Common Mistakes To Avoid When Visiting Spain

Spending time abroad can be a deeply rewarding experience, but it can also come with its fair share of embarrassment. Take yours truly as an example. After college, I spent a year teaching English in Northern Spain. From afar, it likely appeared that I was accumulating work experience. However, anyone who saw me up close would probably conclude I was on a one-woman quest to prove how frequently a person could commit a new blunder. Did I try to order the famous summertime soup, gazpacho, in winter? Yes. Did I once buy my lunch at a gas station because I forgot what time food is served in Spain? Also, yes.

Although I made my fair share of mistakes, I came out of my time abroad with a new perspective on Spanish culture. These days, I can confidently say that I know a lot about what not to do on a trip to Spain and what to do instead. Armed with these experiences, I've compiled a list of common missteps visitors might want to avoid while in the land of Cervantes. To ensure my advice isn't too based on my mishaps, I've also included tips from other world explorers — many of whom have committed a faux pas or two in their travels. This result is a list of hard-earned insights that might help you to blend in on your journey abroad.

What images manifest when you think of a typical Spanish drink? Do you imagine a crisp white vino? Or a giant jug of red wine loaded with citrus and berries? If you selected the second option, don't worry. A lot of people think of sangria as the most typical Spanish drink. In reality, however, it's not overly popular among locals. As noted by Susan Jaganannaths on her eponym blog, "... a lot of bars don't make alcoholic sangria (like with brandy), and they rarely soak the fruit overnight."

To blend in with the locals in Madrid or Andalucía, order a tinto de verano (a red wine summer cocktail) instead. This blend of fizzy soda, red wine, and lemon is so refreshing that it's become quite typical in warmer cities like Madrid and Sevilla. To maximize the flavor, pair your drink with salty olives or a bowl of chips. The combination is ideal for those high summer temperatures.

Of course, remember that Spain is not a monolith. Tinto de verano won't necessarily be as popular in the chillier north, as rainy days and winter temperatures aren't ideal for this drink. If you don't know what to order, ask the bartender what locals are drinking. In the colder region of Galicia, for example, you might find someone serving queimada, a drink that's literally set on fire. 

Spain is the ultimate European wine destination. If Spanish cocktails vary from region to region, the same is even truer for Spanish wines. Depending on where you venture, Spaniards may tend towards different regional vinos. In some cases, a difference of 100 miles is enough to influence the style of wine that's most widely available in bars and restaurants.

Take, for example, the ultra-dry Albariño wine from the Rías Baixas. This white is the most popular vino around the regional capital, Pontevedra. However, just 74 miles away, in the Ribeira Sacra region, white wines are rare. La Voz de Galicia reported that 93% of the grapes harvested in the Ribeira Sacra are red — and 91% are mencía. Because of this regional difference, travelers might want to savor a white from the Rías Baixas while vacationing in one of Pontevedra's beach towns, like Sanxenxo. Conversely, opt for a mencía in a town close to the Ribeira, such as Monforte de Lemos.

If you're determined to take a leaf out of the locals' books, visit one of Spain's many vinicultural museums. The Viniseum in Catalunya is the perfect place to learn what to drink in Barcelona. Meanwhile, Málaga's Museo del Vino focuses on Andalusian favorites. Either way, these destinations might just help you experience new flavors.

Spain is one of the best places to get the most out of your food tourism experience. The wine, tapas, cured meats, and fresh produce are all legendary. When it comes time to soak up all these Spanish flavors at a local restaurant, however, travelers might find that table service is slow. In much of North America, restaurant patrons are accustomed to grabbing a table, viewing a menu, and receiving a cup of ice water within minutes. In Spain, however, these things take time. Travelers should be prepared to wait a while before placing their order and getting food. Instead of getting impatient for things to finally get going, take a deep breath and try absorbing the ambiance.

Writing about her experience with this cultural phenomenon on the blog, Semester in Spain, one previous traveler explained, "Service is often slow by American standards, the food coming only as fast as delicious Iberian pork or patatas bravas can be cooked. At first, I found this practice unnerving." Over time, however, this explorer found that there was something enjoyable about savoring her dinner the Spanish way. "For them, the practice of being present together was the most important thing, not how fast you could get in, out, and back to work," she observed.

