I know a tourist visa is only good for 90 days. Up to this point everyone has told me that I simply need to leave Spain and come back within that time to renew it; a weekend trip to France would suffice.

BUT...today a Uraguyan told me that he thinks I have to go to a country OUTSIDE the European Union for this to count.

Can anyone confirm this? If indeed true, as far as I know Switzerland is not part of the E.U. (unless Spain has some special deal worked out with them in this regard), and Morroco is not far at all. These seem the logical places to spend a weekend and renew my passport on the way back.