Getting Used to Live as a Spaniard

How to be on time everywhere in Spain.

Setas de Sevilla. You can visit the rooftop. It costs 8 euros and you buy the tickets in the basement. Photo by Oh, Dear!

We had a brand new day in Seville and before leaving the hotel, I reminded my loved ones about the very important Spanish schedule. It’s important to know it by heart or otherwise you may find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time and end up having a hard time finding lunch or dinner or any store open.

If you are an early bird you may have a little trouble getting used to this, but most likely you’ll already be suffering a bit of a jet lag, so take advantage of that and allow yourself to sleep in. Life in Spain starts a little later in the mornings. It’s part of its charm. Stores and offices open between 9 am and 10 am, and that’s good once you know how to fit in this new schedule.

9:30 am - You can start off your day having breakfast by ordering a café /cah-feh/ and a tosta de jamón /tohs-tah deh hah-mohn/ (ham sandwich) in a nearby bar and then make your way to some sightseeing. Most stores and tourist attractions open at 10 so you’re right on time!

El Alcázar de Sevilla is a wonderful place to start your visit in the morning. Buy the tickets in person, instead of online, and get a discount! Photo by Oh, Dear!

12:00 pm - Make a quick stop at a bar, but not for lunch, just for a drink and some tapas. This will help you hold up until 2 pm, when you actually go for lunch.

Now you can start looking for a place where to have proper lunch. The process may actually take you two hours. Here are some tips to find a decent restaurant in Spain:

1. Look for a place where they offer a menu, that is, a first and a second dish, dessert or coffee and a drink for a fixed price.

2. Check out restaurants where the menu is displayed or it is handed to you in written form at your request. Do not stop at places where the waiter starts telling you the menu very fast. This is done on purpose to confuse you.

3. Check out busy restaurants where people is sitting down having lunch, not just tapas or raciones, which are bigger plates of food to share. Make sure you can take a look at the food before seating down.

4. Some tourist attractions like la Giralda in Seville are surrounded by plenty of restaurants to choose from. They may not all be great, but they are always so busy that at least you will get fresh food.

One of the nice restaurants we found in Seville is Las Teresas. Photo by Brad Jones

2:00 pm - If you have followed some of the previous tips, you may end up in a good place to eat. Keep in mind the following:

1. In Spain you don’t need to tip, and if you do it’s not 20% of the check as in the US. You can tip one euro if you’re happy with the service.

2. They may charge for the bread, the service, or both. That's how they charge you for the tip.

3. They may bring things to the table that you didn’t order or you ordered in another size. They will charge it to your check if you don’t return it. Don’t think you ordered this and you’re just confused. You didn’t! Send it back!

4. Waiters don’t bring water to the table. You have to order it and in most places they want you to pay for a bottle of water. You can send it back and ask for a simple cup of water from the tap. Also, remember to order your soda with ice, con hielo /cohn eeh-eh-loh/, or you’ll just get a warm drink.

3:00 pm to 4:30 - Take a siesta. A real siesta is 20 minutes long. You can go back to your hotel, rest, and dress up a bit for the evening. In summer, Spain is too hot in the afternoon, and it cools down later on. Also, it gets dark late, at around 9:30 pm, and most stores stay open until then. The smart thing to do is to relax during the hot hours of the day and go out in the evening. Just like the creatures of the deserts do.

5:00 pm to 10:00 pm - Go around the city and stop for more tapas. Some restaurants don't serve dinner or lunch after around 4:00 pm until 7:00 pm. It's time to go sightseeing, stroll around the city and show off your lovely outwear. Have fun!

La Giralda at night, because going during the day was like walking inside an oven. Photo by Oh, Dear!

10:00 pm - Dinner time! Same procedure as for lunch applies.

The area surrounding La Giralda is busy with restaurants and people. Photo by Brad Jones.

Getting used to this schedule can be a bit challenging, specially if you really can't wait until 2 pm for proper lunch. In touristic areas, restaurants will be open at all times, but in smaller towns you may have some trouble finding a restaurant open for lunch at noon or at 4 pm. I hope these tips are helpful and you don’t get tricked while trying to have a traditional Spanish meal. But if it happens, and you ended up in a bad restaurant where they cheated you badly, don't feel bad about it! It happens even to Spaniards. You just need some practice. So don't take it personally, shake it off, and get out there the next day and find yourself some good food. You can do it!

¡Salud!