40 Interesting Facts about Spain

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40 Interesting Facts about Spain

Spain is an enthralling country. From La Sagrada Familia to La Rambla, there’s plenty to see and eat, including gazpacho, pulpo a la gallega, and bocadillos. But there’s also a lot to learn!

Whether you’re relocating to Spain, visiting for a vacation, or simply learning how to speak Spanish, it’s never a bad idea to brush up on your knowledge of the country’s history, culture, cuisine, and other aspects.

Spain is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. If you want to explore the beaches, walk around historic cities, enjoy a relaxed lifestyle, revel in the cuisine, or experience the vibrant nightlife, Spain has it all!

1. Nudity is legal in Spain

A naked lady. Photo by 21269940. Pixabay

With its Mediterranean climate of hot, dry summers and mild, wet winters, Spain may tempt you to strip naked. There are few better places to top up your tan with 3,000 hours of sunshine per year. And any aspiring naturists will be pleased to know that nudity is legal in Spain, though it is considered inappropriate in many places.

2. Spain is Europe’s only country with a physical border with an African country

One of the most interesting geographical facts about Spain is that it has a land border, not a sea border, with an African country. Morocco is that country. Spain maintains a small outpost called Ceuta on the African continent.

This city has been strategically important since the first millennium BC, and it has passed through many hands before coming to Spain in 1668.

3. The world’s first global empire was Spain

Spain is the world’s most powerful country – talk about one of those fascinating facts about Spain.

The Spanish pioneered their way across North, Central, and South America and occupied the Philippines for over 300 years, surpassing the Portuguese trading empire. They made a lot of gold and left a big cultural legacy – as well as a lot of Spanish-speakers.

4. Spanish is the world’s second most spoken native language

Spanish is the second most spoken language in the world, after Mandarin Chinese, with over 570 million Hispanophones.

Spanish is the official language of Spain, most Latin American countries, and Equatorial Guinea. Every day, people from 21 different countries speak Spanish.

5. Spain has the third-highest number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the world

Burgos Cathedral. Photo from Wikimedia

There are 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain, ranging from entire historic city centres to bridges, buildings, and prehistoric rock art.

6. Spain was impactful in Europe

Spain controlled a lot of overseas territories from the late 15th century to the early 19th century, but it also had its fingers in a lot of pies.

Spain had sway in parts of Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, and the entire Netherlands – which was actually known as the Spanish Netherlands from 1556 to 1714 – due to various marriage alliances and inheritance.

7. Spain has a myriad of islands

An island. Photo by Muhammad Saushan. Unsplash

Any trip to Spain will include some beach time. Spanish territory can be found all over the world, not just on the Iberian Peninsula. There are the famous Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea, including the world-famous party island of Ibiza, and then there are the Canary Islands in the Atlantic Ocean.

There are also Plazas de Soberana just off Morocco’s Mediterranean coast.

8. There is a Royal Family in Spain

The Royal Family in Spain is a constitutional monarchy, with King Felipe VI as the current monarch as of 2014. After the Glorious Revolution of 1868 deposed then-Queen Isabella II, democracy began.

9. The first circumnavigation of the globe took place between 1519 and 1521

And it was done by a Spanish expedition. Ferdinand Magellan led the expedition, which set sail from Seville in 1519. The goal was to find a way to East Asia via the Americas and the Pacific. Despite the fact that Magellan was Portuguese, the job was completed in 1522 by Spanish navigator Juan Sebastian Elcano.

10. Spain had the first empire where the sun was said to never set

Though this is attributed to the British Empire, there is one fact about Spain that cannot be overlooked: with Southern and South America on one hand, the Philippines on the other, and actual Spain in the middle, the sun never set on the Spanish Empire.

11. The Spanish Civil War erupted in 1936

Monarchists during the Spanish Civil War with fire bottles. Photo from Wikimedia

Things were bound to get ugly with a left-wing Republican government aligned with anarchists and communists on one side and Conservative, Royalist, Nationalist, and Catholic interests on the other.

A British-led policy of international non-intervention enabled General Franco (backed by Nazi Germany and Fascist Italy) to triumph in 1939, ushering Spain into an authoritarian dictatorship that lasted until 1975. Great.

12. Not everything in Spain is “Spanish”

What you thought was plain, regular ol’ Spain isn’t as simple as that. It is made up of various Autonomous Communities with varying degrees of self-government.

Galicia is a Celtic region. Basque is the official language of the Basque Country (which is unlike any European language). Occitan and Catalan are spoken in Valencia, Catalonia, and the Balearic Islands. Very intriguing.

