What you need to know about holidays in Spain. Features of Spain

Spain is located in the very south of Europe; recently it has become very popular among Russian tourists. Why does this country attract our compatriots? Spain has several undeniable advantages. It has a mild climate, a huge number of attractions, delicious food, and positive and helpful local people.

Climate

Spain has a Mediterranean climate, so summer is perfect for a beach holiday on the coast. In the east, Spain is washed by the Mediterranean Sea, and in the north by the Atlantic Ocean. Period from June to September - best time for a beach holiday magnificent beaches Spain. Summer temperatures hover around 30 degrees, but, as a rule, there is no stifling heat there - the thermometer does not rise above 35. Winters there are quite warm, as a rule, it is very sunny in winter, and the temperature rarely drops below 5-10 degrees. This time couldn't be better for excursion holiday in Spain - if summer is too hot to visit monuments, then late autumn, winter and early spring- the best time for leisurely walks around the cities of Spain.

Food

Spain will also be of interest to food lovers - Mediterranean cuisine includes fish, seafood, olive oil, and a large amount of fresh fruits and vegetables. The favorite drink of the Spaniards is red wine. In Spain there are also National dishes- this is paella (rice with seafood, fish or meat with spices), tortilla (omelet made from eggs and potatoes), tapas (various snacks for alcohol), sangria ( alcoholic drink based on red wine mixed with mineral water and other alcohol).

Attractions

The largest city in Spain and simply a treasure trove of ancient houses, museums and monuments is its capital - Madrid. There you can visit the Royal Palace, visit one of the museums that have a huge collection of paintings - the Prado Museum, the Reina Sofia Museum, and the Thyssen Museum - Bornemisza. In addition, Madrid has more unusual exhibitions, including a museum of forensic science and a museum of glassware.

Another popular city among tourists is Barcelona, ​​located on the Mediterranean coast. This convenient location makes it easy to combine a beach holiday with an excursion program. In Barcelona, ​​ancient buildings have been preserved, as well as entire quarters that remind us of long-gone centuries - this is the Gothic Quarter and the La Ribera quarter. On Mount Montjuïc there is one of the largest parks in all of Europe, and in the center of it is an ancient fortress. In Barcelona, ​​you can walk through Park Güell, created by Antoni Gaudi, and admire the unfinished Sagrada Familia Cathedral.

Spain's third largest city is coastal Valencia. In it you can visit the Cathedral, the Museum of Fine Arts, the National Ceramics Museum, the Museum of the History of Valencia, the Ethnological Museum, as well as a huge complex called the Museum of Science and Arts, which includes an aquarium, a cinema, an opera, a science museum and a garden.

One of the largest cities in southern Spain is called Seville. She is famous for Seville cathedral, which is the largest Gothic cathedral in all of Europe, the residence of kings called the Alcazar, an archaeological museum, a museum of Fine Arts, and the only flamenco museum in the entire country.

Entertainment

In Spain there is entertainment for all ages - there are well-equipped and absolutely free playgrounds for children everywhere, in amusement parks and water parks there are separate areas for them, in cafes children will be offered a special menu and a high chair.

Amusement parks and water parks are open for young people in all major cities and resorts in Spain - in Madrid there is a large amusement park called Casa de Campo (it is located in the park of the same name), near Barcelona there is the well-known Port Aventura, which is also called the Spanish Disneyland, not far from Benidorm (a resort town in the province of Alicante) is home to the Terra Mitica water park and amusement park; in Seville, the Isla Magica park and a small water park located next to it will open its doors.

In addition, on the beaches you will be offered a variety of water activities - banana boat rides, water skiing, parasailing, and jet ski rental.

In all major cities of Spain, as well as in popular resorts, there are a huge number of nightclubs and bars. In Barcelona and Madrid you can visit the best nightclubs, consisting of several levels, where completely different music is played. In the provinces, the clubs are, of course, more modest - but you can have a lot of fun in them too.

Also, Spain owns the main party island in the world - Ibiza, famous for its clubs and world-famous DJs who come there to perform.

Safety and communication with local residents

Spain is a fairly safe country for tourists; usually no crimes are committed against foreigners violent crimes. Of course, in large cities, as well as in crowded places, there is a chance of running into a pickpocket and losing valuables - however, this is possible in any large city.

