20 curiosities of Spain that will surprise you

20 CURIOSITIES OF SPAIN

1. It is the second largest country in the European Union

After France, Spain is the second largest country in the European Union by surface. measures around 506,000 km2including the Canary Islands and the Spanish territories in the north of Africa. So it is a country where you will have a lot to discover!

2. Home to the second most spoken mother tongue in the world

Spanish has more than 570 million mother speakers, second only to Mandarin Chinese. In Spain, Spanish is its official language as well as most Latin American countries and Equatorial Guinea. All over the world 21 nations speak Spanish, becoming the second most spoken mother tongue in the world. Even more than English!

3. Spanish is not the only language in Spain, one of the best curiosities of Spain

Spain is a super diverse country and proof of this are its languages. Although Spanish is the official language of the country, this is not the only one. actually just 72% of Spaniards consider Spanish as their first language. For example, Galician is spoken in Galicia, Basque is spoken in the Basque Country, and Catalan is spoken in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands. So there is variety in every way!

4. It has almost 8,000 kilometers of coastline

Spain is known for its turquoise waters, magnificent coves, white sands, volcanic beaches and incredible sunsets. It is the best in Spain! It has a total of 7,905 kilometers of coastline and here you will find hidden more than 3,000 beaches. Awesome!

Thus, Spain is situated in the 34th place in the list of countries by length of coastline. In addition, the country is lucky to have exits to the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean.

5. In Spain you will find the smallest beach in the world

Among these thousands of kilometers of coastline is the smallest beach in the world. It’s about the Gulpiyuri beach. It has only 40 meters long and 15 meters wideand is located in the north of Spain.

As a curiosity, this beach It is connected to the Cantabrian Sea by a cave. You can only access it on foot and the crystal clear waters are only one meter deep. Perfect to enjoy!

6. The Spanish live many years, one of the most surprising curiosities of Spain

One of the most surprising curiosities of Spain is that the life expectancy of its inhabitants is 82 years on average. In the case of men, the age is 79 years and 85 in women. Solo Swiss, Italia y Japan They are countries that are also in the top of life expectancy. And it is that in Spain you live very well!

7. And that’s why they will be the oldest population in 30 years!

Although the life expectancy is high, this is perhaps a small disadvantage. The United Nations projects that by 2050, Spain will have one of the oldest populations of the world. That is, in 30 years, more than 30% of the population will be 60 years of age or older. And that, in part, is because the country has one of the lowest fertility rates in the world.

8. Spain wins the award for one of the best gastronomy in the world

We don’t have many children, but we do have one of the best cuisines on the planet. When you think of Spain, probably the first thing that comes to mind is paella. But in reality the variety of Spanish gastronomy is infinite! Paella is delicious, but we leave it to Valencia, who are the geniuses of this dish. The truth is that from one region to another you will find new and delicious dishes.

Tapas are an appetizer in every restaurant or bar of what Spanish cuisine can offer. If you visit Spain, be prepared to gain a few extra pounds.

Guide to visit Valencia:

9. You will also find one of the oldest restaurants

You can already imagine the magnificent dishes that will be served here. The place is called Sobrino de Botín or Casa Botín and it is located in Madrid. The restaurant has been standing since 1725 and its specialty since then is roast suckling pig. Although paradoxically, its founder was French. Definitely, one of the most surprising curiosities of Spain is that good food never goes out of style.

Guide to visit Madrid:

10. And the world’s biggest food fight! one of the funniest curiosities of Spain

It is a festival called The Tomatina This festival takes place in the month of August in the small town of bunol, near Valencia. To give you an idea, here they are launched around 150,000 tomatoes. Amazing! Don’t panic because no one will get hurt, the tomatoes are crushed before the participants use them. It’s a fun experience!

Useful information to visit Valencia:

11. Spain is the only country in Europe that has a land border with Africa

One of the best curiosities of Spain is that it has a land border, not a sea one, with an African country. It’s about Morocco! But how can that be? Because Spain maintains two enclaves in Africa: Ceuta and Melilla. Both cities have had strategic importance since the first millennium BC. Ceuta has been part of Spain since 1668 while Melilla since 1497.