13. Childcare is scarce

A child playing. Photo by krakenimages. Unsplash

Local parents are all too aware of the scarcity of after-school childcare in Spain. As a result, roughly one-quarter of all grandparents look after their grandchildren on a daily basis, after the local schools have finished.

14. The ‘first’ novel was written in Spanish

Novels on a table. Photo by Artsy Vibes. Unsplash

There are other contenders, but consider Don Quixote, published in 1605, to be the world’s first “modern” novel. It tells the story of a man who has read far too many tales of knights, romance, and chivalry, written by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes.

15. Spain was under Muslim control

Men praying in a mosque. Photo by Rumman Amin. Unsplash

In 711 AD, what were known as “Moors” from North Africa invaded Spain. It was known as Al-Andalus. There was a long history of Arabic and Islamic influence on Spanish language, culture, and art until the invaders were finally driven out in 1492. This is most noticeable in the southern region of Andalusia.

16. Spaniards live a long life

An old woman. Photo by RepentAnd SeekChristJesus. Unsplash

In Spain, the average life expectancy is 82 years (79 for men and 85 for women). That puts it on par with Switzerland, Italy, and, of course, Japan in terms of life expectancy.

17. Spain is the country of Fiestas

Spain is home to some of the world’s strangest festivals, including the world’s oldest fiesta (La Romeria de Nuestra Seora de la Cabeza), which has been going for over 800 years.

El Colacho-  a festival in which people jump over real babies. Valencia’s Fallas- every year on March 19th, massive wooden and cardboard statues are burned.

In Spain, there is no shortage of unusual activities to participate in.

18. There are 700 people with the surname “Japón” in a town in Spain

A little-known fact about Spain is that Coria del Ro, near Seville, has a large population of descendants of Hasekura Tsunenaga, a 17th-century samurai who stopped there during a diplomatic journey. “Hasekura de Japón” was shortened to “Japón.”

19.  Spain hosted one-half of the world’s first earth sandwich in 2006

What the hell happened? So, after a radio show host wondered if it was possible, people in Spain and New Zealand placed baguettes on the ground. The result was an Earth Sandwich, obviously, with miles and miles of molten magma and scorching core as the filling.

20. People celebrate the New Year by eating grapes in Spain

While for many, New Year’s Eve is a countdown before/after/during getting pretty drunk, there is one delicate tradition in Spain – eating grapes. Twelve, to be exact.

It is said that if you eat one grape at each exact stroke of midnight, you will have good luck for the rest of the year.

21. There’s no tooth fairy but rather a tooth mouse named Ratoncito Perez

Yes, Spain has an odd fact: there is no tooth fairy. So that’s not the strangest part. They have a tooth… mouse instead of a tooth fairy. Ratoncito Pérez is a character from the stories of 19th-century writer Luis Coloma.

22. Bullfighting is a controversial national sport

Matador and bull. Photo by Stephane YAICH. Unsplash

Bullfighting is officially known as tauromaquia, and it is still considered a “cultural heritage” in some parts of Spain. It was originally an aristocratic activity in the 11th century, but over time, anyone who demonstrated the necessary aptitude was given the opportunity to prove their courage in las corridas.

Nowadays, an increasing number of people disagree with this type of argument, including regions of Spain such as Catalonia and the Canary Islands, who see it as an act of animal cruelty.

23. Spain has the most bars of any EU country

A bar counter. Photo by QUI NGUYEN. Unsplash

With all of their pubs, you’d think Ireland would win, but Spain has the most drinking establishments in the European Union. You’ll be able to go on some pretty fun bar crawls here.

24. Spain produces approximately 44% of the world’s olive oil

Olive oil. Photo by Fulvio Ciccolo. Unsplash

That is more than double what Italy earns. Yes, despite the fact that olive oil is most closely associated with Italy, Spain produces more. Spain also produces a lot of wine, with over a million hectares dedicated to the industry. Spain is the world’s second-largest wine producer.

25. Spain has a coastline of over 8,000 kilometres

A coastline. Photo by Derek Liang. Unsplash

Going to the coast is one of the most romantic things to do in Spain. And with all that coastline comes a plethora of beaches. One of our favourite Spanish facts is that the country has over 8,000 beaches. That equates to one beach every kilometre.

26. Siesta is still an important part of Spanish life

Man having a nap in a cart. Photo by Mika Ruusunen. Unsplash

If you’ve heard of siesta, you might think it’s a bit of a stereotype, but it’s not. Siesta is a midday nap. Maximum of twenty minutes. It affects the entire country; many stores and establishments are closed from 2 to 5 p.m. for siesta time. 

27. The Sagrada Família in Barcelona is still under construction

Construction on the city’s famous Antoni Gaud- designed cathedral began in 1882 and has been ongoing for more than 130 years. It is scheduled to be finished in 2026.

