Siesta time in Spain

A siesta is a short nap taken in the early afternoon, often after the midday meal. Such a period of sleep is a common tradition in some countries, particularly those where the weather is warm. The word siesta is Spanish, from the Latin hora sexta - "the sixth hour" (counting from dawn, therefore noon, hence "midday rest").

So now you know.

However, the siesta time is not very common in Madrid and the major cities in Spain. Major international companies frown upon it and discourage it as much as possible. However, in the smaller towns it is still practiced, again not in the bigger corporations (Lidl, Carrefour IKEA, Telefonica etc.), but in smaller companies, yes. Shops close, laborers can be seen having a siesta in the shade, cars/vans/lorries are parked up (in the shade) the drivers asleep.

So living in Spain you have to know who siestas and who does not. If you employ Spanish workmen, they may disappear for a couple of hours around 12 noon or 1 o’clock. The upside is that they tend to work later 7 or 8 in the evening. Similar the closed shops open later in the evening.

This leads to eating their evening meal much later than other Europeans especially the Brits. It is not uncommon for families to eat at 9 or 10 at night. This seems to work well in restaurants just as the Brit family are leaving the Spanish families are arriving