Essential info for Spain
Time: Local time is GMT +1 (GMT +2 from the end of March to the end of October).
Electricity: 220 or 225 volts, 50Hz. Standard Spanish plugs are European two-pins.
Language: Castilian, or what’s commonly known as Spanish, is the official language spoken in Spain, but English is widely spoken and understood. Additionally, there are a number of co-official languages spoken in certain regions of Spain. Catalan, the largest co-official language, is spoken in the Eastern seaboard area, including Barcelona and Valencia. Galicia, the next most widely spoken co-official langague, is spoken in the northwest region of Spain.Safety Information: Spain is a considerably safe location, but expats should be aware that street crime and petty theft can be present in the large urban centres. Expats are advised to take precautions against the theft of passports, credit cards, travel documents and money. There are also a couple of money scams in operation, and expats should be cautious about paying money into unknown accounts for fines or deposits that cannot be verified.
There is internal conflict between the Spanish government and the ETA, an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organisation, in rare cases resulting in bomb attacks on public areas. Street crime is common in the larger cities and expats are advised to take precautions against the theft of passports, credit cards, travel documents and money. There are also a couple of money scams in operation and expats should be cautious about paying money into unknown accounts for fines or deposits that cannot be verified.
Local Customs: Smoking in public places is prohibited and fines are issued to transgressors. Drinking alcohol in the streets of Madrid is also against the law.
Business: Spain has a conservative business culture and expats should behave and dress accordingly; formal attire and punctuality are considered very important. Use the titles Señor (Mr), Señora (Mrs) and Señorita (Miss) when addressing business associates and a handshake is customary when greeting or being introduced to someone. It is the norm to exchange business cards, printed in both English and Spanish text. Meeting are often held over lunch or dinner but normal business hours are usually from 8am to 5pm.
Communications: The international access code for Spain is +34. To make international calls from Spain, dial 00 followed by the relevant country code (e.g. 44 for the United Kingdom). There are city and area codes used internally – Barcelona’s is (0)93 and for Madrid it’s (0)91. Phone cards and coins can be used in public phones throughout Spain; phone cards can be purchased from post offices, tobacconists and newsagents. Local mobile phone operators provide GSM 900/1800 coverage throughout Spain. Broadband Internet connection at home and in Internet cafés is available in all but the smallest of Spanish towns.
Emergencies: Dial 112 or 061 for emergency assistance in Spain.
Climate: Spain can gets very hot in mid-summer (July and August), depending on where in the country you are, but for the rest of the year expats will find it’s quite pleasant. The climate’s generally temperate in the north and warmer in the south. Weatherwise, the best time of year in most parts of Spain tends to be in either spring or autumn, but along the Atlantic coast there is heavy rainfall during October and November. Winter can get quite cold, especially in Madrid and the high central region.
