10 fun facts about Spain

Fact 1
May 15th every year is the time when all the single women in Madrid visit the chapel called Ermita de San Isidro. This is because it is said when you do so and prick fingers with pins, you will be blessed with husbands.

Fact 2
Spain is the third most visited country in the world according to the World Tourism rankings (2013) that are compiled by the United Nations World Tourism Organization. Spain claims this place with a whopping 60.7 million international tourists and are only surpassed by USA and France.

Fact 3
There is a pretty controversial law that shop signs in Catalonia must be written in both Catalan and in Spanish. The law also requires radio and television stations to broadcast a minimum quota of their shows in Catalan.

Fact 4
If you need to wear glasses, don't forget to bring an extra pair if you want to drive, since in Spain you are by law required to carry an additional pair when driving.

Fact 5
Spain has both a King and a President and since 1978, it is the King of Spain that nominates a candidate for presidency.

Fact 6
Only 2% of the Spanish population declare that they have an other belief than the Roman Catholic. This can be thanks to that during the Franco regime was Roman Catholicism the only religion to have legal status

Fact 7
There is no tooth fairy in Spain instead they have the tooth Mouse called Ratoncito Perez who exchanges children’s teeth for gifts.

Fact 8
Bull fighting is a traditional event in Spain and are in Spanish called called "a corrida de toros" which literally means "running of bulls". The Bullfighting season starts in March and continues through the end of October and the minimum weight of a bullfighting bull is 460 kg (1010 lbs).

Fact 9
Spanish double agent Joan Pujol Garcia may be one of the most successful double agents ever lived and he is perhaps the only person to receive an Iron Cross from both the British and the Germans. He played an very important role in the success of D-Day during the second world war.

Fact 10
The World’s Biggest Food Fight (La Tomatina) is held ever year on the last Wednesday of August in the small town of Buñol, Valencia. The history of La Tomatina dates back to 1945 where a furious crowd started to throw vegetables at each other during a parade. The estimated number of tomatoes used are around 150,000.