Spain is a diverse, exciting, and always surprising country. Want to learn more about it? I’m sure there’s always something new to discover, even for people who have lived in Spain for decades.

This country’s rich history and brilliant culture make it the perfect place for any vacation destination! This is why I have gathered the 100 most amazing facts about Spain that will help you understand the country in terms of geography, culture, people, traditions, nature, art, food, history, language, and much more!!

After reading this, you’ll probably want to learn more about these fun facts. So I also added full articles explaining more in-depth every fact! —Just so the curiosity doesn’t hunt you out! 

Let’s dive into them right away! 

Geography

1. Spain has 760 official cities, and 134 received that title in 1998. (read more)

2. The Pyrenees separate the Iberian Peninsula from Europe, which is the same as acting as a natural border between Spain and France. (read more)
3. The Pyrenees mountain range is 500 kilometers long and extends from the Mediterranean to the Bay of Biscay. (read more)

4. Spain is the thirtieth most crowded country in the world and the fiftieth largest by area. (read more)
5. Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville are Spain’s four largest cities. (read more)
6. Madrid is a multicultural city filled with life day and night. (read more)
7. Barcelona is bohemian and multicultural, with an artsy vibe. (read more)
8. Valencia is home to the city of Arts & Science, built by the Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava. (read more)
9. The Canary Islands is Spain’s only autonomous community with two capitals. (read more)

10. The Spanish islands in the Atlantic are Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, La Palma, La Gomera, El Hierro, La Graciosa, Lobos Island, Alegranza, Montaña Clara, Roque del Este, and Roque del Oeste. (read more)

Culture

11. Spain’s most important cultural influences were the Roman Empire, the Visigoth Kingdom, and the Ummayad Caliphate. (read more)
12. Flamenco is a musical and cultural tradition and one of Spain’s most representative art forms. It’s also part of UNESCO’s list of Intangible Cultural Heritage! (read more)

13. Spain has a traditional dress for its 17 autonomous communities. (read more)
14. Spanish people are known for being warm, kind, and smiley people. They are also very social and hospitable. (read more)
15. Tapeo is the action of tapear, and tapear comes from the word tapa, the famous Spanish appetizer served with wine or beer. (read more)
16. Raton Perez is the Spanish tooth fairy. Yes, we have a mouse for a fairy! (read more) 
17. Spaniards always eat lunch with a piece of bread. In smaller cities, you can always see how older people go out of their way to get fresh bread for lunch. (read more)
18. San Fermines is the famous and biggest bullfight performance in Spain. It is celebrated from the 6th- the 14th of July in Pamplona, a town in Navarre. (read more)

19. People from the north are said to be more straightforward and cold, while South People are extroverted, funny, and loud. (read more)
20. The “Afterwork” is a new way of socializing, a phenomenon that has emerged among the Millenials between 25 and 35 years old who work long hours. (read more)

History

21. It is said that the peninsula receives its name after the river Ebro or Iberus, as the Greeks called it. (read more)
22. The Celts, Greeks, Phoenicians, and Iberians occupied the Iberian Peninsula right before the Roman Empire took over the territory. (read more)
23. A natural mystery is hidden in the Doñana National Park in Andalusia. Remember the city of Atlantis? Some researchers said that our national park fits the description that Plato (the philosopher) described the place a few years ago. (read more)

24. Spain, Portugal, Andorra, Gibraltar, and France occupy the Iberian peninsula. (read more)
25. Andorra works with a diarchy political system in which two people rule together. (read more)
26. The Spanish National Day is celebrated on October 12 to symbolize the historical event of the discovery of America by Christopher Columbus. (read more)

27. The political form of the Spanish State is the parliamentary monarchy. The King is the Head of State but does not possess any power over the State. (read more)
28. King Ferdinand II of Aragon married Isabella I of Castile in 1469, dynastically uniting the two most powerful Kingdoms: Aragon and Castile. This union allowed to expel the Muslims from Granada and conquer Navarre, to incorporate these territories into the new Crown. (read more)
29. The Spanish Royal family has traditionally been made up of the titular person of the Crown (the one who holds the title of King or Queen of Spain), his or her spouse, their children, grandchildren, descendants of the prince or princess of Asturias and by the monarch’s parents. (read more)
30. One of the most important in Spanish history moments is the Francoist dictatorship or Francoist Spain. (read more)

