Social ConventionsSpanish life has undergone rapid change in recent years and many of the stricter religious customs are giving way to more modern ways, particularly in the cities and among women. Nonetheless, many old customs, manners and traditions have not faded and hospitality, chivalry and courtesy remain important. Handshaking is the customary form of greeting. Normal social courtesies should be observed when visiting someone’s home. If invited to a private home, a small gift is appreciated. Flowers are only sent for special celebrations. Conservative casual wear is widely
acceptable. Some hotels and restaurants encourage men to wear jackets. A black tie is only necessary for very formal occasions and is usually specified if required. Outside resorts, scanty beachwear should be confined to beach or poolside. The evening meal is taken late, generally 2100-2200. The Spanish have two family names; in conversation only the first should be used. A new law banning smoking in offices, shops, schools, hospitals, cultural centers and on public transport was introduced on 1 January 2006.
International Travel:Getting There by AirThe national airline is
IBERIA (IB) (website:
www.iberia.com).
Departure TaxNone.
Main AirportsMadrid (MAD) (Barajas) is 13km (8 miles) northeast of the city.
To/from the airport: Bus and underground services depart to the city regularly. Taxi service is available.
Facilities: Restaurants and bars, bank, several car hire offices, hotel reservation and tourist information desks, and outgoing duty-free shop.
Barcelona (BCN) (el Prat) is 3km (2 miles) southwest of the city.
To/from the airport: Bus and rail services to the city depart regularly. Taxi service to the city is available (journey time - 30 minutes).
Facilities: A bank, restaurant, bar, several car hire companies, hotel reservation and tourist information desks and duty-free shops.
Alicante (ALC) (Altet) is 12km (7 miles) southwest of the city.
To/from the airport: Bus service runs to the city regularly. A taxi service is available to the city. There is a taxi connection between Alicante and Valencia Airport.
Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank, bureau de change, car hire, tourist information and restaurant.
Málaga (AGP) is 10km (6 miles) southwest of the city.
To/from the airport: Buses run regularly throughout the day. A train service runs regularly also. A taxi service to the city is available.
Facilities: Duty-free shop, bank/bureau de change, restaurant and car hire.
Valencia (VLC) (Manises) is 8km (5 miles) west of the city.
To/from the airport: An aero bus takes passengers into the city. Other buses travel to the city frequently throughout the day. Taxis also run.
Facilities: Several car hire firms, bank/bureau de change, restaurant, bar and duty-free shop.
Spain boasts over 30 international airports, run by
AENA (
Aeropuertos Espanoles y Navegación Aérea) (tel: (90) 240 4704; website:
www.aena.es).
NoteFor information on travel to and within the
Balearic Islands and the
Canary Islands, see the respective sections.
Getting There by WaterMain ports: Barcelona (website:
www.apb.es),
Cadiz (website:
www.puertocadiz.com),
Santander (website:
www.puertosantander.es),
Valencia (website:
www.valenciaport.com/cultures/es) and
Vigo (website:
www.apvigo.com).
Brittany Ferries (tel: 0870 366 5333; website:
www.brittany-ferries.com) operates a service to Santander (on the north coast) from Plymouth (journey time – 18 hours).
P&O European Ferries (tel: 0870 520 2020; website:
www.poportsmouth.com) operates a service from Portsmouth to Bilbao (journey time – 35 hours).
Getting There by RailThe quickest route by train from the UK is through the Channel Tunnel with connections from Paris to Spain.
Eurostar is a service by the railways of Belgium, the UK and France, operating direct high-speed trains from London (
Waterloo International) to Paris
(Gare du Nord) and to Brussels (
Midi/Zuid). It takes 2 hours 40 minutes from London to Paris (via Lille) and 2 hours 20 minutes to Brussels. For further information and reservations, contact
Eurostar (tel: 0870 518 6186 (UK only)
or +44 (1233) 617 575 (outside the UK); website:
www.eurostar.com); or
Rail Europe (tel: 0870 584 8848; website:
www.raileurope.co.uk).
There are direct trains between Madrid–Paris and Madrid–Lisbon, as well as Barcelona–Paris, Barcelona– Zürich or Milan, Barcelona-Montpelier and Barcelona–Geneva. These services are called
Estrella,
Talgo or
Train-Hotel. On other international services to and from Spain, a change of train is necessary. However, work on the
AVE (high-velocity train) route between Madrid and Barcelona is expected to be completed in 2006, after which the French border connection is expected to be fully operational in 2010 and it will be possible to connect with the French
TGV (high-velocity route) and the rest of the high-velocity routes in Europe. Motorail services run between Paris and Madrid. For more information, contact the Spanish Rail service (tel: (020) 7224 0345; website:
www.spanish-rail.co.uk).