The Spaniards themselves are cheerful and friendly people, they treat tourists very well, not least because tourism is one of the important sources of income for the national budget. The Spaniards are very friendly, so no conflict situations does not occur with them. True, you should take into account that they are quite lazy and slow, so you can’t count on fast service in restaurants. Unfortunately, not all Spaniards speak English language, this is especially true for residents of the provinces. If you speak English, approach young people - there is a better chance that they will be able to understand you, since middle-aged and elderly people do not know English.

SPAIN

Spain stands out among others European countries. Its location at the junction of Europe and Africa, the Christian world and the world of Islam, the closed Mediterranean and the endless Atlantic has left an indelible mark on the entire appearance of the country. That is why Spain is one of the world's largest centers of tourism and recreation. What attracts tourists to Spain? Mainly ancient cities and sunny beaches. But this is not all that is worth visiting this wonderful country for.

Few people know that after Switzerland, Spain is the highest mountainous country in Europe: mountains occupy 90% of its territory. And the Pyrenees are not at all the most high mountains in Spain. The southeast of the country is occupied by the Cordillera Betica, a system of mountain ranges and ridges second only to the Alps in height. The highest point, Mount Mulacén, is located near Granada. This is the most South part Europe, where snow persists even in summer. Despite the fact that the Iberian Peninsula is surrounded on almost all sides by the sea, the country's climate is determined not so much by the ocean as by the mountains, which protect it from external influences. In Spain, the vertical zonality of the climate is very noticeable: you can shiver from the cold, wrapping yourself in a warm shawl high in the mountains and watch how, somewhere far below, children splash in the warm waves of the gentle sea. Spain is multifaceted, each time it appears different, unexpected, but always excitingly interesting.

Spain is one of the warmest countries in Western Europe. Average quantity sunny days

is 260-280. The average annual temperature on the Mediterranean coast is 20 degrees Celsius. In winter, temperatures drop below zero (in the central and northern regions of the country). In summer, temperatures rise to 40 degrees and above (from the central part to the southern coast). On the northern coast the temperature is not so high - about 25 degrees Celsius. Spain is characterized by very deep internal climatic differences, and it can only conditionally be entirely classified as a Mediterranean region. climatic region. These differences are manifested both in temperature and in annual amounts and precipitation patterns. In the far north-west the climate is mild and humid with little variation in temperature throughout the year and big amount precipitation.

Conditions are completely different in the interior of the country - on the plateaus of Old and New Castile and the Aragonese plain. These areas are influenced by the plateau-basin topography, significant altitude and local continental air. They are characterized by relatively low precipitation (no more than 500 mm per year) and sharp temperature fluctuations between seasons. In Old Castile and the Aragonese plain there are quite cold winters with frosts and strong, sharp winds; Summers are hot and also quite dry, although the maximum precipitation occurs in this season of the year. Nueva Castile has a somewhat milder climate, with warmer winters but also low rainfall. Agriculture in all these areas requires artificial irrigation.

The name "Spain" is of Phoenician origin. The Romans used it in plural(Hispaniae) to designate the entire Iberian Peninsula.

Situated at the exit from the Mediterranean Sea to the Atlantic Ocean and on the way from Africa to Europe, Spain already in ancient times became a meeting place between East and West. For thousands of years, cultures concentrated on the coast, and people entered the Iberian Peninsula by sea. This peninsula represents the western edge of the spread of culture. Various people, races and cultures came to Spain; as a result, they left here a unique and original civilization, which was the result of a miraculous synthesis. Spain was Iberian, Celtic, Greek, Phoenician, Jewish, Roman, Gothic, Arabic, and finally Christian. Conquered many times, she later became a great conqueror herself, and managed to unite different heritages and form a modern and viable country, whose people are proud of the antiquity and culture of their land.

The oldest traces of human habitation in Spain date back to the Paleolithic. Neanderthal sites discovered on Gibraltar are among the earliest on the European continent and arose here about 35 thousand years ago. The appearance and disappearance of Tartessus, one of the most famous states of the Bronze Age, located in the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, remains a mystery. 15,000 years ago, culture on the Cantabrian coast reached its highest peak, as evidenced by the famous paintings in the Altamira Cave. Rock paintings and inscriptions on the rocks of the Levant coast are 5,000 years younger. Stone tombs and rock inscriptions from the Megalithic period appear from 2400 BC. e. throughout Spain. At the beginning of the 1st millennium BC, waves of invasions swept through the Pyrenees. Since ancient times, Spain has been a desirable prey for invaders - from the Phoenicians to the Romans.

