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Spain

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'''Spain''' is a member state of the European Union as well as the Schengen Agreement.
Spain consists of 17 administrative units called ''Comunidades Autónomas''. Some of these administrative units also represent historical nations that vary in traditions, culture, gastronomy and even language. Despite that all citzens of Spain speak Spanish and are politically recognised as Spaniards, you will be more liked by locals — especially in some northern regions such as Galicia, Asturias, Euskal Herria (Basque Country) and Catalonia where nationalist movements are vigorously flourishing — if you learn the basic particularities of each territory (i.e: Don't expect sevillanas and bullfighting in Girona and don't be surprised if you see bagpipes and celtic-like stuff in Santiago de Compostela!).
In Spainconsists of 17 administrative units called ''Comunidades Autónomas''. Some of these administrative units also represent historical nations that vary in traditions, culture, hitching isn’t a very common concept gastronomy and even language. Although all citizens of Spain speak Spanish and mostly done are politically recognised as Spaniards, you will be more liked by foreignerslocals – especially in the nationalistic Basque country and Catalunya – if you learn the basic distinctive features of each region (i. Howevere don't expect sevillanas and bullfighting in Girona, the thumb will and don't be understoodsurprised if you see bagpipes and celtic-like stuff in Santiago de Compostela!).
The In Spain, hitching isn’t a very common concept and mostly done by foreigners. But It's really different depending on the autonomous community : it's easy in Galicia, Asturia and Extrémadura. In these communities it works like in France. It's better to stand with a cardboard. In Euskadi and Catalonia, you will wait a long time just stand with a cardboard. However, the thumb will be understood. An effective best method is to can be ask people directly wheneverpossible, e.g. in service stations, even if your Spanish is very poor. The Spanish phrase ''vas a... ?'' ‘are you going to...?’ is a good starting point. Because Spain is a touristic country, at some large service stations you can find drivers from all over Europe, who are more likely to take you than the local people. But However, this strategy is not advised in the far south of Spain (Andalucia), as service stations there tend to be carefuldeserted and sometimes off of the main road. Generally, as many there are petrol stationsevery 20-30 km, especially often in a so-called "via de servicio", along with a hotel or a restaurant. This means that each and every one of those petrol stations has less traffic. Most people who travel certain roads regularly will know (or pretend to know!) the Southgood spots where a lot of traffic passes through (e.g. truck stops, or nice restaurants). Try not to get stuck in places off the main road (in a village, are desertedor an industrial zone), but ask your driver if s/he knows a place with lots of people. __TOC__Even if you are unluckyhitchhike alone or in groups of two, only one be prepared to make much fewer kilometres per day than in e.g. Germany or two non-local cars stop at the station every France. Waiting times of over an hourare common, and 500–700 km a day may prove a real challenge. The first time you hitchhike in Spain, it might spend the night therebe a good idea to only plan for 300 km a day. If you do master some Spanish, however, and if you carefully stick to service stations asking people, hitching can be easy and fun - even in Spain.
Even if you hitchhike alone or in groups of twoDuring the "the siesta" (from 14:00 to 17: 00), there tends to be prepared to make much fewer kilometers per day than in eless traffic.g. Germany or France. Waiting times of over an hour are comminIn the summer, and 500 or 700 km a day may the sun can be a real challenge. The first very powerful at this time you hitchhike in Spainof day, so it might may be a good idea best to only plan for 300 km a day. During avoid standing on the road during the hot siesta hours of "the Siesta" (2pm -5pm) traffic density is decreased.
[[File:EspanaAs hitch-hiking is not a very common concept in Spain, many Spanish people travel via blablacar.jpg|thumb|left|[[User:Amylin|Amylin]] hitching If you want to get out of big cities (Madrid, Barcelona) you might have to pay 3-5 Euros to get to Spain from [[Portugal]]a hitch-hiking spot.]][[File:CommunidadValencianaIn this case, consider finding a short ride just out of the city to a nearby small town, with blablacar.JPG|thumb|left|Hilde hitchhiking The driver can drop you directly on a service station on the motorway, and you might not have to [[Valencia]]walk around in the Spanish summer heat.]]
