Comparison of temperatures
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
| Madrid | 11 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 23 | 30 | 32 | 32 | 29 | 22 | 15 | 12 |
| London | 6 | 8 | 9 | 11 | 15 | 20 | 21 | 20 | 19 | 15 | 10 | 7 |
General note:
Below is an information overview. The conditions of entry, as well as the political and health situation, can change anywhere in the world at any time. We therefore recommend checking the website of the Foreign Office (www.gov.uk) before your departure.
Geography:
Spain is south-west of the Pyrenees on the Iberian Peninsula. Its neighbouring states are Portugal, Gibraltar, the Principality of Andorra and France.
Form of government:
Parliamentary constitutional monarchy.
Capital:
Madrid
Religion:
Roman Catholic (more than 90%)
Language:
Spanish (Castellano) is the official language. The respective regional languages have official status in the autonomous regions of the Basque Country, Galicia, Catalonia and Valencia.
Climate:
Madrid: Highland climate; Castilian Meseta (680 metres above sea level): dry, cold winters, hot summers (up to 40°C); Coast: Mediterranean or Atlantic climate.
Electricity:
Electricity in Spain is supplied at a voltage of 230 V and in the form of alternating current with a frequency of 50 Hertz. You need an adapter in your hotel.
Local time:
Spain is part of the Central European Time zone where GMT+1 applies, along with daylight saving time. The time difference to the UK is +1 hour throughout the entire year.
Making telephone calls:
To make phone calls to the UK, predial 0044 (+44). To make phone calls from the UK to Spain, pre-dial 0034 (+34).
Entry requirements for British citizens:
If you are planning to travel to an EU country you must meet the Schengen area rules. Your passport must meet two requirements. It must be:
– Less than 10 years old on the day you enter (check the ‘date of issue’)
– Valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)
You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Spain as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check if you are complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.
Since 12 October 2025, the new Entry/Exit System (EES) of the European Union has been in force. When travelling into and out of the Schengen area, for short stays, you may need to:
• Have your fingerprints and your photo taken
• Answer the Schengen Border Code questions
EES may take each passenger a few extra minutes to complete so be prepared to wait longer than usual at the border once the system starts. For more information, please visit: https://travel-europe.europa.eu/ees
Nationals of other countries are advised to enquire at the Italian Embassy about the entry requirements applicable to them. Whilst we endeavour to provide guidance where necessary, we can not be responsible for any problems encountered (whether at any point of entry or elsewhere) in the event that passport and visa requirements are not satisfied.
Tour guides:
Your expert tour guides will be able to provide you with detailed information about the country, people, history, culture etc., and offer advice and assistance for organising your trip. They can also help with room allocation and look forward to welcoming you with initial information and a welcoming drink. Here you will find out all you need to know and useful information about the trip. We have put together a varied programme including numerous highlights, enabling you to experience the culture and diversity of landscape that Spain has to offer, and learn all about the country and its people.
Additional package:
Although your trip already includes a comprehensive package, you also have the option of choosing added extras on arrival.
Gourmet Package: The package includes comfortable halfboard, i.e. 7× dinners as a 3-course menu at the hotel or in local restaurants:
only £159 per person.
Cultural Package: The package includes guided city tours of the UNESCO cities Cuenca, Toledo (incl. admission to the Church of Santo Tomé), Ávila (incl. admission to the city walls) and Segovia (incl. admission to the Alcázar of Segovia) as well as a guided tour & admission to the El Escorial monastic residence (UNESCO World Heritage): only £189 per person.
* Package prices may vary when booking on site.
Currency:
The euro has been the official currency in Spain since 2002. Exchange rate (as at january 2026): 1 GBP = 1.15 EUR; 1 EUR = 0.86 GBP.
Banks/Credit cards:
Withdrawing cash from ATMs and paying by credit card is possible everywhere. Purchases can be made both in cash and with the most common credit cards, and in some cases also with debit cards. Cash withdrawals are possible with both credit cards and debit cards. Fees may be charged by the respective bank. Please check with your bank regarding this.
Customs regulations:
There are a number of products which have entry or exit limitations in Spain from outside the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein. These include cultural goods, wild fauna and flora and products derived from these, vegetables and plant products, weapons and ammunition, medicines, tobacco and alcoholic beverages. Likewise, in the case of tobacco and alcoholic beverages, the amount must be declared and the corresponding taxes must be paid if you are carrying the following amounts or more: 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 50 cigars, 250 grams of tobacco, 1 litre of alcoholic beverages with a strength of more than 22%, 2 litres of alcoholic beverages with a strength of less than 22%, 4 litres of wine and 16 litres of beer. You can only carry the medicines you need, and they must be accompanied by a copy of the prescription or medical report.
Cash and other similar means of payment: If you are taking cash or pay-to-cash cheques in euros or other currencies, or prepaid cards not linked to a bank account and/or certain gold items, or a combination thereof, totalling an amount equal to or exceeding 10,000 EUR (approx. 8,500 GBP) into or out of Spain, you must fill out a Declaration (in person or electronically) and present at Customs on departure or entry.
Souvenirs and gifts: Your purchases should not exceed 430 EUR (approx. 362 GBP) per person if you are travelling by sea or air. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. For further information, please visit this page: https://www.spain.info/en/travel-tips/customs-regulations/.
Important: If you are travelling to Great Britain from outside the UK, your personal allowances mean you can bring in a certain amount of goods without paying tax or duty. If you go over your allowances you must declare all your goods and pay tax and duty on all the goods in that category. Please inform yourself about the current customs regulations: www.gov.uk/bringing-goods-intouk- personal-use/arriving-in-Great-Britain.
Country-specific safety advice:
Crime: In particular, caution is advised regarding pickpocketing and petty crime, especially in larger tourist centres. It is recommended to store money, identification documents, driving licence, flight tickets and other important documents securely (for example in the hotel safe) and to carry only the cash required for the day (and the debit or credit card). Travellers should avoid crowds as much as possible and pay attention to their valuables at places frequented by tourists, airports (including in security areas), railway stations, underground, buses, etc.
Special criminal provisions:
Public alcohol consumption may be restricted, especially in tourist areas. Drinking alcohol in large groups in public places can lead to fines.
Medical information:
At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC – https://travelhealthpro.org.uk/countries) on the TravelHealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad.
Medical care:
To get medically necessary state healthcare in Spain, you need a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. You may have costs your GHIC or EHIC does not cover.
To get medically necessary state healthcare in Spain, you need a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance. You may have costs your GHIC or EHIC does not cover.
All travellers should ensure they have adequate travel health insurance, which covers risks not assumed by the statutory health insurance companies (e.g. repatriation to the UK in the event of illness, treatment by private doctors or in private hospitals).
If you need hospital treatment in Spain, you are more likely to receive appropriate care in public healthcare facilities. However, in some tourist areas there may not be any public healthcare facilities nearby. Your insurance or medical assistance company will be able to provide further details. Some hotels may call private doctors or ambulances to take patients to private hospitals. The GHIC or EHIC will not be accepted there.
Customers must ensure that they are in good physical and mental health in line with the trip in question. Customers must enquire about the physical mobility and psychological autonomy required for this trip.
All information is subject to change/Last updated: January 2026
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