As a result, Spaniards who would eat at 1pm or 1.30pm continued to eat at their usual time (now 2pm or 2.30pm), continued to have dinner at 8pm (now 9pm) and continued to go to bed at 11pm (now midnight).
People Also Ask
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.
Set your clock to Spanish timeLogically, when people go out at night, they don't leave the house til after midnight. 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.
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”.
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.
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.
Yes, it is customary to have dinner between 10 PM and midnight in Spain. However, there are many tourist restaurants where you can eat as early as 6 PM if you would like. If you are so concerned about being mugged, why don't you take a taxi to and from the restaurant?
Tipping in Spain works differently: The customer actually has the option to not leave any tip at all. However, restaurants expect a 10% tip on each bill—although it's not a formal rule, and that percentage is much lower than tipping practices in other countries.