<gallery perrow="3" style= Border crossing =="float:right; width:200px; margin-left:20px;"> When entering the country from File:CommunidadValenciana.JPG|thumb|right|Hilde hitchhiking to [[FranceValencia]] you should try to get a lift as close to your destination as possible. On the Mediterranean side, a good place for this is La Jonquera, one of the biggest truck stops File:2002_Dec_Hitch_hiking_in_Catalonia_SPAIN.jpg|Hitch-hiking in EuropeCatalonia. You’ll find plenty of international truck drivers all over the country, because Spain is a centre of the fruit industry, exporting their oranges and tomatoesDecember 2002. On the Atlantic side, there is another huge truck stop near IrunFile:GranadaIf you arrive by the ferry jpg|Robino hitching from Valencia to [[AfricaGranada]] you should try to get a ride on the ferry or .File:HhPICT1975.jpg|Stop at Valencia, at the port. There are lots of people trip from [[MoroccoGermany]], who went to visit their families and now return. You’ll see number plates from many other European states[[Portugal]]== Road network == The north of Spain has a well developed system of ''Autopistas''. Autopistas are very similar File:2002-03 Trying to French ''autoroutes'', and so similar rules can be applied when hitchhiking. ''Autopistas'' have two or more lanes hitchhike in each direction, accessed after passing through a ''peaje'' (tollgate) and have large rest stops along the way. When hitching at ''peajes'', usually people have great success, and can obtain long distance rides, even at night time. Usually the police and motorway staff do not interfere, but some stricter police may request that you leave. It is important Murcia to note that large ''peaje'' sections are usually split by a concrete wall; 2 or 3 lanes for cars, on the inside, and another 2 or 3 lanes for buses and trucks on the outsideSevilla. The concrete walls usually carry on some distance after the peaje, and end once the vehicles are traveling too fast to stop. It is up to the hitchhiker to decide which lanes to take, however sticking to the outside and waiting for a truck may attract less attention jpg|2002 trip from the authorities than standing further inside waiting for a car.  When hitching long distances it is a good idea Berlin to stick to large ''peaje'' sections or rest stops. Bring water and food, since these ''áreas de servicio'' are expensiveCádiz. It should be noted that hitching at small ''peaje'' sections, on motorway exits, is not recommended, as often there is took only one peaje for both directions, automatically ruling out many vehicles as possible rides. In the south of Spain, the motorways are smaller and the petrol stations are usually further away day from the road. It is best Berlin to be patient at these places. Be careful when people promise you Barcelona but three days to drop you off at a "very busy" petrol station, as it might turn out to be deserted. It is better in these cases to find direct lifts get from one town Murcia to another (use a sign when thumbing)Cádiz== Language ==As mentioned above, the Comunidades are not only administrative districts; many of the regions have their own culture, language and some even are reluctant about considering themselves as a part South of Spain: Very difficult to hitchhike. For example But the dominating language in [[Catalonia]] is Catalan, so be aware of that (be careful before calling aNevertheless, everyone speaks ''castellano'' (Spanish). Aside from Spanish, other recongised spoken languages are Galician, Basque, Catalan, Aranese, Astur-leonese and Aragonese. Only the first three are legally oficial and have a considerable number of speakers. But don't stress outflowers did help! Everybody speaks perfect Spanish and won't feel unconfortable talking to you. Younger Spaniards will easily understand you in English as well. Obviously big co-oficial languages like Basque, Catalan and Galician are widely used in their respective regions, and learning a handful of words or at least showing your interest in local languages may make the driver loosen up. NoteFile: Althugh the trend is to translate into Spanish the signs on the road and other kinds of key information (iP1000787.e: restaurant menus), you will defenetely need help JPG| Night hithhiking in small towns and non-touristy places in the Basque Country and Catalonia, especially because Basque is an isolated language that does not resemble anything you have heard before. Always ask the locals. [[User:Mariam|MariamMurcia]] , who does not speak Basque, walked from a small town following a sign in Basque that she thought would guide her to the next town and ended up in a reciclyng plant.  == Spanish for the Hitchhiker == The Spanish phrase ''¡Hola! Vas a... ?'' (Hello, are you going to... ?) with a wide smile is an excellent starting point. Remember most Spaniards actually meet the stereotype of being loud and friendly, but aren't used to see hitchhikers on the road. Therefore, you'd better be extra framiliar and polite by saying things like "¡Gracias, buen viaje!" (Thank you, have a nice trip!) after your driver drops you off or when they make excuses to not pick you up (this way they will think twice the next time they bump into a hitchhiker). Check the Spanish section in the [[Western Europe phrasebook|phrasebook]] for more basic words. </gallery>