Rail PassesInterRail: offers unlimited first- or second-class travel in up to 30 European countries for European residents of over six months with two pass options. The
Global Pass allows travel for 22 days, one month, five days in 10 days or 10 days in 22 days across all countries. The
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month in any of the countries except Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
The
Eurailpass offers unlimited first-class train travel in 17 European countries. Tickets are valid for 15 days, 21 days, one month, two months or three months. The
Eurailpass Youth ticket is available to those under 26 and offers unlimited second-class train travel. The
Eurailpass Flexi allows either 10 or 15 travel days within a two-month period. The
Eurail Selectpass is valid in three, four or five bordering countries and allows five, six, eight or 10 travel days (or 15 for five countries) in a two-month period. The
Eurail Regional Pass allows four to 10 travel days in a two-month period in one of nine regions (usually two or more countries). Children receive a 50 per cent reduction. The passes cannot be sold to residents of Europe, Turkey, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia or the Russian Federation. Available from
The Eurail Group (website:
www.eurail.com).
Getting There by RoadThe main route from the UK is via France. The main
motorways to Spain from France are via Bordeaux or Toulouse to Bilbao (northern Spain) and via Marseille or Toulouse to Barcelona (eastern Spain). There are numerous and excellent road links with neighboring countries.
Eurolines (tel: 0870 514 3219; website:
www.eurolines.com) and
National Express (tel: 0870 580 8080; website:
www.nationalexpress.com) run regular
coach services from the UK to Spain. Travelers can either choose Mini-Pass breaks or book a 15-, 30- or 60-day pass. The six Mini-Passes give travelers the freedom to visit three cities, with prices starting from £55. Travelers can stay as long as they like in each city.
For information on
documentation and
traffic regulations, see
Getting Around.
OverviewThe Canary Islands, Ceuta and Melilla are treated as being outside of the EU for the Duty Free section. The following goods may be imported into Spain without incurring customs duty by passengers 17 years of age or older arriving from non-EU countries:
200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos 50 cigars or 250g tobacco (300 cigarettes, 150 cigarillos, 70 cigars and 400g of tobacco for EU nationals);
1l of spirits if exceeding 22 per cent volume or 2l of alcoholic beverage not exceeding 22 per cent volume and 2l of wine (1.5l exceeding 22 per cent and 3l of up to 22 per cent and 5l of wine for EU nationals);
250ml eau de toilette and 50g of perfume;
500g of coffee or 200g of coffee extract (1000g of coffee and 4000g of coffee extract for EU nationals);
100g of tea or 40g of tea extract;
gifts up to the value of approximately €37.26.
Note: The Canary Islands are not part of the EU.
Abolition of duty-free goods within the EUOn 30 June 1999, the sale of duty-free alcohol and tobacco at airports and at sea was abolished in all of the original 15 EU member states. Of the 10 new member states that joined the EU on 1 May 2004 and the two states that joined on 1 January 2007, these rules already apply to Cyprus and Malta. There are transitional rules in place for visitors returning to one of the original 15 EU countries from one of the other new EU countries. But for the original 15, plus Cyprus and Malta, there are no limits imposed on importing tobacco and alcohol products from one EU country to another. Travelers should note that they may be required to prove at customs that the goods purchased are for personal use
only. Member states may follow the EU’s guide levels of: 10l of spirits; 20l of fortified wine; 90l of wine; 110l of beer; 800 cigarettes; 400 cigarillos; 200 cigars and 1kg of tobacco.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirDomestic flights are run by
IBERIA (IB) (website:
www.iberia.com),
Air Europa (website:
www.air-europa.com),
Binter (website:
www.binternet.com and
Spanair (website:
www.spanair.com). Scheduled flights connect all main towns as well as the Balearic and Canary Islands and enclaves in North Africa. Air taxis are available at most airports. Reservations should be made well in advance.
Getting Around by WaterThere are regular hydrofoil and car and passenger ferry sailings from Algeciras to Tangier and Ceuta (North African enclave); Málaga and Almeria to Melilla (North African enclave); Barcelona, Valencia and Alicante to the Balearic Islands; and Cádiz to the Canary Islands. There are also inter-island services, including a catamaran service linking Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, which takes three hours and runs twice a day. For further information, contact
Trasmediterránea c/o
Southern Ferries (tel: (902) 454 645; website:
www.trasmediterranea.es).