In Spanish historiography, a unique idea of ​​the Spanish Middle Ages has developed. Since the time of the Italian humanists of the Renaissance, a tradition has been established to consider the barbarian invasions and the fall of Rome in 410 AD. the starting point of the transition from the ancient era to the Middle Ages, and the Middle Ages itself were seen as a gradual approach to the Renaissance (15-16 centuries), when interest in the culture of the ancient world reawakened. In the Middle Ages, most of the country was ruled by the Arabs, who invaded here in the 8th century from North Africa. By the end of the 15th century, Christians had reconquered Spain, completing the Reconquista. The beginning of the unified Spanish state was laid by the cancer of Queen Isabella of Castile and Crown Prince Ferdinand of Aragon, who united the territory of both crowns. In the country, the Moorish palaces of Andalusia, the mosques of Cordoba, Granada and Seville, small churches of the early Middle Ages in the mountains of Asturias and the Pyrenees, huge cathedrals and castles of the Reconquista in Castile and Leon are well preserved.

A sign of Spain's entry into a new historical period was the voyage of Columbus in 1492 and the discovery of the New World. Thus the foundation of the Spanish colonial empire was laid. Under the Spanish King Charles I, who became Holy Roman Emperor, Spain became a world power, and Charles became the most powerful monarch in Europe. Over the past 5 centuries, the country has been devastated by wars - the struggle for the Spanish Succession, the Napoleonic and Carlist wars of the 19th century...
A tragic page in the history of the 20th century was the bloody Civil War, which divided the country in the late 30s into two warring camps. It led to the 40-year dictatorship of General Franco. He appointed Prince Juan Carlos I from the Bourbon dynasty, which had ruled the country since the 18th century, as his successor. Today he is at the head of the state, but his power is limited by the Constitution, which enshrines democratic foundations. Since the 1980s, Spain has been a member of the European Union and NATO.

The history of Russian-Spanish diplomatic relations begins in 1519, when Charles V sent a letter to the Grand Duke of Moscow Vasily III and he, in his reply message, assured the emperor of his intentions to develop good relations with Spain. Due to the vicissitudes of international politics, periods of rapprochement between Russia and Spain alternated with years of political and ideological alienation. Thanks to joint efforts, on February 9, 1977, after a pause of almost forty years, diplomatic relations between the countries were successfully restored. High dynamics characterized the exchange of visits throughout 2006. Among them, special mention should be made of the state visit of Russian President V.V. Putin to Spain on February 8-9, as well as his meeting with King Juan Carlos I in Sochi on August 23, 2007.

Spain is rightfully considered an open-air museum. The vast expanses of this country carefully preserve cultural and historical monuments that have worldwide fame.

Most famous museum Spain - Prado Museum - located in Madrid. Its extensive exhibition cannot be seen in one day. The museum was founded by Isabella of Braganza, wife of King Ferdinand VII. The Prado has its own branch, located in Cason del Buen Retiro and storing unique collections of Spanish painting and sculpture of the 19th century, as well as works by English and French painters. The museum itself features large exhibitions of Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Flemish and German art. The Prado owes its name to the Prado de San Jerónimo alley where it is located, laid out during the Enlightenment. Currently, the Prado Museum's holdings include 6,000 paintings, more than 400 sculptures, as well as numerous jewelry, including royal and religious collections. Over the course of several centuries of its existence, the Prado was patronized by many kings.
Dome on sails made in the design of a honeycomb vault in the form of a honeycomb (hexagons), Islamic architecture of Spain

It is believed that the very first collection of the Prado Museum was formed under Carlos I, known as Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. His heir, King Philip II, became famous not only for his bad character and despotism, but also for his love of art. It is to him that the museum owes its priceless acquisitions of paintings by Flemish masters. Philip was distinguished by his gloomy worldview; it is not surprising that the ruler was a fan of Bosch, an artist known for his bizarre, pessimistic fantasy. Philip originally purchased Bosch's paintings for Escorial, the ancestral castle spanish kings. It was only in the 19th century that the paintings were moved to the Prado Museum. Now here you can see such masterpieces of the Dutch master as “The Garden of Delights” and “The Hay Wain”. Currently, in the museum you can enjoy not only paintings and sculptures, but also theatrical performances designed to “revive” famous paintings. The first such staging was dedicated to the paintings of Velazquez and was a huge success with the public.

There are many more unique museums and galleries in Spain: the Picasso Museum and the National Museum of Art of Catalonia, located in Barcelona, ​​the National Sculpture Museum in Valladolid, the El Greco Museum in Toledo, the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, the Museum of Spanish Abstract Art in Cuenca.