It is probably the most visited construction site in the world, with 2.8 million visitors each year.

28. Catalonia is small but powerful

Catalonia is a relatively small autonomous region of Spain, accounting for 6.3% of the country’s territory, but it has a lot of going for it.

It has a population of 7.5 million (16% of the national total), the fourth-highest income in Spain, the Catalan language, the highest nominal gross regional product in the country, and, of course, Barcelona, Spain’s most visited city.

29. Valencia is home to Europe’s largest fresh food market

Fresh food market. Photo by Norbert Braun. Unsplash

The 8,000-square-meter-squared Mercado Central was built in 1914 and is an example of the intriguing Valencian Art Nouveau architectural style. There are 900 stands inside selling everything from cold cuts, fish, and cheese to olives, wine, and spices.  It’s a great place to visit in Valencia.

30. The first known stapler originated in Spain

Red stapler. Photo by Mike Meyers. Unsplash

The first stapler originated from Spain. The Basque Country, to be precise. It was created in the 18th century as a gift for French King Louis XV. Apparently, Louis’ royal emblem was engraved on every single staple.

31. Spain also provided many other firsts to the world

Spain’s inventions range from the complex to the mundane and downright addictive, and include the ancestor of the cigarette (17th century), the astronaut’s spacesuit (1935), and the humble mop and bucket (1956).

32. Spain has produced some incredible artists

Pablo Picasso Graffiti. Photo by Daniel Capilla. Wikimedia

Spain has a prestigious art scene, with well-known artists including Diego Velázquez, Francisco José de Goya, Joan Miró, Salvador Dal, and Juan Gris.

However, Pablo Picasso is the most famous, with a catalog that includes thousands of paintings, engravings, prints, book illustrations, ceramics, and sculptures.

Museums are the best places to see Spanish art. The Prado Museum, for example, has an incredible collection of iconic masterpieces and is currently celebrating its 200th anniversary.

33. New World Foods entered Europe via Spain 

New World Foods sounds like an organic supermarket, but it’s not. Tomatoes, peppers, beans, and potatoes. Spain’s adventures (and misadventures) in the Americas resulted in some culinary firsts in terms of fresh produce.

And before anyone else could try them, it was Spain’s turn. But, honestly, what would Spanish and Italian cuisine be like without these ingredients?

34. Tapas with a drink is a popular custom when going out

Tapas with a drink. Photo by Dennis Schmidt. Unsplash

Tapas is the plural of tapa, which means “top” or “cover.” The original tapas were designed to cover drinks between sips, keeping flies and other insects out. Many bars nowadays exist solely for the pleasure of tapas. And, of course, drink.

35. The number of tourists in Spain exceeds the number of residents

In Spain, tourism is big news. However, it is a little-known fact about Spain that tourism is as large as it is. In 2018, the country received 82.5 million tourists, making it the world’s second-most visited country. Tourists account for nearly double the population of 46.7 million in Spain.

36. The world’s largest food fight festival is held in Spain

Every year, over 20,000 people gather in a town near Valencia for La Tomatina, a massive tomato fight festival. For fun, festivalgoers throw 150,000 tomatoes at each other. I know it sounds strange, but believe it or not, tickets sell out quickly.

37. Spain has the most LGBTQ+ allies

LGBT banner lot. Photo by Teddy O. Unsplash

Spain is the most committed to and supportive of LGBTQ+ rights. In fact, Spain became the world’s third country to legalize same-sex marriage in 2005. They also legalized same-sex adoption that year. Many pride parades and wildly fun LGBTQ+ festivals are held in Spanish cities such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Málaga to celebrate love and equality.

38. The world’s oldest restaurant is in Spain

According to The Guinness Book of World Records the oldest restaurant is in Spain. Casa Botn in Madrid, founded in 1725, is the world’s oldest operating restaurant. It is one of the most popular tourist attractions, and it is always fully booked. In his novel, Hemingway mentions its roasted pig.

39. Wind energy was the primary source of energy for an entire year in Spain

Wind turbine. Photo by Artur Zudin. Unsplash

When it comes to renewable energy, Spain is at the forefront. In fact, it was the first country in the world to use wind as its primary source of energy. Wind turbines produced just under 54,000 gigatonnes of electricity in 2013, accounting for one-fifth of the country’s total consumption.

40. They won the FIFA world cup in 2010

A soccer field. Photo by Vienna Reyes. Unsplash

When it comes to the beautiful game, the Spaniards are masters. Between 2008 and 2013, La Roja topped FIFA’s world rankings for more than 5 years. They won the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in both 2008 and 2012.