Uncovering España: Top 27 Fascinating Fun Facts About Spain You Never Knew!

1. Tomato Tapas Masterpiece

When life throws tomatoes at you, you make them into tapas: In Catalonia, Spain, a cherished dish called pan con tomate is created by simply massaging rustic bread with fresh garlic, blanketing it with a velvety puree of grated ripe tomatoes, drizzling a generous amount of heartwarming Hojiblanca Spanish extra virgin olive oil, and sprinkling a pinch of salt – resulting in a delightfully delicious symphony of flavors atop a crunchy canvas.
Source => themediterraneandish.com

2. Siesta Power-up

Who needs coffee when you can take a power siesta? Spain's got your Z's covered: In Madrid, the Siesta & Go nap bar offers weary workers private rooms to catch some midday shut-eye, complete with comfy armchairs or bunk beds, professionally cleaned sheets, and punctual wake-up calls to ensure they don't miss their afternoon meetings. Step aside, Japan and Belgium, Spain's nap game is strong!
Source => thespaces.com

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3. Wind-Power Titans

Who knew Don Quixote would be jealous: Spain is a wind-power titan, boasting over 27 GW of installed capacity as of 2020, even topping 70.4% of Peninsular Spain's electricity consumption on gusty days like November 21st, 2015.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Tapas Sharing Heaven

In Spain, there's no such thing as being 'shellfish' when it comes to food: Spaniards love to indulge in tapas, delightful small plates of assorted flavors meant to be shared among friends and family over lively conversations, wine, or cold beer. From sinking your teeth into a classic tortilla española (potato omelette) to diving into the deep end of culinary adventure with some calamares en su tinta (squid in its own ink), the fun never stops in Spain's tapas universe.
Source => tripadvisor.com

5. Goose Decapitation Festival

In Spain, decapitating geese isn't just for dinner anymore: during the San Antolín festival in Lekeitio, a quirky competition called the Basque Day of the Geese takes place, where young men jump off boats to snatch the head of a greased-up, suspended goose while being constantly dunked in the bay by eager spectators.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Hemingway vs Welles

When Ernest Hemingway met Orson Welles, it wasn't all "For Whom the Welles Tolls": A discovered script titled Crazy Weather co-written by Orson Welles showcases his criticism of "macho tourism" and superficial appropriation of Spanish culture by Americans, satirizing Hemingway for his clichéd ideas about Spain despite living there for years, thus shedding new light on their relationship dynamics.
Source => telegraph.co.uk

7. Flaming Art: Las Fallas

In Spain, artists are pyromaniacs in disguise – they spend an entire year crafting elaborate sculptures only to set them ablaze just for the fun of it: The Las Fallas festival in Valencia celebrates Spring by burning roughly 400 paper, wax, wood, and styrofoam art installations outdoors on March 19th, with necessary precautions taken to ensure chaos-free conflagrations and street clean-up with water.
Source => worldtravelguide.net

8. Magical Three Wise Men Christmas

While Santa Claus is busy getting all the credit up in the chilly North Pole, down in sunny Spain, the Three Wise Men are staging a coup that would give the Grinch a lesson in gift-giving subterfuge: On January 6th during the annual Two-Day Three Kings Festival, it is the precious trio who deliver presents to Spanish children, complete with street parades, traditional food, family festivities, tons of gifts and treats, and a special appearance on January 5th, where they ride floats and toss sweets to their adoring fans. If you're looking for a Christmas with a twist and more kings than you can count on one hand, Spain's got you covered on January 6th.
Source => murciatoday.com

9. Pedestrian Paradise

Remember when "pedal to the metal" was a thing? Well, the city of Pontevedra put the brakes on that and shifted gears: they turned their once car-clogged, medieval center, into a pedestrian and cyclist heaven, making it safer, greener, and more thriving, with CO2 emissions dropping by 70% and 12,000 new inhabitants flocking to the area.
Source => theguardian.com

