vegetarian and visiting madrid, seville, toledo and other cites in Spain

It is hard to avoid ham in Spain. But for tapas you can generally tell by looking or generally description. Lots of potatoes and other vegetables dishes. As for vegetarian restaurants I have no idea if looking for exclusively vegetarian. Most restaurants have vegetarian options or at least no meat options. But it going to be hard to experience Spanish and regional foods without a lot of ham. The pig is very popular in Spain.

Ham is ubiquitous (even had ham flavored potato chips added to one meal). However I did fine the way I handle a meat-heavy menu in the US – relying on side dishes, salads, omelettes, sandwiches, and some soups. Potato omelettes are really common. I think vegan would be much harder than vegetarian. I can't recommend specific restaurants because I don't spend a lot of time in formal restaurants when I travel. I also was ok if a little chopped ham showed up in something – I tried to eat around it, but it wasn't the end of the world. Some flexibility was helpful.

Staying in an apartment would give you more options since you wouldn't have to deal with this at every meal.

Thanks all for your prompt replies. However, based on your comments, still looking for advice as to what to say, or ask for. I don't want to just asume that the side dishes - or omlets- or salads - or potatos - don't have traces of things I can;t see or aren't obvious.
Even in the United States, I have ordered salad and it came with chicken on top - and the waitstaff has said, can't you just take off the chicken. As for eggs, they can be cooked in all sorts of things or on the same griddle as meats, etc.

So, for Spain - any advice of how to make clear that I would want something that was prepared without meat, fish, pork, etc as opposed to none being "visable" We have managed fine in other European cities, perhaps it will be the same in Spain, but based on the comments thus far I just want to be prepared. Thanks.

We loved this vegetarian restaurant in Toledo:

http://www.restaurantemadretierra.com/

Tapas restaurants should be fine---you just need to figure out what to order. The potato "omelette" referred to above is the classic Spanish tortilla. The standard version has egg, potato, and possibly onion but no ham. It would be called something else of there were ham in it. The tortilla is cooked in olive oil in a dedicated pan, so there shouldn't be any contamination issues.

Or try patatas bravas---simply sautéed potato cubes with hot sauce, no ham in sight. There may be piquillo peppers stuffed with cheese, but watch out for bacalao as that is codfish.

We found a tapas restaurant in Barcelona that had the menu divided into meat, fish, and vegetarian sections, making it easy. Maybe there will be similar places where you are going.

This is rough Miami guy. A vegetarian going to the country that makes, arguably the best cured pork products to be found on the globe, is a lot like sending a celiac to go enjoy the food scene in Paris.

That being said, I think the best answer to your recent question would be to have this phrase at the ready: "Tengo que comer solo algos vegetarianos" (I can only eat things that are vegetarian). That would be the most emphatic way I can think of to plainly say it.

Also, one of the truest expressions of vegan eating that you'll find on menus all around that region, especially in Sevilla, is Padron peppers pan-fried in olive oil. 'Pimientos de Padrón' ! ,... keep an eye out for them.

Actually, we had a great time in Paris and I'm sure the same it will be for Spain. All of your comments here though have confirmed everything that I have read about difficulties for vegetarians. so thanks to everyone for all your advice and suggestions.. I was hoping we will be able to eat more than olives -

Please view this page for vegetarian restaurants around the world, http://www.happycow.net/browse.html There is also an app you can download.

Although I have not traveled to Spain, I am vegan and carried translation cards with me for Netherlands, Germany, Italy and France. This worked great especially in smaller restaurants. Often the waiter would take the card back to the kitchen, then would come out and point to what would work for me on the menu. In my experience, waiters were eager to help me figure out something to eat.

There are a number of Vegerarian translation cards you can download from online sites including these. There are some sites where you can purchase translation cards, but really the free ones seem to say the same things.

http://veg.ca/2013/01/17/vegetarian-travel-translation-cards/
http://www.worldaccent.com/blog/2012/10/vegetarian-translation-card.html#download

I did use the Happy Cow app Kimberly links to and found it just moderately helpful. I did connect thru my hotel wifi ahead of time to look for restaurants nearby and sometimes that worked out and sometimes it did not. I really found it easier just to read menus when I was looking for a place for a meal. I did look ahead of time for some restaurants with vegan options in Paris and that worked fine.

Thanks again for everyones helpful advice. Those downloads with the different languages are great.
I will always travel with them.

In Madrid, the serious vegetarians flock to the Plaza de la Paja; all the cafes and restaurants around it have good veggie choices, and the ones on the north edge are exceptionally good -- Taberna Bilbao and El Estragon -- but you can find tasty cruelty-free items all around that area. Note that it's a little hilly. This is one of the spots where academics hang out, so take that as either a recommendation or a warning, depending.

(While you're over there, poke around to find some unlabeled walled gardens and re-purposed masjid buildings, but don't tell anyone else what you find.)

A general tip is that many bars and cafes will have a starter or side dish of grilled vegetables drizzled with herbs and oil that may very well rival what we have here in the Bay Area.

A general warning is that croquetas and similar fried items will not always be labeled as involving pigs, but believe me, they involve pigs.

Thanks for your tips and recommendations. We have learned to be very careful by not just going with our eyes, but asking about ingredients. Our lesson was learned years ago when we ordered pasta - which seemed like a safe bet. After the waiter proudly delivered the pasta to our table - before we actually had any - just as an aside he happen to mention the secret ingredient "squid ink". After that, we always ask.