Spain is an endlessly intriguing and complex land. The range of history, culture, language and cuisine is vast enough that each of our Spain tours is like a trip to a separate world. Yet in each location you'll find evidence of a common spirit.
Eating out in Spain is relatively cheap and meals are usually substantial instead of gourmet. The Spanish tradition of tapas is a good way to sample the local food. Primarilly Spain is a wine drinking country with each region producing its own special wines, however there are several large breweries within Spain producing the light, lager-like beers popular everywhere.
All Spanish towns and cities have their own special celebrations, as well as the national holidays such as Christmas, Easter Week, All Saints Day etc. The way in which the national events are celebrated also varies from place to place. Most festivities are of religious base, mainly Catholic. One of the most popular festivals is bullfighting. In Spain the bullfight is called the Fiesta Nacional or Corrida. I understand that many people do not agree with this sport but Spanish just love it. It is reported that each year, within Spain, 24,000 bulls are killed in front of an audience of 30 million people. The bullfighting season runs from March to October.
Another integral part of Spain culture is Flamenco. This very popular folk dance still enjoys its place in Spain and can be found everywhere, even amongst the youth culture. There are about 30 varieties of Flamenco ranging from the Cante jondo, through to the duende. The origins of Flamenco go back to the 16th century and are mainly from the gypsies of Andalucia who developed this form of entertainment around the campfires.
The Spanish way of life is somewhat slower than the rest of Europe, especially in the south. This may be seen as lazy, but when the Spanish work, they work hard. They have adapted to the weather and play hard too. It is quite common for life to begin when the sun goes down, especially in the summer. They are a very happy people who enjoy life to the full. They love music, dance and food.