Language

31. The official languages of the Iberian peninsula are known as Romance Languages, which evolved from vulgar Latin. (read more)
32. The languages spoken in the Iberian Peninsula are Castilian- Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan, Valencian, Galician, and Aranese. A non-romance language spoken on the Iberian peninsula and specifically in Spain is “Euskera” or Basque. (read more)

33. The majority of immigrants in Spain come from other European countries. Spain’s most spoken foreign languages are English, French, and Romanian. (read more) 
34. The Spanish language kept spreading throughout much of the American continent with the arrival of Spain with Columbus. (read more)
35. The languages most similar to Spanish are Italian, Portuguese, French, and Catalan since they all come from Romanic languages. Followed by German, which, by having the same roots, are among the most similar and easy to learn if Spanish is your mother tongue. (read more)
36. Spanish can take up to 600 hours to learn and achieve conversational fluency. (read more)
37. The term Hispanic refers to people who are Spanish-speaking or have origins in a Spanish-speaking country. So, Hispanic countries are all whose official language is Spanish or descends from Spanish-speaking populations. (read more) 
38. Latino is a shortcut for Latin American, which refers to a particular group of countries that are geographically on the American continent, while Hispanic refers to the Spanish-speaking population. Not all Latinos speak Spanish as their mother tongue. (read more) 
39. Catalan is the first official language of the region of Catalonia, the Valencian Community, and the Balearic Islands in Spain, and it is also official in Andorra. (read more)
40. Spain has six different dialects: Northwestern Catalan (spoken in Lleida, Tarragona, and La Franja), Valencian (spoken in Valencia), Central Catalan (spoken in Barcelona and Girona), Balearic (in the Balearic Islands), Roussillonese (spoken in France) and Alghero (spoken in Alghero). (read more)

Nature

41. Spain is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe. It occupies the second position regarding the extension of forests within the European continent. (read more)

42. The total surface of the protected natural spaces in Spain amounts to more than 30 million hectares. This means that a third of the terrestrial surface and 12% of the marine surface are under protection. (read more)

43. Spain has the world’s largest vineyard area, with a total of 967 million hectares. (read more)

44. Sierra Nevada is the highest ski resort in Spain, with 3,300 meters above sea level at its highest point. (read more)

45. The Altamira Cave in Cantabria is the first place in the world where the existence of Upper Paleolithic Rock Art was identified (read more)

46. 37% of the Spanish territory is covered in forests. And you can enjoy them all year round.

47. It is known that almost 38% of Spain’s area is covered in forest. The most important ones are: The Irati beech forest in Navarre, the Oza forest in Aragon, the fir forests in La Bonaigua in Catalonia, the oak forests in the mountains of the Cordillera Cantábrica, the pine forests in the Sierra de Guadarrama, and the juniper groves and riverbank forests in Castile-León and Castile-La Mancha. (read more)

48. Spain has 16 National Parks with endemic and autochthonous species that aren’t found in almost any other place. (read more)
49. Some areas in Spain are deserts due to their arid climate. Among the Spanish deserts are Tabernas, Bardenas Reales, Monegros, and Gorafe. (read more)
50. The Teide National Park is the highest peak in Spain, with a height of 3,718 meters. (read more)

Seas and Oceans

51. Spain is surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Bay of Biscay. (read more)

52. The sea between Spain and Africa is the Mediterranean sea. The strait of Gibraltar connects the Mediterranean sea with the Atlantic Ocean, lying between southernmost Spain and northwesternmost Africa. (read more)

