By Jessica Lloyd

Spain is a wonderful country to visit, the sun shines most of the time, the Spanish people are very friendly and everyone is generally happy. They like a good party, and some of their outrageous hair styles are constant sources of amusement and envy - they have a sense of style which really makes you look twice. The lack of American influence here is a breath of fresh air, and the people have their own sense of style and flavours
The countryside is enchanting with some great beaches, and the food is excellent. Spain is famous for its Tapas, snack-like gourmet food which is served in small portions and is very tasty. You can get these everywhere, with a beer – very Spanish.

After only 25 years of freedom from Franco The Dictator, things are still ironing themselves out. The economy is falling and the number of illegal South American and African immigrants is steadily rising. The south of Spain is just 14km's from Africa; if you were determined you could practically swim over. more

Location
In South western Europe to the south of France with coastline on the Bay of Biscay, Mediterranean Sea, North Atlantic Ocean, and to the north are the Pyrenees Mountains.

Language
Spaniards generally speak Spanish - I hear you say "err derr!" but wait - Spain has up to 4 other languages spoken within it's borders - Catalan, Gallego and Vasco. You won't find this in Madrid though, everyone speaks Spanish. As with most European countries, people here learn English at school, and most people speak it fairly well. But, everyone always appreciates an effort being made to learn their language so if you can, do try! You will probably find they get fed up trying to decipher your terrible attempts at Spanish and they will say "do you speak English?" in perfect English. Persevere! A language school with a difference.

Climate
Spain has a temperate Mediterranean climate with clear, hot summers in the interior and is more moderate and cloudy along coast. Inland the winters are colder with snow in the mountains while the coasts are partly cloudy and cool.

Money
Spain is heralded as one of the cheapest of all European countries, which bodes well for holidays here. It won't cost you an arm and a leg to do the things you want. Spain is part of Europe, therefore the currency here is euros. It used to be pesetas, and you will sometimes see the small reference chart on some price lists "psta" for the comparison. It was made quite difficult during the change over, because pesetas weren't an even exchange for euros - one euro is equal to around 60 pesetas. It caused problems for a lot of Spanish, especially the elderly. This was probably mirrored all over the European Union.

The Sagrada Familia
The monumental church is a landmark and Gaudí's most famous work, the finest example of his visionary genius, and a world-wide symbol of Barcelona. The towers can be climbed offering incredible vistas of Barcelona - A great place for a family holiday and a good destination for the sex tourist, it also has a gay community.

Useful links
Accommodation in Spain
The Spanish Embassy in London
Dating & Escorts