Spain Country Dossier

"The Alpujarras show you a hidden side of Spain that most travellers never see."

"I cannot urge you strongly enough to visit this part of Spain, that is so completely untouched by tourism and the trappings of modern life. The area is absolutely idea lfor walking and everywhere you turn there are magnificent vistas of rugged mountains and, below them, more gentle slopes and fertile valleys, where farmers grow almonds, olives, lemons, oranges and cherries. The locals are friendly, even if you can’t speak Spanish, and there is some delicious food to be experienced, which you can wash down with a glass of locally produced wine. Perfect!"

Rachel Wilkes - Traveller

• Factfile
• Preparing to go
• Money
• Cultural & Environmental Guidelines
• Arrival
• On Tour
• General Information

Factfile

Capital: Madrid
Official Language: Castilian Spanish (also Catalan, Galician & Basque). Many younger Spaniards can speak some English
Religions: 90% Roman Catholic
Voltage: 220 Volts. Sockets are of European two pronged round pin variety.

Preparing to go

Visas

Most nationalities (including citizens of the EU, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, the US) do not need a visa to enter Spain.

Money

Local Currency

The monetary unit in Spain is the Euro (€). Approximate exchange rates (as at April 2005) are as follows:

• 1 Pound Sterling = € 1.5
• 1 US Dollar = € 0.8

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: Be careful with your belongings when in Spain and make sure that you keep firm hold of your bags and wallet. As with many European cities, tourists can be especially targeted by pickpockets.

XE.com is a useful site for currency conversion.

Changing Money, Credit Cards & ATMs

It is very easy to change money in Spain. Travellers cheques and cash can both be changed at money exchanges (with travellers cheques generally attracting a slightly higher commission). ATMs are also very widespread and it is therefore easy to withdraw Euros direct from these.

On arrival you can either cahnge money at the airport or, once you get into the Alpujarra on the Alpujarra and Sierra Nevada tour, Trevelez has both banks and ATM. Your tour leader will be able to advise you on how much you will need for the duration of the trip.

Working out your Budget

The Pre-Departure Information contains general information about the things you will need to consider when budgeting for your holiday. Below are some specific notes relevant to our tours in Spain.

Entrance Fees

You will need to allow money for entrance fees on your tours of Spain, please refer to your Trip Dossier for more specific details on how much these should cost.

The Imaginative Traveller Recommends: Remember to bring your student card if you have one or are entitled to one as you may be able to get discounts on certain entrance fees.

Meals

Breakfast is included on the majority of days on your tour, but where not included and for other meals your tour leader will be able to advise you of the best places to go.

Approximate costs for meals and snacks are given below but please note that the exact cost varies widely depending on whether you are in the capital cities or smaller regional towns:

• Simple snack = € 5-10
• Light meal = € 10-15
• Fancy restaurant = € 20+

For a guide to the type of food you will find in Spain, see the Local Food & Drink section of this dossier.

Drinks
All drinks (i.e. bottled water, soft drinks) are at your own expense but are fairly inexpensive.

What to Take

The Pre-Departure Information that you will receive once you have booked your tour contains a comprehensive list of items that you should consider bringing with you.

Clothing

You should bring clothes appropriate to the time of year you will be travelling, and to the activities you intend to take part in. As the sun can get very strong in the summer, it is advisable to bring clothing to cover up your skin to prevent sunburn.

Prepare Yourself
The walking in these trips is not difficult and should be possible for anyone of reasonable fitness level. Of course the fitter you are the more you will enjoy any walking and if you have any concerns, we do recommend that you discuss them with your doctor.

Cultural & Environmental Guidelines

General

Please make sure that you adhere to normal standards of responsible travel such as conserving electricity and water, not littering and taking care not to disturb wildlife.

Photography

You should always ask permission before taking anyone's photograph and respect their decision if they say no.

Arrival

Arrival Transfers

An arrival transfer is provided at 3 p.m. from the information desk in the Arrivals Hall at Malaga Airport.

Making Your Own Way

The Meeting Point for your tour should be clearly marked on your travel vouchers.

From Granada Airport
If you arrive into Granada airport, you can take either a taxi or a bus into the city centre. Taxis are available from a taxi rank next to the terminal building and run on a meter and will cost around €15. Buses depart around every two hours throughout the day and cost around €3 for the journey.

From Malaga Airport
Bus #19 runs from the airport into the city every half hour from 07:00 to 24:00, the journey lasts around 45mins and costs around €5. Tickets are bought from the driver.