The pace of table service is not the only major difference between Spanish and American-style dining. Meal times in Spain and the United States are also totally different. Most Spaniards eat lunch between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Dinner, meanwhile, is served from 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

Although this schedule may not be impossibly hard to remember, some tourists might find it difficult to keep their eyes on the time. This can be a major issue for people traveling in some of Spain's small towns and villages — where there is oftentimes no place to get food in the awkward gap between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. Restaurants typically close during these hours, and grocery stores aren't always easy to come by. Travelers can usually pick up a pre-made sandwich at a local gas station (as I once did after losing track of time), but that's far from the vacation lunch many tourists dream of.

Even folks traveling in big cities might find it difficult to hunt down good eats during the afternoon. While Madrid and Barcelona are teeming with food options at all hours, most restaurants that remain open outside of traditional eating times lack authenticity. As one former visitor put it on Tripadvisor, "... from 4-8 most restaurants are closed. Any place that caters to tourists will be open and you can count on having pretty unremarkable food. You are best off adopting a Spanish eating schedule while in Spain."

You should visit the amazing cathedrals in Europe. Spain, for instance, is home to some of the continent's most spectacular historical structures. From Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia to the intricate Cathedral of Salamanca, plenty of architectural gems are to be discovered. While exploring Spanish cathedrals can be wonderful, travelers should keep in mind that many of these religious sites are still in use today. If you show up to, say, the Málaga Cathedral on a Sunday, you might find that you're not particularly welcome. The reason? This particular cathedral holds five mass sessions from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., and many worshippers will find the presence of a non-religious tourist distracting.

The good news is that you can still visit most major cathedrals on other days of the week. When planning your vacation, schedule any religious tour for a weekday or a Saturday. Even then, double-check mass times before heading to one of these sights. While most mass sessions occur on Sundays, some cathedrals still hold them once or twice on weekdays. Plan your architectural visits outside worshiping hours to ensure you won't infringe on anyone's religious practice. 

Cathedral visits are not the only activity you may want to limit on Sundays. In Spain, this weekend day tends to be pretty low-key, meaning many tourist destinations, shops, and department stores close. Folks who enjoy browsing boutiques and exploring foreign fashion tendencies should keep this in mind when planning trips to Spain. As the vast majority of shops will be closed on Sundays, it's best to spend this day traveling or engaging in some non-commercial activities.

One previous traveler to Spain found that she enjoyed spending her Sundays doing as the Spaniards do. Writing on the blog, The Isa Journal, Josie Morgan explained, "Here on Sundays, the streets are packed with people getting fresh air, enjoying the Barceloneta beach, or hanging out at Ciutadella Park. This is a day for relaxation and catching up with friends. Most shops and grocery stores are closed to allow workers to enjoy this day off." By spending time at the beach, the park, or public plazas, travelers can soak up the local atmosphere in an authentic way. Even the biggest shoppers need a break sometimes, and Sunday is the perfect time to unwind after a long week of perusing. 

Since the opera "Carmen" gained popularity at the end of the 19th century, Spanish culture has been intrinsically linked to flamenco dancing and bullfighting. The issue with this is that these practices have more to do with Spanish stereotypes than with the country's real-life culture. Many Spaniards don't identify with either of these activities at all. When it comes to bullfighting, the local reaction varies tremendously. As reported by La Vanguardia, 77% of Spaniards are against bullfighting, as the practice is now largely considered animal cruelty.

Because of this controversy, a traveler found it was best not to bring up bullfighting in polite conversation. In his blog, The Chorizo Chronicles, Daniel shared, "If you want to lose a few friends – and sometimes I do – tell them you secretly love bullfighting. Most people under 50, both Spanish and international, will become violently angry at the idea." He went on to explain that many locals feel deeply uncomfortable with the practice. "These days, it's definitely not considered politically correct family entertainment," he wrote. With this in mind, folks traveling to Spain might consider keeping their bullfighting commentary to themselves. 

