Spain Local Customs

  Great Fair
by jol1y
 
  • Great Fair
      Great Fair
    by jol1y
  •   Food / Drink
    by Roadquill
  • Not a perfect looking specimen
      Not a perfect looking specimen
    by jol1y
  • Jamon in window to be sliced
      Jamon in window to be sliced
    by BruceDunning
  • RAcks of hanging jamon-ham
      RAcks of hanging jamon-ham
    by BruceDunning
 

Most Viewed Local Customs in Spain

151.

Food / Drink   Barcelona

Food / Drink, Barcelona

 92 Reviews  The locals flock to get all they can of the ham and pasteries that abound around the city. We saw the real store that only sold the jamon, and yes; it is expensive no matter how you cut it, or how... 

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152.

Culture   Madrid

Culture, Madrid

 56 Reviews  In Spain, there's no need for a special reason to go out and celebrate, it's seems like the city is always prepare to go out and have good time. In Madrid, the official fiestas , by calender , are... 

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153.

April Fair   Sevilla

April Fair, Sevilla

 9 Reviews  Next to the Feria you find a huge lunapark, called "Calle del Infierno" - Hell's street. When you walk around there you understand why it got this name. You can find merry go rounds but also some... 

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154.

A matter of Lingo   Palma de Mallorca

A matter of Lingo, Palma de Mallorca

 5 Reviews  In Mallorca, anything goes. You will see old men at cafes drinking beer at ten in the morning, and young people going home from clubbing at four. There is supposedly a drinking age, but no one seems... 

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155.

FREE TAPAS   Granada

FREE TAPAS, Granada

 10 Reviews  We'd read about this, but didn't expect it to be as good as it sounds ... but it is ! We went into 5 bars, and in each one we had different tapas with each beer. Now granted they were not all to our... 

 See All 74 Local Customs in Granada

156.

Food & Drinks   Majorca Island

Food & Drinks, Majorca Island

 5 Reviews  We just returned from Cala Millor resort and had been surprised to discover that practically noone was eating in the diners even as late as 9pm. Tourists and locals were mainly sipping on their drinks... 

 See All 13 Local Customs in Majorca Island

157.

Carnival   Cadiz

Carnival, Cadiz

 19 Reviews  All week long there is always something different to do and see. On the First Saturday there is a Cabalgata (parade) and a kiddie pageant. the Goddess of Carnival is also elected. On Sunday there... 

 See All 63 Local Customs in Cadiz

158.

The Feria del Caballos   Jerez de la Frontera

The Feria del Caballos, Jerez de la Frontera

 8 Reviews  The Feria del Caballo - (Horse Fair) which is held annually in early May in Jerez was a highlight of our holiday. If you want to see a real Andalucian festival with flamenco dress, equestrian pride... 

 See All 16 Local Customs in Jerez de la Frontera

159.

Language   Barcelona

Language, Barcelona

 54 Reviews  Catalunya is a bilingual community. Everybody in Catalunya do speak Spanish (or Castellano as we prefer to call it here), but in fact NOT everybody do speak Catalan (about 60% in Barcelona, less in... 

 See All 447 Local Customs in Barcelona

160.

Gastronomy   Madrid

Gastronomy, Madrid

 50 Reviews  It's a fact that Madrileños love to stay out really late. They eat, they drink and dance till the wee hours, and then they eat chocolate con churros. (I guess they just dance off the fat.) San Gines... 

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161.

Semana Santa   Sevilla

Semana Santa, Sevilla

 10 Reviews  In Seville, they take Holy Week very seriously. Every day, at different times during the day, there are parades, and here is what usually happens for each parade: Groups of nazarenos in robes with... 

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162.

Luxury produce   Palma de Mallorca

Luxury produce, Palma de Mallorca

 2 Reviews  This street, storekeeper, is the equivalent of the Rue de Rivoli in Paris. Under the arcades one recovers all stores of luxury and the big dressmakers who settled in Palma. It is therefore there that... 

