Public displays of affection, such as a kiss on the cheek, is for family and friends only; visitors should not initiate such contact. Close male friends exchange an abrazo, or hug. Female friends greet and part with a slight embrace. For the first meeting and departure, shake hands with everyone present, even children. Spaniards stand and sit closely, using frequent hand and arm gestures, and often interrupt each other. Address people by their titles, such as Señor, Señorita, or Señora; Don and Doña show greater respect. First names are used between close friends and young people; in business circles you will probably not be asked to call someone by their first name. When in doubt use "Usted" rather than "Tú" until corrected. Spanish culture tends to be much more informal than Latin American societies and so "Tú" is commonly used in stores, restaurants, etc. However, remember that as a foreigner a greater measure of courtesy and politeness is expected. It is better to err on the side of caution and respect.
Although the habit is losing ground, smoking is still very common in Spain. You will have to get used to the fact that people will consider it OK to light up nearly anywhere.
Because of an increasing crime rate in Madrid and Barcelona, the U.S. Embassy has warned visitors to leave their valuables in a hotel safe or other secure place when going out. Granada, though, is much more safe than the big cities of Spain. Still, the following advice could be useful. When going about town your passport may be needed as the police may stop foreigners for identification checks. In Granada you may want to carry a photocopy of your passport in your wallet while leaving the original in your family's home. The embassy advises that you carry only enough cash for the day's needs. Purse snatching is common, and criminals often work in pairs, grabbing purses from pedestrians, cyclists, and even cars. Several scams to divert one's attention are well known. Even a friendly "Do you know the time?" can be used to establish that you are a foreigner and distract you. Do not be paranoid but do not act as if you were in Disneyland. Remember that if you look like a foreigner then you can look like a tourist and petty thiefs love to prey on the latter.
Perhaps because of the benign climate and the long hours of sunshine in Spain, Spaniards tend to get up later in the morning and stay out later at night than the rest of their European neighbours. However, you should be extremely considerate with your host family. Arriving home in the wee hours is rude. As with everything else, find out what times are OK by your host family and stick to them. The home in homestay means that you are a guest in somebody else's home. Be mindful of that!
Shops and businesses are usually opened from 9 or 9:30 am to 1:30 pm and from 4:30 or 5 pm to 8 or 8:30 pm, though ir has become more and more common for businesses to saty open through the traditional siesta hours.
Business establishments are usually closed for a day-and-a-half per week, most often Saturday afternoon and Sunday, while many shops close only on Sunday.
In tourist areas, in Summer, business hours are often expanded to 10 or 11 pm with stores open 7 days a week.
Restaurant hours are quite varied, with the norm being from 1:30 to 3:30 pm for lunch and from 8:30 to 11 or 11:30 pm for dinner.
In Summer, these hours are often expanded, with many establishments offering continuous service and still others serving food into the small hours of the night.
Bars are usually open all day and close late at night.
In general, the nightlife in Spain is quite intense, and the bars and discotheques stay open long past midnight. In Summer, they often stay open past 3 or 4 pm. In big cities like Madrid and Barcelona, for example, there are many places that stay open until dawn, even in Winter.
Pharmacies hours are established by each town's City Hall, though such establishments are generally open from 9:30 am to 2 pm and from 4:30 to 8 pm.
Besides this set schedule, however, a series of pharmacies are required to remain open on an 'on call' basis as well.
All pharmaceutical dispensaries provide a list of addresses of the establishments that are 'on call', with the nearest ones clearly indicated. This list is also printed in the daily newspapers.
Bank offices are open for business from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm Monday thru Saturday, except in the summer months when they are closed on Saturdays.
Some branch offices are open in the afternoon.
Tipping is a great tradition in Spain. While practically all establishments currently include a surcharge for service it is still common to leave something of a tip.
This custom, common in bars and restaurants, has extended to hotel porters, theatre ushers and taxi drivers, though in none of these cases is it obligatory nor will anyone recriminate a client for not tipping.