It is better to have a photocopy of your passport with you, and store the passport, money and air ticket in the hotel safe. Tourists should be careful in stores and watch their handbags and wallets - they steal here often and very professionally.

You should not leave any valuables in the car - neither in the glove compartment nor in the trunk. The advice is banal, but it is too often neglected with subsequent damage to oneself.

Stopping on the road to help a neighbor is absolutely not accepted in Spain, since for this purpose there are police and technical assistance, and to call them there are “mobile phones” and landline phones along the roads. Therefore, both “voluntary assistants” and citizens actively “voting” near the car should arouse legitimate suspicion.

Working hours, shopping

Store opening hours are from 9:00 to 13:00 and from 16:00 to 20:00 (large department stores are often open without breaks).

On Saturdays, shops are usually open until 13:00, Sundays are closed.

During tourist season Retail outlets in coastal towns may close much later than usual. In many stores, when purchasing imported goods for an amount exceeding 91 euros “with kopecks”, you can issue a “ tax free"(refund of part of the taxes), which will range from 6 to 12% of the purchase price.

In this case, a receipt will be issued, which will need to be presented to special point airport before departure.

The most visited museums operate in a similar mode, however, here the morning begins half an hour earlier - at 9:30, and the museum closes at 14:00. Work resumes at 16:00 and lasts until 19:00.

But the largest museums, for the sake of the convenience of numerous tourists, do not take a daily break from work. For example, the world famous Prado in Madrid or the Picasso Museum in Barcelona.

On national holidays in Spain, museums and banks are closed.

When applying for “tax free”, it is best to ask for white and blue “global refund” forms, since you can use them to get cash at the airport.

Other systems do not always allow this, and you have to be content with either a transfer to a credit card or receiving a check by mail, which can be cashed in a bank in any of the eurozone countries within two years.

In transport...

In Barcelona

The T-1 travel card (tarjeta) for 10 trips is also valid for travel on city buses and the metro.

The T-2 card gives the right to travel only on the metro and railway. From Monday to Thursday the metro operates from 5.00 to 23.00, on Fridays, Saturdays and pre-holidays an hour less, on Sundays from 6.00 to 24.00.

Buses operate from 5.30 to 23.00. The fare for the metro and bus is the same.

Boarding the bus

In Spain it happens through the front door. To pay for travel, you can buy a ticket from the driver or validate a travel pass. On intercity lines, when boarding, they usually present the driver with a pre-purchased ticket.

At some stops, buses stop only "on demand". Raise your hand to show the driver that you want him to seat you.

Taxi in Spain

They differ in type and cost of travel. A green light means the car is free. Payment by meter.

In small towns there are taxis without meters. There is such a service as “big tourism”, when a car of higher comfort is provided. The price in this case is agreed upon in advance.

For car rental

Passport and international law. Some companies require that the driver be at least 23 or 21 years old and have a license issued at least one or two years ago.

Rental prices on average range from 20 to 120 euros per day. The company may require a deposit, often equal to the cost of the entire rental, or a credit card.

When going on a road trip around Spain, try to plan your trip so that you can be on the road during the day - from 2 pm to 4 pm.

It's Spanish fiesta time. Therefore, most motor tourists and, most importantly, truck drivers will dine at roadside restaurants. And you can drive like a breeze in a rented car along almost deserted highways.

Beach

Beaches in Spain are free.

Renting umbrellas or sun loungers costs 1.5 - 2 euros per day, a pedal boat - from 5 euros, a banana ride - 10 euros, a parachute ride behind a boat - from 30 euros. (When putting on the equipment, you need to make sure that the lower strap falls below the buttocks, then it will be comfortable to sit. Otherwise, you will have to pull yourself up on your hands the entire flight.)

Hotels in Spain often do not provide beach towels, and taking hotel towels out of the room is not recommended. Therefore, it is better to go there with your own beach towel.

...and other little things

On the streets, men often greet women with appreciative compliments (piropos). There is nothing offensive about this. That's how it is.

In elevators, shops and others in public places It is customary to say hello and goodbye.

There are few public pay toilets in Spain. But almost all department stores have a free toilet. You can go to a bar or restaurant. In principle, it is also free there, but at the entrance to the toilet there is often a plate for change, and a neat old cashier may sit next to it. Tax - 50 cents.

The Spaniards are friendly and treat Russians well. In large cities, petty theft occurs (this applies to a greater extent in Barcelona and to a lesser extent in the Sierra Nevada).

