You’ve decided to study Spanish and you want to come to Spain? Great! But when everything you know about Spain is from movies and books, be warned, things are not always as you imagined them to be. In order to avoid confusion we introduce you to the 5 most common misconceptions about Spain so you’ll be well prepared for your stay in the land of Flamenco and Tapas!

1.) Paella is always served with seafood.

Paella is Spain’s most famous dish but it’s also cause for some misconceptions. Why? When you ask our students upon their arrival in Spain, 99% think that paella is a seafood dish. It is primarily a rice dish and can contain seafood but is more likely served with meat and vegetables as this is the original recipe invented by peasants in the mid 19^th century, who were in search of a filling, easy to prepare dish to eat during their lunch break in the fields. If you’re coming to Spain to study Spanish and you want to try the seafood Paella specify it when you order by saying that you want Paella de marisco!

2.) Flamenco is danced everywhere.

First of all Flamenco is not only a dance but much more than that. It is described as a performance art including four main elements: dancing, singing, the guitar and the typical hand claps. The origins of the Flamenco are to be found in Andalusia, where the first Flamenco-schools opened in the 18^th century after having adapted the music and instruments the Arab conquerors brought to Spain. In its early times the Flamenco was purely vocal and only later the guitar playing got introduced. Today you can find most of the traditional Flamenco concerts organised in the southern regions such as Cadiz, Granada or Sevilla. In bigger cities like Madrid and Barcelona, there also exists a Flamenco scene due to internal migration but in other parts of Spain the dance is not practiced at all. If you’re searching for an authentic Flamenco, go to study Spanish + Flamenco in the South and if you enter a small bar and all of a sudden there’s nothing but a voice, a guitar and a dancer, then you can be sure you’ve found the right place.

3.) The weather is always warm and sunny.

No, definitely not. I wish it were! I vividly remember shivering in my bed with three blankets, whilst wearing all of my clothes throughout the last winter. Why do people think it’s always sunny and warm in Spain? Have they heard this on TV? Spain is a big country so the climate varies in the different regions. Generally spoken the south is warmer and less rainy than, for example, cities in the north like Santander and San Sebastian where it can even snow in winter. The problem is that the flats and houses in Spain are not built for cold weather meaning that you always have a fresh breeze in your apartment during the cold winter months due to poor insulation and the lack of central heating. If you want to come to Spain to study Spanish (and enjoy warm weather!) make sure to come in spring or summer or choose a language school in the south like our school in Seville for example.

4.) Everyone drinks Sangria.

Honestly, this is what I thought before coming to Spain. Everyone will drink Sangria at all hours of the day. For me, Sangria was the mineral water for Spaniards. Now I can frankly tell you that this isn’t the case at all. If ever I’ve seen someone drinking this red wine punch this person looked more like a Scandinavian descendant than a Spanish person. Sangria is a tourist drink! Once upon a time Sangria was invented as a drink to make everyone ‘merry’ without having to spend too much money. Nowadays Sangria can be quite expensive in Spanish bars and restaurants because the owners know that only tourists will order the red wine punch.

5.) Tapas are a special type of food.

Tapas are not a type of food the word simply describes the way of eating the food. In Spain it’s really popular to go for Tapas and beer with some friends after work or on weekends. You can order anything as a Tapa. It is a small dish that comes with the drink. Usually it is free but in the more touristic places you have to pay for each tapa. Spaniards love to go to various bars and try and share all kind of tapas. They even invented their own word for it: tapear! If you come to Spain to study Spanish, you definitely have to tapear with the other students after class otherwise you will miss out on the delicious aperitivos!

Are you disappointed now? Surprised? Relieved? Share your experiences with us and leave a comment!