27 March 2013

Spain dos and don´ts

By Rosa Mª Menéndez, a B2 ESL student at EOI Luarca

Whether looking for sun, a beautiful landscape or a convivial atmosphere, travelling to Spain is, for sure, one of the best decisions you can take. Nevertheless, if you bear in mind some important information about Spanish customs, laws and feelings your stay in Spain can be really lovely.

Do...
Learn some Spanish words. Even if you only learn to say "buenos días" and "un café". Spanish people would appreciate your gesture. Take that into account, unnatural nationalists excepted, Spanish people are very proud of their language.

Before travelling to Spain, think carefully what kind of holidays you want, especially regarding weather. If you travel to the South, then do not complain about the stifling heat.

Try the traditional dishes of the places you visit, Spanish cuisine is one of the best of the world, and you cannot leave Valencia without trying The Paella or calçots when you go to Catalonia.

Visit small villages. When you get tired of the impressive Spanish monuments, then go for a walk to a small village and have dinner there. You will find pleasant landscapes and friendly people in the street, restaurants and shops.

Don´t...
Load your suitcase with outerwear. Whether you are travelling to the Mediterranean coast, the center of the country or the islands, you will always put on very light clothes as it is guaranteed to be hot (I mean, in summer).This statement is not true for the northern regions.

Complain about smoking. Although smoking has been forbidden in bars and restaurants since 2011, many owners break the law and let you do it, especially at night. And it is not the done thing for you to complain about it.

Criticise bullfighting. Spanish people can't stand foreigners accusing us of mistreating animals, if you do it, we will ask you to look at your country´s customs.

As regards beautiful places to visit and the best restaurants, there are numerous guides you can buy in every kiosk or you can get information at the tourist ofices in every council. Bon Voyage!

1 comment:

  1. Hello, I like this post. I think that you have reason in all what you have said. But, maybe we can add more things to do in Spain. You can go to many football stadiums (football is a very important sport in Spain), like the stadium Santiago Bernabeu. If you go to the Spanish coast, you should eat fish, and if you go to the north (Avila for example), you can eat meat. There are a lot of things that you can do in Spain, and many things that you musn't do.

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