How late do people work in Spain?

In general the working day in Spain is split into two halves, the day commences at 9am until 2pm and 5pm to 8pm, with the famous “siesta” in between. Like elsewhere in Europe, the working week runs from Monday to Friday, except in hospitality and retail (see below).



People Also Ask

As you can see, Spanish people have no problem going to a restaurant to have dinner as late as 9:45pm. In fact, it is quite common to eat dinner late in Spain. Remember that lunch is also eaten late. So, by the time the “conventional” dinner time rolls around (7:30pm-7:45pm), no Spanish person is hungry.

MORE DETAILS

It is completely normal to be out til 5 or 6, or even til the sun comes up. So prepare accordingly. Take a siesta during the day and have a late-afternoon coffee if you are planning a night out. There's nothing worse than being too tired to go out and miss a fun night in Spain with locals!

MORE DETAILS

It may sound funny, but this is due to a complicated political reason in the past. ?It dates back to World War II when Spain was under the rule of General Francisco Franco, a dictator. In 1940, he changed Spain's clock to one hour ahead to make Spain in the same time zone as Nazi Germany.

MORE DETAILS

Siestas are common in many cultures, promoting rest and productivity during the day. A short nap can boost alertness, mood, memory, and reduce stress. Keep siestas short, typically around 20 minutes, to avoid grogginess.

MORE DETAILS

Respect other tenants by keeping noise levels to a minimum, and by avoiding making noise in hallways and common areas. Quiet Hours 10pm-8am: There is a national law in Spain prohibiting noise from 10pm-8am and neighbors will call the police if this is not enforced.

MORE DETAILS

Why do they eat so late in Spain? Spain's famously late mealtimes are due to the fact that the country has been geographically in the wrong time zone since World War II! During all that time, Spaniards have eaten at the same time they always have in regards to the position of the sun in the sky.

MORE DETAILS

Punctuality is not highly important in Spain. People can arrive half an hour late to a social function with no questions raised. If someone turns up late and apologises, people are likely to respond with something like “no pasa nada” – meaning “It's not that important”.

MORE DETAILS

During World War II, Franco moved Spain's time zone ahead one hour to Central European Time in solidarity with Nazi Germany. Because of this, the sun also tends to set pretty late in Spain, which is part of the reason dinner (and nightlife) tends to start so late.

MORE DETAILS

Spaniards earn USD 37 922 per year on average, less than the OECD average of USD 49 165. Another essential factor of employment quality is job security, in terms of expected loss of earnings when someone becomes unemployed.

MORE DETAILS