10 FUN FACTS ABOUT SPAIN YOU DIDN’T KNOW

​​​​​Spain is an incredibly interesting holiday destination that caters to anything a tourist could look for, from warm beaches and leisure to historical monuments and art. These 10 interesting and unique facts about Spain will give you a snippet of what this lovely country has to offer. 

The center of Spain

 The kilometer 0 of all Spanish roads, at Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

The first of our fun facts about Spain is that Madrid is not only the capital of Spain. It is also the geographical center of the country. And in the center of Madrid, you can find the Puerta del Sol (The Sun Gate), which is the center of the country and the Spanish radial road system. 

In Spain, ​different languages are spoken.

Another fun fact about Spain is that although Spanish is the majority language, Spain has 4 co-official languages. They are Catalan, Basque, Galician, and Aranese​. There are other Romance minority languages, though not official, that have special recognition, such as the Astur-Leonese group (bable) and Aragonese (aragonés) in Aragon.​ You can think of it as English and French in Canada.

The highest Spanish mountain is not in Spain.

Spain’s higher mountain, Teide, on Tenerife island

Well, it is in Spain, but not in the Iberian Peninsula. A fun fact about Spain is that the highest mountain in the country is Mount Teide (3718 meters). This mountain is situated in the Canary Islands and is an active volcano. As a consequence of its eruptions, the beaches of the island of Tenerife are of black sand instead of white.

UNESCO's third-largest heritage country

Another fun fact about Spain is that it has 44 UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Only Italy and China have more. Probably the most famous UNESCO World Heritage Site is the Sagrada Familia cathedral in Barcelona. This building was begun to be built in 1882 and is believed to be finished in 2026.

We have chocolate thanks to the Spanish

A fun fact about Spain is that thanks to the colonies that the Spaniards established in the American continent and their relations with North Africa, today we can all enjoy oranges, avocados, cacao, potatoes, or sugar. The Europeans did not know any of these things until the fifteenth century.

Christmas is very special in Spain

The Three Wise Men, who are believed to give presents to Spanish children on the evening of January 5th.

The Spaniards celebrate Christmas, the New Year, and also the feast of the Three Wise Men during the winter holidays. This time of the year is very special and they live it very intensely. A fun fact about Spain is that it is traditional to eat twelve grapes at a time to celebrate the new year. It is more difficult than it seems, but the Spaniards swear that achieving that gives good luck for the rest of the year.

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Home to the world’s oldest restaurant

Calle de Cuchilleros, 17, 28005 Madrid, Spain

Feeling peckish in Madrid? Well, you might want to check out Restaurante Botín, which the team at the Guinness World Records has awarded the title of the world’s oldest restaurant. The eatery has been serving up its delicious signature dish of Cochinillos asado (roast suckling pig) since 1725.

Tapas is one of Spain’s most famous dishes

The people of Spain love their food and it echoes in their unique dishes. One of the most famous is the Tapa, which is in effect a relatively small dish that features a variety of things to snack on. Tapas can contain meatballs, olives, and cheese, as well as more complex dishes like chopitos and paella. Chopitos are a variation of fried squid whereas paella is a meat and rice dish that can contain seafood or chicken.

Spain is the largest producer of olives in the world

Many agree that Spanish cuisine is a close parallel to Mediterranean dishes. However, their rich cultural background has added a unique flair over the years. One direct similarity is the use of olive oil in many of the dishes! This is mainly due to Spain being one of the largest producers of olives in the world. Demographics have shown that the average Spaniard will consume about 1.4 liters of olive oil a year.

Resource: Renf-sncf.com & travellinginspain.com