Trip to Spain
Pack for Spain: siesta hours, 9 pm dinners, menú del día, pickpocket-proofing and beach flags. Answer one question and the list adapts.

[ ] Check passport validity and visa rules
    Spain is in Schengen: your passport must be valid 3+ months beyond departure. Check visa requirements for your nationality early — slots fill fast in season.
[ ] Buy travel medical insurance
    Schengen visas require €30,000+ coverage. Make sure the policy covers activities: surfing, hiking, waterparks.
[ ] Save tickets and bookings offline
    Border control may ask for a return ticket and accommodation address. Screenshots plus paper copies just in case.
[ ] Sort out money: euro cash and cards
    Cards work almost everywhere, but small bars and market stalls prefer cash. Skip airport exchanges — rates are poor.
[ ] Make copies of your documents
    Photos of passport, visa and insurance in cloud storage; paper copies separate from originals.
[ ] Pack a compact first aid kit
    Fever reducer, painkiller, blister plasters, your regular meds. Farmacias (green cross) cover the rest, though much is prescription-only.
[ ] Sunscreen SPF 30–50
    Southern sun is harsh May through October, and resort-shop sunscreen is overpriced. Add panthenol for sunburn.
[ ] Broken-in walking shoes
    Old towns mean hills, cobblestones and 15–20k steps a day. Seville and Toledo add scorching heat in summer.
[ ] A layer for the evening
    Even southern sea evenings get fresh, and the north (Bilbao, Santiago) is rainy year-round.
[ ] Chargers and a power bank
    Type C/F sockets — European plugs fit; US/UK plugs need an adapter.
[ ] Set up an eSIM or local SIM
    An eSIM beats roaming charges. Keep access to SMS codes from your bank back home.
[ ] Download offline maps and a translator
    Add Spanish to your offline translator: English is limited outside tourist areas, and any Spanish effort is warmly received.
[ ] Plan around the siesta
    Outside tourist zones shops close roughly 2–5 pm. Schedule lunch, beach or a museum for that window.
[ ] Expect late dinners
    Spaniards dine at 9–10 pm; kitchens often stay shut before 8. A restaurant packed at 7 pm is a tourist spot.
[ ] Do lunch as menú del día
    A two-course set lunch with a drink for €12–18 is Spain's best food hack. Look for it on weekdays, 1–4 pm.
[ ] Plan against pickpockets
    Madrid and Barcelona are Europe's pickpocket capitals. Bag in front, nothing in back pockets, phone off the cafe table.
[ ] Book trains in advance
    High-speed AVE tickets cost several times less booked early. Stations have luggage screening — arrive 20–30 minutes ahead.
[ ] Check museums' free hours
    The Prado is free on weekday evenings (6–8 pm), and many museums have free windows. Queues form early.
[ ] Learn the beach flags
    Green — swim, yellow — caution, red — no swimming (fines aside, currents are genuinely dangerous even near shore).
[ ] Know: tap water is mostly drinkable
    In Madrid and most regions it's fine to drink. On some coasts the taste is off — grab supermarket bottled water there.
[ ] Know: tipping is optional
    Rounding up or leaving coins is already generous. Nobody expects 10–15%.
[ ] Kids' documents
    Each child needs their own passport (and visa where required). Bring the birth certificate if surnames differ; check single-parent travel rules.
[ ] UV swim shirt and sun hat for the kid
    Kids' skin burns in 15 minutes; a UPF swim shirt beats sunscreen. Floaties depend on the surf.
[ ] Kids' first aid kit
    Child-dose fever reducer, thermometer, tummy remedies, plasters. Familiar meds beat explaining symptoms at a farmacia.
[ ] Adjust the routine for late dinners
    Spanish kids up at 10 pm on terraces are normal. Shift the nap later, or do early tapas dinners — bar kitchens are flexible.
[ ] Snacks and entertainment for transit
    Offline cartoons and familiar snacks save flights and queues. Churros con chocolate make a great local bribe.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/spain