 See All 29 Local Customs in Palma de Mallorca

163.

FESTIVALS   Granada

FESTIVALS, Granada

 14 Reviews  This is a free techno/dance festival that takes place every spring just outside Orgiva (although in 2010 it was held in Santa Fe and was much smaller). The site is a quarry and dried-up river bed that... 

 See All 74 Local Customs in Granada

164.

Language   Cadiz

Language, Cadiz

 5 Reviews  Angango: People that usually wear lots of gold and shout and fight about everything and anything. Aro- Shortened from the Castillano word claro which means 'of course'. Bastinazo- An extremely... 

 See All 63 Local Customs in Cadiz

165.

Language and Local Customs   Jerez de la Frontera

Language and Local Customs, Jerez de la Frontera

 6 Reviews  In the Cadiz province no one pronounces the any S in any word. So for example Despues becomes Depue and Estoy becomes Etoy or even toy. This is very useful when you are trying to understand what... 

 See All 16 Local Customs in Jerez de la Frontera

166.

City Highlights   Barcelona

City Highlights, Barcelona

 23 Reviews  During the summer time from 15th to 21st of august, everybody are just waiting to celebrate the Gracia s Party called Fiesta major de Gracia. Gracia is a area in barcelona, this area seems to be... 

 See All 447 Local Customs in Barcelona

167.

Entertainement   Madrid

Entertainement, Madrid

 45 Reviews  During my weekend in Madrid, I enjoyed listening to, and watching the various musicians, playing on the streets of Madrid. Three of my favourites were the trio in my 1st picture, who played near El... 

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168.

Alcoholic Beverages   Sevilla

Alcoholic Beverages, Sevilla

 6 Reviews  Sangria is lovely, because it has lots of fruit in it and I am a big fan of fruit. It is however, rather hard to get hold of Sevilla, if you don`t know where to go. On Calle Mateus Gago, the bar... 

 See All 103 Local Customs in Sevilla

169.

SIESTA   Granada

SIESTA, Granada

 3 Reviews  Shops usually open fom about 9 in the morning and close at 2pm (in Spain the morning (mañana) is considered to be up to 2pm not 12pm). They then open again in the afternoon at about 5:30-6 until... 

 See All 74 Local Customs in Granada

170.

Relics   Cadiz

Relics, Cadiz

 3 Reviews   the business of the relics at the Medieval times was very important. A good church or cathedral with a relic had a promising future and many incomes. Here the one in Cadiz had two, this one is from... 

 See All 63 Local Customs in Cadiz

171.

Fiestas de Otono   Jerez de la Frontera

Fiestas de Otono, Jerez de la Frontera

 1 Review  During the autumn festival in September, the bars in Jerez participate in a competition called Tapa Centro. Over 50 bars take part, and a booklet is published giving the list of bars, their locations... 

 See All 16 Local Customs in Jerez de la Frontera

172.

Sundays / La Sardana   Barcelona

Sundays / La Sardana, Barcelona

 15 Reviews  If you're in Barcelona on a Sunday, try to see the people dancing the Sardana, the Catalan national dance. Try near the Cathedral. When I saw people doing the Sardana it was in the afternoon in the... 

 See All 447 Local Customs in Barcelona

173.

Local Festivities   Madrid

Local Festivities, Madrid

 27 Reviews  FORUM REPLY. I have been in Madrid in May as it is a fine period for the weather between cold winter and super hot summer. No particular problem with the Feria di San Isidro; Madrid is always full of... 

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174.

Flamenco   Sevilla

Flamenco, Sevilla

 6 Reviews  I am by no means an expert on Flamenco, so I would ask you to research a little yourself - you might want to start with the link I gave you below! Flamenco is not the happy, outgoing way of dancing,... 

 See All 103 Local Customs in Sevilla

175.

THE ALHAMBRA   Granada

THE ALHAMBRA, Granada

 4 Reviews  La Alhambra: es una roja fortaleza que domina la ciudad. En el Patio de los Arrayanes se reflejan los palacios y sus filigranas de piedra, en medio del perfume de las plantas aromáticas. Los... 