53. The sea between Spain and France is the Bay of Biscay. It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc’h to the Spanish border and the northern coast of Spain west to Cape Ortegal (read more)
54. The average depth of the Mediterranean Sea is 1,500 meters (4,920 ft). However, the deepest point ever recorded is 5,627 meters (about 3.27 miles) and is located in the Calypso Deep in the Ionian Sea. (read more)
55. The Mediterranean Sea is a sea that contains a strong salinity. It’s one of the seas with the highest saltiness, with 38 grams of salt per liter. (read more) 
56. The Mediterranean sea is called “Mediterranean” because it comes from the Latin “Mar Medi Terraneum,” meaning “sea in the middle of the lands.” (read more)
57. The Mediterranean Sea has been one of the most important seas for human beings because it is shallow and has few currents, facilitating navigation, people’s movement, and transportation of goods. It has formed kingdoms and cities! (read more)
58. The Mediterranean Coast in Spain extends along the east, from Tarifa, in the Region of Cadiz, to Cape Creus in Girona. Its main components are the beaches, capes, and gulfs. (read more)
59. There are sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. There is a great diversity of up to 47 shark species (of the world’s 400 species) living in these waters. (read more)

Rivers

60. Spain has 528 rivers if we consider all rivers, tributaries, and subaffluents. But, if we consider the rivers that do not discharge their waters into another river (those that are not tributaries), there are 83 rivers in Spain. (read more)
61. The longest river in Spain in terms of length is the Tagus River, with 1,007 kilometers long and with 17,660 ft³/s. (read more)

62. The most important river in Spain is the Ebro River, which is also the most abundant and extensive hydrographic basin. It is the second longest river in the Mediterranean basin after the Nile. (read more)
63. In Cordoba, the Guadalquivir River flows under “The Roman Bridge of Cordoba,” the oldest bridge in Spain. (read more)
64. Spain has a Red River called “Rio Tinto.” The word “Tinto” means that something is dark red and is obtained from a black grape that must be fermented with the seeds and skins of the grape. The term refers to the Red Wine, and the Red River is called Rio Tinto in Spanish due to the red color of its waters. (read more)
65. Guadiana is the river between Spain and Portugal, but it is not the only one since there are 20 rivers bordering these two countries. (read more)
66. The Tagus River is located between Spain and Portugal. It rises in the Montes Universales, in the Sierra de Albarracín (Teruel, Spain). After 1,007 km, it flows into the Atlantic Ocean in Lisbon (Portugal). (read more)
67. There are 14 rivers in the South basin of Spain, 13 tributaries, and one sub-fluent: The Guadalhorce, Almanzora, Guadiaro, Guadalfeo, Andarax, Guadalmedina, Adra, Antas, Guadarranque, Cañas, Vélez, Aguas, Verde, and the Yátor. (read more)
68. The most important rivers in Barcelona are the Besòs River, with a length of 18 km and a 3010 km² surface area of the basin, and the Llobregat River, which gives its name to the county, with 170 km and 4,948 km², respectively. (read more)

Traditions

69. Eating 12 grapes on New Year’s Eve is a tradition that began in Spain. Spaniards start the year by eating 12 grapes on December 31 at midnight, one grape for each clock’s chime. Which, according to tradition, represents the 12 months of the year. (read more)
70. In Spain, Mother’s Day is always celebrated on the first Sunday of May, no matter what day of the month it falls on. Unlike Father’s Day (March 19, St. Joseph’s Day), Mother’s Day changes its date every year. (read more) 
71. The Spanish Christmas Lottery is the weekly national lottery run by the Spanish government and the biggest and most popular draw of the year for some people. And if we measure it by the total prize payout, it is considered the giant lottery draw worldwide. (read more)
72. The famous “Misa del Gallo” is a religious Christmas tradition event on December 24 at midnight. It indicates the beginning of Christmas day. (read more)
73. In Seville, a famous Fair (known as Feria de Abril) is celebrated after Holy Week but doesn’t have an exact date. (read more)
74. In Spain, families are a supportive structure. Spaniards are raised with close relationships and intense bonds. (read more)
75. On January 6, Spaniards celebrate the famous “Three Wise Men” Day. (read more) 
76. The Carnival in Spain originated in Cadiz in the 15th century. It is an old festive celebration registered since the Middle Ages. Every town in Spain adopted the Carnival, and they are known for their colorful costumes, parades, music, dances, and unique characteristics, depending on where you travel. (read more)

