Spanish Culture and Traditions: A Guide for Living in Spain

Quick answer: Spanish culture runs on a later clock, close family ties and lots of time spent eating together. Expect lunch around 2pm or later, dinner around 9pm or 10pm, two kisses as a social greeting, and strong regional identities with their own languages and festivals. If you are moving there to live or intern, the biggest adjustments are meal times, the long lunch break and how relationship-based work can be.

The daily rhythm: later than you think

Spain eats late, and the whole day shifts with it.

• Breakfast is light: coffee and toast, maybe a pastry.
• Lunch is the main meal of the day and often starts around 2pm or later.
• Dinner is usually around 9pm or 10pm, and later on weekends and in summer.

If you show up at a restaurant at 6pm wanting dinner, you may find the kitchen closed or only snacks on offer.

The siesta today

The idea of everyone napping after lunch is mostly a myth now. In big cities, most people work through the afternoon. What is still real is the long lunch break.

In smaller towns, many shops and local businesses still close in the early afternoon and reopen in the evening. Supermarkets and big chains in cities usually stay open all day. Sundays are quiet almost everywhere, with many shops closed, so plan your grocery shopping around that.

Greetings and everyday manners

• Two kisses on the cheeks are the normal social greeting, even when meeting friends of friends. It is usually a light cheek touch, not a real kiss.
• Handshakes are standard at work, in formal settings and in a first business meeting.
• Say hello and goodbye. A quick "hola" when you walk into a small shop or a lift, and "adiós" or "hasta luego" when you leave, is expected.

For a longer list of what to do and what to avoid, read our guide to dos and don'ts in Spain.

Food culture: tapas, menú del día and sobremesa

• Tapas are small plates shared with drinks. Going from bar to bar for a drink and a tapa is a classic evening out. In the Basque Country, the local version is called pintxos.
• Menú del día is a fixed-price weekday lunch offered by many restaurants. You usually get a starter, a main, bread, a drink and dessert or coffee. It is often the best value meal for interns on a budget.
• Sobremesa is the time spent chatting at the table after the meal is finished. Nobody rushes you out.

Food is also very regional. Paella comes from the Valencia region, and locals take it seriously.

Family and social life

Family is central in Spain. Many young adults live with their parents for longer than in much of northern Europe, and long Sunday lunches with extended family are common.

Social life happens outside. People meet in plazas, bars and on terraces rather than at home, and evenings out start late. Don't be surprised if friends suggest meeting at 10pm. When locals invite you along, say yes.

Regional identity and languages

Spain is not one single culture. Many people identify strongly with their region, and in some places that comes with its own language.

• Castilian (Spanish) is the official language everywhere.
• Catalan is co-official in Catalonia and the Balearic Islands.
• Valencian is co-official in the Valencia region. It is closely related to Catalan.
• Basque is co-official in the Basque Country and parts of Navarre. It is not related to Spanish at all.
• Galician is co-official in Galicia, in the northwest.

In Madrid you will hear Spanish almost everywhere. In Valencia you will see Valencian on street signs and official notices, but everyone also speaks Spanish.

Major festivals and when they happen

• Las Fallas, Valencia (March): the main days run from 15 to 19 March. Huge papier-mâché sculptures fill the streets and are burned on the final night. Las Fallas is on the UNESCO intangible cultural heritage list.
• Semana Santa (March or April): Holy Week before Easter, with religious processions across the country. Seville and other Andalusian cities are the most famous. Dates change every year with Easter.
• Feria de Abril, Seville (spring): usually held about two weeks after Easter. A week of flamenco dresses, sevillanas dancing, horses and private tents called casetas.
• San Fermín, Pamplona (July): runs from 6 to 14 July. It is best known for the morning bull runs.
• La Tomatina, Buñol (August): a giant tomato fight held on the last Wednesday of August in a small town near Valencia. It is now a ticketed event with limited places.

Every town also has fiestas for its patron saint, so check what is on locally.

Christmas and Three Kings

Christmas Eve (Nochebuena) is a big family dinner. On New Year's Eve, people eat 12 grapes at midnight, one for each chime of the clock, for good luck.

The biggest day for children is 6 January, Three Kings Day (Día de Reyes). On the evening of 5 January, towns hold parades called cabalgatas where sweets are thrown to the crowd. On 6 January families exchange gifts and eat roscón de reyes, a ring-shaped cake with a small figure hidden inside.

Work culture in Spain

Spanish offices tend to be friendly and relationship-based. People want to get to know you before they fully trust you, so small talk, coffee breaks and lunch with colleagues matter.

• Punctuality: for work, arrive on time. Meetings may start a few minutes late and run over, but you should not be the one who is late. Social plans are much more relaxed.
• Lunch: many workplaces take a proper lunch break, often with colleagues. Join in when invited.
• Hierarchy: communication is warm and informal, but decisions often still go through the boss.
• August: many businesses slow down or close for part of August while people take their summer holidays.

Feeling a bit thrown by all of this in your first weeks is normal. Our guide to culture shock and how to cope explains what to expect.

Interning in Spain with AIP

AIP runs internships in Valencia and Barcelona. You apply through AIP as normal.

• Language: host companies work in English. Some Spanish makes daily life much easier, so learning the basics before you go is a good idea.
• Visas: EU citizens don't need a visa to intern in Spain. Most other nationalities need a student or internship visa, which usually requires a training agreement. We guide you through it.
• Support: every program includes visa assistance and 24/7 emergency support.

For program options, see our pricing page.

FAQs

What time do people eat in Spain?

Lunch is usually the main meal and often starts around 2pm or later. Dinner is commonly around 9pm or 10pm, and later on weekends and in summer. Many restaurants don't serve full meals at the times visitors often expect.

Do Spanish people still take a siesta?

Most people in cities don't nap on a workday. What survives is a long lunch break and, in smaller towns, shops that close in the early afternoon and reopen in the evening. Supermarkets and big chains in cities usually stay open all day.

How do you greet people in Spain?

In social settings, friends and new acquaintances usually greet with two light kisses on the cheeks. At work and in formal meetings, a handshake is normal. If you are unsure, follow the other person's lead.

Which languages are spoken in Spain?

Spanish (Castilian) is the official language across the country. Catalan, Basque and Galician are co-official in their regions, and Valencian is co-official in the Valencia region. In Madrid you will mostly hear Spanish. In Valencia you will see Valencian on signs alongside Spanish.

Do I need to speak Spanish to intern in Spain?

Not for the internship itself. Host companies work in English. Some Spanish makes daily life much easier though, from ordering food to talking to your landlord, so learning the basics before you go is worth it.

Ready to experience Spanish culture from the inside? Start with our internships in Spain.