 See All 74 Local Customs in Granada

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Reviews from VirtualTourist Members

Spanish Elders Always Dress Up

by deecat

We noticed throughout Spain that the elders, both men and women, always dressed up when they went out. The men wore suit coats or sweaters and dress pants; many wore hats and vests. The picture that I took of the older gentlemen in the Plaza in Frigliana is a favorite of mine. I like it so much that I had it enlarged, framed, and it hangs on the wall of the stairs to our second floor.The women always wore dresses. The younger people wore slacks, lots of leather, and many females wore skirts and dresses. We seldom ever saw anyone in jeans, sweat pants, or shorts. They are much less casual than Americans. [Remember, this observation took place in 1999]I like the look. To me, it shows a respect for self. (I know, I'm old fashioned!)

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Bullfighting...

by basstbn

It's not a sport, it's a traditional spectacle - a cultural phenomenon. Some find it gruesome, barbaric, or inhumane, others are captivated by the struggle of man against nature, and enthralled by the color and passion. I confess that I belong to the latter. Sorry animal lovers, it just kind of happened that way. As an Air Force musician in Spain, it was part of our gig to play at a number of bullfights. After several boring, so-so bullfights, I had the great thrill to experience one of those events so exciting it was mesmerizing. Olé! And I was hooked. Just a few photos from those years (1965-1968) are attached.

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Bread with meals

by leplaya

When you go to a sit-down restaurant, bread is always brought to you as soon as you are seated (without you asking for it). The bread usually costs 1 to 3 euros and can add up after a few meals. If you don't want the bread, simply say you don't want it when it is brought. Most tourists don't do this because they are either unaware that they are being charged for it or that they feel like they cannot refuse it.

Tapas

by ant1606

Family or restaurants are always a good option, but what best reflects the atmosphere of the "fiesta" attitude of the Spaniards is to try food at a "tapas" bar. These are lively places where the generally small portions allow to try a good number of recipes available on the menu or the daily specials written on hanging boards. No matter the size of these bars, they always provide a friendly and relaxed ambience. Dinner time is usually very late if compared to other countries habits and, if hungry, why not to step in for an afternoon bite named "merienda".In Sevilla, Adalucia, we experienced one of such places where the owner was airing excellent flamenco tunes from his guitar for the enjoyment of patrons.

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Waiters/Waitresses

by monicarc

Just a tip to my fellow americans heading to spain---but you have to get used to it, b/c you have no choice. the waiters there don't work for tips. They don't care if you need your drink refilled or are low on food. Expect slow service. I am not saying this to be negative about the spainish in the least (my ancestors came from spain), I just don't want all of us americans to look bad. Pitching a fit, asking to speak to managers, does nothing but pepetuate the myth that americans are bad tourists. My husband, who is mexican, thoroughly enjoyed pointing out to me all my fellow american tourists misbehaving while we were recently in spain.

Kiss everytime you meet or say 'Bye'

by Minka007

I experienced a lot of interesting things in Spain. As I mentioned it's different in greeting customs. People are very friendly and kiss each other all the time :)Comparing to Sweden where people not often shake hands.

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Bullfighting

by MichaelFalk1969

This is a controversial topic ... I admit I visited a "corrida" (bullfight). The Spanish are quite serious about bullfighting - a national pastime like soccer in Brazil. Until the bulls come into the ring, they live a rather free life in the open (probably better than most cows, pigs or cage-bred chickens we eat), but their last 15 minutes are a rather sad affair. It is both exciting - reminding me of gladiator fights in ancient Rome - and at times disgusting, when the animal is deliberately weakened before by the "picadores" or the matador "mocks" the animal in the last stage of the fight. I have no final opinion on this matter. Decide for yourself if you want to see a fight.

