Spain: good to know
The general-information half of trip planning: how expensive Spain feels, what is considered polite, what is not, and the everyday practicalities - alongside our 432 written places.
Life runs late and loud; the evening paseo and a long lunch are institutions.
✓ Considered polite
- Adjust your clock: lunch around 14:00, dinner from 21:00
- Greet with two cheek kisses in social settings
- Order in rounds of shared plates - tapas are for the table
- Learn a little Spanish; regional languages like Catalan are a point of pride
✗ Better avoided
- Expect much open between 14:00 and 17:00 in smaller towns
- Wear beachwear away from the beach - many towns fine it
- Hurry - service is unhurried by design, not neglect
- Confuse regional identities; Basque, Catalan and Andalusian cultures differ deeply
Worth knowing
- Tipping is small change, not a percentage
- Cards work everywhere, though tiny bars may prefer cash
- Museums often free on set evenings - check ahead
- Menu del dia weekday lunch menus are the best food value in the country
Plugs and voltage: Wikipedia, «Mains electricity by country» (after the IEC World Plugs list), read 15 October 2026.
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Keep planning
Customs are living things - regions differ, cities relax, generations shift. Take these notes as a friendly head start, watch what locals do, and when in doubt a smile and a greeting in the local language cover almost everything.