Thanks, Dave. I have an iPhone 4s which should work there with a local carrier's sim card.

If your phone works with SIM (GSM 900/1800) it should work in Spain. Buy a SIM chip at the Orange Store - very cheap - 9 euros, and rates to US seem to average about 30 cents per call (about 3-5 minutes or so each).

Last month, when we were there, there was a promotion - the card had 9 euros of time on it, so the card was essentially free.

I strongly recommend the Orange store -- the one were we at was in Sol in Madrid -very convenient location and the people there were exceptionally helpful. They have locations all over the country.

Adding money to the phone was a snap. The Orange store had a machine in which you enter your phone number and cash (bills), and the money is instantly added to your chip.

Like you, we just needed it for minimal contact with home. With the 9 euro credit and an extra 5 euros added later, we we able to make two short calls home a day for ten days plus several local calls to restaurants, etc...very inexpensive way to keep in touch with home.

SS