10 Things I love about Spain
Oh, Spain…
Spending time with your loved ones, being outdoors, taking time to enjoy your meals, and knowing how to live in the present moment are all the most essential things to make a person happy ☀️ I love how Spanish people know how to do it so effortlessly.
I love the Spanish culture, and Spain really has a special place in my heart. The beautiful language, vibrant culture, and warm people have always been the reasons why I feel so strongly about this country. It’s safe to say that Spain is my favorite country. 🇪🇸💛
Why Spain has such a special place in my heart
I first visited Spain when I was 2 months old, and ever since, I have been visiting the country every year, at least once a year. My family has a house in the Canary Islands, and every year, we get together and celebrate Christmas and New Year there. I have many good memories of Spain and I always return back in hopes of making more of those 🌞
Living in Spain has also always been a dream of mine. The warm and intimate culture is the polar opposite of what I used to grow up in Finland, and I’ve always felt more like myself when I’m in Spain somehow.
I did spend six months living in Barcelona back in 2020, but it wasn’t the ideal time to pursue my idea of living the Spanish dream considering that it was when the whole pandemic has just started 😄 I’m sure I’ll find my way back there, hopefully soon!
I could spend a needless amount of time writing about the things I love about Spain, but I thought I’d share 10 (more general) things that first pop into my mind when I think about Spain.
10 reasons why I love Spain
1. The weather in Spain
Nothing makes me happier than seeing the sun shining and feeling the sun rays on my skin! So the weather and sun deserves to be the first one on my list ☀️
The 320 days of sunshine in Spain is probably the most drawing factor for many people when choosing a country to live in or to visit. If you’re from a cold and dark country like me, you’ll know that constant exposure to darkness affects your mood and energy levels. I see a huge difference in my mood whenever I spend time somewhere where I can see the sun almost every day!
Spain is actually the most climatically diverse country in Europe, which means that the climate changes throughout the country. The Canary Islands have an average temperature of around 18-20 celsius (Jan-Dec) so you can enjoy warm days even in the winter. The north and middle of Spain are obviously much colder during the winter, but there are still many hours of sun throughout the whole year.
2. There’s always something to do in Spain
The art and culture in Spain are unique. And amazing.
Museums, sightseeing, eating out, cultural events, national festivals, football games, shopping… there is so much to do in Spain! There are also so many national holidays and festivities happening throughout the year. Some of the most known are Carnavals, Día de los Reyes, Semana Santa, Las Fallas and San Juan. These are just a few examples, and there are definitely many more. You can check Spanish festivities from Spain.info if there’s something happening when you are visiting the country.
You don’t have to live or visit a big city to find something to do in Spain, as there is almost always something happening even in the smaller pueblos (villages). Spain is full of art and culture, and I promise that you won’t get bored in Spain. Unless you live in a rural area in the middle of nowhere of course haha.
3. Language
I have always loved learning but also hearing different languages, and accents. I especially love romance languages, and Spanish is one of my favorite ones.
Ps. When I’m talking about the Spanish language, I’m talking about Castellano (Castilian)
Castellano, Catalan, Galician, Basque, and Aranese are just some of the languages spoken in Spain, and on top of them, there are loads of different dialects spoken in different regions. For example, in the Valencian Community, they speak Valenciano, and in Mallorca, they speak Mallorqui, which both are dialects of Catalan.
+ Spanish has probably the best idioms and curse words ever 😆
If you want to know the resources I’ve used to learn Spanish independently, you can check my favorite resources here!
4. Architecture and the beautiful streets
One of the things I love about Spain is the Spanish architecture.
Pueblos Blancos, (the white villages), colorful houses, narrow streets, historical buildings, and street art.. you can just wander around for hours and hours while admiring the aesthetics of the different cities of Spain.
When I lived in Barcelona for a while, I used to go for a walk or run every day. I just walked around different neighborhoods, explored the city, and admired the beautiful buildings. It’s so cool to see buildings that have such a long history and intriguing story behind them.
It really feels like you’re walking in an open-air museum when you get to see those historical buildings just randomly all over the city.
5. The smell of Spain
Do you know the feeling when you first step outside an airplane and smell the air? I don’t know how to explain it but Spain smells SO GOOD to me and when I first hop off the airplane I instantly catch myself smiling.
For me, Spain smells like a salty ocean, fresh oranges, grilled fish, lemons and limes, coffee, and garlic. If I could combine all of those smells and make a perfume out of them, I would. And that would be the happiest (and best-smelling) person in the world 👸🏼
6. People
I have always felt very welcomed in the country, and Spaniards are very friendly, sociable, optimistic, and family-orientated. Spanish people have great emotional intelligence, and they are expressive, which makes it easy and enjoyable to communicate with Spaniards.
Spanish people are very understanding and encouraging. This is especially great whenever I’m trying to communicate with people using my Spanish 😄 I feel like people want to help me improve my language skills without making fun of my errors.
One of the things I love most about the Spanish people is that they know how to enjoy life. Especially the present moment. I love how people take time to enjoy their meals and time with loved ones, without hurrying.
Going out and seeing friends is done often and without too much planning, which I love!
