Page 619 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Spain
P. 619
PR A C TIC AL INFORM A TION 617
Admission Prices Travellers with
plans, information about the
locality, and details of activities Admission fees are charged for Disabilities
and events. Several large cities most museums and monu ments, Spain offers a number of
abroad have a Spanish National and prices vary within different options for travellers with
Tourist Office; you can also visit regions, and depending on the special needs. The national
www.spain.info, the official web importance of the sight. Some association for the disabled, the
site of the Spanish Tourist Board public museums are free on Confederación Coordinadora
Sundays. Most museums have Estatal de Minusválidos Físicos
free admission coinciding de España (COCEMFE),
Social Etiquette
with national or regional publishes useful guides to
The Spanish often talk to people holidays. Check the individual facilities in Spain and will help
they do not know. Men shake museums’ websites for more plan a holiday to suit individual
hands meeting, and it is detailed information. needs (see p561).
customary for men to greet If you need metro maps
women with a kiss on each and other informative leaflets
cheek – even when first intro Opening Hours in Braille, these are available
duced. Friends and family Most museums in Spain from the Spanish national
members embrace or kiss close on Sunday after noon organization for the blind,
upon meeting. You may be and all day Monday. It is the Organización Nacional de
asked to cover legs and wise to check opening Ciegos (ONCE). You will find
shoulders to enter churches times in advance, that tourist offices and
and other monuments. since they can vary the social services
depending on the departments of
time of year. Many town halls are worth
museums often close investigating as they
from 2pm to 5pm; can also provide useful
some reopen from COCEMFE logo uptodate information
5pm to 8pm. Churches on local conditions
may follow these hours, or and facilities suitable for
they may only be open to the disabled travellers.
public for services. Travel Xperience is a travel
In some smaller towns in agency based in Andorra,
Spain, it is not uncommon for specializing in travel for people
churches, castles and other with reduced mobility. The
sights popular with tourists to UKbased Tourism For All
be kept locked. The key, which (www.tourismforall.org.uk)
is available to visitors on offers information on facilities
request, will be lodged with a for the disabled in a selection of
caretaker in a neighbouring Spanish resorts. The Society
house, in the town hall or, for the Advancement of Travel
A bilingual Basque/Castilian reserved sometimes, kept for safe for the Handicapped (SATH)
parking sign keeping at the local bar. publishes similar information
on a number of destinations for
travellers from the US.
Language Taxes and Tipping
The main language of Spain, Spain does not have a big Conversion Chart
Castellano (Castilian), is spoken tipping culture. There is no need
by almost everyone through to tip taxi drivers, and waiters are Imperial to metric
out the country. There are only tipped if they go the extra 1 inch = 2.54 centimetres
three main regional languages: mile or if they are having to deal 1 foot = 30 centimetres
Catalan, spoken in Catalonia; with a large group of diners. A 1 mile = 1.6 kilometres
Gallego (Galician) in Galicia; and small service charge is generally 1 ounce = 28 grams
Euskara (Basque) in the Basque added to restaurant bills, 1 pound = 454 grams
Country. Variants of Catalan particularly in tapas bars. A tip 1 pint = 0.6 litre
are spoken in the Valencia of 5 or 10 per cent, depending 1 gallon = 4.6 litres
region and also in the Balearic on the level of service and the
Islands. Learning a few courtesy overall price of the meal, is the Metric to imperial
phrases in Catalan can be a norm in restaurants. VAT of 10 1 millimetre = 0.04 inch
good way to win over the per cent is added to the bill, but 1 centimetre = 0.4 inch
locals in these areas. this is often included in the price 1 metre = 3 feet 3 inches
Places that deal with tourists – of the dishes (this must be 1 kilometre = 0.6 mile
hotels, information offices, stipulated on the menu). VAT of 1 gram = 0.04 ounce
restaurants – usually employ 10 per cent is also added to the 1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds
people who speak English. hotel bill at the end of your stay. 1 litre = 1.8 pints
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