Sports and Activities
Sport in Spain is dominated by football. Other popular sport activities include basketball, tennis, cycling, handball, motorcycling, Formula 1, water sports, golf, and skiing.
Football is the most popular sport in Spain. La Liga or Primera Division (The Spanish League) is considered by some to be one of the world's best competitions.
Basketball is also a popular sport in Spain. The Spanish ACB is one of the major European basketball leagues.
Spain has produced a number of tennis champions, excelling in tournaments held on clay courts.
The Spanish Handball Liga ASOBAL is one of the best club competitions.
Spain has hosted three Grand Prix motorcycle racing events. They include the Catalan motorcycle Grand Prix, the Spanish Grand Prix, and the Valencian Community motorcycle Grand Prix. Most events have received high attendance numbers.
Cycling has been an important sport in Spain since the 1940s. The Vuelta a España (Spanish for "Tour of Spain") is one of the most important cycling events in the world. Cycling is also popular at a local basis. If you are a driver and going around a bend in the road, beware of large groups of cyclists almost blocking the road, or even cycling along a motorway.
Golf has become very popular among the Spanish. There are a hugh number of courses located in different parts of Spain, especially along the coastal regions.
The Spain men's national Water Polo team is no stranger to the world's elite of this sport.
Skiing is also a very popular sport in Spain. In the past, the sport was under developed for economic reasons. However the improvement of the economy of Spain, helped skiing become an active sport event. It has become affordable, and now three million skiers use the ski areas, that have been modernized in the recent years. In Spain is the southernmost ski resort of Europe, Sierra Nevada.
Rugby union has been played in Spain since the 1920s. Although not as well-known as sports like football and basketball, but it is gaining in popularity.
On a more personal level, you may find it difficult to join in many sports activities unless you are resident in Spain. The one notable exception is Golf, which activity encourages tourist to play. Many golf clubs have hotels in their grounds or close by. The tourist area of the Costa del Sol boasts over 60 golf courses, with over 400 courses in the whole of Spain. Many are listed on this page - Golf.
