Spain etiquette and culture: dos, don'ts and local customs

Etiquette itself costs nothing. What changes your trip is when you go, how long you stay and what you spend on food and drink at Spanish hours.

Schengen rules apply to non-EU visitors: US, UK, Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Irish passport holders can generally stay 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, and the EU Entry/Exit System is being rolled out at borders (check).

A handshake is the safe first move with anyone you have just met, in shops, hotels and offices. Between friends, and often between women or mixed groups, two cheek kisses (starting on the left in most of Spain) are normal; wait for the other person to offer before you lean in. In Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, a local-language greeting is appreciated but Spanish works everywhere.

Small talk is warm and direct. Asking about family, work and where you are from is normal. Football, food and regional identity are safe topics; the Civil War and Franco are not casual chat. Spaniards often speak over each other in conversation, which reads as interest, not rudeness.

Use tú with people your age or younger and in casual settings; use usted with older people, officials and anyone you want to show respect to. In shops, buenos días before 14:00, buenas tardes until about 20:00, buenas noches after that.

The Spanish day runs late. Breakfast is light, coffee and toast around 08:00–10:00. Lunch is the main meal, roughly 14:00–15:30, and dinner starts at 21:00, later in summer and in Madrid. Restaurants that serve tourists all day exist in city centres, but the good ones keep Spanish hours. If you want an early dinner, look for a bar serving raciones and tapas rather than a full menu.

Tipping is optional. Rounding up is normal; 5–10% is generous for good table service. Leave it in cash on the table or add it before paying by card. Bar staff are not tipped per drink.

At a bar, you order and pay at the counter; at a table, you wait to be served. Menú del día at lunch is the best value of the day, usually three courses with bread and a drink. Splitting the bill is common among friends, but one person often pays for the group in rounds.

The siesta is real but limited: outside big cities and tourist areas, small shops and some offices close for roughly two to three hours in the early afternoon, often about 14:00–17:00, and reopen into the evening. Supermarkets, chains, pharmacies in cities and most places in Madrid, Barcelona and coastal resorts stay open through the day. Plan museum and shop visits for the morning or after 17:00 if you are in a small town.

Sundays and public holidays: many shops close, though some city-centre and coastal shops open. Museums often have reduced hours or free slots. Restaurants fill up; book or eat early by Spanish standards. August is the big holiday month, when some family-run places shut for two to four weeks (check).

Pharmacies display a green cross; each area has a 24-hour rota pharmacy posted on the door. Emergency number 112 covers police, fire and ambulance; 091 is the national police and 062 the Guardia Civil.

Dress is casual but tidy. Beachwear stays on the beach; cover up for shops, restaurants and public transport. For churches, cover shoulders and knees, and remove hats. Some cathedrals ask for silence and no flash photography during services. In the Basque Country and Catalonia, local identity is sensitive; avoid jokes about separatism.

Queues are looser than in the UK or US; in bars and small shops, ask quién es el último? (who is last?) and remember who came before you. Smoking is banned indoors in bars and restaurants. Public drinking is restricted in some cities and regions, with fines in places such as Madrid and Barcelona (check).

Punctuality is relaxed for social meetings, less so for tours, trains and business. Trains and long-distance buses leave on time; arrive early at stations for security checks.