52 Quotes About Spain That Capture the Vibrant Spirit of Iberia

Nestled in the heart of the Iberian Peninsula, Spain exudes an allure that has inspired countless souls throughout the ages. From its sun-drenched beaches to its historic cities, Spain is a land of remarkable character and charm.

Here, we explore quotes about Spain that offer a glimpse into the essence of this splendid country. Drawing from the words of poets and the insights of travelers, these quotes point to what makes Spain truly special.

From Barcelona’s bustling streets to Andalusia’s sweeping plains, Spain’s allure is captivating. Here, we present the top 10 quotes from poets, philosophers, and travelers, that offer a glimpse into Spain’s soul.

1. “Spain is a fascinating mix of people, languages, culture and food, but if there is one thing all Spaniards share, it’s a love of food and drink.” — José Andrés

2. “For austere and gracious allegory, as for so much of its mysticism and its chivalry, it’s ardors and its endurances, the world is in debt to Spain.” — Helen Waddell

3. “Italy valued cathedrals while Spain valued explorers. So worldwide, five times as many people speak Spanish than Italian.” — Neil deGrasse Tyson

4. “Spain, that beautiful country of wine and songs.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

5. “Somebody once asked me…what I most loved about living in Spain. I pondered for a bit, considering the culture, the people, the sunshine, the architecture, the music, the cities, the landscape …But I eventually came to the conclusion that the one thing I really could not do without was having my own orange trees. Apart from the beauty of those gorgeous oranges shining from amongst the deep, dark foliage, there’s the delight of idly picking one as you pass a tree, and meditatively peeling and eating it segment by segment.” — Chris Stewart

6. “Any reasonable, sentient person who looks at Spain, comes to Spain, eats in Spain, drinks in Spain, they’re going to fall in love. Otherwise, there’s something deeply wrong with you. This is the dream of all the world.” — Anthony Bourdain

7. “The culture of modern Spain is something many people are still discovering.” — José Andrés

8. “Cubism is a part of the daily life in Spain, it is in Spanish architecture. The architecture of other countries always follows the line of the landscape . . . but Spanish architecture always cuts the lines of the landscape.” — Gertrude Stein

9. “Cadiz is a city of magic, like Cracow or Dublin, to set the mind on fire at a turn of a corner. The eye is continually fed, the imagination stirred, by a train of spectacles as charming as if they had been contrived.” — Honor Tracy

10. “Every country gets the circus it deserves. Spain gets bullfights. Italy the Church. America Hollywood.” — Erica Jong

11. “One of the gifts that the Camino offers is the freedom to be yourself. This freedom is liberating.” — Jane V. Blanchard

12. “In the middle of the sixteenth century, Spain was the incubus of Europe. Gloomy and portentous, she chilled the world with her baneful shadow.” — Francis Parkman

13. “In Spain, the dead are more alive than the dead of any other country in the world.” — Federico Garcia Lorca

14. “It is somehow typical of Spain—of the flashes of magnanimity that you get from Spaniards in the worst of circumstances. I have the most evil memories of Spain, but I have very few bad memories of Spaniards. I only twice remember even being seriously angry with a Spaniard, and on each occasion, when I look back, I believe I was in the wrong myself. They have, there is no doubt, a generosity, a species of nobility, that do not really belong to the twentieth century.” — George Orwell

15. “For one person who likes Spain there are a dozen who prefer books on her.” — Ernest Hemingway,

16. “Like Spain, I am bound to the past.” — William Burroughs

17. “Granada is like the beautiful, delicate land of our dreams; all those who see her, dream of visiting her again.” — François-René de Chateaubriand

18. “In a unified and diverse Spain, based on the equality of and solidarity between its people, there is room for all of us. And for all of our feelings and sensitivities and our distinct ways of being Spaniards.” — Felipe VI

19. “The Spanish economic system is like a game of musical chairs, in which there are only half as many seats as there are performers.” — Gerald Brenan

20. “To this day the Arab influence is evident in southern Italy, northern Africa and, above all, in Spain.” — Carroll Quigley

21. “The light, colors, and energy of Ibiza are still constant sources of inspirations for my work. I always leave Ibiza recharged and full of ideas for new shades, looks, and products.” — Charlotte Tilbury

22. “The region that has moved me the most is Castilla. There is a moving melancholy in Castilla. Things acquire extraordinary vigour there. A figure standing on that great plain takes the proportions of a colossus.” — Joaquín Sorolla

23. “The air soft as that of Seville in April, and so fragrant that it was delicious to breathe it.” — Christopher Columbus

24. “Ronda is the place where to go if you are planning to travel to Spain for a honeymoon or for being with a girlfriend. The whole city and its surroundings are a romantic set. Nice promenades, good wine, excellent food, nothing to do.” — Ernest Hemingway