In Spanish there are only five vowel sounds and== License Plate IDs ==Pro tip: Under the old licensing system, conversely to French or English, you should pronounce all license plates got identifying letters showing the city/region where the letters that you read as an independent soundcar is registered. So say phonetically with a clear distinction of each sound "autopista" [ aw to 'pis ta ] This is great for quickly identifying (motorwayat least on old cars), not if the car is heading your way. ''ottopista'', or ''otpist'' i.e. Other difficulties that foreigners usually face: the letter ''Ñ'' as in ''España'', which is the equivalent lots of the Portuguese digraph ''NH'' old "B" plates out there going to and Catalan ''NY''from Barcelona. If you struggle with it just pronounce it as an ''N'' and an ''I'' like when you say "Esto Read more: [[ni]]a" — it is not the actual sound, but it will work for a tourist. == Sleeping == ===Squatting === Despite the fact that many houses have been shut down lately, Spain has a very active squatting scenehttps://en. It’s quite easy to find a place to crash by asking around for a ''casa okupada''wikipedia== Maps ==From any tourist-info around country, you can find good roadmap of the region andorg/wiki/or the autonomous area for free of charge.Vehicle_registration_plates_of_Spain#Old_provincial_codes]
== Cities ==
* [[Zaragoza]]
== More Pictures Road network ==<gallery perrow="The north of Spain has a well developed system of ''Autopistas''. Autopistas are very similar to French ''autoroutes'', and so similar rules can be applied when hitchhiking. ''Autopistas'' have two or more lanes in each direction, accessed after passing through a ''peaje'' (tollgate) and have large rest stops along the way. When hitching at ''peajes'', usually people have great success, and can obtain long distance rides, even at night time. Usually the police and motorway staff do not interfere, but some stricter police may request that you leave. It is important to note that large ''peaje'' sections are usually split by a concrete wall; 2 or 3 lanes for cars, on the inside, and another 2 or 3">lanes for buses and trucks on the outside. The concrete walls usually carry on some distance after the peaje, and end once the vehicles are travelling too fast to stop. It is up to the hitchhiker to decide which lanes to take, however sticking to the outside and waiting for a truck may attract less attention from the authorities than standing further inside waiting for a car.  File:2002_Dec_Hitch_hiking_in_Catalonia_SPAINWhen hitching long distances it is a good idea to stick to large ''peaje'' sections or rest stops.jpg|Hitch-hiking in CataloniaBring water and food, since these ''áreas de servicio'' are expensive. December 2002It should be noted that hitching at small ''peaje'' sections, on motorway exits, is not recommended, as often there is one peaje for both directions, automatically ruling out many vehicles as possible rides.FileIn the south of Spain, and parts of the center and the North, the motorways are smaller and the petrol stations are usually further away from the road; this system is called ''autovia''. [http:Granada//motorways-exitlists.com/europe/e/spain.htm This website] shows exits and also service areas for some ''autovias'', as well as ''autopistas.'' It is best to be patient at these places. Be careful when people promise you to drop you off at a "very busy" petrol station, as it might turn out to be deserted.jpg|Robino hitching It is better in these cases to find direct lifts from Valencia one town to another (use a sign when thumbing). == Border crossing ==When entering the country from [[GranadaFrance]]you should try to get a lift as close to your destination as possible.File:HhPICT1975On the Mediterranean side, a good place for this is La Jonquera, one of the biggest truck stops in Europe. You’ll find plenty of international truck drivers all over the country, because Spain is a centre of the fruit industry, exporting their oranges and tomatoes.jpg|Stop at ValenciaOn the Atlantic side, at there is another huge truck stop near Irun called Oyarzun (accessible in both directions). If you arrive by the trip ferry from [[GermanyAfrica]] you should try to get a ride on the ferry or at the port. There are lots of people from [[PortugalMorocco]], who went to visit their families and now return. You’ll see number plates from many other European states. === Crossing Spain to get to Portugal ===If you just want to get to Portugal, you'll want to to keep your hitch journey in Spain as short and quick as possible. This will happen by sticking to the the main road (AP-1, A-62, mostly "autovia") from Bayonne/San Sebastian to Salamanca / Vilar Formoso (the portuguese border near Guarda). Even if you come from, say, Montpellier, it's recommended to hitch up to Bayonne and cross the basque country. A good technique is to stay in one of the last service stations on the A63 in France before the spanish border, and wait for someone who can take you all to way to Portugal. Portuguese plates (1/3 of portuguese nationals live outside Portugal) or tourists (20 million invaded Portugal in 2016) will pass there.  File:2002Otherwise, don't let your drivers drop you at just any gas station along the way -03 Trying try your best to stick to busy ones (on the right side and near the highway, Repsol and Galp). If your ride is only taking you to somewhere near Vilar Formoso border and you want to go further in Portugal, you can stay at the last Cepsa gas station on the right side of the road, 5kms before the border. Gas is cheaper in Spain.  == Myths and truths about hitchhiking in Spain ==# '''It is illegal to hitchhike in Murcia to SevillaSpain.jpg|2002 trip '''<br>''Truth'': This assertion that you will hear from Berlin both the locals and the travellers is a result of a wrong understanding of the Spanish law that forbids pedestrians walking on a private motorway. Therefore, '''it is absolutely ''legal'' to Cádizhitchhike in Spain'''. # '''It took only one day is ''impossible'' to travel hitchhiking in Spain'''.