Traveling in Spain, how do you adapt to their "Ciesta" period of the day?

Question

I heard they take these big breaks, sleeping or partying. Then when the sun goes down, the party starts and keeps going till the early morning hours.

If there is a city in Spain that follows this custom, please mention it.

Answer 1

Well, all the shops, except department stores (El Corte Inglés, Carrefour, Toys"r"us, Aki....), close for about 3 hours; they open at 10 am, close (depending on the shop) between 1.30 or 2 pm; open again between 5 or 5.30 and close between 8 or 8.30. Department stores open at 10 am and close at 10 pm. Restaurants and cafés or bars don´t close in the afternoon break.

The "siesta" is a typical tradition in Spain, which comes from 2 reasons. The main one is that we have that 3 hour break because our main meal is lunch; we don´t eat just a sandwich or an apple or some cornflakes with milk at 12.30 pm. We do cook really elaborated meals: "cocido", "paella", "estofado".... Well, the number of our typical food is endless, but that takes me to the point I´m trying to explain: after eating our main meal between 2 and 3 pm, we do need to have a rest for our digestion!! You know: the blood goes to the stomach and your brains have to "stand by" for a while during that process. Another reason is the weather. If it´s a warm part of Spain, like Andalucía, and if it´s summer time.... then the heat is just terrible and we cannot be outside shopping or doing things during the hottest hours of the day; that´s why in summer some shops open a little later and so close later too. After having your dinner, which is your main meal in many countries, what do you do? You sit down and rest, watch TV, etc. We do that in our afternoon break. Our dinner is usually much lighter (although some people do eat a lot too) than yours. In Europe everything open from 9 or 10 to 5.30 or 6 pm. Here we have shops opened until 8 or 8.30; if you think about it, they are the same working hours but having a bigger break in the middle.

Partying??? Well, we do party, of course, but no every day (or every night until the next morning!!). In summer in Andalucía (I live in Granada), people usually go out of their houses for a walk or to have something in a bar when the sun sets, just because before the only ones who are in the open with that heat are TOURISTS!! Maybe you gather with friends and have "tapas" (snacks) until very late at night; and if you go to discos you can be until 7 am, but it´s not that often, be sure.
My American friends come for a visit every 2 years and they just love following our customs: they have siesta after a big meal at 2.30 pm: they love our meals, our toast for breakfast (with tomato!!) and our wine and "sangria" (a mix of red wine, fanta lemon, sugar and some brandy). I can assure you, it´s very easy to adapt to our customs!!! Hope you´ll have the oportunity soon!!

Answer 2

The smaller shops will tend to follow this tradition, even in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona. They will close from about 2:00 until 5:00 in the afternoon and then open up again for a couple of hours in the evening.
Throughout Spain you'll find that things run on a different schedule. You won't find a proper dinner at 6:00 PM. Most Spaniards don't eat until 10:00 PM or later. And for partying people do start late (some of the more popular clubs won't open until after midnight) and don't shut down until breakfast time.

Answer 3

From my experience, Seville (Sevilla) was the one city that practised this. Other cities such as Barcelona, Granada, Cordoba, Madrid, Ronda didn't seem to just shut down for the afternoon siesta. Just about every shop in Seville shut down at about 2pm and reopened at about 4-5pm when I was there in mid August. Newstands, restaurants (except for a few in the touristy areas), grocery stores ... all shut. It's not too bad though, because with the afternoon sun beating down, it gets really hot. So its a good time to rest and relax and take a nap i guess. In Spain, do what the spanish do, eh.

From what i heard, they take naps during the siesta, get back to work around 4-5, then work till about 8pm, then have dinner. They only go to bed past midnight. What a great place.

Answer 4

Generally speaking, smaller shops (not big department stores and malls) close from 1:30 or 2:00 p.m. until 4 or 5 in the afternoon. Restaraunts and factories don't.
Partying is mainly at weekends.
How to adapt to this period....do what you have to do (shopping) before or after it.

Answer 5

Don't worry about siesta time. Some shops / retaurants will close during siesta, some will open. But, if you have a particular shop / restaurant to go at the siesta time then you better call first.

Answer 6

Madrid certainly does.... Well thats not entirely true as from 2200 on Friday until Sunday 0900 its one long party!

Answer 7

In cities some do others will stay open.