The Spaniards have a strong sense of independence. Catalans do not consider themselves Spaniards and during negotiations they are offended if there is only a Spanish flag on the table and no Catalan one. Residents of Tenerife also do not want to be called Spaniards, and call themselves “Guanches”.

When you receive 500 or 200 euro bills from a Russian bank when exchanging them, try to immediately exchange them for smaller ones, since not all restaurants or shops abroad accept them... In some bars in evening time They do not accept bills larger than 20 euros.

We eat healthy and tasty

Decided to have a snack or drink in an unfamiliar place? You shouldn't go to the first restaurant or bar you come across. First, look to see if there are visitors.

If they are not there, it is a clear sign that all is not well with the establishment. After all, it is not without reason that it is not popular among the Spaniards. Possible reasons are hygiene problems, product fraud or dishonesty in payments to customers.

In a small cafe, guests can be offered something to try for free. Many Spanish bars serve free tapas with a glass of beer or cocktail.

Thick pureed soups (cremas) occupy a significant place in Spanish cuisine: for example, from egg yolks (sopa-crema de yemas) or seafood (sopa-crema de mariscos).

The famous Valencian paella (paella Valencia) - a kind of pilaf - is prepared with the addition of 5-6 types of fish and seafood. In total, there are about three hundred varieties of paella in Spain.

In Catalan cuisine, among the most original dishes can be called "escudella" soup, fried pork sausages with white beans "monjete am botifarra", fish soup monkfish“souquet de peiche”, rabbit with snails, dessert “mel and mato” (cottage cheese with honey).

Widely known local sauces are sofrito, samfaina, picada and alioli. The latter - made from garlic and olive oil - is said to have been invented by Emperor Nero. You should definitely try the zarzuela shellfish platter.

Another hot country in every sense, with its Venetian carnivals, gladiatorial fights and dangerous Vesuvius...

Tours to Spain are on sale all year round: Summer here is hot and perfect for a beach holiday, winter is warm, there are no sharp temperature changes between seasons. The Velvet season– August-September, but there are practically no rooms in hotels at this time, and trips are very expensive. But if you go to Spain in the spring (March-April) or autumn (October-November), you can enjoy warm, mild weather and a wonderful cultural holiday.

Which resorts in Spain are the most popular?

Oddly enough, one of the first can be called Barcelona, ​​the Catalan capital. Tourists are sure that Barcelona is “about art”, but not “about beaches”, and they are deeply mistaken. In fact, Barcelona has wonderful sandy beaches located on Mediterranean coast. The velvet season here is in July and August, the excursion seasons are May and September.

The most luxurious, elite Spanish resorts are Mallorca and Ibiza. Here on the beach you can see Leonardo DiCaprio or David Beckham walking freely with his family. Another popular destination is the volcanic island of Tenerife. It is located in the Canary archipelago. Its main feature is the black sand on the beaches.

The rest of the Canary Islands, by the way, are not so popular in Russia. Have you heard, for example, about the islands of La Gomera, Hierro, Palma or Gran Canaria? Probably no. Russian tourists rare guests yet Canary Islands, but there are many vacationers from Northern Europe there.

Sights of Spain

What, besides beaches with the purest sand, is Spain famous for? Of course, this is one of the richest European countries in high art. First of all, in the capital of Spain, Madrid, every self-respecting tourist should visit the following places:

• The Golden Triangle of Arts consists of three key Spanish museums: the Prado Museum, the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum and the Reina Sofia Museum. At the exhibitions you can see masterpieces by Bosch, Velazquez, Goya, Picasso, Dali, Titian, Kandinsky and many other recognized masters;
• Royal Palace - its scale and luxury of decoration are impressive, and its history goes back more than 5 centuries;
• Retiro Park, famous for its “mystical” fountains and figured trees and shrubs, is also very pleasant to walk here on hot days: the shadows of the trees cover the sun and make the air cooler and fresher;
• Plaza Mayor Square is like Palace Square in St. Petersburg or Red Square in Moscow;
• Bullfighting at Las Ventas Arena: no matter how outraged animal activists and just kind-hearted people may be, bullfighting is a centuries-old tradition and an integral part of Spanish culture.

Although the capital of Spain is Madrid, Barcelona is rightfully considered the most tourist city. There is also something to see here:

• The Sagrada Familia is a monumental architectural project, unfinished to this day;
• Montjuic Hill with marvelous fountains;
• Park Guell;
• The oceanarium is the largest in Europe.