Getting Around by RailThe state-owned company
RENFE (website:
www.renfe.es) operates a railway network connecting all the regions on the Iberian peninsula. It is mainly a radial network, with connections between Madrid and all the major cities. There are also some transversal services connecting the northwest coast with the Mediterranean coast, as well as services from the French border down the Mediterranean coast. Principal trains are air conditioned, and many have restaurant or buffet service. Reservations for passenger services in Spain may be made in the UK through the Spanish Rail service (see above),
European Rail Travel (tel: (020) 7387 0444; website:
www.europeanrail.com),
Freedom Rail (tel: (0870) 757 9898; website:
www.freedomrail.com) and
Ultima Travel (tel: (0151) 339 6171).
High-Speed Trains
The
Ave service averages 300kph and connects Madrid and Seville in two hours 15 minutes, with 12 services each way via Córdoba. Some services also stop at Ciudad Real and Puerto Llano (La Mancha). The stretch from Madrid to Lleida has been in operation for several years. Planned completion of the Madrid to Barcelona leg is due in 2006, and the high-speed border connection with France in 2010. Also, in 2010, the stretches from Cordoba to Malaga, Madrid to Valencia and Madrid to Valladolid should be ready. The
Talgo 200 connects Madrid and Malaga thrice-daily in four hours 35 minutes.
Tourist Trains
The
Andalus Express and
Transcantábrico offer a pleasant way of discovering their respective regions. There are also a number of privately-run narrow-gauge railways in Spain, located mainly in the north of Spain as well as the Mediterranean coast and the Balearic Islands, which run at a leisurely pace through picturesque scenery. For more information on tourist trains, contact the Spanish National Tourist Office (see
General Info).
Rail PassesThe Spanish rail system is one of the cheapest in Europe and various discounts are available. Travelers under 26 can purchase a RENFE
Tarjeta Explorerail, which allows unlimited travel on all but some regional and fast trains. It can be bought in Spain, or in the UK from selected travel agents, and is available for seven-, 15- and 30-day periods.
InterRail’s
One-Country Pass offers travel for three, four, six or eight days in one month within Spain. Travel is not allowed in the passenger’s country of residence. Travelers under 26 years receive a reduction. Children’s tickets are reduced by about 50%. Supplements are required for some high-speed services, seat reservations and couchettes. Discounts are offered on
Eurostar and some ferry routes. Available from
Rail Europe (website:
www.raileurope.co.uk/inter-rail).
Note: Seat reservations are required on all intercity trains. This ruling applies to the passes and cards mentioned above.
Getting Around by RoadMotorways are well-maintained and connect Spain north–south. Tolls are in operation on some sections and have to be paid in Euros. Trunk roads between major cities are generally fast and well-maintained. Rural roads are of differing quality.
Bus: There are bus lines which are efficient and cheap, operating between cities and towns. Departures are generally from a central terminal at which the operators will have individual booths selling tickets. Most places have a bus link of some kind, even the more remote villages.
Car hire: All major car hire companies are represented in major cities. Drivers must be over 21 to hire a car.
Motorcycles: No person under 18 may hire or ride a vehicle over 75cc. Crash helmets must be worn.
Regulations: Traffic drives on the right. Side lights must be used at night in built-up areas. Spare bulbs and red hazard triangles must be kept in all vehicles. Traffic lights: two red lights mean ‘No Entry’. Parking laws are rigorously enforced. The speed limit for motorways is 120kph (80mph) in general, but for buses and lorries the limit is 100kph (60mph); in built-up areas the limit is 50kph (30mph); for other roads it is 90kph (56mph).
Documentation: Most foreign licenses including Canadian, EU and US are accepted. Third Party insurance is compulsory, plus a Green Card if bringing your own car (available from insurance company).
Getting Around Towns and CitiesTraffic in Spanish cities is normally heavy, and urban driving takes some time to adjust to. City public transport facilities are generally good. Barcelona, Bilbao, Madrid and Valencia have metros as well as buses. Pre-purchase multi-journey tickets are sold. Other towns and resorts are well served by local buses. Metered taxis are available in most major cities and a 2 to 3 per cent tip is customary.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate travel times (in hours and minutes) from
Madrid to other major cities and towns in Spain.
| | Air | Road | Rail |
| Barcelona | 1.00 | 8.00 | 8.00 |
| Canary Is. | 2.30 | - | - |
| Mallorca | 1.00 | - | - |
| Palma | 1.10 | 6.00* | 5.00* |
NoteNote*Plus nine hours by boat (three hours by catamaran).
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