Spain is a vibrant country with a rich history and diverse culture. It pulses with the passion of flamenco music and dancing. It charges down the street, the hot breath of the bulls at its back. It celebrates life with food, wine and festivals. Spain has a lot to offer.

Spaniards take pride in their appearance and how others perceive them. Following social expectations is important and they are not afraid to correct others who go against the flow. They have a close sense of personal space and maintain eye-contact for longer than other cultures may find comfortable.

In Spain, dinner and a night on the town begin at 9 or 10pm and it is not uncommon to get stuck in a traffic jam in Madrid at 4am. Spain is famous for its tapas, finger foods eaten from shared dishes, and the food is mostly Mediterranean—no tacos here!

Spaniards love a good festival and each city and region of Spain celebrates its own. In Bunol, the celebration takes the form of a massive tomato fight. During La Tomatina, 150,000 tomatoes are hurled at participants.

Spain has four official languages: Castilian Spanish, Catalan, Galician and Basque. These languages echo the vast cultural varieties from region to region.

Source: Spain CultureGram 2009