Culture Spain – for all things Spanish

I am faintly amused by the fuss that is being made about the ‘Spanish Revolution’. I say ‘faintly’ because something of importance may actually happen – in which case I may find myself somewhat embarrassed. The thing is that the ‘Spanish Revolution’ (if it can really be called that) is, to my mind, somewhat odd. Politicians in Spain have always [...]

A few days ago I wrote an article here about the general disenchantment of Spaniards with politics in Spain.  This had become increasingly apparent to me over the past month or so as the Spanish prepared themselves for the forthcoming local and regional elections in Spain (due to be held on the 22nd May). However, political matters have accelerated considerably [...]

Recently, I wrote a couple of articles about the potential for a rise in demand for holidays in Spain.  Well, my predictions look as though they may have been accurate. Figures just produced by the Ministry of Tourism in Spain show that tourism in Spain increased by 2.9% in comparison to the same time (the first quarter) of last year.  [...]

One of the most notable aspects to any Easter holidays in Spain is the appearance of the Capuchins. All of a sudden, throughout Spain, you can see gorgeous religious processions with the people concerned resplendent in costumes that mimic the Klu Klux Klan – albeit far more colourful! Semana Santa (Easter week) is a very important time for anyone religious [...]

There was an interesting article about tourism in Spain today in Levante (a Spanish newspaper covering the Levant). In January Exelter, a Spanish tourist association, predicted a growth in tourism in Spain, this year, of 1% – which they have now revised to 2%.  This is almost two and a half times greater than that predicted by the Bank of [...]

Spain is one of the most popular destinations in the world, and over 53 million people came here last year. This is great news for the tourist industry, but if you take a moment to think about that number it begins to seem a bit overwhelming  - not least because Spanish tourist spots are becoming incredibly crowded. This works for [...]

One of the extraordinary things about Spain is the sheer number of people who come, annually, from abroad to take their holidays in Spain.  In fact, some 53 million people visit Spain each year and, of course, the vast majority are holidaymakers. To put 53 million people into perspective – you have to appreciate that the total population of Spain [...]

The conumdrum for anyone thinking of taking a summer holiday in Spain is: do I book now – or wait until later and then pick up an ultra-cheap deal? Obviously, getting a ‘good’ deal on your summer holiday in Spain is important but this year it is more difficult than ever to predict what will happen about the number of [...]

So, airport strikes in Spain are planned for 22 days starting from the 20th April (Easter!!) and then ending on August the 31st – right through the main holiday periods.  For the planned dates: see this Post. What a disastrous prospect for Spain – a country reeling within an economic crisis that has led to unemployment in Spain being over [...]

I am afraid that it looks as though there are going to be Easter airport strikes in Spain – which may continue on into the summer.  This, of course, is the worst possible news for anyone planning to fly over to Spain during the Easter holidays.  Needless to say, it is also very bad news for the Spanish economy, for [...]

Recently, I was in contact with Natasha Young who is a great writer and specialises in writing about life in Barcelona.  She is passionate about Barcelona but equally apoplectic about robbery in Barcelona and the street crime that occurs there.  So, she was keen that I drew your attention to this problem – and her excellent advice.   Certainly, if [...]

Air traffic controllers strike in Spain Well, what a day for Spain – one in which the first national State of Emergency in Spain has been declared, by Royal Decree, since the country formally became a democracy in 1978! In fact, there are three states of emergency in Spain: Alert, Emergency and War with today’s declaration, in fact, a State [...]

The nation’s airspace has been taken over by Spain’s military, with the government shutting down Madrid’s large hub and seven other airports. Spanish airspace is expected to reopen at 7pm tonight. Airlines including Iberia, Ryanair and Easyjet have now cancelled all Spanish flights until tomorrow morning.

Cancellations due to the air traffic controllers • According to the latest information, the Madrid airport could resume operations at 12:00am December 4 • At the moment, only long haul flights are landing in Madrid. 5 flights so far and 14 more in the next hours . In www.iberia.com, Departures and arrivals, clients can check the status of their flight. [...]

The Spanish government has said it will allow its military to take control of airspace if air traffic controllers do not return to work. The controllers staged an unofficial walkout over working hours, leaving passengers across the country facing huge disruption. The group called in sick en masse, closing down airspace over Spain – except the southern region of Andalucia. [...]