you should never arrive late to appointments: this will seem very bad to most people.
Spaniards are not as religious as the media sometimes presents them, but they are, and always have been, mostly Catholic: respect this and avoid making any comments that could offend. In particular, religious festivals, Holy Week, and Christmas are very important to Spaniards.
Avoid mentioning the past, such as the former fascist dictatorship of Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975. Many symbols, pictures, statues and monuments affiliated with the Franco regime have been outlawed and possible fines and jail time could result if you violate these laws. This was a painful past as Franco ruled Spain with an iron fist, executing many Spaniards who violated the anti-democratic laws of the regime. Avoid talking about it, especially to older Spaniards, as those times were very painful and those times would like to be forgotten by most Spaniards. Again, engaging in an argument can only lead to a long discussion.

The Cities and Sights
Spain has hundreds of interesting cities. In addition to its vibrant capital, Madrid, here are 11 of the most popular destinations:

• Barcelona - Spain’s second city, capital of Catalonia, full of modernist buildings and a vibrant cultural life, nightclubs, and beaches.
• Bilbao - former industrial city, home to the Guggenheim Museum.
• Cadiz - oldest city in Western Europe, celebrates a famous carnival.
• Córdoba - The Grand Mosque (’Mezquita’) of Cordoba is one of the world’s finest buildings.
• Granada - stunning city in the south, surrounded by snow capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada, home of La Alhambra.
• Jerez de la Frontera - a beautiful city of Andalusial. Jerez is the capital of flamenco, horse and wine.
• León - used to be a Roman colony, great monuments, nice food.
• San Sebastián - wealthy city with a large sandy beach bay and bay of Viscaya.
• Santander - well-styled city with beautiful coastal parks.
• Seville - a beautiful, verdant city, and home to the world’s third largest cathedral.
• Valencia - paella was invented here, has a very nice beach.

Other Attractions

• Andorra - a principality nestling in the Pyrenees, and one of the smallest countries in the world.
• Béjar - really nice place to visit.
• El Arenosillo - rocket launch site near Mazagón in Huelva, Andalucia
• Jerez de la Frontera - home of sherry wine.
• La Rioja - Rioja wine and fossilized dinosaur tracks.
• Peñiscola - nice town on the east coast with a medieval castle.
• Rías Altas (comprising the province of Lugo plus the northern part of the province of Coruña) - beautiful beaches and food.
• Rías Baixas (comprising the province of Pontevedra plus the southern part of the province of Coruña) - beautiful beaches and food.
• Ronda - beautifully preserved old town in southern Spain with the oldest still-used bullring in Spain - it was the location for the film of Carmen with Placido Domingo.
• Salamanca - home to the oldest University in Spain, the premier learning center during the middle ages.
• Toledo - the first capital of Spain, the ecclesiastical capital of Spain
• Valladolid - the third capital of Spain, a nice place to visit.
• Sitges,a seaside resort near Barcelona.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Source: Wikitravel