Communicate with Spain banks

Clarify your intent with letters of communication to the larger banks of Spain. These "federal" institutions will be more accustomed to dealing with overseas customers banking in Spain than, say, the single branch of "Tres Torros" in Salamanca. Make your goals known to the banking institutions that have the staff and tools to accommodate your transactions.

I recommend: As one of the largest commercial banks in Spain, the central Banco de Espana or "Bank of Spain" should be able to help overseas customers establish themselves in pretty much any region. Santander Central Hispanico is rated among the top Spain banks.

Match your bank to your region of interest

This step is super-important, and to understand why, you need to know about the history of the Spanish provinces. Over centuries of political turmoil, the various "comunidades" of Spain have proudly held to their own cultural identities and even their own provincial languages, making Spain one of the loosest confederations in the Western world. As a result, you will have much better results dealing with a bank that operates under the local government of the area you are investing in. For Barcelona and all of the Costa Brava (Mediterranean coast) this means dealing with Catalan banks. For the central Castilian region, you'll want banks based in Madrid. For Basque areas, you'll want to deal with Basque or "euskadi" banks. Use this cultural knowledge to your advantage or ignore it at your peril.

I recommend: In Catalunya, large banks include La Caixa and the Caixa Catalunya. For a Galician Spain bank (a western province) try the Banco Gallego. Knowing communities is a good tool for banking in Spain.

Find banks with a good online presence and English web pages

This twofold strategy will help you deal with your Spanish banks whether you're in or out of the country. Internet banking has made large inroads in Spain, and its convenience will be especially helpful to foreigners. Investment banks in Spain use handy web-based technology to help users all over the world manage their investments.

I recommend: Bankinter is among the largest banks of Spain. Experts recommend it for online banking in Spain, and its website has English capability. Banco Zaragosano also has a website in English. Look for these in a directory of banks in Spain with online resources.