The easiest way to get to Granada from Malaga airport is by bus - first take #19 bus to Malaga bus station, and from here take another bus to Granada. There is a bus almost every hour from 07:00 until 21:00. The price is about €8 and the journey takes approx 1h30mins.

Taxis are available however there is a minimum charge of 15€.

On Tour

Safety

Most people find Spain very friendly and safe and feel quite comfortable wandering around alone during the day. However, as with any area you are not familiar with (and in particular in Granada), it is recommended that you exercise more caution at night and generally take taxis rather than walk especially if you are a lone female.

Tour Leaders & Guides

Your Tour Leader's role is to ensure all aspects of the trip run smoothly. He/she will share their local knowledge, advise on how to fill your free time and co-ordinate the day to day running of the tour – although occasionally he/she may need your understanding if things do not go according to plan. If you have any problems on the tour, please let your Tour Leader know so that steps can be taken to put it right. Tour Leaders are supported by our regionally based office staff and, in most cases, a locally based manager.

Please note that some styles of trip, such as Imaginative Honeymoons, do not have a Tour Leader. However, there will be representatives on hand who will be able to assist you in arranging any excursions that you wish you take.

Accommodation

Our main criterion for choosing hotels is cleanliness. Many hotels on Traveller tours will have a private bathroom, but there will be occasions when only a shared bathroom is available. The hotels will also have bar / restaurant facilities. Please bear in mind that hotels can sometimes suffer from minor problems and technical difficulties.

At each hotel your Tour Leader will try to organise the rooming arrangements to suit everyone's requirements. If you are travelling alone you will be allocated a room with another group member of the same sex (unless you have paid a single supplement*). If you are travelling as a couple please note that we cannot guarantee the availability of double beds.

*Note: Single supplements are only applicable to single travellers who wish to have their own room. Single supplements are also only available on Traveller tours and are not applicable on overnight boats, trains and while camping.

Laundry

There should be opportunity for getting laundry done when in the towns on the 'Treasures of Andalucia' tour but this will be difficult when in the Alpujarra Mountains.

Local Food & Drink

Food
You will find the food in Andalucia and the Alpujarra to be generally wholesome and home cooked. On the coast fish and seafood will dominate the menus, but the cuisine is also based on meats and fried food with pig, rabbit, chicken and young goat being the most classic meats used, together with game during the hunting season. There are wonderful rice dishes as well as meat and potato stews, fried delicacies such as potatoes fried with green pepper, eggs and ham, pickled pork, local sausages and lots more.

Your tour leader will be able to advise you on all the best places to eat and the various specialities.

Drinks
Beer and wine are both commonly drunk throughout Spain. When in the Granada region you should also try the local wine from the Alpujarra, called "alpujarreño" or simply "costa", a semi-sweet claret only sold from the keg.

Special Dietary Requirements

Vegetarians
There is a wide range of vegetarian dishes available. Explore the local restaurants to find meals to suit.

Food Allergies
If you have food allergies or preferences, please make them known to your Tour Leader who will do their best to ensure that your requirements are met.

Please Note: Unfortunately we can give no guarantee that special requirements can always be met.

Communications

Email
Although there are many internet cafes in bigger towns, you will not find easy internet access once we get into the mountains on the 'Alpujarra & Sierra Nevada' trip. Emergency email requirements can be arranged through the tour leader.

Phone
Although it is easy to make international calls from larger towns, there will be little opportunity for this once we get to the Alpujarra.

Post
Main post offices can be found in larger towns throughout Spain. Stamps can also be purchased from Tobacconists (look for 'Tabacos' written in yellow on a maroon background) If you are sending mail overseas whilst on the 'Alpujarra & Sierra Nevada' tour, we recommend that you do this from Granada.

General Information

Weather

The Andalucian climate is typically warm and sunny with crystal-clear, blue skies throughout most of the year. The mountain air is the cleanest in Europe and, because of the altitude, the heat in mid-summer is not as overbearing as it can be in much of Spain.

The following chart shows average daytime temperatures (in Degrees Celsius):

Spain Meteorological Authority

Contact Details

UK Office
The Imaginative Traveller
1 Betts Avenue
Martlesham Heath
Ipswich
Suffolk
IP5 3RH
United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1473 667337
Fax: +44 (0)1473 614566

24hr Emergency Contact
+44 (0)781 5097432