🤓 Fun facts about Spain: because it is not just tapas and siestas! 🍅🌙

😈 Jumping over babies to chase away evil — yes, it’s real!

In the small village of Castrillo de Murcia, every year during El Colacho, a man dressed as the devil jumps over rows of newborn babies 👶. The tradition dates back to the 1600s and symbolises cleansing the babies of sin and bringing them good luck. Locals say it’s safe — though it definitely looks terrifying! But hey, only in Spain could something like this be both scary and adorable.

Would you participate in this outrageously confusing tradition? 🤔

🗣️ Useful vocabulary:

Saltar = to jump

El diablo = the devil

La suerte = luck

🧠 Rajoy: Spain’s most unintentionally funny politician

Mariano Rajoy, Spain’s former Prime Minister (2011–2018), became famous not only for his politics, but also for his unique way of expressing himself 🤓🎙️. Spaniards loved his confusing, roundabout sentences that often sounded like tongue twisters — and made perfect material for memes! 😂 Some of his most unforgettable quotes include:

🗣️ ‘Es el vecino el que elige al alcalde y es el alcalde el que quiere que sean los vecinos el alcalde.’
💬 ‘It is the neighbour who chooses the mayor, and it is the mayor who wants the neighbours to be the mayor.’

🗣️ ‘Cuanto peor mejor para todos, y cuando peor para todos, mejor, mejor para mí el suyo beneficio político.’
💬 ‘The worse things are the better for everyone, and when things are worse for everyone, better, better for me, his political benefit.’

No one was ever quite sure what he meant 🤯 — but his speeches became instant comedy gold. Many Spaniards say that Rajoy unintentionally brought the country together… through laughter! 🇪🇸😂

⏰ Why Spaniards don’t eat when you do!

If you go out for dinner at 7 p.m. in Spain, you’ll probably find the restaurant completely empty 🍽️🙈. Most Spaniards sit down to eat around 9:30 or even 10 p.m. 🍷🍤 — and the nightlife doesn’t really start until after midnight 🌙🕺.

The late schedule comes from Spain’s unusual time zone 🕰️🗺️ — it’s aligned with Central Europe instead of the UK, even though geographically it shouldn’t be! 🤔🇪🇸 So yes… Spain is literally living an hour ahead 😅.

🍇Try eating 12 grapes in 12 seconds — Spanish style!

On New Year’s Eve, Spaniards eat one grape for every clock bell strike at midnight — a tradition known as Las campanadas. The tradition began in the early 1900s and is believed to bring good luck for the 12 months ahead 🍇. The people in charge of presenting Las campanadas are usually famous Spanish actors, singers or TV hosts 🎤.

Usually, everyone is sitting around the table with family or friends, finishing the big New Year’s dinner 🍽️🎊 — and as soon as the clock starts to ring, total chaos begins! People grab their grapes, start laughing, choking, and trying to keep up with the bells 😂. If you manage to eat all 12 on time, you’ll have a lucky year… or at least a very funny start to it! 🎆🎉

🫠 I wish the ground would swallow me whole moment!

 In 2015, during Las campanadas in Andalusia, Canal Sur cut to adverts just as people were supposed to be eating their grapes — they missed five of the twelve bells! 🎇 The interruption caused chaos in many homes: viewers sat holding grapes in mid-air, not sure whether to eat or wait.

🏜️ From Almería to Hollywood: Spain’s wild west!

Did you know Spain has Europe's only desert?🌵 The Tabernas Desert in Almería looks exactly like American Wild West 🤠 — so much that directors like Sergio Leone filmed spaghetti westerns there, including classics starring Clint Eastwood. You can still visit the old film sets and feel like a cowboy… but don’t forget sunscreen! ☀️

🎭 From flop to fame: the rise of La casa de papel!

Before becoming a global Netflix hit, La casa de papel (Money Heist) was almost forgotten. When it first aired on Spanish TV, the audience wasn’t huge, and the show was cancelled after two seasons 😱. Then Netflix picked it up — and suddenly, everyone was wearing red jumpsuits and Dalí masks. It became a symbol of rebellion and one of the most-watched non-English series in history 💰.

🗣️ Useful vocabulary:

El atraco = the heist

La máscara = mask

El profesor = the professor

🎶From Seville to the White House: the unstoppable Macarena!

In the 90s, two musicians from Seville, Los del Río, released ‘Macarena’ — and it took over the world! 🌍💃 Everyone learned the dance: schools, parties, even the U.S. President Bill Clinton joined in at an event. The song stayed on the Billboard charts for 14 weeks and became one of Spain’s biggest cultural exports ever.

Admit it — you just started singing it in your head, didn’t you? 😉🎶

 

🎟️ The day a whole Spanish village became millionaires!

In 2011, the tiny town of Sodeto made history when nearly all its residents won Spain’s famous Christmas lottery, El Gordo 🎄💶. Every neighbour had a ticket except one man, who didn’t live in the main village — and yes, he regretted it forever. For everyone else, it was like a real-life fairy tale: houses renovated, debts paid off, and one epic village party to celebrate! 🎉🍾

✨ Spain is colourful, unpredictable, and full of surprises — that’s what makes it so special!

 💬 Which of these fun facts surprised you the most? Have you ever experienced any of these Spanish traditions yourself?

Tell us in the comments! 😄🇪🇸💃