Spain is probably my favorite place to visit.
If you want to improve your Spanish language skills, try not to hang out with Americans all the time- you will learn a shit-ton more if you force yourself to speak Spanish 100% of the time.
Do you like Ham? Not talking Oscar Meyer boiled ham like you buy in the grocery store, but cured/aged ham. It's a very popular tapa in most of the bars across the country and it rules!!
Leave your baseball caps at home, and your Abercrombie/Hollister, etc logo'ed clothes. Tennis shoes/sneakers are alot more accepted now than they used to be, but find some comfortable casual leather shoes (black or brown) and you'll find yourself wearing them alot.
Don't worry too much about your language skills, if you can carry on a basic conversation, even if the verb tenses aren't quite right all the time, you will be able to get around just fine.
I found buses to be a cheaper way to travel to many cities than trains, but this is not always true- it's pretty easy to compare fares, etc and find the best deal. There is no "national" bus company, but tons of different companies, though some routes are basically owned by only one company.
As others have mentioned, be aware of your surroundings, especially in the bigger cities, and at night, and ESPECIALLY after you've been drinking. Pickpockets and thieves love to hang around outside of nightclubs and bars and target people who come stumbling out. I didn't feel in danger at all anywhere in the country, but I did have a couple of guys try to pull a pick pocket trick on me one night in Madrid when my wife and I were walking back to our hotel - if I had not been very aware of what was going on, I would have likely lost my wallet.
Most of Spain has great seafood, especially coastal cities like Valencia. I found some of the best food in carryout places selling all sorts of different stuff wrapped up in paper cones. I don't remember doing this in Valencia, but definitely in Cadiz (and they should have something similar in Valencia). Paella is usually really good too.
Definitely take some time to see Madrid, they have some incredible museums and lots to see and do. La Alhambra is definitely worth a trip (outside of Granada).
I really love northern Spain (Cantabria), but it's kind of quiet in the winter time. Summer is the time to go there.
Bilbao has a Guggenheim museum that's definitely worth seeing if you're up that way (northern Spain).
So much to see and do, sooooo jealous...........
;)
If you want to improve your Spanish language skills, try not to hang out with Americans all the time- you will learn a shit-ton more if you force yourself to speak Spanish 100% of the time.
Do you like Ham? Not talking Oscar Meyer boiled ham like you buy in the grocery store, but cured/aged ham. It's a very popular tapa in most of the bars across the country and it rules!!
Leave your baseball caps at home, and your Abercrombie/Hollister, etc logo'ed clothes. Tennis shoes/sneakers are alot more accepted now than they used to be, but find some comfortable casual leather shoes (black or brown) and you'll find yourself wearing them alot.
Don't worry too much about your language skills, if you can carry on a basic conversation, even if the verb tenses aren't quite right all the time, you will be able to get around just fine.
I found buses to be a cheaper way to travel to many cities than trains, but this is not always true- it's pretty easy to compare fares, etc and find the best deal. There is no "national" bus company, but tons of different companies, though some routes are basically owned by only one company.
As others have mentioned, be aware of your surroundings, especially in the bigger cities, and at night, and ESPECIALLY after you've been drinking. Pickpockets and thieves love to hang around outside of nightclubs and bars and target people who come stumbling out. I didn't feel in danger at all anywhere in the country, but I did have a couple of guys try to pull a pick pocket trick on me one night in Madrid when my wife and I were walking back to our hotel - if I had not been very aware of what was going on, I would have likely lost my wallet.
Most of Spain has great seafood, especially coastal cities like Valencia. I found some of the best food in carryout places selling all sorts of different stuff wrapped up in paper cones. I don't remember doing this in Valencia, but definitely in Cadiz (and they should have something similar in Valencia). Paella is usually really good too.
Definitely take some time to see Madrid, they have some incredible museums and lots to see and do. La Alhambra is definitely worth a trip (outside of Granada).
I really love northern Spain (Cantabria), but it's kind of quiet in the winter time. Summer is the time to go there.
Bilbao has a Guggenheim museum that's definitely worth seeing if you're up that way (northern Spain).
So much to see and do, sooooo jealous...........
;)
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