There are no special norms in Spain with respect to dress. Spaniards are usually modest, but take pride in social position and personal appearance; affluence and standing are reflected in the quality of one's clothes. Men usually avoid bright or contrasting colors; women strive to be stylish and children are dressed as well as possible. This means that, like it is customary in Hispanic cultures, Spaniards pay much more attention to dress than Americans.
You should be prepared to dress a bit more conservatively that you would normally. For example:
Avoid wearing athletic shorts unless you are playing a sport.Avoid wearing beach sandals.
Wear slippers and socks inside your homestay's house: Do not go barefoot!
Do not take off your T-shirt in public unless you are at the beach or at a sports facility.
From a practical point of view, it is advisable for those who come from colder countries to remember that in many of the coastal areas the winter is characterised by its temperate nature.
For this reason, it is always a good idea to consult the weather forecast pertaining to the respective area of interest beforehand.
With the exception of specific places, very warm clothing is usually not necessary.
On a related matter, perhaps because the nightlife is such a great part of Spanish culture, it is not necessary to dress formally for dinner or the theatre, though this naturally depends on specific cases and the variety of ambiances and personal circumstances involved.
Spanish cooking has been receiving some attention due to the popularity of the so-called Mediterranean diet. But it is really quite distinct from the cuisines of Italy or France. Nor does it have the spiciness of Mexican cooking. These distinctions are clearer when you find and use such authentic Spanish ingredients as olive oil, short-grain rice, all manner of sweet peppers and paprika, salt cod, sherry and sherry vinegar, and distinctive cheeses such as manchego and cabrales.
Granada's geographic location, between the mountains and the sea, explains its rich and varied kitchen:
From the high mountain ranges around Granada comes the perhaps best known speciality of the region, the reputated Jamón de Trevelez, a ham that is cured in the snow.
Ajo Blanco is a delicious cold soup made of almonds, original from the coast. There you have to try as well Espetones, sardines grilled at the barbecue.
In the mountain range Sierra de Alpujarra are well-known Migas Alpujarreñas, made of fried pieces of bread, and Pollo con Tomate, chicken in tomato sauce.
Original from the town itself are Tortilla al Sacromonte, the local version of the "spanish omelette", Habas Fritas con Jamón, fried beans with cured ham, and Pollo al Ajillo, chicken with garlic.
The desserts are mostly of Moorish tradition, often made of almonds and honey, like Torta Real and Pestiños. Tocinos del Cielo, made of yolks of egg, are a speciality of the village Guadix. Well known are also the creme-filled Piononos from Santa Fe and the Roscos from Loja.
A few cautionary notes:
Olive oil is used profusely. It will take a bit to get used to that. Do not worry... it is good for you.Milk is not generally processed in the same way as it is here. Though leche fresca is available, the most common variety is a rather less drinkable kind. It is A-OK for hot drinks, but it is too tasty to drink by itself.
Spaniards eat a lot of fried food, including fish, meats, etc. You will have to get used to that!
Spaniards like to eat a lot of greens and a lot of fruit. Enjoy that. Visit the local mercados and have fun with some of the tastiest produce that you will ever have.
Spanish eat a lot of pork. Think of it as "the other white meat" and be happy!
Some edibles are seemingly less palatable than others. You do well in avoiding stuff that you know you do not like but do not be too shy about trying new foodstuffs. You do want to consider things such as: morcilla (blood sausage) -which is best in Burgos-, pulpo, (octupus) -which is best in Galicia-, huevas (fresh roe) -which is great in salad as a tapa, etc.
Spaniards drink a fair amount of alcohol daily, but their aim is not to get drunk. Drinking is part of a highly social culture that enjoys human contact like few others. More often than not, drinking and eating are closely linked. A caña (a glass of beer) or a tinto (a glass of red wine) is always accompanied by a some sort of edible, either a tapa, some olives, peanuts, etc. Getting drunk is regarded as juvenile. You may have to learn a new and more sophisticated form of moderation if you drink alcoholic beverages.
NOTE: This text from Sí Spain has been enriched with information from other sources.
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