Have you ever wondered what it would be like to visit Spain? Imagine eating delicious churros dipped in thick hot chocolate, watching colorful flamenco dancers stomp their feet to the music, or standing in front of the most amazing church you have ever seen in your life!
Spain is one of the most exciting and vibrant countries in the whole world and it is absolutely packed with fascinating history, incredible food, beautiful landmarks and amazing festivals that will blow your mind!
Today we are going to explore 10 of the most amazing facts about Spain that every kid should know — and by the end of this post you are going to want to jump on a plane and go there yourself!
Fact 1 — Spain is One of the Oldest Countries in the World
Spain has been home to people for over 800,000 years making it one of the oldest inhabited places on Earth! Throughout its long history Spain has been home to many different civilizations including the Romans, the Moors from North Africa and the Visigoths — all of whom left behind incredible buildings, art and culture that you can still see and visit today!
The beautiful Alhambra Palace in Granada is one of the most stunning examples of Moorish architecture in the world and it is still standing after over 700 years — pretty amazing right!
Fact 2 — Spain is the Second Largest Country in the European Union
Spain is a really big country! It covers an area of over 505,000 square kilometers making it the second largest country in the European Union after France! Spain shares borders with Portugal, France, Andorra and Morocco and it even has two island groups — the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean Sea and the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa!
With so much land to explore it is no wonder Spain has so many different landscapes — from snowy mountains and green forests to sunny beaches and dry deserts!
Fact 3 — The Sagrada Familia Has Been Under Construction for Over 140 Years
One of the most famous buildings in the world is the Sagrada Familia church in Barcelona Spain — and it has been under construction since 1882! That means it has been being built for over 140 years and it is still not completely finished!
The church was designed by the genius architect Antoni Gaudi who had the most extraordinary imagination — just look at its incredible towers, colorful stained glass windows and unusual organic shapes that look like they came from another world! The Sagrada Familia is visited by millions of people every year and is one of the most photographed buildings on the entire planet!
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Fact 4 — Spain is the Home of Flamenco
Flamenco is one of the most passionate and exciting dance styles in the world and it was born right here in Spain! Flamenco originated in the southern region of Andalusia and combines dramatic footwork, graceful arm movements, guitar music, singing and clapping into one incredibly powerful performance!
Flamenco is so important to Spanish culture that it has been recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity — which basically means the whole world agrees it is something very special that needs to be preserved and celebrated forever!
Fact 5 — Spain Invented the Mop and the Stapler
Did you know that two of the most useful inventions in your home were actually invented in Spain? The modern mop was invented by a Spanish man named Manuel Jalón Corominas in 1956 and the stapler was also invented in Spain! Who knew that Spain was not just famous for flamenco and paella but also for making sure our floors are clean and our papers are held together!
Fact 6 — La Tomatina is the World's Biggest Food Fight
Every year in the small town of Buñol near Valencia Spain thousands of people gather together for one of the most unique and crazy festivals in the world — La Tomatina! On the last Wednesday of August participants throw over 100 tonnes of ripe tomatoes at each other in one giant tomato fight that lasts for about one hour!
The streets turn completely red with tomato juice and everyone ends up absolutely drenched from head to toe! It is messy, it is wild and it is absolutely one of the most fun events you could ever imagine attending!
Fact 7 — Spain Has the Second Highest Number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe
Spain is absolutely packed with history and stunning architecture and the world has recognized this by giving Spain an incredible number of UNESCO World Heritage Sites! Spain has over 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites making it one of the most historically rich countries on the entire planet!
These include the Alhambra Palace in Granada, the historic city of Toledo, the works of Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona, the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage route and many more incredible places that tell the story of thousands of years of human history!
Fact 8 — Paella is Not Originally From Madrid
Many people think paella — Spain's most famous dish — comes from Madrid the capital city but it actually originated in the Valencia region on the eastern coast of Spain! Traditional Valencian paella is made with rice, saffron, rabbit, chicken and vegetables cooked together in a wide flat pan over an open fire!
Today there are many different versions of paella including seafood paella, mixed paella and vegetable paella — all of them delicious! If you ever visit Spain make sure you try an authentic paella because it is one of the most incredible meals you will ever taste!
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Fact 9 — Spain Has its Own Unique Languages
Most people know that the official language of Spain is Spanish — also called Castilian — but did you know that Spain actually has several other official regional languages too! In Catalonia people speak Catalan, in the Basque Country people speak Basque which is one of the oldest and most mysterious languages in Europe, and in Galicia people speak Galician!
This makes Spain a wonderfully diverse country where you might hear completely different languages depending on which region you are visiting — how amazing is that!
Fact 10 — Spain Has the Oldest Restaurant in the World
If you love food then this fact is going to blow your mind! The Guinness World Record for the oldest restaurant in the world belongs to a Spanish restaurant called Sobrino de Botín in Madrid! This incredible restaurant has been serving food continuously since 1725 — that is almost 300 years of delicious Spanish cooking!
The restaurant is famous for its traditional roasted suckling pig and lamb dishes cooked in the original wood fired ovens that have been burning since the restaurant first opened! Imagine eating in a restaurant that has been feeding hungry customers since before your great great great great grandparents were even born!
Conclusion
Spain is truly one of the most incredible and fascinating countries in the world — full of amazing history, vibrant culture, delicious food and breathtaking landmarks that will leave you speechless!
From the genius architecture of the Sagrada Familia to the wild chaos of La Tomatina festival, from the passionate rhythms of flamenco to the mouth watering flavors of paella — Spain is a country that has something absolutely amazing around every corner!
And the best way to explore all of these incredible places and experiences? Grab your colored pencils and join Zoe and Kai on their Spain Adventure!
Explore Spain with Zoe & Kai!
Want to take your child on an amazing Spanish adventure? Our Zoe & Kai Spain Adventure Coloring and Activity Book is packed with unique coloring scenes featuring all the famous landmarks, delicious foods and exciting festivals we talked about in this blog and so much more!
Available as an instant printable download or on Amazon!