77. Since 2010, the flamenco dance in Spain has been considered by UNESCO a World Cultural Heritage. (read more)
78. The Sardana is the national and traditional dance typical of Catalonia and is danced in a circle facing the center. It represents fraternity, democracy, and putting aside differences. (read more)

Art

79. Pablo Picasso is one of the world’s most famous Spanish painters. Among his most recognized works worldwide are: “Les Demoiselles d’Avignon” (1907) and “The Guernica” (1937), which represent the horrors of the Spanish civil war. (read more)
80. The most famous Baroque painter in the history of Spain is Diego Velázquez. Manet called him “the painter of painters." (read more)
81. Salvador Dalí is one of surrealism’s most recognized and outstanding representatives. (read more)
82. Muslim and Mozarabic art is heavily rooted in many of the Southern Spanish cities, and the most important expressions of their craft are their architecture with The Great Mosque of Cordoba, the Alhambra, the Mosque Cristo de Luz, and several alcazabas. (read more)

83. “El Ingenioso hidalgo Don Quixote de la Mancha” (The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha), also known as “Don Quijote” is one of the most-read books of history as it revolutionized the way of telling stories in the 17th century. (read more)
84. Some of the most impressive buildings in the Iberian Peninsula are built in the Gothic Style. At the end of the 13th century and during the 14th century, there were different variants of the Gothic Style with varying ways of using architectural and decorative elements. (read more)
85. Antoni Gaudí i Cornet is recognized internationally as one of the most prodigious Catalan architects in his discipline and the greatest exponent of modernism in the region of Catalunya. (read more)

86. The flamenco guitar is a variant of the Spanish guitar and is the most popular in and out of Spain. Although the difference between the flamenco guitar and the classical guitar is that the flamenco guitar weighs less and is smaller. (read more)
87. The Statue of the Fallen Angel in Retiro is supposed to be the only statue in the world “dedicated” to the devil! So, this Spanish statue is a MUST when you visit! (read more)
88. One of the first works of Spanish literature is “Cantar del Mío Cid,” or Poem of the Cid, which tells the deeds of the Spanish knight, Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar. (read more)

Food

89. Spain is undoubtedly the world’s largest producer of olive oil, with a market share of 44%! (read more)
90. An authentic and traditional paella is made with rice, chicken, rabbit, and vegetables. (read more)

91. Saffron is used for paella and is one of the spices added to many Spanish recipes. It is one of the main spices of Spain. (read more)
92. In Spain, ham is one of the icons of Spanish gastronomy. It is a product you can find anywhere, in bars, restaurants, supermarkets, and many homes! (read more)
93. Chocolate with “churros” is a typical dish of Spanish gastronomy. However, over the years, it has spread to other countries, especially Latin America. (read more)

94. The restaurant “Sobrino de Botín,” located on Cuchilleros Street in Madrid, has almost three centuries of history, which makes it the oldest restaurant in the world. (read more) (read more)
95. Spain is among the top 5 countries with the most Michelin-star restaurants. It occupies the fifth position after France, Japan, Italy, and Germany. (read more)
96. Entremesses are appetizers served before dinner. These snacks are placed on the table while people are still arriving or sitting around talking. It keeps the hungry mildly fed until the main courses. (read more)
97. “Cochinillo,” or Suckling Pig, is typical for the main course at Christmas. This dish is eaten all year long in Segovia, and it is one of the city’s biggest attractions. Besides visiting the Aqueduct, people travel to Segovia to eat the famous “cochinillo,” cut with a plate. (read more)

98. Cava is cheap in Spain. Its extraordinary Mediterranean climate makes it possible to get the grapes they need yearly. So, you can have a fantastic dinner with delicious drinks without selling your liver. (read more)
99. The origins of nougat in Spain came from the Arabs who inhabited the country from 711 to 1492. They are consumed mainly in December during Christmas and New Year’s Eve! (read more)
100. It is very common to find a washing machine in any typical apartment kitchen area, especially in the city center in big cities. Sometimes tourists need clarification on this, but it is considered normal. (read more)

I hope this article was helpful, and let me know which was your favorite fun fact in the comments! Also, remember to look at the articles mentioned after every fact so you can get a broader explanation of each topic. :)