Capital
Madrid
Geographical position
According to LIUXERS, Spain is a state in the southwest of Europe. The territory is 507.6 thousand sq. km. The central part of the territory is the Meseta plateau with a chain of mountains (Central Cordillera), in the northeast – the Catalan and Iberian mountains, in the south – the Andalusian mountains, in the north – the Pyrenees. In the northwest, Spain is washed by the waters of the Bay of Biscay, in the southeast by the Mediterranean Sea. In addition, Spain includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. The population is about 39 million people, 75% are Spaniards.
Climate
Subtropical – mild winters and dry, fairly hot summers.
Language
The official language for the entire country is Spanish. In some regions – Catalan, Basque, Galician, Volesian. Staff in hotels and large shops speak English and French.
Religion
Most believers are Catholics.
Time
behind Moscow by 2 hours (in the Canary Islands – by 3 hours). Flight duration Moscow – Barcelona – 4 hours 20 minutes Moscow – Mallorca – 4-5 hours Moscow – Malaga – 5 hours 30 minutes Moscow – Tenerife – from 7 to 10 hours.
Currency
Euro (in the form of banknotes and coins of various denominations). You can exchange currency in banking institutions, hotels and exchange offices. In major cities there are ATMs where you can use VISA, MASTER CARD, AMERICAN EXPRESS credit cards.
Customs regulations
Citizens of countries outside the European Community who have reached the age of 15 are allowed to bring into Spain no more than 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars, up to 1 liter of spirits and up to 2 liters of wine. It is allowed to import dogs and cats with a certificate of vaccination.
Connection
It is more convenient and much cheaper than from a hotel to call to Russia from telephone booths located on the streets. To talk to Russia, you must first dial 007, then the area code and the number of the called subscriber.
Transport
Taxis are distinguished by a light board with the inscription taxi. A libre flag or a green light means that the taxi is free. You can use a taxi by stopping the car, or taking it in the parking lot, which is much more convenient, since it is not customary for Spanish taxi drivers to travel around the city in search of passengers. Payment is made in accordance with the meter readings. At night (22.00 – 6.00), weekends and holidays, the tariff increases. We recommend independent travelers to rent a car or use public transport – trains or buses that run regularly according to the schedule. You can rent a car upon presentation of a credit card, passports and driver’s licenses of international standard, persons not younger than 21 years old. The rental price is about 30 euros per day.
Beaches
All beaches in Spain are municipal, but admission is free. Umbrellas and sun loungers are provided for an additional fee, approximately 1.8-2 euros per day.
Siesta
Comes throughout Spain from 13.00 to 16.00. At this time, most banks, shops and government offices close for lunch.
Tourism
The ideal time to travel to Spain is May, June or September. During these months you will be able to avoid the sweltering heat and the influx of tourists. Winter in Spain is quite cool, but the temperature rarely drops below zero. If you are going on vacation to Spain for the first time, then I would like to draw your attention to the fact that in Spain the possibility of seaside recreation, entertainment and interesting excursion programs are best combined, as a result of which the hotel is the place where the tourist spends the least part of the time. Rooms in 3* hotels do not always have air conditioning, and a minibar and hair dryer are optional even in 4* hotels.
Embassy of Spain in Russia: st. Bolshaya Nikitskaya d.50/8.
Phone: 202-21-80, 202-33-68, 202-21-61, 202-32-10, 202-26-10.