There are plenty of things to avoid when visiting Barcelona, and ignoring the importance of the local Catalán culture is one of them. If you are in Catalunya, you'll probably find that the region is quite different from the rest of Spain. Not only do locals celebrate their own folklore and festivals, but they also have their own cuisine. However, one of the biggest differences between Catalunya and the remainder of the country is the Catalán language. As reported by El País, one in every three people in the region primarily communicates in Catalán. About one in two people, meanwhile, prefer to communicate in Spanish.

In practice, these numbers indicate that not everyone in Catalunya will want to help you practice your Spanish — and that's okay! If someone from the region prefers to communicate in another way, the best thing you can do is accept it. Don't continue to speak Spanish to someone who consistently replies to you in Catalán or English. After all, there are historical reasons why some people might want to stick to any language other than Spanish. During the dictatorship of Francisco Franco, many Catalunyans were punished for using their native tongue and forced to speak Spanish instead. Because of this, many locals feel uncomfortable about their region's connection to Spain — and aren't particularly keen on the national language. 

In North America, hot chocolate is a cozy winter beverage people imbibe to warm up. And, regardless of whether you guzzle it to-go or sip it in a mug, it's unlikely that your drinking habits will attract any accusing stares. In Spain, though, nothing could be further from the truth. The minute you bring your hot chocolate to your lips, you are almost guaranteed to surprise passersby. After all, drinking hot chocolate in Spain is a faux pas.

The reason for this boils down to the fact that Spanish hot chocolate is fundamentally different from the American variety. If American hot chocolate is light enough to drink, the Spanish version is so thick that it resembles chocolate pudding. Rather than sipping hot chocolate, Spaniards dunk churros — a type of fried cinnamon stick popular at markets and fairs — in them. Because of this, drinking hot chocolate in Spain is akin to drinking a dipping sauce.

Writing for the blog Dreams Abroad, one American who used to live in Madrid recalled that she ordered hot chocolate only to receive "... [a] cup of melted chocolate ... instead of a liquid drink, locals fill the mug with melted chocolate, literally. If I had wanted American-style hot chocolate, I would have needed to order ColaCao, the Spanish equivalent of Nesquik." The interaction, she wrote, left her feeling out of place and embarrassed. 

When exploring a new country, it's natural to feel excited about all the foods to eat, drinks to consume, and sights to explore. Spain is full of hidden gems that many tourists yearn to discover. The problem, of course, is that a jam-packed schedule can be tricky to handle. Besides, doing too many things in one day can prevent you from experiencing the more relaxing rhythm of Spanish culture. After all, how will you soak up the slower pace of life in Spain if you are rushing from one tourist destination to the next?

In the blog, A Life In Progress, Julia Ubbenga reflected on how a visit to Spain shifted her perspective on time. She wrote that many Spaniards "... sauntered at a pace that anchored them in the present moment. And as they passed, I traced no fear of late arrivals or wasted time." By trying to adopt this more comfortable pace, Ubbenga found that she could ground herself. She added, "If I'm feeling rushed or spread too thin, pausing to connect with loved ones, whether over a meal or simply morning coffee, helps me recenter. I focus on nothing more than connecting with that person and experiencing the moment ... I find this slows the mind and fills the soul every time."

When vacationing in Spain, it's easy to fall into tourist traps. That's not to say you should avoid La Rambla in Barcelona or Puerto del Sol in Madrid. However, if you spend your whole vacation traveling from one tourist center to the next, you might miss out on the real Spanish experience. To get a feel for a more authentic version of Spain, ask locals what they like to do. Which restaurants do they recommend? Is there a particular bar they like? The answers to these questions might just transform your entire holiday.

Writing in Reddit's subreddit r/dreamingspanish, one former traveler shared their tips for breaking the ice. "My go to line whenever I travel is to ask for recommendations for places to see, eat, drinking, things to do etc. I usually just ask if they're from here and take it from there. I find random people or just ask a waiter where I eat or something like that," they wrote. Not only will this help you find places where Spaniards like to go, but it will also help you make local connections. Plus, you'll have an excuse to practice the local language if you so desire.