7. Life on the streets
Another thing I love about Spain is that life really happens outside. I love seeing people celebrating the national festivities and getting together in plazas or parks, having drinks on terraces, and just enjoying life. It’s more common to see your friends over for coffee or tapas, rather than hanging out in someone’s house.
Every Sunday you can see Spanish abuelos playing petanque in the park, and families, and friends hanging out. Well, actually you can see this every day, not just on Sundays. But I feel like Sundays are on a whole other level of chill-ness in Spain.
In Finland, you usually get to see this only in the summertime, so I really appreciate and love seeing people enjoying time outside all year round.
8. Food
Ahh. I love food. When I thought of the top things I love about Spain this was one of the first things to pop into my mind.
I’m a fan of the Mediterranean diet, and Spain is known for having fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, great seafood, and good-quality olive oil.
For me, a trip to Spain for me means that I get to eat fresh produce that has been grown in the country. So think of fresh fish, the best oranges in the world, tomatoes, avocados, papayas, mangoes, and other sweet fruits.
Tapas, Paella, Tortilla de Patatas, Gazpacho, Churros..so many yummy dishes come from Spain. Food is a big deal in Spain, and also very regional. Every region has its own specialties, and you can find amazing food all over Spain. You can find authentic Paella Valenciana in Valencia, Pintxos in The Basque Country, and try Gazpazho in Andalusia.
Spain is a food heaven for you if you love seafood. There are so many different types of fish that we don’t have in Finland, and I love trying different ones whenever I’m there. Lenguado, Dorada, Lubina, and Sama are some of my favorite fish to eat and you should definitely try them if you are going to Spain!
Meat is highly consumed in Spain, especially chicken and pork. The supermarket aisles are also FULL of a different selection of legumes, and they are very popular and economical sources of protein and nutrients.
My favorite dishes from Spanish cuisine
One of my favorite dishes are Pulpo a la Gallega, Gambas al ajillo, Papas arrugadas, and Chipirones fritos. And of course I also love a good Seafood Paella!
Being vegan or vegetarian in Spain
I feel like it’s fairly easy to be a vegan or vegetarian in Spain. Many bigger stores like Mercadona or Hiperdino carry a lot of good vegan options which is awesome!
There are also stores that are specialized in selling only vegan products. Good vegan dishes to try would be Pimientos de Padron, Papas Arrugadas (if you’re visiting the Canary Islands), Gazpacho, Pan con Tomate, and Vegetarian croquettes for example. Many bigger cities such as Barcelona, Madrid, Malaga, or Valencia have a great selection of vegetarian and/or vegan restaurants and cafés so you can try veganized versions of the traditional Spanish dishes!
9. Nature
Mountains, beaches, national parks, palm trees, vineyards, volcanoes, forests, and beautiful flora. Spain is full of beautiful landscapes and it’s crazy to me how much diversity you can see in one country.
I’m an introvert so I really enjoy spending time in nature. Being outdoors and biking, running, or swimming in the ocean are some things that are very close to my heart and Spain is ideal for that. I always feel more active when I’m in Spain. it’s definitely the sunny weather and gorgeous scenery that make me want to spend more time outdoors.
Imagine starting your day by going for a morning swim or hiking through the mountains. Ahh. lovelovelove that.
Spain is one of the most mountainous countries in Europe, and you can find many amazingly beautiful mountain ranges like the Sierra Nevada, Picos de Europa, and the Pyrenees. You can enjoy the mountains in many ways – skiing in Baqueira-Beret, admiring them from the Mirador de Colomer, or hiking in Tamadaba.
I have yet to visit northern Spain, but the green sceneries, alluring lakes, and remote small villages look so beautiful and I can’t wait to visit them! Not to mention all the beautiful beaches that you can find in Spain. This leads to my second reason why I love Spain.
10. Ocean and the beaches
I’m a sucker for beautiful beaches. I love the sea and the ocean, and there’s nothing more calming than listening to the sound of the waves crashing to the shore aaall day long.
Spain has over 8,000 kilometers of coastline, and you’ll get both the Mediterranean Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean coast stretches from Tarifa to Cap de Creus, covering cities such as Barcelona, Malaga, Valencia, Cartagena, and Alicante. The Canary Islands, as well as the western part of Spain, lie on the Atlantic Ocean.
I love all the long and sandy beaches, small and rocky beaches, and clear-blue lagoons that Spain has. In contrast to the calm beaches, there are also good spots to go surfing and enjoy bigger waves. Playa de Razo (Galicia) or Playa Famarata (Lanzarote) are just a few of the good surfing spots in Spain. I have yet to try surfing, but it’s on my bucket list to try it this year!
So there were the 10 things I love about Spain!
In a nutshell, Spain for me is a place of sunshine, happiness, culture, and inspiration. I always feel at home there, and all the new encounters and sceneries leave me feeling inspired and excited.
There’s something in Spain that makes you want to go back there time after time. That thing can be different for every person, but I think for me it might be in relation to the fact that I love learning! And there’s so much to learn from the Spanish people and their lifestyle.
I’m looking forward to discovering more about the culture and different traditions, and I also want to visit every 17 different regions in the future!
What’s your favorite thing about Spain? 🇪🇸
More Spain-related stuff <3