Got mine in the mail today. Do it asap if you can because you have to send in the originals of your documentation (I used my birth certificate) and you don’t get it back until a week or so after getting your passport. I’m probably just paranoid, but I have no desire to be waiting on the next administration to send my birth certificate back.

Spain is the worlds 2nd tourist destination, and tourism is one of the major economic sectors. Spain really takes care of the tourism sector. It’s the fourth largest EU economy, A totally democratic, safe country: 303 gun related crimes to 37.000 in the US annually. Europe is very safe as a whole. The coast boasts some of Europe’s best beaches, including the Canary islands, a subtropical paradise, incredibly diverse (everything between snow in the Teide mountain, to literal deserts with places like La Palma island, a lush island) . You have the Ireland like green north coast to the dry, desert like south. There is an area, Almeria, that hosts the only real desert in Europe, where tons of western movies were filmed. Spain ranks 5th in world UNESCO sites, nature and cultural sites.

Do some research, and avoid tourist traps like Barcelona, Benidorm, Magaluf, etc. Places that cater to cheap mass tourism. Spain is literally chock-full of great places, nature and culture. to visit outside the usual tourist traps. Also, tourist traps tend to attract petty crime characters, like elsewhere in the world. Pickpockets and such.

Madrid is a massively underrated global city. Sophisticated and avant-garde at the same time, with a great night life, world class cuisine, and plenty of little gem restaurants. People are friendly if you don’t act as the quintessential entitled asshole tourist. Be humble and have a positive attitude. You are a guest, after all. It pays off.