When you hear Spain you will probably think of tapas, siësta and the bull fights. But what other things is Spain known for?
Food
There are a lot of different dishes in Spain that are really popular like Paella (a one pan dish with rice fish, meat or vegetables) and of course tapas (small savory dishes, snacks or appetizers of Spanish cuisine, that you can share with your friends and family). But there are also certain dishes that are popular in different areas in Spain.
In the south for example is gambas Pil Pil (gambas in olive oil with garlic, chili pepper, paprika, salt, pepper and parsley), Tortilla Española (it kind of looks like a pie. It’s made of eggs, potato and onions) and Berenjenas con Miel (baked eggplant with honey). In the north of Spain the most popular dishes are Albondigas (meatballs in garlic tomato sauce), Pinxtos (different small snacks with meat, fish, olives and peppers. Mostly served with skewers or toothpicks) and Pulpo a la Gallego (octopus with potatoes, olive oil and paprika).
Culture
A lot of people know that the Spaniards like to take their time with work for example. They like to live their life to the fullest without being too stressed. There are also a lot of fiestas (celebrations) where they celebrate important dates, either personal, national or regional.
Bullfight is known as corrida de toros, and consists of three bullfighters, each of whom performs twice bullfighting six wild bulls. The strictly ritualized event is divided in three stages, with a music orchestra announcing each part’s commencement and ending. It is still legal in Spain but in a few cities they outlawed it, such as Calonge, Tossa de Mar, Vilamacolum and La Vajol.
The siesta is not that popular anymore. Only small businesses and stores still participate. Because the Spanish habit is to sleep late because they eat their dinner around 22:00, it is better to sleep/rest in the afternoon so they have more energy in the evening.
Landscape and weather
Because Spain has a lot of islands like Gran Canaria, Majorca, Ibiza and Cabrera, Spain has a lot of beautiful beaches. Its extensive coastline on the northern and southern parts of the country also has pristine beaches that you really should pay a visit.
The surface of Spain is extremely varied and has a relatively high average altitude. With over 600 meters above sea level it is the second-highest country in Europe. A few of the best landscapes here are the Natural Park of Aigüestortes, Lake Of San Mauricio, Formentera – Balearic Islands and Tajo de Ronda – Málaga
Spain has the most climatically diverse of every country in Europe. For the most part the climate is temperate with hot summers and cold winters inland. For the hottest part of Spain in the winter you should go to Andalucia, in the South of Spain. In the north of Spain the temperatures are generally the lowest.
