Recommendations For Spain - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**PlayPal** · 10-14-2004, 02:05 PM

I'm going to spain in mid-November and was wondering if any of y'all have some tips that I might not find in any travel guide. Any little thing is appreciated. Gracias.

**U2fan** · 10-14-2004, 02:32 PM

Hey welcome, I spent two months in Spain and Portugal this summer so let me know if you have specific questions!

**PlayPal** · 10-14-2004, 02:42 PM

Thanks. Will do.

**worldwidemike** · 10-15-2004, 09:12 AM

Spain is awesome...you'll enjoy it. They are b-i-g party animals...so tag along with some locals and you'll be out till the sun comes up.

Oh, and do you know about the "Tapas" thing? Tapas are little appetizers that they serve when you order drinks. It's just a nibble or two, but the Spaniards go crazy over them. My theory on it is this: The reason the Spaniards stay out till morning is it takes THAT long to fill up the little things!

I love Spain's weather, too. Warm and sunny nearly every day, it seems...

Feel free to ask specifics...

worldwidemike

**Somnambulation** · 10-15-2004, 08:04 PM

I was not impressed with tapas anyplace I had them in Spain. They seemed to be sitting out for too long on the counter and were too expensive for what you got. I kept trying to find the places I had heard about where you order a drink and get tapas free with it, but was unsuccessful.

Ryder · 10-15-2004, 08:07 PM

Can someone explain what tapas are?

and do they have them in Portugal also?

**U2fan** · 10-15-2004, 08:22 PM

Oh no Jake, that is really too bad! I loved the tapas everywhere and thought they were the best in San Sebastian....amazing! I think I put on 10 pounds that week I was eating nonstop. Everyone said they were free with drinks in Granada but damn, I was there and I missed that b/c I didn't go out.

Tapas are like what Mike said, little appetizers. A lot of the time they are seafood or meat or potato, but they vary from region to region. No, they don't have them in Portugal. Good stuff, I miss Spain!

**Somnambulation** · 10-16-2004, 06:50 PM

Yeah I must have gone to the wrongs places, because everyone Ive met has raved about them. The one good tapas (kinda) expirience Ive had was in Rome in the Trastavere section at a little bar where the guy kept giving us free bowls of olives with our beer. They were really good olives.

**PlayPal** · 10-18-2004, 08:25 PM

Ok....so Spain is a sick place to party and their tapas are wonderful....or horrible...depending on who ya talk to. Got it. Here's a question that should be easy to answer: Is it really expensive to party in spain? If I'm on a budget, should I keep it brief? I do realize that it's probably one of those things that is as expensive as you make it, but I'm asking overall. Oh yeah, and how hard is it to understand old world spanish if one was taught mexican spanish?

**U2fan** · 10-18-2004, 08:41 PM

I would say Spain is cheaper than the other Western European countries, with the exception of Portugal. Unless you're in Barcelona, then be prepared to spend a lot more. For example, I payed 25 euro a night this past summer to stay in a shithole of a hostel. In Madrid I went to a trendy club and it was 15 euro cover and included a drink and that seemed to be the norm for one of the nice clubs in the city. But there are always places to go that don't charge at all, or charge a lot less. And you'll have no problem understanding Spain Spanish; the "lisp" might throw you at first if you've never heard it but that's all.

**PlayPal** · 10-18-2004, 09:02 PM

Ok....so Spain is a sick place to party and their tapas are wonderful....or horrible...depending on who ya talk to. Got it. Here's a question that should be easy to answer: Is it really expensive to party in spain? If I'm on a budget, should I keep it brief? I do realize that it's probably one of those things that is as expensive as you make it, but I'm asking overall. Oh yeah, and how hard is it to understand old world spanish if one was taught mexican spanish?

**urOZm8** · 10-19-2004, 05:33 AM

Depends where you party playpal. In the big cities like Madrid and Barcelona it can be quite expensive the smaller places its pretty good. I got really smashed in Salamanca (uni town west of madrid) as for 3eu you got a card for 5 drinks

ev

**PlayPal** · 10-19-2004, 12:00 PM

Excellent....