Food
What is Tapas?
Appetisers or snacks in Spanish cuisine.
What is the name of the official residence and workplace of the Prime Minister of Spain?
Palace of Moncloa
(Palacio de la Moncloa), located in Madrid.
Which place in Spain is known as the City of Three Cultures?
Toledo.
(Toledo is the Spanish city known as the "City of Three Cultures". It earned the title due to the historical coexistence and cultural blending of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities).
What do you say when someone sneezes in Spain?
You say ¡Jesús! (pronounced hay-soos) or ¡Salud! (pronounced sah-lood).
In traditional Spanish culture, if someone sneezes multiple times, there is a sequence: ¡Jesús! for the first, ¡María! for the second, and ¡José! for the third.
The person who sneezes usually replies with Gracias (Thank you).
Instead of the tooth fairy, who visits children who lose teeth in Spain?
A magical mouse.
When Spanish children lose a tooth they are visited by Ratoncito Pérez—a magical mouse who leaves coins under their pillow. Other cultures have the Tooth Fairy.
Where does the name 'paella' come from?
Linguists agree that the word comes directly from the Valencian language (a regional variety of Catalan), where paella simply means "frying pan".
What year did Spain adopt the Euro?
Can accept any year between 1999 to 2002
(Spain officially adopted the euro on January 1, 1999, for electronic and accounting purposes. The physical euro banknotes and coins were introduced later, on January 1, 2002, completely replacing the former Spanish peseta).
What is the name of the State Road Network in Spain?
Red de Carreteras del Estado
Spain's high-capacity highway system is collectively known as the Red de Carreteras del Estado (State Road Network).
In what month does The world-famous "Running of the Bulls" (or encierro) take place?
July.
What is Spain’s most popular newspaper?
El País is Spain’s largest and most widely read general daily newspaper.
What is Jamón Ibérico?
High-quality cured ham.
Spain has a bicameral parliament (the Cortes Generales). What are the two houses called?
("Bicameral" means having two separate legislative chambers or houses).
The Congress of Deputies (Congreso de los Diputados) and the Senate (Senado).
What is the name of Spain’s largest national park?
Sierra Nevada National Park, (located in the Andalusia region).
In which northern Spanish region do locals celebrate the unique "Fiesta de la Sidra" by pouring cider from high above their heads without looking, a technique known as escanciar?
Asturias.
(While known to foodies, many Spaniards confuse it with the neighboring Basque Country, which also has a major cider culture but a different pouring tradition).
The only desert in Europe is found in Spain, what is it called?
Mainland Europe's only true desert is the Tabernas Desert (Desierto de Tabernas). It is located in the Almería province of Andalusia in southeastern Spain.
Which spice can you find in Arroz con Leche?
Cinnamon
(Arroz con Leche is a creamy rice pudding flavored with cinnamon and lemon zest).
Why does nobody "sing" the Spanish National Anthem?
Because there are no words!
The Spanish national anthem, "the Marcha Real", is one of the only national anthems in the world that has no official lyrics.
What is the longest river that flows through Spain?
Tagus
Tagus (Tajo) is the longest river across the entire Iberian Peninsula, measuring 1,007 km (626 miles). It flows into Portugal before reaching the Atlantic Ocean.
What do Spanish people eat at midnight on New Year's Eve?
12 grapes!
At midnight on New Year's Eve, Spaniards eat exactly 12 grapes. This cherished custom is known as "las doce uvas de la suerte" (the twelve lucky grapes).
To the nearest million - what is the estimated population of Spain as of 2026?
49-50 million people.
(The population of Spain stands at 49,687,120 inhabitants as of the second quarter of 2026, marking an all-time high!).
Which Spanish olive variety dominates global production and is famous for its high stability and peppery, bitter finish?
Picual (also known as Marteña or Lopereña)
(It accounts for about 50% of Spain's olive oil production and roughly 25% of the entire world's supply).
All road measurements in Spain are taken from a famous "Kilometer 0" plaque in Madrid. In which famous public square is this spot located?
Puerta del Sol.
The famous "Kilometer 0" (Kilómetro Cero) plaque in Madrid is located in the bustling public square known as the Puerta del Sol. It is embedded in the pavement directly in front of the historic Real Casa de Correos (the old post office) .
What is the highest mountain in Spain?
Teide
(Pico de Teide located in Tenerife and stands 3,715 metres high).
During the world-famous "La Tomatina" festival in Buñol, what specific item is tied to the top of a greased wooden pole that participants must climb to officially start the tomato fight?
A Spanish ham (Jamón).
(The festival cannot begin until someone successfully climbs the pole and retrieves the prize).
There are only two Spanish actors who have won an Oscar at Hollywood's Academy awards. Name one?
(Hint 1 is female, 1 is male).
Javier Bardem & Penélope Cruz.
Javier Bardem: Won Best Supporting Actor for No Country for Old Men (2007).
Penélope Cruz: Won Best Supporting Actress for Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008)