How To Send A Letter In Spain

Using Spanish postal services can be a nightmare for an expat due to the need for more information available in English. It gets even more interesting when you notice unusual characters in a Spanish address. Is there anything more perplexing?

Don’t worry; it’s not that difficult if you understand how Spanish post offices and the postal system work.

So Read Further To Learn:

addressing a letter in Spain,
sending a letter in Spain,
sending a parcel in Spain,
and helpful Spanish words for using postal services.

Post Offices In Spain: Correos

Spanish post offices are easily identified by their bright yellow color, blue post horn, and the name Correos.

Correos is the national Spanish postal service provider, as you might expect.

Correos allows you to send documents, telegrams, and parcels. However, Spaniards visit to top up their mobile phone plans or pay for utilities.

It can get quite crowded there, so we recommend going early in the morning. To manage wait times, most of Spain’s larger post offices employ a take-a-number system.

How does the ticketing system function? It’s simple:

Visit a nearby post office.
Select enviar from the machine near the entrance (send).
Take your ticket and look for your number on the screen.

Spanish Post Office Hours

Correos’ hours of operation in Spain vary depending on your location.

They are normally open from 8:30 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. but are closed on public holidays and weekends.

In Spain, How Do You Write An Address?

To send a letter inside or to Spain, you must first learn how to correctly write the Spanish address on the envelope, as the Spanish format is unique.

When sending a letter to Spain, you must include the following information:

the first and last name
country
street
house number
stairwell, floor, and door number (if sending to an apartment)
postal code
City

The building number, as in most European countries, comes after the street name. When discussing an apartment, the address will frequently include the stairwell (ESC), floor number (°), and door number. As if that weren’t confusing enough, some addresses will also include izda (left) or dcha (right) to indicate which side of the building the flat is on.

Addresses in Spain, as you can see, are extremely detailed.

So you might come across something like this:

C/Conde de Xiquena 6, 3º, 1A Izda, 270280, Madrid.

That is, it is building seven on Conde de Xiquena street, the third floor to the left, door 1A.

Useful Abbreviations And Symbols To Understand

C/ (calle): street
Avda. (avenida): avenue
Pso. (paseo): boulevard
Ctra. (carreterra): highway
Esc. (escalier): stairwell
izda. (izquierda): left
dcha. (derecha): right
º symbol (piso): floor

How To Address A Letter To Spain

Let’s put it all together now!

Assume you’ve found an apartment in Spain and a friend or family member wishes to send you a letter. When they ask for your address, write it like this:

Hector Valdés
Calle del Gral Oraá 45, esc A, 2º, 4A
27006 Madrid
Spain

Template In English

[First Name][Last Name]
[Street Name][House Number], [Stairwell], [Floor], [Door]
[Postal Code][City]
[Country]

Template In Spanish

[Nombre][Apellido]
[Calle][Número], [Escalier], [Piso], [Apartamento]
[Código postal][Localidad]
[País]

In Spain, sending a letter is a fairly simple process. Here’s how it appears:

Create a letter or postcard.
Place it in an appropriate-sized envelope.
In the right-hand corner of the envelope, write the recipient’s address.
On the back flap of the envelope, write the return address.
Collect enough stamps to cover the top right corner of the envelope.
Drop it in a yellow mailbox or bring it to a post office near you.

You can also save a lot of time by using the Correos digital service, which will print, envelope, and send your letter for you.

To save time, you can register your letter or postcard online, pay, and print the label before going to the post office.

Where Can I Buy Postage Stamps In Spain?

Stamps and sellos can be purchased online. Postage stamps can also be purchased at post offices (correos), stationery stores (papeleras), and tobacco shops (estancos or tabacs).

Envelopes and stamps can be purchased at any of these locations, though service at tobacco or stationery stores is likely to be faster than at a Spanish post office. And if you’re not sure how many stamps you’ll need, don’t be afraid to ask. Spaniards are usually eager to assist!

How To Send A Parcel In Spain

How To Send Parcels Within Spain

Correos Special Parcel Service is available for domestic shipments.

Simply register your shipment online, pay, print the label, and deliver your package to a nearby post office. If you do not have a personal printer, you can simply take your parcel to the nearest post office, where they will weigh it, print the appropriate label, and mail it to you.

You can also choose the home pick-up option online. Correos will print the label, pick up the parcel, and send it to you for an additional €1.49 fee. It is important to note that this service is only available for shipments within Spain.

How To Send Parcels From Spain To Abroad

While the process of sending a parcel is similar to that of sending a letter, there are mixed feelings about Correos’ international parcel services. In fact, their Trustpilot rating could not be any lower.

Of course, there will be times when you want to send a gift to a friend who lives abroad or when your family wants to send you a small care package. In that case, keep the following in mind:

Restrain From Sending Large Packages And Food Items. The Spanish customs service may become suspicious and search for the package. It will not only cause a delay in delivery, but it may also destroy the contents of your package. Correos accepts no responsibility for this.
Stay On Top Of The Delivery Status Of Your Parcel. When you miss your delivery, couriers may fail to leave a note. They will hold your shipment at the post office for up to 15 days before returning it to you.
Don’t Send Fragile Items With Correos. There is no special handling service for it. Send your fragile items via UPS or DHL instead.
FedEx Should Not Be Used to send packages to Spain because they do not have offices there, and it will take just as long as Correos.
Always Use A Track & Trace Service.

In other words, if you need to ship a high-value, fragile, or urgent parcel to Spain, UPS and DHL are your best bets.

In Spain, Useful Phrases For Going To The Post Office

If you haven’t already learned Spanish, it’s a good idea to memorize the following words to avoid confusion at the Correos counter:

English	Spanish
Mail	El correo
Letter	La carta
Postcard	El postal
Envelope	El sobre
Stamps	Los sellos
Parcel	La parcela
Package	El paquete
Postman	El cartero
Postbox	El buzón
Mailing address	La dirección de correo
Return	La devolución
To buy	Compra
To deliver	Entregar
To track	Rastrear