Not Your Usual Tips for Traveling in Spain
Usually during school breaks, I fly back to Korea to visit my family, but I knew that if I went back home this winter, I would just end up watching TV marathons all day and binge on holiday food. Solution? I booked a trip to Spain!
Here are some personal know-how’s I learned during the trip.
These are not your common sense travel tips like “take care of your wallet” or “Gracias means thank you.”
1. Ask for less salt in your paella!
I had paella every other day while I was in Spain, but realized how much water I was drinking after finishing the meal. The rice tastes like its soaked in sodium, so definitely ask for less salt, if possible!
It’s not a good idea to drink liters of water because sometimes, bathrooms are hard to find when you are visiting gardens and antique shops.
2. If you are in Spain for New Year’s, don’t forget to count your grapes.
12 seconds before midnight, people in Spain eat 12 grapes, one grape for every second.
(12 sec – 1st grape, 11 sec – 2nd grape, 10 sec – 3rd grape ….. and so on until you have a mouthful of grapes at 00:00!)
Happy New Year! Then, you raise your glass of sparkling wine.
This was one of the most memorable cultural experiences I had in Spain. I felt like I was one of the people, so don’t miss out if you are spending New Year’s in Spain!
3. Even though you are not a soccer fan, watch a real soccer match at the stadium!
I got front row seats to an FC Barcelona game and it was fascinating to see all the players just a couple feet in front of me. The game was especially exciting because of the crowd. There were fans from all over the world who were cheering, shouting, and sometimes even cursing, in different languages. It was amusing how they reacted to the game. Camera flashes were constantly appearing around the stadium which made the game even more exciting.
4. Make sure you know which sceneries look better during the night.
I was surprised by how some monuments actually look better at night. For example, the Gibralfaso Castle in Malaga was gorgeous at night. The street lights that were reflected on the walls made the castle seem more massive.
Also, some beaches are even bright at night so it’s great to walk along the shoreline after dinner.
Do you have any other unconventional tips? Leave a comment!