Destination: SPAIN
Things To Know Spain Today From Pyrenees to Portugal Diversities of Spain Spanish Characters Cities, Towns and Villages Spanish Lifestyle Traveling in Spain Spanish Passions The Moorish Occupation	Spanish Lifestyle Daily life in Spain differs in one major way from other southern European countries; mealtimes are very late. Breakfast in hotels is served from around 7:30 until 9:30 or 10. Most Spaniards rise early and eat very little first thing, so they are ready for a snack around 11. This delays lunch until 2 at the earliest, and therefore dinner is often around 10:30 p.m. or later. An early start means you can take advantage of the cool mornings, vital in a country where air-conditioning is not universal. Virtually everything - stores, offices, churches and museums - closes from 1 until 5, and most people sleep after lunch for a couple of hours, during the fabled siesta. This bypasses the worst heat and leaves people ready to stay up late and enjoy the comparatively fresh evening air. It's a pleasure to sit at a café or restaurant table until 1 or 2 in the morning, as long as you've had a midday rest. You'll find that most entertainment begins very late, around 10 p.m., and clubs don't get going until the early hours of the morning. Along the Mediterranean coast things are more geared toward foreigners, and you should be able to have dinner soon after 8:30 p.m. Spain is a deeply Catholic country. When you visit churches, cover the tops of your arms and shoulders and avoid wearing shorts. The many local fiestas held in every town and village are always in honor of the Virgin or some favorite local saint, and if you get the chance to watch one, you will see how religion plays an integral part in everyday life.	COUNTRY Introduction Things To Know Survival Guide TimeLine Essential Info REGION CITIES Madrid Barcelona Santiago Seville MAPS World Europe TRAVEL BOOK