Something makes Spain special, a unique ingredient that makes it one of the popular destinations throughout most of the year: the culture and its representations, a factor that you won’t find anywhere else in the world and has already attracted nearly 9 million tourists to the country in 2023.
Perhaps it’s the impressive celebrations to mark Holy Week or any other national holiday, the famous cuisine and Mediterranean diet or the climate that makes us an open, sociable and tolerant society. A country with a friendly atmosphere and sunshine almost throughout the entire day.
All of this has shaped Spain’s traditions, and we are now going to tell you some of the most important ones.
Something makes Spain special, a unique ingredient that makes it one of the popular destinations throughout most of the year: the culture and its representations, a factor that you won’t find anywhere else in the world and has already attracted nearly 9 million tourists to the country in 2023.
Perhaps it’s the impressive celebrations to mark Holy Week or any other national holiday, the famous cuisine and Mediterranean diet or the climate that makes us an open, sociable and tolerant society. A country with a friendly atmosphere and sunshine almost throughout the entire day.
All of this has shaped Spain’s traditions, and we are now going to tell you some of the most important ones.
What are the most important Spanish traditions?
I. National Catholic holidays
Spain is traditionally a Catholic country and this has defined the culture and main holidays based on the story of the Bible, such as Christmas, Christmas Eve, Three Kings Day or Holy Week.
Moreover, it is common in Spain for people to celebrate their saint’s day, the day honouring the life of the saint that shares their name. However, this practice is more common in the country’s southern regions (which are significantly more Catholic than in the north).
II. The grace and flair of flamenco in the south
When we mention Spain abroad, the first thing that comes to mind is probably the flamenco culture of Andalusia. A woman dressed in flamenco attire, a bullfighter and some Sevillanas dancers. We aren’t going to say that this isn’t true (although not representative of the entire culture), but it is common, especially in the south.
As these regions (Andalusia, Murcia, Extremadura, etc.) are located where the Mediterranean climate prevails (i.e., sun and good weather almost all year round), people tend to be more open and sociable, thus giving rise to the “charm” of the south.
III. Respect for mealtimes and the sobremesa, or after-dinner conversation
Spanish culture shows great respect for mealtimes, and so do Spaniards. Meals are almost a ritual at any family dinner table, and it’s not just because there’s so many different recipes to feed the soul, but also because people eat slowly so they can savour every mouthful and enjoy the company, whether at home or in a restaurant.
Meals can last for hours and the famous sobremesa, the time that people spend having coffee or dessert while talking and spending time together, is added to this. Time spent with our loved ones around the table is cherished.
IV. The tapas lifestyle
Carrying on from the previous point, traditional Spanish cuisine has a dish that is common to different regions: tapas. But what exactly is a tapa? It is a small portion of food that is usually included free of charge with a drink in a bar.
In Spain, people often go to a bar with friends or family, order some beers or soft drinks and accompany them with tapas. You can often eat a few of them as your meal, or order them for the whole table to nibble. A real miniature delicacy!
V. Football, an integral part of the culture
As we also mention in our section on traditional sports in Spain, football is undoubtedly the most important of all. A whopping 70% of the country’s population claims to be interested or very interested in the game, and more than 40% say they follow it on a weekly basis.
This, as well as being home to some of the world’s most important teams like Real Madrid or F.C. Barcelona, makes our country one of the world’s biggest football fans. Want to enjoy this sport at its best? Come to Spain.
VI. For film fans, dubbing is a must
The Spanish film industry is highly complex, with nearly 350 film producers and more than 6,000 companies covering a wide variety of styles and genres. However, if there is something that sets this industry apart from the rest of the world, it’s the tendency to dub films into Spanish.
“What?!”, you might be thinking if you were born in a foreign country. Well, yes, if you want to see a film in the original version with Spanish subtitles, you’ll have to go to a specialised cinema. If you visit a regular establishment, all the films will be dubbed.
VII. Two kisses or a hug to greet people
We’ve already mentioned that Spanish people are open, sociable and, in most cases, affectionate (although this doesn’t apply to everyone). This means that greeting somebody without physical contact could even be considered rude. They always greet people with two kisses or, if they’re close, a hug.
VIII. Popular regional festivals
Is there anything more traditional in Spain than the nationwide festivals? Yes! Regional or provincial festivals, as they only take place in specific locations and not throughout the entire country.
We are talking about the famous Fallas of Valencia, the traditional Feria de Abril in Seville, the colourful Fiestas de Primavera in Murcia, Carnaval in the Canary Islands or Cadiz, the Tomatina of Buñol, the controversial San Fermínes in Navarra, San Isidro in Madrid or Sant Jordi in Catalonia. Any others?
IX. The Spanish schedule and climate, a whole other story
We all know that Spain’s climate is as varied as its culture. The average temperature in the country is around 10°C, with cool summers in the north and hot summers in the centre and south, although the winter months are generally cold.
There are more hours of sun than in any other area of Europe, something that not only influences Spaniards’ personality, but also their schedules! Lunch is between 2 and 3 p.m. (or even 4 p.m. if they top it off with a coffee) and dinner is at 9 p.m. or even 10 p.m.
Going out partying is also very different than in other countries. In most places, pubs and bars are closed at 3 a.m., but in Spain this is when many students and workers head out to the clubs after meeting to drink with friends in the evening or after dinner. To understand Spain, you have to experience it firsthand.
X. The diverse and traditional Mediterranean diet
In Spain, the Mediterranean diet is especially important because of its history and cultural role. Many of the most famous dishes are based on Mediterranean ingredients, such as paella, gazpacho and tapas.
In addition, Spain is one of the world’s largest producers of olive oil, which means that this important component of the Mediterranean diet is readily available to Spaniards at an affordable price.
