Everyday Life

Even everyday life sounds a lot like a fiesta in Andalusia. No matter how laid back the lifestyle in this region may appear to be, the people who live here obviously do go to work.

The tradition of taking a long break in the afternoon, the siesta, is still very much part of the daily schedule. You will frequently find offices, law firms or practices deserted from 2 PM to 5 PM. The answering machine is often the only one tending the phones...

Stores tend to open at around 10 AM and stay open till 8 PM at night; supermarkets open earlier, while most shopping centers and department stores stay open from 10 AM to 10 PM and do not close for a siesta.

Most holidays have Christian or political origins and Spain reveres numerous patron saints who are celebrated lavishly on appointed days. If the holiday coincides with a Sunday, the following Monday is quickly turned into a holiday. Puente – or what we call bridge days – are very popular here. There’s a certain system for the creation of bridge days.

If the holiday is a Friday, Saturday is a day off for everyone. Some build long bridges – for instance, if the holiday is a Thursday; the Andalusians declare Friday, Saturday and Sunday days off as well. Lucky occurrences such as holidays on Tuesdays have similar consequences and turn Monday into another nice and quiet day in the life of the typical Andalusian.

They're a congenial people who usually share their country hospitably with their guests and who stay very busy taking advantage of their long list of holidays.

True Andalusians like to be bone idle, love to eat, drink, feast. Among their favorite activities are singing and dancing. While the residents of Southern Spain are definitely not among the wealthiest EU members, they enjoy their own kind of prosperity in the form of a beautiful lifestyle.


They tend to be polite and refrain from yelling each other when they’re engaged in an argument. Screaming or aggressive responses are considered the reactions of sociopaths. Formality is key.

On the other hand, if you're expecting a local to show up on time for an appointment, you will be disappointed.
If you're invited to someone's house, make sure you show up at least a quarter of an hour late. Even these 15 minutes may not be enough and your host may end up being slightly irritated – it is actually considered an act of politeness to show up about half an hour late.

Actually, to communicate effectively in Spain, three words will do just fine: tranquilo, which means "keep yourself cool no matter what", mañana, which means tomorrow – and that’s the one word used to delay most things, including previously binding deadlines! If you're down to the last straw, you can always use no te preocupes, which simply means – "don't worry, be happy or don't worry, everything will work out just fine."

These three terms describe the lifestyle of Andalusia perfectly.

The driving style of most Andalusians is marked by a certain level of offhandedness. Just a few tips of how you can cope – but bear in mind, this is not a complete list by any means:

• If someone is about to change lanes, don’t count on being given any indication of what is about to happen by watching for turn signals.
• Right does not always have the right of way – it's best to determine where it does not by approaching each situation carefully.
• Driving under the influence of alcohol offenses are prosecuted even if the driver has had very little to drink and the tickets are pricey. In a worst case scenario, you might end up in the infamous sobriety check cell at the Alhaurin jail. Expect to run into checkpoints especially at night. Popular checkpoints are the roundabouts of the Carretera exits, in particular during the summer season.
• It goes without saying that throwing smoldering cigarette butts out of your car is prohibited and certainly not an acceptable practice in a dry region such as Andalusia, where such careless behavior can cause field and/or forest fires.
• Parking violations: a favorite past time of most Andalusians is parking in a second or even third row while they are just stopping for a highly important chat about the latest game of Real Madrid with a driver in the opposite lane or while they've disappeared to enjoy a few tapas. When they return with a full belly after a quick meal or possibly slightly intoxicated, they have absolutely no sympathy for the anguish the drivers of vehicles they have blocked may have suffered through. After all, the motto is "no te preocupes".

Towing parking violators has become an ever more common practice and the targets are usually the rental cars of tourists, as the drivers of those always have the money to pay for their tickets. If you have a slightly heavy foot on the gas pedal, you should keep it under control: Radar checks are performed frequently and if you are caught, you'll find yourself confronted with a pricey speeding ticket.

And should you ever have an encounter with the police or law enforcement: remember to be polite, no matter what! The more evidence of anger you show, the more expensive your adventure will be in the end.

• January, 6 – Three King's Day - "Los Reyes" in Spanish is the day when most Spanish children receive their Christmas presents, some are already presented on December 24 or Christmas Eve, which is considered a family day.
• February, 28: Día de Andalucía
• March, 19: San José
• May, 1: Labor day
• June, 24: San Juan – Anniversary of the King
• June, 29: Peter und Paul
• July, 25: Santiago's day
• August, 15: Assumption day
• October, 12: Día de la Hispanidad – commemorates the discovery of America
• November, 1: All Saints
• December, 6: Día de Constitución - Constitution day
• December, 8: Day of the Immaculate Conception