As Spanish as flamenco may seem, it’s not a central part of the culture in many places across the country
During your visit to Spain, you probably have visions of practicing your Spanish, eating loads of paella, and basking in the sun before you take a restful siesta. But you might want to think again on all of the above because these Spanish perceptions don’t necessarily apply to a lot of Spain. So before you set off on your adventure, here are six things you should know about Spain.
Languages
You may notice words that don’t seem like Spanish — and they might not be!
It’s Spain so they all speak Spanish all the time, right? Not so much. Spain actually has several other co-official languages, which are used in certain regions. The first of those is Spanish, of course, but various regions have their own unique tongues. Starting in the Spanish northwest, the region of Galicia speaks Gallego, a language that in many ways seems like a blend of Portuguese and Spanish. Heading east to Basque Country, you’ll come upon the Basque language, one of the world’s most unique tongues, which resembles none other out there. A little farther east and south and you’ll happen upon Catalan, the language spoken in Catalonia and which can, depending on the listener sound to resemble Spanish, French and even Italian. Note that farther south of Catalonia, in the region of Valencia, Valenciano is spoken — it’s a Catalan dialect, and just one of many, many dialects spoken across the nation. So though almost everyone can speak Spanish, depending on the region you’re in, the preferred language may in fact be something else.
Regional Pride
Witness Catalonia’s regional pride at an FC Barcelona soccer game.
Speaking of regions with different languages, it’s also very important to remember that many of the residents of some of Spain regions don’t really consider themselves to be part of Spain at all. As such, in-the-know travelers should keep this in mind when heading to specific parts of Spain so as to remain sensitive and curious about what sets these regions apart. Where specifically are we referring to here? Basque Country and Catalonia, both regions that have very strong cultural identities (and, as you now know, languages of their own), and who have large chunks of their populations keen to see independence from Spain. This is a touchy subject depending on who you speak with, so it is important to keep in mind while visiting the country.
Get closer to the one of Catalonia’s main sources of pride and joy by joining an FC Barcelona Stadium Tour.
Cuisine
Spanish cuisine beyond paella: Galician octopus.
On a much lighter note, let’s talk about food because, as you can imagine by now, the country’s food — like its culture — is hardly homogenous. It’s true: if you think you’ll be scarfing down paella around every turn and sipping on sangria, you should probably think again. Speaking of paella and those very regional identities, the ricey dish originates from the region of Valencia, so that will be the primary place where you’ll want to get your paella on. But elsewhere in the country, say in the Spanish north, you’ll be more likely to come across hardy dishes of bean stews, or in Basque Country the everpresent pinchos (essentially gourmet versions of tapas). In the northwest, you’ll want to sample pulpo (octopus) and the white wine Albariño, and in the south, you should gulp down loads of the chilled tomato-soup gazpacho. But this is a very, very brief introduction to some of the typical plates you might find around the nation, so, Wise Traveler, wherever you head, ask the locals what their specialty dishes are so that you can better get to know your destination via your taste buds.
Make figuring out the best dishes to try even easier by joining one of Spain’s food tours.
The Siesta
If you plan on doing some souvenir shopping, then keep in mind siesta closing hours
Perhaps you’ve heard of the so-called Spanish siesta – or midday nap – since the beginning of time. But what really is it all about? Well, for starters, many, many people here don’t actually take daily siestas, particularly in big cities. This famous naptime is hardly something that many a modern Spaniard is taking during their work week in places like Madrid and Barcelona. That said, siesta hours are real. That is, expect many shops – smaller ones; usually not big chains – to close from roughly 2pm to 5pm every day. Are they going to nap? Perhaps not. But they certainly won’t be doing business at that time either.
The Spanish North
Northern Spain is filled with green landscapes and snow-topped mountains.
The Spanish south may look like everything your Spanish dreams are made of but, in reality, the rest of Spain isn’t all flamenco, bullfighting, sunshine and whitewashed villages. Indeed, the northern regions of Spain may remind you of other countries altogether. Take Galicia, Spain’s northwestern region: its known for its rain-saturated landscape, where it’s not terribly uncommon to hear the echo of bagpipes. That’s right, this corner of Spain has Celtic roots – roots you can see and even hear. Meanwhile, all across the nation’s north, the scenery, sights and culture will challenge your perceptions of what you thought Spain to be. We’re talking giantly tall mountain ranges that will having you thinking of the Alps, and architecture that will conjure up images of Tyrolean villages rather than sunbathed Spanish pueblos.
You Can Ski!
Not only can you ski in Spain, but you can even hit the slopes and the beach all in one day
Along these same lines, don’t expect Spain to be all sunshine, beaches and warm weather. In fact, there are loads of skiing opportunities here. In the north, of course, there are the Pyrenees and even the country of Andorra. But you can go skiing in places a lot farther south, too, including the nation’s capital, Madrid, which has ski opportunities just about an hour away. Meanwhile, you can even ski while in the region of Granada, home to the southernmost ski runs in Europe, and a place where you can hit the slopes and the beach all in one day.
Visit the snow-capped mountains of Andorra on a Three Countries in One Day Trip from Barcelona.
-Contributed by Erin Ridley
6 Things You Didn’t Know About Spain from Spain Things to Do