10. Grand Grape Battle

Spain's annual water fight? More like a grape escape: In the town of Haro, residents celebrate Batalla del Vino — a centuries-old tradition where people douse each other with wine using buckets, cups, and even water pistols on Saint Peter's Day, with Haro's famous red Rioja being the star of the show.
Source => harowinefight.com

11. Flamingo Pink Recipe

Did you know Spain has its own secret recipe for turning flamingos pink? It's seasoned with microscopic masterchefs and a splash of sun protection: The Torrevieja Pink Lake owes its color to Dunaliella salina algae and other salt-loving microorganisms, which use it as a shield against radiation, while flavoring the feathers of flamingos who snack on Artemia salina crustaceans munching on these colorful chefs in Alicante's other saltwater havens like Salinas de Santa Pola and Salinas de Calpe.
Source => sendasyleyendas.com

12. Spain's Wild West

You know how the U.S. has its very own "wild, wild west"? Well, Spain took a good look at Monument Valley and said "hold my sangria": The Bardenas Reales in southeast Navarre is a stunning semi-desert region, with sandstone and clay formations shaped by erosion, forming canyons, plateaus, and isolated hills that easily transport you to a scene from an American Western movie.
Source => simple.wikipedia.org

13. Miniature Europe Adventure

Have you ever felt the urge to conquer Europe in a single day, armed with nothing but your trusty selfie stick and the power of your imagination? Well, buckle up, dear wanderlust-stricken adventurers, for the ultimate feat in continent-hopping awaits you: Within the whimsical realm of Parque Europa in Torrejón de Ardoz, Spain, lies an enchanting world of pint-sized European landmarks – from a teeny-weeny Colosseum to a pocket-sized Big Ben, and even an adorably minuscule Atomium - all crafted with miniature mischief and architectural panache to delight both towering titans and curious Lilliputians alike.
Source => vice.com

14. Nutty Nougat Heaven

If you're nutty for nougat, we've got a treat for you: In the small Spanish town of Jijona, just 30 miles north of Alicante, turrón – a Moorish, centuries-old Christmas delicacy – reigns supreme, with "Suprema" or "Extra" marked varietals boasting at least 60% or 64% almonds depending on whether it's smooth Jijona or crunchy Alicante style. This confectionary's fan club even extends to a museum where visitors can catch a glimpse of the magical turrón-making process from above!
Source => thespruceeats.com

15. Unbreakable Roman Jenga

Move over Jenga, the ancient Romans knew how to stack it up and keep it standing: The Segovia aqueduct, built entirely of 20,400 mortar-less granite blocks in the 1st century AD, still stands strong today, stretching for 728 meters over elevated arches supported by pillars and carrying water from the Frío River to the city of Segovia.
Source => amusingplanet.com

16. New and Improved Deadly Hike

If you thought "living on the edge" was just a song lyric, wait till you hear this: The Caminito del Rey in El Chorro Canyon, Spain, was once an infamous 100-year-old, 100-meter-high hiking trail, notorious for its decrepit and precarious state, earning it the title of the most dangerous walkway in the world. Fear not, thrill-seekers! After a €3.12 million makeover in 2015, the trail was reborn like the Phoenix, sporting sturdy wooden paths, glass panels, and handrails, promising breathtaking views, sans the impending doom.
Source => expertvagabond.com

17. Gooey Tomato Fight

When life gives you tomatoes, make La Tomatina: an annual festival in Buñol, Spain, where participants gather to gleefully pelt each other with tomatoes, transforming the streets into a slippery, saucy battleground—the love child of a ketchup factory explosion and a vegan food fight since 1945.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

18. Alphabet Mystery

Imagine trying to solve a Spanish crossword puzzle and finding out your alphabet knowledge is as outdated as a VHS tape: The Spanish alphabet consists of just 27 letters, not the 29 most people think. The old Spanish alphabet previously acknowledged "ch" and "ll" as separate letters, but they got the boot in 2010. Nowadays, the Spanish alphabet only features one original addition, the "ñ," nestled right after "n" to keep words like "año" (year) from awkwardly mingling with "ano" (anus).
Source => thoughtco.com

