2. When foreigners first arrive to Spain they find
out that their culture is totally different to
Spanish in several ways. Some of Spanish
habits we can find a bit difficult to get used to
and we can also find others interesting and
new. By living in this beautiful country for
some considerable amount of time and
meeting inhabitants of big cities like Madrid
or Barcelona we are able to experience life of
people known for their friendliness.
3. It seems that people in Spain, especially
young people tend to be late everywhere,
and it is sometimes fashionable to be late to
some extent. In general, people in many
cities of Spain tend to leave for the parties
very late, so for example if you decide to
meet at 9 pm, it is a perfectly normal hour.
4. Spanish people like to party and Madrid is the
place most known for it. There are so many
different clubs that you can go to and still have
many more to discover. What they drink
is beer and tinto de verano (wine mixed with
softs drinks such as soda). Sangria is not
something so commonly drunk among young
people, but tourists normally do not leave Spain
without trying it at least once. Of course, they
also make stronger drinks.
There are also many places where you can get in
for free till a certain hour (especially ladies).
5.
6. In general, Spaniards do not like mornings. They like sleeping as
long as they can and then go to bed very late instead. That is why
you will not meet many people out in the streets very early and
oftentimes, shops do not open before 9 or 10am, which is also
something foreigners have to get used to when they are staying in
Spain during holidays. Siesta is normally two-hour long break (2-
4pm) for taking a rest after eating lunch. During that time the
streets are emptier than at other times of the day and many shops
are closed. But generally, this is not as common as it may seem
because many people cannot afford it: they have classes or to work
during that time.
7. When you meet a friend, you give each
other two cheek kisses: left and right. That
is also something you do when you meet
someone new or when you are leaving. So
you will be sharing plenty of kisses there as it
is considered rude if you do not do it. It is a
common way of greeting someone in France
and Italy as well, but not in Poland where
even a hug is considered a bit much in many
cases. In Poland, when you meet someone,
you just wave to them or shake hands if it is
somebody new.
8.
9. People living in the eastern country of Iberian
peninsula are passionate. It can be
about football where you can see thousand of
fans cheering their team with all the amenities
needed: dresses, logos, whistles - you name it. It
can also be about bullfights. Attend one of such
events and you will see how loudly people cheer
and how much they enjoy watching it. It can be
about politics where opposite thinking sides
quickly get to a heated conversation with a high
conversation volume. It can be about dancing,
such as flamenco. Not all Spaniards are
passionate about all the typical things but one
could say that they have it ''in their blood'' to
commit themselves to something they care about
by defending it till the last drop of blood.
10.
11. In general, Spaniards are more
open to chat than most other
European cultures. You can find
yourself in the middle of a
conversation as randomly as
getting on a night bus where
you are talking to a lady about
her flat she is trying to rent.
When you ask for help, they
will try to help you as much as
they can. They can also give
you something for free after
making a short friendly talk to
them. And above all, Spaniards
are simply very kind and
tolerant people.
12. Using modern applications and social media
became something typical for most of people.
Spaniards are no different. Most people have
their own Facebook account but many do not
use it very often so chances of getting
someone's reply soon are much higher if you
have their phone number and text them on
Whatsapp app instead. Also, it is a more
discrete method of communication since you
do not get to check their previous posts and
pictures and often you do not even know their
full name.
13.
14. Spaniards in general speak a lot. Their way of
speaking depends on the part of the country
where they come from: it is slower in the north,
medium in the centre (Madrid) and faster in the
south. There are also different accents based on
their location.
15. As foreigners figure out really soon after they
touch down in Spain that not many people there
are willing to speak English, and what is more –
even if they do they actually cannot speak it
well. Not even in cities as big as Madrid and
Barcelona. Not even many young people going to
university. Sometimes, not even people working
in a tourist office. So basic knowledge of Spanish
will certainly be of great benefit there.
However, even people that cannot speak English
still are willing to help you so you could get
a sign language help – again, Spaniards are really
kind and helpful.
16. Religion plays a big role in Spanish culture.
You can see many churches in the places you
visit, often very ornamented and majestic.
Spain is also home of the most famous church
in the world: Sagrada Familia. Spain has a
long and rich religious history. The Santiago
de Compostela trail for pilgrims, takes place
through the northern part of Spain. It is very
famous and many people are doing it every
year, sleeping in ''albergues'' - hostels
especially for pilgrims.
17. An example of albergue
Santiago de Compostela
Sagrada
Familia in
Barcelona
18. The people of Spain love their food. In fact,
the typical Spaniard probably eats more food
in a day than most people in the United
States. However, they take their time eating,
spread their meals throughout the day, and
walk between meals.
