Food & Wine
gastronomy - holiday in Spain - luxury hotels - spanish culture - Spanish customs - Spanish lunch and dinner - Spanish meal
schedule - Spanish wine
Keeping Track of Spain’s Mealtimes
Thursday, 11 December, 2014
If you’re planning a holiday in Spain, it’s always good to plan ahead in order to make sure that you can take full advantage of
the country’s fantastic landscapes, unique culture, and delicious food. In order to avoid difficulties, it’s important to keep in
mind that Spain follows very different meal times to the rest of Europe.
In an effort to help its guests, Paradores’ luxury and historic hotels offers this brief run-over of the main national particularities
so that you can make the best of your trip.
Desayuno y café
Spain’s geographic location in southernmost Europe means that most of the country is blessed with far longer days that those
experienced in the Continent’s northern nations, meaning its mealtimes are somewhat different from those in the rest of
Europe. Desayuno (breakfast) is seen as one of the day’s lesser meals, meaning that for most Spaniards it consists of little
more than a quick coffee. The exception to this rule is on weekends, when many Spaniards will go to their local churrería for
churros, a delicious, fried-dough snack.
Enjoy a delicious breakfast at Parador Cáceres
Between 10am and noon most Spaniards have their café (coffee break). If you’re doing the ordering, keep the different sorts of
coffee variations in mind:café solo (a shot of espresso), cortado (espresso with a splash of milk), café con leche (equal parts
espresso and milk), and café americano (espresso with lots of water).
La comida y la cena
La comida –or lunch– takes place between 2pm and 4pm, and is generally the largest meal of the day. On weekdays most
restaurants offer fixed price menús, with several starters, main dishes and desserts to choose from, accompanied by a glass
of wine or beverage of your choice. Ranging between 5 and 15 euros, it’s a very good option, and one generally preferred by
Spaniards.
Dine in luxury at the Parador Lorca and enjoy its wonderful terrace!
Tourists are often surprised by the many hours that go by between lunch and dinner in Spain. Indeed, while northern
Europeans are used to dining at 6pm, la cena doesn’t occur until at least 9pm, and quite often takes place even later, with
restaurants accommodating guests until 11pm (or even midnight in the summertime). Due to the fact that Spanish dinners
are generally lighter than lunch, this is the meal when tapas are most often an option, with bar-hopping being a perfectly
acceptable option in this regard.
By keeping these general timeframes in mind, you’re sure to keep on schedule and enjoy Spain’s remarkable culinary wealth
just as the Spaniards do.