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Spain travel advice and trip tips

Travel advice Spain (travel tips Spain):

  • Have your trip to Madrid fall on the weekend so that you can visit the Rastro street market and imbibe the atmosphere of the Las Ventas bullring on a Sunday.
  • Visit Barcelona during the week, as hotel rates are much cheaper then.
  • Make hotel reservations well in advance (at least 3 months) if you plan to visit San Sebastian in September (San Sebastian Film Festival) or Seville in April (Holy Week and Seville Fair). 
  • Be very careful with bags and wallets in tourist areas in Madrid (Plaza Mayor) and Barcelona (Las Ramblas). 
  • Our suggested itinerary around Spain is the 17 days route. You will find all necessary recommendations to make your trip an unforgettable experience. 

Tipping in Spain:

While in restaurants the service charge is included, you can leave an extra 1 to 4 euros on the table if the service was good. Tips are not expected in bars except for table or outdoor seating service. Tipping taxi drivers is not customary but sometimes people round off.

Language in Spain:

The official language of Spain is Castilian, known worldwide as Spanish, though in some regions it shares official status with other languages.

If you are a curious person and you like to learn a little bit about every language whereever you go; we recomend that you to take a diccionary with you. Buy a Spanish dictionary: Spanish-English / English-Spanish for £4.49 (by Oxford Dictionaries)

English is not widespread. Still, with a little effort and patience, you'll be able to make yourself understood. Here are some of the most common expressions in Spanish: 

  • Hola (hello)
  • Adiós (good bye)
  • La cuenta por favor (the bill please)
  • Gracias (thanks) 

In Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands, Catalan is spoken. The most common expressions are:

  • Bon dia (good morning)
  • Adéu (good bye)
  • Gràcies (thank you)
  • El compte si us plau (the bill please) 

In the Basque Country, Euskera, or Basque, is spoken. The most common expressions even when Spanish is spoken are:

  • Egunon (good morning)
  • Arratsaldeon (good afternoon)
  • Gabon (good night)
  • Agur (good bye)
  • Eskerrik asko (thank you) 

In Galicia, Gallego, or Galician, is spoken, which is very similar to Portuguese:

  • Bos días (good morning)
  • Boas tardes (good afternoon)
  • Boas noites (good evening)
  • Deica logo (good bye)
  • Gracias or graciñas (thank you) 

Travel advice Spain (travel tips Spain):

  • Have your trip to Madrid fall on the weekend so that you can visit the Rastro street market and imbibe the atmosphere of the Las Ventas bullring on a Sunday.
  • Visit Barcelona during the week, as hotel rates are much cheaper then.
  • Make hotel reservations well in advance (at least 3 months) if you plan to visit San Sebastian in September (San Sebastian Film Festival) or Seville in April (Holy Week and Seville Fair). 
  • Be very careful with bags and wallets in tourist areas in Madrid (Plaza Mayor) and Barcelona (Las Ramblas). 


Blogs about Spain for reading and get inspired:

  • La tortuga viajera: Erin writes about travelling around Spain and Spanish food. The blog is based on her experiences as an American living in Madrid.
  • Spanish Sabores: Lauren writes about travelling to Spain. You'll find information about several destinations. As she says a mix of food blog, travel diary, expat guide, and more.
  • My Spanish Adventure: Will left his job to travel and life in Spain. Get inspire and learn about Spain with his posts. 
  • Christine in Spain: Christine writes and shares photos about Spain. Her goal is "encourage others to see this beautiful world we live". 
  • Orange Polka Dot: Are you travelling to Barcelona? Take a look to some Catalan traditions! 
In the Way Away Smart Route, you can find all necessary recommendations to make your trip an unforgettable experience.