Spanish Culture
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Spain is well known for its cultural diversity as well as its historical acceptance of various cultures within the cities and rural areas. Many of the ancient cities in Spain are designated World Heritage Sites simply because they had communities of Muslims, Jewish and Christian inhabitants all living together in peace.
There are several different regions in Spain that adhere very strongly to specific languages and cultural practices within these regions. Some of the most well known of these regional areas include the Basque region, Anadalusia, Catalonia, Valencia and the Balearic Islands. Each of these regions identify themselves very strongly as individual regions but within the larger country of Spain. Regional foods and even dialects are most common within these areas and special festivals, events, foods, wines and even traditions will clearly identify them.
Although Spain was largely isolated from the rest of Europe under the dictatorship of General Franco, since his death in 1975 the country has become very modernized and has caught up and even surpassed other parts of Europe with regards to tourism and general standards of living. This dramatic change in culture from a more isolated and rural type country to a very modern country has left a lot of the traditions still in place. Celebrations and festivals that highlight the religious holidays of the Roman Catholic Church are central features of most cities, even in some of the largest areas.
One tradition of the Spanish culture that is still observed in most of the smaller cities and even in some of the larger areas is the siesta. Stores, shops, groceries and even businesses may close for several hours in the heat of the afternoon but will stay open later at night to accommodate for shoppers. Another custom in most of Spain is to eat very late at night. Usually people will go to the local tapas bar for a few appetizers and a drink after the busy day, then will actually go out to eat after 9 pm. The habit of the paseo, or a walk through the neighborhood, plaza or garden in the area, is also typical as a Spanish cultural tradition.
Music, art and dance form an important part of Spanish culture. The dances and songs often tell a tale or story and are considered the traditional way for the people to express themselves in informal recitals, parades and exhibitions that are often held around festivals.