12. Spain has more tourists than inhabitants, one of the best curiosities of Spain

Spain is such a beautiful country that attracts millions of tourists. The figure doubles the number of people living in Spain. For example, in 2018, the country received 82.5 million tourists while the population of Spain is 46.7 million. And the number will continue to rise!

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

If we combine the tomato and olive oil on a toasted bread, accompanied by a good sausage, the combination is unbeatable. We dare to say that Spanish olive oil is one of the best in the world.

The country leads the production of this product, above Greece e Italia. The Iberian country produces around 1.5 million tons and most in Andalusia, specifically in Jaen. It is a delicacy for those who know how to appreciate a good olive oil!

14. Spain is governed by a constitutional monarchy and is one of the oldest monarchies in the world

In case you didn’t know, Spain it is a constitutional monarchy. This means that there is a separation of powers: the King holds the executive power by naming the government, while the legislative power is exercised by an assembly or parliament, elected by the citizens. But that has not always been the case, since for some centuries it was absolutist.

Since the marriage of the Catholic Monarchs in 1469, Spain has almost always had a monarchy. It has only been interrupted only in the periods of the First Republic (1873-1874), the Second Republic (1931-1939) and part of the Franco regime.

After the death of the dictator, Francisco Francoin 1975, the king Juan Carlos I he ascended the throne and the monarchy continues to this day. Although many are not in favor! However, Philip VIson of Juan Carlos I is the current King of Spain.

15. The Spanish anthem has no lyrics, one of the most surprising curiosities of Spain

Surely you have noticed this during the football matches of the Spanish team. Unlike most national anthems of other countries in the world, the one from Spain has no lyrics. So don’t be surprised if no footballer doesn’t know the lyrics!

It’s called the Royal March and it’s also one of the oldest national anthems in the world. In fact, only four of the planet’s national anthems do not have lyrics: the Spanish, the Kosovo, the Bosnia Herzegovina and the San Marino.

16. They were the creators of the first written novel

Although there are other works that fight this title, the truth is that Don Quixote de la Mancha was the world’s first modern novel. It was written in 1605 by the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes. If you are a lover of reading, it is a great work that you should add to your list. It is a classic of Spanish literature!

We also recommend visit Toledo, where Miguel de Cervantes lived and the place that is the starting point of the adventures of Don Quixote. It’s an amazing city!

Guide to visit Toledo:

17. The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia is not finished, one of the most famous curiosities of Spain

The Basilica of the Sagrada Familia is one of the main icons of Spain. And that is not finished yet! This famous work it takes more than 130 years in construction. It was designed by Antoni Gaudí and the works began in 1882. It is expected to be finished in 2026.

In any case, around 2.8 million visitors come to the Sagrada Familia every year. So it is incredible that one of its most visited monuments is still unfinished!

Guide to visit Barcelona

18. In Spain you can visit one of the most important museums in the world

He Prado Museum It is a real treasure for art lovers. It is located in the capital and is one of the main tourist attractions in Madrid. This museum It was born from the kings’ passion for collecting works of art. He King Ferdinand VII It was he who decided to open his collection to the public in 1819. His works are very important and date from the 12th to the 20th century!

19. And the only desert in Europe!

Spain has everything, even a desert! In addition, it is the only one in Europe. Its about Tabernas desert located north of Almeria. The place receives 3,000 hours of sunshine, average temperatures above 17ºC and little rainfall per year. Besides, it’s the home to various species of plants and animals unique in Europe and even in the world.

The Tabernas Desert is very famous! Did you know that super-known filming has been carried out here? Yes, among them are once upon a time in the west, Indiana Joneso Lawrence de Arabia. It is one of the favorite sites for Hollywood producers!

20. Spain had the first empire of which it was said that the sun never set

And to end this post about the best curiosities of Spainwe could not fail to mention the power that the Spanish Empire had: with South America on one side, the Philippines on the other, and real Spain in the middle, the sun never really set on the Spanish Empire.. It was one of the largest empires in history!