Spain

Visited: July 1992, August 1994, July 2004, July 2017

Duration of visit: 90 days

Capital city: Madrid

Population: 48 million (2023)

Spain travel blog reading time: 3 minutes

• Travelling around Europe with Interrail, visiting the prominent highlights of Sevilla, Barcelona, and Madrid in 1992.
• Intensive Spanish learning in Alicante and staying with my friend Javier in 1994.
• Driving a car Renault 5 from Slovenia to Alicante in 1998.
• Business meetings in Oviedo and Galicia in 1999.
• Touring Segovia, Madrid, Barcelona and further south by car in 2004.
• Family trip to Alicante in 2017, culminating with a slide down the adrenaline-full Verti-Go.
• Valencia – one of the most beautiful urban zones in Spain, Oceanogràfic – Europe’s largest aquarium.

Spain holds a special position on my travel list. From the beginning of my backpacking experiences I was eager to visit Barcelona and Madrid. Eventually, I met Javier, a Spanish friend, who not only connected me to the Spanish language, but also welcomed me into his home in Alicante, providing me with a closer look into Spanish culture.

Since that time, I have had the pleasure of visiting Spain on several occasions for business, cultural enrichment and leisure.

The rich Mediterranean cuisine, the enchanting Flamenco music and dance, the picturesque sandy beaches, the custom of the midday siesta, the famous sports clubs from Madrid and Barcelona along with the numerous historical sites, make Spain as one of the few countries I frequently revisit, each time encountering new and remarkable experiences.

Spain has a lot to offer: a fascinating history, vibrant culture, 47 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, breathtaking natural settings, plenty of things to do, and a lively modern lifestyle. It’s no surprise that it ranks as the second most visited tourist destination in the world, right after France.

I love Spain, especially its people, food and laid-back lifestyle.

Probably my fluency in Spanish language has to do with my admiration for the country as well. Nevertheless, already during my first connection with locals, I found out that Spanish mentality and perception of life in general varies a lot from that of most of the West, obsessed with rushing, performing and achieving more. Enjoying the moment with family and friends, extended holidays, eating and sleeping well are some of the habits that we should learn from Spanish.

There are many other places that I visited in Spain, but I haven’t included them in my diaries, because, for me Spain is not just about jumping from one place to visit to another one. It is about enjoying the lifestyle and connecting with people.