<br>''Truth'': While it is definitely harder to catch a ride in Spain than in Germany, it is not impossible if done smartly. Actually, in many areas in the countryside or the north of Spain where there are very few means of public transportation, hitchhiking is done frequently by locals who need to take rides from Berlin town to town (Galicia and its messy bus network is a great example of this). However, many old Spaniards believe that hitchhiking culture died in the 70s, and there is a lot of fear around, because of some cases of theft or rape when hitching. To get a ride in Spain you will need to put more effort and think tactical: '''hide the hippy clothes in your backpack and look clean, smile, know a few Spanish words, be polite, be familiar with the Spanish hours and always try to hitch from a service station.'''# '''Spanish people will rob you'''.<br>''Truth'': Indeed, Barcelona and Madrid score very high in the pickpocketing league, but three days this is something all locals are very embarrassed about. They will often advise you to keep an eye on your belongings and never put your wallet in the rear pocket. The best advice is to get avoid as much as possible the touristy areas. == Language(s) ==As mentioned above, the Comunidades are not only administrative districts; many of the regions have their own culture, language and some even are reluctant about considering themselves as a part of Spain. For example the dominating language in [[Catalonia]] is Catalan, so be aware of that. Nevertheless, everyone speaks ''castellano'' (Spanish). Aside from Murcia Spanish, other recognised spoken languages are Galician, Basque, Catalan, Aranese, Astur-leonese and Aragonese. Only the first three are legally official and have a considerable number of speakers. But don't panic! Everybody speaks perfect Spanish and won't feel uncomfortable talking to Cádizyou. South Younger Spaniards will easily understand you in English as well. Obviously, big co-official languages like Basque, Catalan and Galician are widely used in their respective regions, and learning a handful of words or at least showing your interest in local languages may make the driver loosen up. Also, you will find that some Catalan, Basque and Galician cities can appear in signs and maps with two names: one in its local language form and the other in Spanish. For instance: Donostia (in Basque) is also known as San Sebastián (in Spanish), Lleida (in Catalan) is Lérida (in Spanish), Rianxo (in Galician) is Rianjo (in Spanish) etc. Whatever your map says and whichever language you are speaking —even if you are speaking in Spanish— , hitchwiki encourages you to use the local language form better than the Spanish one if possible, also in your sign, in order to not mess with politics. Spaniards all across Spainunderstand both forms.  Note: Although the signs on the road and other kinds of key information (i.e: restaurant menus) are translated into Spanish in bilingual territories, you will definitely need help in small towns and non-touristy places in the Basque Country and Catalonia, especially because Basque is an isolated language that does not resemble anything you have heard before. In case of doubt, ask the locals. In Spanish ''Disculpe, ¿qué signfica...'' (Excuse me, what does ... mean?) works fine everywhere. [[User: Very difficult Mariam|Mariam]] , who does not speak Basque, walked from a small town following a sign in Basque that she thought would guide her to the next town and ended up in a recycling plant. === Spanish for the Hitchhiker ===The Spanish phrase ''¡Hola! Vas a... ?'' (Hello, are you going to... ?) with a wide smile is an excellent starting point. Remember most Spaniards actually meet the stereotype of being loud and friendly, but aren't used to see hitchhikers on the road. Therefore, you'd better be extra familiar and polite by saying things like "¡Gracias, buen viaje!" (Thank you, have a nice trip!) after your driver drops you off or when they make excuses to not pick you up (this way they will think twice the next time they bump into a hitchhiker). Check the Spanish section in the [[Western Europe phrasebook|phrasebook]] for more basic words.  In Spanish there are only five vowel sounds and, conversely to hitchhikeFrench or English, you should pronounce all the letters that you read as an independent sound. So say phonetically with a clear distinction of each sound "autopista" [ aw to 'pis ta ] (motorway), not ''ottopista'', or ''otpist'' . Other difficulties that foreigners usually face:  The letter ''Ñ'' as in ''España'' and "mañana" (''morning'' or ''tomorrow''), which is the equivalent of the Portuguese digraph ''NH'' and Catalan ''NY''. If you struggle with it just pronounce it as an ''N'' and an ''I'' like when you say "Esto[[ni]]a" — it is not the actual sound, but it will work for a tourist. The digraph "LL" as in "calle" (¨street) and "valle" (valley) is pronounced in most places as a strong "y". You would say "ka-yeh" and "ba-yeh". The digraph "CH" is always pronounced as in ''church'' in English. But  There are other tricky sounds like the ''Z'' and ''C'', the flowers did help double ''RR''... but you can get away with these brief tips pretty well. Spanish is easy!<== Resources =={{nomadwiki}}* [https://www.facebook.com/groups/174166089591892/ Facebook group for hitchhiking in Spain]* [https://warmroads.de/hitchhiking-in-2-spain/ Short anlyses of hitchhiking in Spain - warmroads.]{{wikipedia-link|Spain}}=== Maps ===From any tourist-info around country, you can find good roadmap of the region and/gallery>or the autonomous area for free of charge.
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[[wikipedia:Spain]]
 
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[[Category:Spain]]
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