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Anything goes with regard to beach attire

by AKtravelers

If you are a prude, you might do well to stay away from Spanish beaches. Sunworshippers there can wear as little or as much as they want. We went to the beach in Tarifa and we saw everything from people in shorts and T-shirts to complete nudity. Toplessness was the norm for women. I'll never forget walking down the beach and spying a great white glob in the distance. As I got closer, I realized that it was a humongous, 300-pound northern European lying on his back spead-eagle, stark naked, with his two kids playing around him. It was quite a sight! Later that day a mother and three-year-old child dropped their things right in front of us, stripped naked and went for a swim. As the mother dried the child, they were silhouetted by the setting sun. Nothing could have been more natural or beautiful. Clearly, Europeans are more comfortable with the human body than us Americans. So if bodies...

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I'm really not a hooker, just American...

by AnitaCarrie

When we arrived in Madrid the first day, it was exploration time, and aslong as we used the buddy system our chaperones thought it was fine for us to go around by ourselves. (This was later revised by our tourguide who told us that the area of Madrid we were in wasn't the greatest, and that we could no longer go out without an adult with us). OK, so picture two 15 year old girls walking in the city with shorts/tanktops, and one of them with long blonde hair. As we walked, guys from across the street would yell at us (it is probably a good thing that we had no idea what they were saying...), and whistle almost constantly. After that we packed up our shorts for when we were outside the city...

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FRIED FISH - EL PESCAITO FRITO

by LoriPori

Fried Fish EL PESCAITO FRITO plays an important part in Andalucian gastronomy. Its preparation seems simple, but it requires a special skill for which Spanish cooks are famous. The star of the menu is locally-caught whitebait, although other fish are also popular, such as red mullet, squid ( calamari ), langostines ( large shrimp ), etc. The success of fried fish revolves around the quality of the fish and the talents of the chef. The ingredients needed are fresh fish, virgin olive oil, salt and flour and it is absolutely essential to use clean oil, to make it very hot and to use a deep frying pan.

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Local Customs: Cities in Spain
  1. Barcelona Local Customs
  2. Madrid Local Customs
  3. Sevilla Local Customs
  4. Palma de Mallorca Local Customs
  5. Granada Local Customs
  6. Benidorm Local Customs
  7. Ibiza Local Customs
  8. Isla de Tenerife Local Customs
  9. Málaga Local Customs
  10. Majorca Island Local Customs
  11. Torremolinos Local Customs
  12. Isla de Gran Canaria Local Customs
  13. Isla de Lanzarote Local Customs
  14. Marbella Local Customs
  15. Valencia Local Customs
  16. Bilbao Local Customs
  17. Cadiz Local Customs
  18. Salou Local Customs
  19. Córdoba Local Customs
  20. Benalmádena Local Customs
  21. Nerja Local Customs
  22. Alicante Local Customs
  23. Santiago de Compostela Local Customs
  24. Jerez de la Frontera Local Customs
  25. Isla de Fuerteventura Local Customs
  26. Fuengirola Local Customs
  27. Salamanca Local Customs
  28. Las Palmas de Gran Canaria Local Customs
  29. Mijas Local Customs
  30. Lloret de Mar Local Customs
  31. Girona Local Customs
  32. Toledo Local Customs
  33. Tarragona Local Customs
  34. San Sebastián Local Customs
  35. Adeje Local Customs
  36. Segovia Local Customs
  37. Corralejo Local Customs
  38. Santander Local Customs
  39. Ronda Local Customs
  40. Minorca Island Local Customs
  41. Alcudia Local Customs
  42. Almería Local Customs
  43. Santa Cruz de Tenerife Local Customs
  44. Puerto de la Cruz Local Customs
  45. Estepona Local Customs
  46. Sitges Local Customs
  47. Isla de Formentera Local Customs

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Q:  Hi everyone, I really need some help to decide where to bring my young family this year for holiday. I am keen on going to the... 

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A: all there is child friendly catering to families like yours. Great area indeed. y ou can check on destination above tips by posters like us or the tourist office... 

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