You can’t name your child "Godzilla" in Spain.

Not Leo Messi, Chanel, or even Juanito.

Here’s a look at the country's banned names — and why they're rejected by Spanish law... 🧵 First, the basics:

Spain guarantees your right to name your child — but that freedom has legal limits.

Those limits are rooted in laws from 1957, updated in 2011, that aim to protect children’s dignity and avoid confusion.

In the 1800s, Barcelona was choking.

Walled in. Overcrowded. Rotting from the inside.

Until one man came along with a vision. And revolutionized urban planning in the process... 🧵 By the mid-1800s, Barcelona was a medieval prison.

Surrounded by 6km of stone walls, packed into 2 km², and overflowing with 187,000 people.

Epidemics ravaged the city. Life expectancy for the wealthy was 36 years. For the poor — it was 23.

In the 1970s, a quiet revolution began in northern Spain.

Led by young chefs with bold ideas — and a deep respect for tradition.

Today, it's a culinary capital of the world. And its movement is only getting started... 🧵 Spain's Basque Country isn’t just beautiful. It’s obsessed.

With food. With flavor. With getting it just right.

“There’s a mania for food here,” Anthony Bourdain said. “A secret society all centered around eating, cooking, and talking about eating and cooking.”

What if I told you one of Spain's greatest architectural minds never built a single monument?

He painted them instead... 🧵

1. View of the Interior of a Cathedral 2. La Iglesia de Santiago el Menor (Lieja)

He painted dreams.
He sculpted nightmares.
He curled his mustache like a weapon.

121 years ago today, Salvador Dalí came into the world — and became a genius, a showman, and even a madman... 🧵 Dalí was born in 1904 in Figueres, Catalonia — just miles from the French border.

His parents named him after his dead older brother, Salvador.

He believed he was his brother’s reincarnation. And it haunted him forever.

The most satisyfing words in the Spanish language to say out loud... 🧵

1. Cojones 2. Cacahuate (Peanut)

The weirdest laws in Spain... 🧵

1. Prostitutes Must Wear Reflective Vests In Els Alamús, Catalonia, sex workers near traffic must wear reflective vests for safety. Not wearing one could mean a €40 fine.

The path was never easy.

But the destination promised something eternal.

It's the most famous pilgrimage in all of Europe. And it ends at a cathedral in northwestern Spain... 🧵 Tucked away in the green and misty hills of Galicia, lies the city of Santiago de Compostela.

Its name means: “Saint James of the Field of Stars.”

And its soul lies in its cathedral.

Spain has a total of 50 UNESCO World Heritage Sites —

The 5th highest number of any country in the world.

Many of them we know and love, but here are 20 that aren’t mentioned often enough...🧵 1. Catalan Romanesque Churches of the Vall de Boí

Each village in the valley features a Romanesque church surrounded by steep mountains.

The largest concentration of Romanesque art in Europe.

How Spain compares to the rest of the EU in 2025 —

The good, the bad, and the ugly...🧵 Starting with the good —

1. Life expectancy in the the EU

1. Spain (84.0 years)
2. Italy (83.8)
3. Malta (83.6)
4. Sweden (83.4)
5. Luxembourg (83.4)
6. France (83.1)
7. Ireland (82.8)
8. Cyprus (82.5)
9. Belgium (82.5)
10. Portugal (82.4)
11. Netherlands (82.0)
12. Slovenia (82.0)
13. Finland (81.7)
14. Denmark (81.6)
15. Austria (81.6)
16. Greece (81.6)
17. Germany (81.2)
18. Czech Republic (80.0)
19. Estonia (78.8)
20. Poland (78.6)
21. Croatia (78.6)
22. Slovakia (78.1)
23. Lithuania (77.3)
24. Hungary (76.9)
25. Romania (76.6)
26. Latvia (75.9)
27. Bulgaria (75.8)

(Eurostat)

20 things most people don't know about Spain... 🧵


1. "Spain’s most expensive wine is not a Rioja/Ribera Del Duero/Catalunya wine. Teso La Monja from the Toro region tops out at 1,500+ per bottle. Low production from rare pre-phylloxera Tempranillo vines make for an exceptional drinking experience for the few who can afford it."

Legend says it was built by the Devil —

But history points to the Romans.

It’s a masterpiece of ancient engineering. And it’s towered above Segovia for over 2,000 years... 🧵 Built around the 1st century AD, the Aqueduct of Segovia is the best-preserved Roman aqueducts in the world.

Of course, it wasn’t just made to impress — but to carry water across centuries.

Most people love Spain for its cities, towns, and beaches.

But head north and you’ll find something far more mystical.

It’s the oldest national park in Spain. And from now until October is the perfect time to visit... 🧵 The Picos de Europa stretch across Asturias, Cantabria, and the Province of León.

Their pale limestone walls slice into the sky like the spines of an ancient beast.

They aren't the tallest mountains in Spain, but they might just be the most dramatic.

Today, Spain celebrates the Community of Madrid —

Whose capital city I'll always call home.

If I someone were to ask me why Madrid is the greatest region on Earth, here’s what I’d say...🧵 At its center lies Madrid, Spain’s capital since 1561.

Chosen by King Philip II for its central location —

And from there, the city grew into the beating heart of the Spanish Empire.

On this day in 1852, a boy was born in a small town in northern Spain.

He’d grow up to change science forever — and map the human brain by hand.

This is Santiago Ramón y Cajal, the Father of Modern Neuroscience... 🧵 Born in Petilla de Aragón in 1852, Cajal was the son of a strict anatomy professor.

As a child, he loved art more than science, and dreamed of becoming a painter — not a doctor.

But his father had other plans.

A case for why Spain is the greatest country on Earth...🧵 1. The Quality of Life

What better measure than how long people live?

Spain ranks 9th worldwide, with a life expectancy of 83.96 years between the sexes.

Gold from the Americas once flowed through its ports.

Flamenco and tapas born in its streets.

This is a love letter to Sevilla — the Pearl of Andalucía... 🧵 Long before Spain existed, Sevilla was Ishbiliya — a major city under Muslim rule.

The Moors transformed it into a cultural capital, with grand mosques, gardens, and palaces.

And their legacy still echoes through its walls today.

Spain has more UNESCO World Heritage Sites than nearly every country on Earth.

From palaces and caves to ruins and cathedrals —

Here are the 20 that you shouldn't miss... 🧵 1. Alhambra, Generalife and Albayzín in Granada

A Moorish masterpiece where Islamic palaces, serene gardens, and a maze-like Muslim quarter bring medieval Granada to life.

A thread for Spaniards —

By 25 foreigners who visited your country.

Their insightful, surprising, and hilarious culture shocks... 🧵 1. "The first morning, I was looking for croissants for breakfast and people were putting tomato purée on bread with olive oil! Gross! I'm now officially addicted to Tostadas con Tomate."

Most foreigners couldn’t find it on a map.

But it tells a story of kings, rebels, and timeless beauty.

Today, Spain celebrates the region of Aragón — one of the best-kept secrets in Spain… 🧵 In the Middle Ages, Aragón was not just a region — it was a kingdom.

And for centuries, it rivaled the most powerful in Europe.

From Zaragoza to Naples, its crown stretched across the Mediterranean.

The world is full of grand cathedrals —

But few match the drama, beauty, and soul of Spain's very best.

This Easter, let's honor the country's 20 most sacred wonders that will change your life forever… 🧵 𝟭. 𝗦𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗮 𝗖𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗿𝗮𝗹

The largest Gothic cathedral in the world — and the final resting place of Christopher Columbus.

It was built over a former mosque, and its iconic Giralda tower once called Muslims to prayer.