Practical information for your villa holiday in andalucia
Time Zone
GMT +1 hour
Language
Spanish
Currency Information
The Euro (€) is the official currency of Spain. Coins are available in 1 cent, 2 cent, 5 cent, 10 cent, 20 cent, 50, cent , €1 & €2 denominations. Notes are available in €5, €10, €20, €50, €100, €200, €500 denominations.
Money Matters
Travellers cheques are widely accepted for exchange or purchase in major cities, but in more rural areas, visit a bank to exchange them for Euros. Major credit cards are widely accepted here (though a limited number of merchants have American Express accounts) and ATM access is widespread.
Exchange currency only at authorized outlets such as banks and hotels, and exchange only what you think you will spend in-country. Coins cannot be reconverted on departure.
Save all receipts from any currency exchange transaction. You may be asked to produce them when you exit the country, and they are required if you intend to reconvert local currency.
Tipping in spain
The Spaniards are fairly relaxed about tipping etiquette. However service is not usually included in restaurants and it is common practice to leave the spare change, or up to 10% of the total in a smarter restaurant. Taxi drivers and bartenders may be tipped less. Many petrol stations are not self service, however it is not usual to tip the station attendant.
Arrival & Departure Formalities
Travel documents are your responsibility. In general you should have:
- A signed, valid passport that will remain valid for at least 6 months beyond the completion of your trip. Your passport must have enough blank pages (excluding amendment pages) available for entry and exit stamps issued when entering and exiting immigration points.
- Visas are required for certain nationalities and you are strongly advised to check your status allowing plenty of time for visa application.
Weather in andalucia
Andalucia has an excellent climate for those who like guaranteed sunshine all year round. Spring and autumn are pleasant seasons with midday temperatures around 30ºC. In July and August the temperature regularly reaches 40ºC. Even in December and January coastal temperatures can reach 20ºC to 25ºC.
Because of its geographical diversity, there are differences in climate between various locations resulting in three distinctive weather zones in Andalucia:
- The Costal Zone with hot summers including sunbathing almost every day. The water is warm and there is virtually no rain. Daily highs about 35ºC and nightly lows 15ºC.
- The Inland Lowland Zone with its very hot summers has virtually no rain. Daily highs up to 40ºC and nightly lows 18ºC. Both zones have mild winters with clear and sunny winter days. The overcast but warm days provide daily highs about 20ºC and nightly lows rarely much below 10ºC.
- The Inland Highland Zone has warm summers with daily highs up to 30ºC and nightly lows 8ºC. There is virtually no rain and sun almost every day. Winter has sunny days with overcast but cool days. Daily highs about 20ºC and nightly lows down to freezing.
Health considerations
It is advisable to contact your doctor before you travel if you have any specific health concerns and take out appropriate travel and medical insurance.
Electricity supply in andalucia
Electrical service in Spain is supplied at 220-240 volts/50 hertz – a converter/adaptor may be required.
Driving In andalucia
- No right-hand turn on a red light.
- Traffic from the RIGHT has right of way.
- Passport or national ID as well as driver's license, insurance papers and ownership papers must be carried all the time.
- National speed limit is 50km (31mph) in towns, 90km (56mph) on secondary non-urban highways (carretera secundaria), 100km (62mph) on dual carriageways (carretera/autovia), 120km (75mph) on motorways (autopista).; Speeding fines: 30 – 300 Euros.
- Minimum driving age is 18.
- For use of the highways (autopista) it is often necessary to pay a toll before access. Prices vary and are calculated by the distance of the journey.
- There are strict laws concerning drinking and driving. Blood alcohol levels must not exceed 0,05%. There are random breathalyser tests carried out regularly by the police.
- An international driving licence is not required for European citizens. Your locally issued driving licence, as long as it is accompanied by the passport, will suffice.
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