Spain
- Tourist
Information - Opening Hours
Shops
Though business
hours are dictated by law they can vary from town to town. Almost
all Spanish shops still observe the famous siesta and most are open
from 9:30 am - 2 pm and then from 5 pm to 8 pm, Monday to Saturday.
On Saturdays many small shops and Estancos close for the day at
2 pm. The exceptions to these hours are the major shopping malls,
department stores and supermarkets that stay open from 10 am - 9
pm and sometimes 10 pm. Along the coast, in the high season, shops
are generally open until well after 10 at night. Afternoons in the
shops tend to be busiest when all those who have finished work do
their shopping.
Pharmacies
Chemists normally
keep shop hours opening from 9:30 am - 1:30 pm and 4:30 - 8:00 pm.
In larger cities there will always be a certain number that remain
open 24 hours. As in many European countries pharmacies post a listing
in the window of those that are open at night or in the weekends.
You can also find information published in the local press.
Restaurants
Breakfast time
is usually from 8 -10 am and lunch is served in restaurants from
1 pm - 4 pm. Dinner is available from 8:30 - 11 pm. Outside of these
hours you can get delicious snacks (tapas) to eat in smaller restaurants
and some bars.
Banks
Spanish Banks are open from 8 am to 2 pm during the week and some
open 9 am - 1 pm on Saturdays. During August banks generally do
not open on Saturdays. Provided you have a compatible bank card
you can withdraw cash from ATM (Automatic Teller Machines) 24 hours
a day.
Public
Services
Most public
services such as health centres are open Monday to Friday from 9
am - 2 pm.
Sightseeing
Most museums
are open from 9:00 am - 7:00 pm Tuesday to Saturday, and on Sundays
and public holidays from 9:00 am - 2:00 pm. Museums are closed on
January 1, Good Friday, May 1, and December 25. If you are in doubt
you can always check with the local Tourist Office during normal
office hours.
Night
Clubs
From Thursday
to Sunday, bars, pubs and clubs are open until 3 or 4 am, if not
until dawn, especially in major cities like Madrid and Barcelona,
or in places renowned for the nightlife such as Ibiza, Benidorm
and Alicante.
