Spain is a vibrant country full of interesting history, vibrant traditions, and intriguing cultural facts. Several aspects of Spanish culture and tradition assist Spain to stand apart from the other Spanish-speaking countries. Let’s explore some of the wonderful facts about Spanish culture and traditions that will mesmerize and might also shock you.
Spain is the sole European country having cities on African soil
Melilla and Ceuta are the sole two European cities that live outside of Europe. Sharing soil with the Moroccan border, these cities are little bastions that remain at the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Ceuta is positioned to the right of the African side of the Gibraltar Strait, and Melilla is situated further east, closer to the border with Argelia.
These prominent cities are in the mid of controversy for the big immigration waves that have been going through them for a long time. Groups of several people made the pilgrimage from all over Africa to get a shot at getting as refugees into Europe through these two places
They have been a part of Spain for several centuries and they are regarded as an immovable terrain of Spanish territory, pretty much like the Canary Islands but having less touristic appeal.
Spain is home to several languages
Parts of Spain’s population speak multiple languages and dialects based on their location. Of them, five languages are regarded as co-official in their regions, and in sequence from most spoken to least, they are Catalan, Valencian, Galician, Basque, and Aranese.
In spite of these co-official languages, a strong 99% of Spaniards are able to speak Spanish, with different accents. (Consider the difference between American English and British English to avail an idea of variations in an accent within Spain).
The unique custom of La Tomatina
On last Wednesday of August in the municipality of Buñol in Valencia, a piece of ham is placed on the top of a very tall post in the town square. The famous festival of La Tomatina starts when someone climbs the pole and grabs the ham from the top.
Then, at around 11’o clock in the morning, six trucks having around 150 tons of tomatoes steadily roll into town giving tomatoes to the attendees so that they could take part in the biggest tomato fight around the world. These tomatoes are exclusively bred and harvested for this festival, and post hours of pelting your friends with tomatoes, the streets and attendees are left around squeaky clean from the acidic components of this red fruit.
This is without any doubt one of the most amazing things you will see in Spain, and something you will not wish to miss if you have the opportunity. It is a strange manner to have a religious celebration, but it is quite interesting nonetheless.
Always bear in mind to wear a pair of gloves and goggles, and make certain to squish the tomatoes prior to throwing them.
Soccer symbolizes a century-long rivalry
- Spain is the home of two of the biggest and most popular fútbol teams around the world. Real Madrid and FC Barcelona. These two teams’ contest known as El Clasico has been competing quite hard for centuries, nipping at each other’s heels and hosting some of the finest players the world has ever witnessed.
Currently, they have a neck-to-neck record to be precise 100-97 record. That is as tight as it could get for a rivalry that has stayed for almost 100 years.
The fierce competition has inspired countries outside of Spain to choose a team to vouch for, elevating these teams to international prominence.
Food services follow strict ordering schedules
Spanish culture and traditions share several interesting and variety of dishes to delight and surprise you, like the tapas, paella, and morcilla.
Apart from the fascinating cuisine, several places continue to close during daily hours of siesta, which has resulted in a strict window for availing food.
The best traditional food in Spain is served at certain times and sells out rather rapidly, so if you have a certain food in mind, make certain you are standing in a queue at the right time.
To release the pressure, ask the locals which eating outlets they recommend and what time is finest to show up.
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