Students
travelling
to
Spain
Holders
of
the
International
Student
Identity
Card
are
often
entitled
to
discounts
on
travel,
entrance
to
monuments
and
art
galleries
and
entrance
to
museums.
Information
can
be
obtained
from
the
tourist
offices
or
all
national
student
organisations.
Electricity
The
standard
current
in
Spain
is
220
volts
but
it
is
common
in
older
places
to
find
the
old
115
volt
supply.
Both
systems
use
plugs
with
two
round
pins.
Travel
adaptors
can
be
purchased
to
convert
plugs
from
other
countries.
Many
appliances
in
Spain
are
not
earthed
and
it
is
common
to
find
electric
sockets
in
bathrooms,
near
water
supplies
so
extreme
care
should
be
exercised.
In
rural
areas
supply
is
often
interrupted
during
storms.
You
can
bring
your
electrical
goods
to
Spain
from
the
UK
but
not
110V
appliances
from
the
USA.
Manners
The
Spanish
usually
greet
and
say
goodbye
to
strangers
in
public
places
such
as
shops,
bus
stops
and
cafes.
It
is
common
to
shake
hands
when
introduced
and
women
usually
kiss
on
both
cheeks
when
they
meet.
Close
friends
may
embrace
and
kiss
on
the
cheek.
It
is
quite
common
for
the
Spanish
to
omit
please
and
thank
you
from
their
vocabulary.
Treat
the
Spanish
with
respect
and
you
will
receive
the
same.
Please
respect
their
customs.
Police
Spain
has
three
police
forces
and
although
they
have
different
jobs
to
do,
they
all
have
the
same
powers.
The
Guardia
Civil
are
primarily
concerned
with
traffic
duties,
the
local
police
deal
with
local
matters
and
the
national
police
deal
with
major
crimes.
You
will
always
find
the
police
helpful
and
polite.
All
police
are
armed
in
Spain.
Postal
services
Usual
opening
times
for
the
post
office
(Correos)
are
from
9am-2pm
Monday
to
Friday
and
9am-1pm
Saturday.
More
often
than
not
there
are
long
queues
at
the
stamp
counter
but
they
can
also
be
bought
from
tobacconists.
Post
boxes
are
painted
bright
yellow
although
you
may
see
a
red
one
which
is
for
express
mail.
Telephones
See
our
report
on
the
telephone
systems
in
Spain
here.
Currency
The
currency
is
the
Euro.
See
more
about
the
euro,
finance
and
banks
here.
Vaccinations
According
to
the
World
health
Organisation,
no
vaccinations
are
required
for
entry
to
Spain.
See
our
healthcare
section
for
in-depth
information.
Tipping
It
is
customary
in
Spain
to
tip
in
bars
and
restaurants.
5%
-
10%
would
be
a
good
guideline.
Some
establishments
have
a
service
charge
already
added
to
the
bill.
If
you
are
unsure,
don't
be
afraid
to
ask.
The
siesta
One
thing
that
Spain
is
well
known
for.
The
art
of
shutting
down
between
2pm
and
5pm.
Most
establishments
close
during
this
period
and
the
bars
and
restaurants
will
fill
up.
Theory
has
it
that
it
is
to
avoid
the
hottest
part
of
the
day
(strange
how
it
happens
even
in
the
winter).
Avoid
driving
between
1.45
and
2.30
and
4.30
and
5.30
if
you
want
to
avoid
the
rush
hour
traffic.
Things
the
Spanish
will
not
tolerate
The
average
Spaniard
cannot
accept
being
accused
of
being
racist
or
discriminative
in
any
way
against
minorities.
