Many of us aspire to live in Spain, but what is daily life actually like in Spain? Even routine activities like breakfast and shopping may differ from what we are accustomed to in the UK. Here's some insight into our way of living here on the Costa del Sol...

Queueing!

We queue politely and patiently in the UK, but the Spanish do not.

Well, not in the way that we know it. A more accurate statement would be that Spaniards don't "stand in line". Learn this quickly because if you don't, you might become very irritated and angry when people get in front of you when you think it's your turn.

Insider's knowledge: if you go to the bank, you'll see people standing or sitting there. Ask to find out who is next in line and when it is your turn. The way to ask someone who is last in Spanish is, "¿Quién es el último?" (If the joker in the pack pipes up and shouts "you are!" then someone else more useful will probably give you the answer you´re looking for.

Breakfast (In Spanish: Desayuno)

Spaniards tend to leave the house without even having a small breakfast. About an hour after starting work, office workers frequently eat breakfast in cafés.

The typical breakfast might include the following:

• A pastry
• Churros (fried dough dusted with sugar)
• A tostada (a halved toasted baguette covered with sieved fresh tomatoes, basil, and garlic)
• Coffee

You might have to wait a while for someone to return from breakfast if you visit a bank or post office during this breakfast hour.

Lunch (In Spanish: Almuerzo)

Most people in Spain go to a café bar or restaurant for lunch at 2 o'clock, which will be their largest meal.

Many will opt for the menu of the day (menú del día), which is typically inexpensive and offers a selection of appetizers, entrées, desserts, coffee, and bread.

Dinner (In Spanish: Cena)

The Spanish eat a small dinner, usually leftovers or a few tapas dishes or snacks, late at night, around 9 or 10 pm.

Fast food (In Spanish: Comida rápida)

Fast food is less readily available in Spain than in the UK, even though you can find familiar fast food restaurants in some towns.

However, they have many restaurants that serve Pollo Asado (roast chicken), quail, and rabbits that have been cooked on rotisserie spits (up to 50 at a time), along with salads, roasted peppers, and potato dishes, for takeout.

Shopping (In Spanish: Compras)

Shops are open from 10am to 2pm then close for siesta. Shops in Spain usually close for "Siesta" between 2pm and 5pm. Shops tend to reopen after the siesta around 5pm and close around 9pm at night, though this can vary depending on the season. Large shopping centres, however, typically remain open throughout the day and into the night.

Dining Out in Spain

There are many options for eating out, including restaurants, café bars, and tapas bars, and the food selection is very diverse. In our Guide to Areas in the Costa del Sol, we have added some of the best restaurants on the Costa del Sol.

Smaller towns typically serve primarily Spanish cuisine, whereas cities will offer a wider variety of cuisines worldwide.

Quick Tip! Many beach bars and restaurants, or chiringuitos, will have a barbecue cooking sardines on skewers and pork brochettes (skewers of pork with peppers, onions, and other seasonings) or large prawns (langoustines).

Tapas

In Spain, tapas are prepared very differently than in the UK. Instead of ordering multiple dishes at once, as we do in the UK, the Spanish prefer to visit various bars and try a variety of tapas in each (and choose the speciality of the bar).

Insider Knowledge: Granada is THE province for tapas and still includes it free with every beverage.

Eating out with the kids

Young children and their parents frequently go out to eat late at night. On the weekends, it's common for Spaniards to go for a walk after dinner and stop at an ice cream shop on the way home.

How to Tip your Waiter in Spain

In Spain, tipping is customary, and it usually ranges from 5% to 10% and can be added to your bill as a "service charge". If you have any spare change, add a small tip on top of this. 15% is customary if there isn't a service charge included.

Spanish Siestas

Although people are still given a long enough break to take a siesta if they choose, it is no longer a standard part of daily life in Spain.

Due to the heat, people take siestas more frequently in the summer, and afternoon naps are more common among older and younger generations.

Hours of work in Spain

The typical workday begins at 9 am, and most businesses close between 2pm and 5pm for lunch and siesta. Afterward, everything reopens from 5pm until 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening.

La "Puente"

You may already be familiar with Spain's fiestas (national or local festivals and holidays). Still, if it falls on one of those days, a fiesta is on a Tuesday or Thursday.

To "bridge" the gap between the fiesta and the weekend, it is customary for Spaniards to also take Monday or Friday off.

Postal Service and Banking

Banks are open from 8.30am to close at 2pm sharp, and post offices are open from 10am to 2pm.

Workers may need to schedule time off to visit the post office or bank due to the restrictive hours.

Even then, some banks only open on Saturday mornings during the winter. Some post offices are also open on Saturday mornings.

Quick Tip! Tobacco shops also sell stamps and various forms.

Buying or Selling Property on the Costa del Sol

Here´s some advice for people looking to buy inland country properties on the Costa del Sol...

Work with estate agents that have a proven track record and plenty of experience in dealing with rural properties. There can sometimes be paperwork and fine details that only an experienced estate agent will be able to guide you through the process of sorting out... and even making you aware of in the first place!

We take great pride in providing a customised, personal service. We are a small, family-run business who specialise in rural properties on the Costa del Sol.