Culture & Etiquette

Lunch is often around 2-4pm and dinner may start after 9pm. Many kitchens close between lunch and dinner, so plan around local hours.

Say hola or buenos dias before making a request. Politeness and warmth matter even in quick shop interactions.

Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia, Andalusia, and other regions have strong identities and sometimes local languages. Avoid treating Spain as culturally uniform.

Pickpocketing is common in busy tourist areas and transit hubs. Use a zipped bag and be careful with phones on café tables.