Spain country information

You are on holiday in Spain. Great! Do you have suitable clothes with you and which plugs can you use? Here you will find practical information on site.

Facts and numbers

Official name

• Kingdom of Spain / Reino de España

Resident

• Spaniard (m), Spanish (f)

State form

• Constitutional monarchy
• Spain is divided into 17 autonomous regions, which are further divided into provinces, and 2 autonomous cities.

Overseas territories

• in the Atlantic Ocean: the Canary Islands (Islas Canarias).
• in Africa: Ceuta, Melilla.
• The Spanish overseas territories are part of the European Union, the euro zone and the Schengen area; there is a border control between Ceuta and Melilla and the rest of the Schengen area.

Capital

• Madrid

European Union

• Spain has been a member of the European Union since 1986.

Population

• 2017: 46.3 million

Surface

• 504,782 km² (more than 12 times the Netherlands)

Income per inhabitant per year

• $ 33,000 (NL: $ 46,500)

Average life expectancy

• 2015: 83 years (NL: 81 years)

Currency

• Euro (EUR)

Country code number plate

• E

Spain country information: language

• Most spoken language: Spanish, also called Castilian (official).

Official minority languages

• Aragonese in the north of Aragon;
• Aranees, part of Occitan, in the Val d’Aran;
• Asturian-Leonees in Asturias and the provinces of León and Zamora;
• Basque in the Basque Country;
• Catalan in Catalonia (Spanish is displacing more and more and is a kind of mix of Castilian and Occitan);
• Galician in north-western Spain.
• Aragonese, Aranese, Asturian-Leonees, Spanish, Catalan and Galician belong to the Roman branch of the Indo-European languages.
• Basque is an isolate, a language that, as far as known, has no demonstrable relationship with other languages.
• Along the tourist eastern and southern costas you can usually also work with English, French or German.
• Knowledge of foreign languages is much less in less touristy areas.

Spain country information health

• Medical care is at a high level in Spain.
• Travelers are advised to take out good travel insurance. Please note that it may be necessary to pay in cash for the provision of medical care.
• In the event of a hospitalization or when specialist medical care is required, it is best for travelers to contact their insurance company directly.

Emergencies

• Travelers can apply for a European health card (EHIC) via their health insurer. With this card they are entitled to necessary medical care in the event of illness or an accident during their stay in Spain and hospitals, general practitioners, pharmacists and other care providers know that their bill is paid by the health insurer. It is therefore often not necessary to advance money. Some health insurers issue a health insurance card that also serves as a European health card. If necessary, contact the health care provider for more information.

Medicines

• Pharmacies can be found everywhere. Exchange services are available on weekends.
• Take special medicines with you to a sufficient degree (in the original packaging) or ask the doctor for a prescription.
• It is advisable to bring a travel pharmacy with regular medicines yourself.

Health advice

Ticks

• Watch out for ticks when hiking or camping in nature, as these can transmit Lyme disease.
  Protect yourself against ticks!

Drinking water

• In general, the tap water is of good quality and can be drunk safely. When in doubt, bottled water can be used that is available everywhere.

Vaccinations

• Vaccinations are not compulsory for Spain.

Hotels in Spain

Book a hotel or camping in Spain at Booking.com

Booking.com

Spain country information camping in Spain

• The number of campsites in Spain, currently around 1200, is growing every year to meet the demand of campers. Most sites can be found on the Mediterranean coast (especially the Costa Brava), and in the Pyrenees.

Types of campsites

• The Spanish campsites do not differ much from the campsites that are known in most other countries.
• Zona de acampada / area de acampada: simple rural campsite with minimal facilities (water), limited supervision and cheap.<.li>
• Camping naturista: naturist campsite.

Quality of the campsites

• Spanish campsites are generally well cared for and the sanitary facilities are often of excellent quality.
• Central antenna systems, telephone connections, water and own drainage at the pitch are no exception, especially at campsites that are open all year round.
• Spanish campsites are divided into four classes according to a national system: luxury, first class, middle class and simple. The category to which the campsite belongs is indicated at the reception. The stars do not represent the quality, but the available facilities.

Glamping

• In Spain, luxury camping is a limited but growing phenomenon.
• A luxury rental accommodation often consists of a villa or safari tent with wooden floor, kitchen unit with fridge and comfortable furniture.

Camping organizations

• The most important camping organizations in Spain are the Federación Española de Empresarios de Camping (FEEC, fedcamping.com) and the Federación Española de Clubes Campistas (FECC, campistasfecc.com). They represent the interests of campers and provide information.

Prices

• The rates depend on the location of the site, the comfort, the region and the season. In general a discount applies for children up to 10 years.
• The rates are usually calculated per pitch, that is, including car, camping equipment and two adults.
• Access to facilities such as swimming pool, sauna, discos and sports competitions is generally included. For some activities a small contribution is requested, such as equipment for mini golf, tennis and horse riding, organized tours and bicycle rental. Also for the use of a washing machine must often be paid.
• Tourist tax is often not included in the campsite rates.

Book camping

• In general, when staying in the high season (July and August), early reservation is required to be sure of a place. That certainly applies to large and luxurious campsites.

Wild camping

• Free camping is only permitted with the permission of the local authorities or the landowner, but is prohibited in national parks.
• The ICONA (Instituto para la Conservacion de la Naturaleza) has designated parts of nature where wild camping is possible.

Campers

• The same rules apply to motorhomes in Spain that also apply to other vehicles.
• In Spain, special camper pitches are available in a number of regions.

Winter camping

• Spain has a considerable number of campsites that are also open during the winter.
• Most winter campsites can be found in the south. The north and east coast up to Alicante are less popular, because the climate there is usually less pleasant.
• The Spanish winter campsites often offer good comfort for a winter holiday. Central antenna systems, telephone connections, water and own drain at the location are no exception.
• Keep in mind that during the winter season campsites often run at half speed. Shops, swimming pools and restaurants at the campsite are then often closed or have limited opening hours. The hot water supply is also sometimes only available for a few hours a day.

Rental accommodation

• At many campsites in Spain it is also possible to rent fully furnished mobile homes, tents or bungalows. A minimum rental period of one week usually applies. It is wise to book well in advance.

Here you will find more information about Spain.