19. ET Phones Spain

When ET phones home from space, chances are he's got Spain on speed dial: The Madrid Deep Space Communication Complex is one of only three NASA facilities worldwide that act as vital communication links with interplanetary spacecraft, tracking their movements and collecting their data.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

20. Sunshine Thieves

If you're ever tired of the sun and craving some cloud cover, look no further than the shade-hoarding hideaway called Bilbao: Huelva, a city in Spain, stole the sunlight crown in 2018, boasting over 3.2 thousand sunshine hours, while Bilbao was left languishing in the shadows with the least sun-touches.
Source => statista.com

21. Escalator Olympics

If the hills were alive with the sound of music, Spanish citizens in some cities would be dancing up a storm on escalators instead of grassy knolls: Bilbao, for example, has installed outdoor escalators to tackle their steep terrain, allowing pedestrians to glide to their destinations with ease rather than huffing and puffing uphill walks.
Source => flickr.com

22. Osborne Bull Emblem

Don't have a cow, man, get an Osborne bull instead: Originally an advertising gimmick for a brandy company, the black silhouette of this roadside titan has morphed into an unofficial national emblem of Spain, protected by law and spotted in 92 locations, where it stands tall and proud despite the occasional rebellious paint-job.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

23. Volcanic Fun: Teide Park

Ready for a volcanic adventure that'll have you bubbling with excitement? Teide National Park is where "peak" fun and "fiery" experiences collide: Home to Teide-Pico Viejo stratovolcano, this park boasts Spain's highest peak at 3,718 meters and the world's third-tallest volcanic structure, rising an impressive 7,500 meters above the ocean floor, making it a true geological treasure trove.
Source => whc.unesco.org

24. Landlubber Paella

Paella, the culinary equivalent of a fiesta on a hot summer's day, with a twist: the real MVPs are land creatures, not swimmers! Surprise: The authentic Valencian paella skips the seafood and rocks chicken, rabbit (or pork ribs), along with green and butter beans, garlic, paprika, saffron, and rice. And for a crispy touchdown, the slowly simmered rice forms a caramelized, socarrat base - a perfect party treat for your taste buds!
Source => spanishsabores.com

25. K-9 Conquistadors

In a world where Spanish canines were the original K-9s conquistadors and almost faded into obscurity like that embarrassing high school photo: The Alano Español, a native dog breed of Spain, was used for war, hunting, and cattle management – somehow dodging extinction through a recovery project in the 1980s and finally getting recognized by the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture in 2004. Now, they're thriving (but still mostly incognito outside España), while your high school photo still gets a chuckle!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

26. Gaudi’s Otherworldly Park

Once upon a Gaudi time in Barcelona, an ambitious antoni architect had a dream to build a community among the stars, only for it to take a Park turn and become the ultimate playground for adults and their selfie sticks: Enter Park Guell, originally envisioned as a cozy residential complex in 1900, but due to a severe lack of takers, was transformed into a public park in 1922 by the city and eventually deemed a World Heritage Site in 1984. Come for the iconic ceramic dragon, stay for the breathtaking views from the mosaic-covered benches, and don't forget to tip your hat to Gaudi for giving us this Instagram-worthy wonderland.
Source => i-c-mosaics.com

27. Sword-Averting Tapas

Once upon a tapa-time in a land filled with sunshine and siestas, the Spaniards found themselves with an insatiable appetite for tasty morsels to keep proverbial swords sheathed and their tempers at bay: little did they know that their genius solution of serving small plates of food with drinks, known as tapas, would become a classic part of Spain's culinary traditions, preventing drunken chaos in taverns and delighting palates for centuries to come.
Source => the-bottle-room.com