I am traveling in Spain this summer for 6 weeks, and I have been told that everyone takes siestas during the day. Does everyone go to sleep during this time? What time of day does it occur? Is it dangerous for a tourist to be out on the streets of a city such as Sevilla during a siesta? Thanks in advance! :cheers:

hey espanol laura (should'nt that be "espa�ola laura ), welcome to the board.

quote:

I have been told that everyone takes siestas during the day.

whoever told you that was either...

1) pulling your leg.
2) living in the spain of decades past.
etc...

siesta can be considered many things. the traditional meaning is the break in the middle of the day 2-5pm (in general). a mediterranean thang to escape the hottest hours of the day.

it can also simply mean a nap at any time of the day (normally during that break or in the afternoon).

you see, the tradition of the siesta depends on a few factors...

a) where in spain you are referring to: in the big cities not as much "siestaing" goes on due to the ever increasing hustle and bustle. if you are in andalucia, you will also see more siesta culture than you will in Catalu�a.

b) time of year: more siesta partaking in summer by far. see the "mediterranean thang to escape the hottest hours of the day" comment above. if it is august, you will see more siesta cultiure than in december.

c) what type of job one has: corporate gigs do not allow for much siesta taking as the hours do not provide for the 3-4 hour break in the middle of the day. same goes for many commercial jobs such as large scale retail, etc... as many stores here are open all day.

etc...

here are 2 perfect examples...

1) my lovely ena :l: works a semi-corporate job (at a television station just outside madrid). she works 8:30am to 3:30pm (with an hour for lunch) and any "siesta" she may take has to comes in the late afternoon, after work.

2) her sister, carmen, works as a secretary at a small but well-known guitar maker here in the center of madrid and her hours are 10:00am to 2:00pm and 5:00-8:30pm. the shop closes at mid day so yes, she can go home, has lunch and can sleep a bit. she has more of a traditional "siesta" than ena does.

my case is a bit of a mix. i have my own business here so i can do pretty much what i want. sometimes i do go home early after my office at 3:00pm and take a siesta but other times i have a lot of errands to do and can not allow myself the pleasure.

if you are referring to the siesta in the "traditional" sense (break in the middle of the day), some still do this but it is, unfortunately, a fading art form.

quote:

Is it dangerous for a tourist to be out on the streets of a city such as Sevilla during a siesta?

the only danger in that would be the risk of getting trampled by the other 1,000,000 tourists out in the streets during the siesta and the 1,000,000 spaniards as well :jeje:

you will find a lot of smaller businesses closed during the siesta laura but not the bigger stores. also, much of the siesta is spent in restaurants, bars and sidewalk cafes, eating, drinking and socializing. sevilla is a very lively city. if it is a very residential neighborhood, the streets will be quiet at mid day during the summer months. the sun is killer and people take refuge in their homes, bars, restaurants, etc....

the streets will not be outright deserted as i think you may be imagining, not even close. especially in the commercial & touristy areas of the city.

i am sure others will have more to add here but i hope my post helps to ease your fears.

saludos,
jer...

all that jer has said is true true true...however let me add a bit about Sevilla and siestas in the summer. it is ungodly hot in Sevilla in the summer...scorching...the sun feels like an iron pressing your skin real slow...as a result the streets are very very deserted. most folks are indoors...home, at work, or maybe even siesta-ing. i remember we were just there for the afternoon and were miserable, many cafes and bars were even closed. there was just nothing to do in the day other than sweat and sweat and sweat...so I suggest you yourself tuck into your hotel and avoid the heat of day and have yourself a lovely siesta. then when the sun goes down and the bars and restaurants open up and the folks pour out into the street you can join them and have a great time feeling rested and hopefully a bit cool too.
Candela

espanola laura,

what jer said is true. when i lived in madrid in a suberb of madrid not right inthe city the siestas were always from 2-5pm or 5 30 pm. yes all the little shops closed down in the little town in which i lived but i have been in madrid the city part and during the siesta some places stay open and some people are still out, so it doesnot normally get real empty yu can notice a change in the crowd a bit.

Andra

I've never had a siesta in my life, not my parents either, not usual in the north, when bussines close at midday we have lunch but not siesta

The concept of stores, etc. being closed for a few hours in the afternoon for "siesta" isn't particular to Spain, or even Mediterranean Europe. You will find this custom in many parts of Europe, even those not particularly known for having a hot climate (for example, Switzerland).

I think it's a rather healthy custom, much better for the digestion of lunch than the one-hour (or less) lunchtimes we have in the US and other places.

Of course, there is a trade off...your workday doesn't end until later in the afternoon/evening. If you live in a place where the "sidewalks roll up when the sun goes down" (meaning...not much to do at night), it probably wouldn't be very popular. However in a place that has great nightlife like Spain, it's a good match.

Thanks for the responses guys! I'm leaving today for Sevilla and I'm so excited!!! :jeje: :cheers:

Hey, Jer
You always crack me up. You have a funny way of being kind of blunt, but with a sense of humor. It's always a joy to read your responses.Keeep it up. And continue to keep this site as good and as informative as it has been. With a very positive vive. Hasta luego. Later gater