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There are a number of unique monuments in Spain, such as the Alhambra in Granada or the Mosque of Cordoba. Nearly the entire history of Western art is represented in our country: Roman cities, Romanesque churches, Gothic cathedrals and even entire Medieval, Renaissance or Modernist cities, such as Barcelona, represented primarily by Gaudí. The Ministry of Culture website (www.mcu.es) shows the most important Spanish artistic heritage sites by Autonomous Region
Spain is a country with a rich artistic heritage. Many of the royal collections are now displayed in museums such as El Prado. Other newer museums display works of modern and contemporary artists. The Ministry of Culture website (www.mcu.es) provides a list (in the "Bellas Artes, Museos y Patrimonio" ("Fine Arts, Museums and Heritage") section) of the most important national museums and their websites. The following are the most well-known museums:
| Museum | City | Website |
|---|---|---|
| Chillida Leku | Hernani(Guipúzcoa) | www.eduardo-chillida.com |
| Miró Foundation | Barcelona | http://www.bcn.fjmiro.cat/ |
| Guggenheim | Bilbao | www.guggenheim-bilbao.es |
| Altamira Museum | Santillana del Mar (Cantabria) | http://museodealtamira.mcu.es/ |
| Abstract Art Museum | Cuenca | http://www.march.es |
| Roman Art Museum | Mérida (Badajoz) | www.mnar.es |
| Sculpture Museum | Valladolid | http://museoescultura.mcu.es/ |
| Picasso Museum | Málaga | www.museopicassomalaga.org |
| Dalí Museum-Theater | Figueres (Girona) | http://www.salvador-dali.org/esp/ |
| "El Prado" Museum | Madrid | http://museoprado.mcu.es/home.html |
| Reina Sofía Museum | Madrid | http://museoreinasofia.mcu.es |
| Thyssen Museum | Madrid | http://www.museothyssen.org |
In addition to the museums mentioned above, there are many that contain collections of high quality and sensibility. Most museums are closed on Mondays. The national museums are free on Sundays.
You can find links to the Science and Technology museums on the FECYT website (www.fecyt.es).
There are movie theaters, primarily in the larger cities, that show movie in their original versions with subtitles. You can find the addresses and what they are showing at www.guiadelocio.com, www.lanetro.com or on the entertainment pages of the leading newspapers. Many movies are available for rental on DVD at the video clubs within a few months of release on the big screen.
The websites of the National Institute of Performance arts and Dance (www.mcu.es/artesEscenicas) and the Ministry of Culture (www.mcu.es) provide information on national concerts. The list of what shows are offered is available on the same websites as for the movie theaters and in the entertainment section in the newspapers.
| Theater | Website | City |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Theater | www.teatro-real.com | Madrid |
| National Music Auditorium | www.auditorionacional.mcu.es | Madrid |
| Grand Liceo Theater | www.liceubarcelona.com | Barcelona |
| Catalonian Music Palace | www.palaumusica.org | Barcelona |
| Valencia Music Palace | www.palaudevalencia.com | Valencia |
| Kursaal | www.kursaal.org | San Sebastián |
The opera has a long tradition in Catalonia, although there are many capital cities with major music and opera festivals. The Zarzuela (Spanish lyrical genre) also has a great many followers. A great many of the most important international pop, rock, jazz, etc. stars and groups include Spain in their world tours, generally during the summer months. Ibiza is also the world capital of electronic and chill out music during that season.
Spain has a large theater offering: from the classical theater festival in Mérida (www.festivaldemerida.es) to the Almagro festival (www.festivaldealmagro.com), which stages plays from the Golden Age, and even contemporary theater, such as El Mercat de las flors in Barcelona (www.mercatflors.org). The theater series in some cities include foreign-language plays. Musicals are increasingly popular of late, especially the Spanish versions of Broadway plays.
Spain offers spacious, modern infrastructures for practicing all types of sports. The Ministry of Education, Social Policy and Sports website www.csd.mepsyd.es offers information on sports facilities and infrastructures.
On the other hand, you should visit the website for your municipal government or Autonomous Region where you live for information on the local sports facilities. These municipal facilities are generally good quality with affordable prices.
