General
Visas: Do I need a visa to visit Spain?
Visas for Spain are not required by nationals of EU countries regardless of the purpose and or length of stay; and not required by nationals of Australia, Britain, Canada and the United States who will be staying for less than 90 days.
Contact the embassy to confirm visa requirements for Spain.
Weather/Climate
There are three different climate zones in Spain and visitors can generally expect a Mediterranean climate, characterised by hot, dry summers and mild, rainy winters. The vast central plateau, or Meseta, has a more continental influenced climate with hot, dry summers and cold winters. Rain generally falls mostly in spring and autumn. The mountains surrounding the plateau have a higher rainfall and often experience heavy snowfalls in winter.
North of the Cantabrian mountains, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia have a maritime climate, with cool summers and mild winters. The weather is often cloudy with frequent rainfall. On the Mediterranean coast, the climate is moderate with rain in spring and autumn. The area around Murcia has an almost African climate; rainfall is low and the Calima, or heat haze, is common during summer. On the Atlantic coast, the summers are cooler and fairly heavy rainfall occurs during winter. Inland, the summers are hot and the rainfall decreases. The Balearic Islands have a maritime climate, with cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers.
Vaccinations
You do not need to get any vaccinations against any particular illness in order to travel to Spain. It is, however, advisable to have your anti-tetanus vaccination up to date, especially if you plan on getting in contact with nature and the countryside. Also have any other official vaccination programmes up to date.
Under exceptional circumstances, Spanish authorities can ask travellers to undergo a medical examination to ensure that they are not suffering from any of the illnesses requiring quarantine listed in International Health Regulations.
Currency
The currency in Spain is the Euro - the same as in other European Union countries.- The Euro is divided into 100 cents.
- There are eight different coins: 1, 2, 5, 10, 20 and 50 cents, and 1 and 2 euros.
- There are seven different bank notes, for the following amounts: 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200 and 500 euros.
Tipping
The establishments in Spain include service charges in the prices of meals or drinks. It is, however, still common to give tips at bars, restaurants, hotels and after taking a taxi. The normal size of a tip is approximately 5% to 10% of the price.
Banking
In general, the banking hours in Spain are Monday to Friday from 08:00 to 14:00. There are, however, some variations where this is concerned and some banks may be open on Saturdays until 13:00. All major credit cards are accepted in Spain and travellers' cheques are accepted in many places.
Time
Local time is GMT + 2 hours.
Electricity
Current is 220 Volts at 50 Hertz.