25. “Madrid is a strange place anyway. I do not believe anyone likes it much when he first goes there. It has none of the looks that you expect of Spain. Yet when you get to know it, it is the most Spanish of all cities, the best to live in, the finest people, month in and month out the finest climate. It is in Madrid only that you get the essence. The essence, when it is the essence, can be in a plain glass bottle and you need no fancy labels. But when you can have the Prado at the same time as El Escorial two hours to the north and Toledo to the south, a fine road to Avila and a fine road to Segovia, which is no distance from La Granja, it makes you feel very badly, all question of immortality aside, to know that you will have to die and never see it again.” — Ernest Hemingway

26. “If you are thinking about walking the Camino, do not hesitate. Just go.” — Yoonjin Song

27. “I like the south of Spain, notably for the Moorish vigour and the weather.” — Alexei Sayle

28. “I live where I would like to live. I live in Majorca, Spain, and I am not sure there are better places.” — Rafael Nadal

29. “You’d have a hard time finding anything better than Barcelona for food, as far as being a hub. Given a choice between Barcelona and San Sebastián to die in, I’d probably want to die in San Sebastián.” — Anthony Bourdain

30. “Málaga, a martini of the sea.” — Rafael Pérez Estrada

31. “The haunting of history is ever present in Barcelona. I see cities as organisms, as living creatures. To me Madrid is a man and Barcelona is a woman. And it’s a woman who’s extremely vain. One of the great Catalan poets, Joan Maragall, wrote this famous poem in which he called Barcelona the great enchantress, or some kind of sorceress, and in which the city has this dark enticing presence that seduces and lures people. I think Barcelona has a lot of that.” — Carlos Ruiz Zafón

32. “I love dancing and music from Latin cultures. I went to a flamenco show in Spain, and it completely took my breath away.” — Torrey DeVitto

33. “I tried to photograph the mysterious, true and magical soul of popular Spain in all its passion, love, humour, tenderness, rage, pain, in all its truth; and the fullest and most intense moments in the lives of these characters, as simple as they are irresistible, with all their inner strength.” — Cristina Garcia Rodero

34. “Nature and man are opposed in Spain.” — Gertrude Stein

35. “Use the guides and maps to lead you to Santiago; use the lessons learned on the Camino to find your way.” — Jane V. Blanchard

36. “Spain – a great whale stranded on the shores of Europe.” — Elizabeth Oakes Smith

37. “Spain is an overflow of sombreness . . . a strong and threatening tide of history meets you at the frontier.” — Wyndham Lewis

38. “The goatherds were the poorest people of Spain. Probably they were the richest.” — Jose Mujica

39. “In rural Spain, at least, it is far better to arrive than to travel, however hopefully.” — Honor Tracy

40. “It was in Spain that [my generation] learned that one can be right and yet be beaten, that force can vanquish spirit, that there are times when courage is not its own recompense. It is this, doubtless, which explains why so many, the world over, feel the Spanish drama as a personal tragedy.” — Albert Camus

41. “An ivory tower should be built to protect the Basque people and their language, to ensure that this jewel does not disappear.” — Nikolai Marr

42. “Heroic ages are not and never were sentimental and those daring conquistadores who conquered entire worlds for their Spain or Portugal received lamentably little thanks from their kings.” — Stefan Zweig

43. “In Spain, if you don’t follow football, you’re dead. You don’t have a conversation.” — Garbine Muguruza

44. “In Spain, you can go into any Tapas bar, and you’ll see anchovies all over the menu.” — José Andrés

45. “But I would sooner be a foreigner in Spain than in most countries. How easy it is to make friends in Spain!” — George Orwell

46. “In Spain, actresses work until they are old. That’s my plan.” — Penelope Cruz

47. “I cook croquetas, and I eat Jamon. I keep my diet 100% Mediterranean and drink my Rioja. In that sense, I have a piece of Spain in West Hollywood.” — Paz Vega

48. “We don’t look at teachers as scholars the way they do in Europe. In Spain you’re called a professor if you’re a high school teacher, and they pay teachers – they pay teachers in Europe.” — Frank McCourt

49. “I’ll get seven hours sleep a night, but after breakfast, I’ll have an hour just resting, to recover. In Spain, they all have siestas, even business-men.” — Anthony Joshua

50. “(In Spain) there is no formal recognition of manhood. There are no investment ceremonies, no visible emblems, no curtain calls. Endorsed rather than ordained, manhood remains forever in doubt, requiring daily demonstration.” — David D. Gilmore

51. “I’ve always said that playing rugby in Spain is like being a bullfighter in Japan.” — Javier Bardem

52. “Nobody goes to bed in Madrid until they have killed the night. Appointments with a friend are habitually made for after midnight at the cafe.” — Ernest Hemingway

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