Spanish culture

If El Gordo is the warm‑up act for Spain’s festive gambling season, the El Niño lottery is the quieter but very welcome encore.

Spain is packed with remarkable museums, from world‑class art galleries to cutting‑edge science spaces and archaeological centres in smaller cities.

If there’s one Spanish tradition that gets absolutely everyone talking in December, it’s the Spanish Christmas Lottery, Lotería de Navidad, better known as El Gordo.

How is Christmas celebrated in Spain? Spanish Christmas traditions are full of colour, culture, and quirky customs. From unique decorations to festive foods and New Year rituals, Spain’s celebrations are both traditional and delightfully unusual.

New Year’s Eve traditions in Spain feel both homely and theatrical, with families glued to the same clock and strangers hugging in the street two minutes later. What is the Spanish tradition for New Year’s Eve?How to eat the 12 grapes at midnightWhy Spain eats 12 grapes on New Year’s EveWhere t

Spain’s festive season doesn’t end on Christmas Day.

Spain now counts 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, with a spread that runs from prehistoric stone architecture to enlightened urban planning.

Late October in Spain smells of roasting castañas and warm sugar. Bakery windows fill with inviting treats, while street braziers serve hot boniatos and cups of thick chocolate.

October in Spain is crisp air, harvest flavours and a stack of very local traditions.

Spain’s National Day lands in mid‑October, mixing military pageantry in Madrid with quieter local traditions elsewhere.

Barcelona’s blockbuster sights hog the limelight, but the city’s best moments live in quiet barrios, leafy slopes and tiny bodegas.

The province of Castellón, often overlooked in favour of its more famous neighbours, holds some of the peninsula's best-kept secrets.

Food is practically a way of life in Spain, with a culinary heritage that goes back centuries. The country's gastronomy is incredibly varied, and you'll find that so much of the local culture is best understood through what's cooking in the kitchen.

September in Spain has a special feel to it. As the intense heat of summer begins to fade and the crowds start to thin, the country comes alive with some of its most interesting celebrations.

Spain has an extraordinary number of entire towns and cities recognised as World Heritage Sites, places where the streets themselves tell centuries-old stories.

Spain is brimming with cultural treasures, including ancient Roman structures, mind-bending modern architecture and history-defining rock art. To give you an idea of how significant the history is here, the city of Córdoba holds the record for the most UNESCO recognitions in the world.

When most people think of UNESCO sites in Spain, their minds usually jump to the Alhambra or Gaudí's masterpieces in Barcelona. And while they're undoubtedly must-sees, they're just the start of the story.

Spain is a country that never fails to impress when it comes to history and culture. It holds a millennium of history, with everything from Roman ruins to modernist architecture dotted across its landscape.

This bonkers festival in Valencia comprises truckloads of tomatoes and people willing to paint the town red. Literally.

Every July, Pamplona in northern Spain bursts to life with the riotous Festival of San Fermín. It's a whirlwind of music, dance, street parties, and something you just don’t see every day: the famous running of the bulls.

Flamenco is a colourful Spanish art form that combines passionate singing, expressive dance, and intricate guitar playing.

Spain provides an ideal setting for people to immerse themselves in both the language and lifestyle, with its diverse regions each offering a unique dialect and cultural flavour.

If you're looking for a truly unique and exhilarating Spanish festival, Valencia’s Fallas should be at the top of your list.

Love is in the air as 14th February 2025, Valentine’s Day, is almost upon us once again. Does Spain celebrate Valentine's Day?

idealista, the leading real estate marketplace in Southern Europe, is sponsoring the Eurovision Song Contest for the second time. This year, the contest will take place in the English city of Liverpool from 9th to 13th May.