Useful Spain Travel Information

Useful Spain Travel Information & Tips

• For weights and measures, Spain uses the metric system.
  


• Temperature is measured in Celsius, not Fahrenheit. So if you see that it's going to be 25 degrees tomorrow, don't head out in your winter coat- you'll find yourself rather toasty!
  


• Electricity. The electric current in Spain is 220V, 50Hz and plugs have two round prongs. Be sure to bring along an international adapter if you are bringing a hairdryer, phone charger, electric shaver, etc.
  


• Time zone. Mainland Spain and the Islas Baleares (Balearic Islands) fall under Central European Time, the same time zone as the majority of western Spain (GMT + 1 during winter and GMT +2 during daylight savings time). However, the Islas Canarias (Canary Islands), located out in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Morocco, is in the Western European Time zone, meaning that it is one hour behind mainland Spain.
  


• Business hours. The typical Spanish business day is generally cut into two by the lunch period. Many stores, for example, are open from about 9am until 2:30pm and then again from around 5pm until 9pm.
  


• Phone calls to / from Spain. To call Spain from overseas, dial 34 (Spain's country code) followed by the 9-digit telephone number. To call internationally from Spain, dial 00 followed by that country's country code and the telephone number.
  


• Tipping in restaurants in optional. Restaurant menu prices include a service charge, but most people leave some extra change if they're satisfied with the service. If you feel inclined to leave behind a little something, 5% is perfectly fine and 10% is quite generous.
  

Useful Expressions for Your Spain Travels: