Spain runs on its own time. Before moving here, I thought I understood what “late” meant. You know, a dinner reservation at 8 p.m. instead of 6, or a party that started at 10 instead of 8. But Spain? Spain takes “late” to an entirely different level, and honestly, I’ve learned to “accept” it.
Let’s start with dinner. In the U.S., I was used to eating around 6 or 7 p.m. at the latest, maybe pushing it to 8 if I was feeling adventurous. Here? If you try to sit down for dinner at 7, you’ll find a restaurant filled only with tourists and a confused waiter telling you the kitchen isn’t even fully open yet. Spaniards don’t think about dinner until 9 or 10 p.m., sometimes even later on weekends. The first few weeks, I swore I was going to starve waiting that long, but now, I’ve adjusted. There’s something special about strolling into a buzzing tapas bar at 10 p.m., grabbing a glass of wine, and lingering over a meal like there’s no rush in the world. Because here, there isn’t.
And then there’s nightlife. In most places, if you show up at a club at midnight, you’re expecting the party to already be in full swing. Not in Spain. Here, midnight is basically the opening act. The real crowd doesn’t roll in until 2 a.m., and the party doesn’t peak until 4 or 5. By the time the club closes at 6 or 7 a.m., the sun is rising, and people are either heading straight to breakfast or finding the nearest churro stand to wrap up the night (or should I say morning?). It’s a lifestyle adjustment, but it can be fun sometimes to experience a true Spanish night out
But nightlife in Spain isn’t just about clubs and bars. The entire culture operates on a later schedule. Businesses stay open way past 5 p.m., meaning you can run errands in the evening without feeling rushed. Cafés and restaurants don’t mind if you linger for hours. Even grocery stores stay open until 10 or 11 at night, which is great when you realize at 9:30 that you forgot to buy eggs. It’s as if the country collectively agreed that mornings are overrated, and honestly, they might be right.
One of the funniest things about adapting to life in Spain is learning that time is more of a suggestion than a strict rule. If someone tells you to meet at 5, they mean 5:30. If they say 7, expect them at 7:45. No one is ever in a rush, and being “on time” is almost suspicious. At first, it drove me crazy, I’d be standing there at the agreed-upon time, feeling like I was the only one who took the clock seriously. But now? I’ve learned to embrace the art of showing up just a little bit late.
It’s all part of the charm. Spain isn’t just a country that stays up late; it’s a country that savors time. There’s no rush to eat, no urgency to leave the club, no pressure to always be on the dot. It’s about enjoyment, about soaking up every moment, whether that’s chatting over tapas at 11 p.m. or dancing until sunrise. So if you ever find yourself in Spain, just remember, time moves differently here, and that’s exactly what makes it magical.
Love always,
American Girl Meets World