A website with a great deal of information on sports in Spain is www.sportec.com. The Spanish Professional Football League, one of the most important in the world, offers information on its website: www.lfp.es.
Spain welcomed 58.5 million tourists in 2006 (according to the Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade's FRONTUR Survey). Its mild climate and thousands of kilometers of coastline have made it a Mecca of European tourism. Rural, cultural and sports tourism have grown in recent years. The Spanish tourism website (www.spain.info) offers practical information on tourist destinations, routes, hotels, etc. The website for the National Paradors (www.parador.es ), 4-5 star government-owned hotels in historic buildings and dream settings, is also worth visiting. Another option are rural houses and hotels; charming, small accommodations with 5-8 rooms and personalized service. The Rusticae website (www.rusticae.es) offers a good selection of hotels of this type.
A calendar of national holidays is drawn up each year. These holidays are complemented by other regional holidays, since each Autonomous Region celebrates its own local festivities (religious, secular or political). When the official holidays fall on Saturday or Sunday, they are moved to another date or are replaced with another holiday.
| Month | Day | Holiday |
|---|---|---|
| January | 1 | New Year |
| January | 6 | Three Kings' Day |
| March | 21 | Good Friday* |
| May | 1 | Labor Day |
| October | 12 | Spanish Culture Day |
| November | 1 | All Saints' Day |
| December | 6 | Spanish Constitution Day |
| December | 8 | Immaculate Conception Day |
| December | 25 | Christmas |
(*)In 2008, Good Friday falls on 14 March, but it changes each year.
This custom is that is quite surprising to foreigners. Anyone who has spent a summer in Spain will find that, due to the midday heat, this custom becomes a physiological necessity. Despite air conditioning, the "siesta" remains sacred for many.
Many foreigners are surprised by Spanish hours. Most shops, for example, do not open until 10:00 am, they close at 1:30 pm, open again at 4:00 or 5:00 pm and close at 8:00 o'clock in the evening. In the large capitals, there are more an more shops (especially department stores) that do not close at midday. Dinner is not usually served before 9:00 pm and even 10:00 pm. And when going out for drinks or to a nightclub, it is rare to go out before midnight or 1:00 am.
Bars and cafés are an intrinsic part of Spanish culture. You can find one of these establishments on practically every corner of any street in any town. People gather there to chat, have coffee, eat tapas or have a drink.
Tapas are a typically Spanish custom that has been successfully exported recently abroad. It consists basically of small portions of food served at bars to accompany a drink. Depending on the part of the country, it may be just a bite-sized portion offered free of charge by the establishment or more or less sophisticated, compete portions that the customer selects and pays for. Spaniards love to have tapas, even before meals. They can even replace an entire meal at a restaurant. A large part of Spanish gastronomy consists of dishes fried or cooked with abundant olive oil, a custom that often clashes with other more simple ways of eating in other parts of the world. Although they tend to be very tasty and healthy, these dishes are not accepted by all stomachs.
Although Spaniards seem to have become aware in recent times of the dangers of tobacco, cigarette smoking is still quite common, both in public and private places. In public places (transportation, hospitals, official centers, etc.) it is absolutely prohibited. Since January 2006, bars and restaurants of over 100 square meters must have, by law, an area set up for non-smokers. In smaller establishments, the owner must decide whether or not smoking is allowed.
In Spain, alcohol may be purchased at any supermarket, neighborhood shop and even at gas stations. In recent years, certain cities have restricted its sale after certain hours late at night.
The emergency telephone number (police, fire and ambulance) has been centralized under a single national number: 112. There are other phone numbers that work through out Spain and still others for each Autonomous Region. Some of the most practical include:
To make an international call, first dial the prefix 00 and then the country code, area code and, finally, the number you want to call. For calls from abroad, the code for Spain is 34. Keep in mind that if you want to make a call outside of Spain with a cell phone, the cost will be considerably higher than with a landline phone.
Given the complexity of many formalities, many people use the services of "gestorías". These private businesses carry out a wide variety of formalities with the public administrations. You can find them in the Yellow Pages http://www.paginasamarillas.es
