Spanish Daily Life
Learn more about the traditional cuisine, clothing, housing, and lifestyles of Spain.
Traditional Lifestyles of Spain
Daily life in historic Spain depended on a person’s birthplace, status, and occupation. Since the Reconquista, blood and labor distinguished the social classes. While a relatively large population claimed nobility through ancestry, not all possessed their own land. In many cases, the amount of work a person performed signified his or her place in society. Most families worked as peasant farmers, growing crops, raising livestock, and paying taxes to their lords. Their houses varied extensively; common elements seen today include tiled roofs and white stucco walls. Wealthier urban craftsmen and merchants lived instead in multi-level townhouses. During the intense heat of midday, it was normal for entire towns to shut down. The siesta, a traditional break in the day’s work, is now rarely observed in modern Spain.
Cuisine of Spain
Spanish cuisine is highly influenced by its regional histories. Northern provinces like Galicia, for example, are known for their fine seafood and wines. The interior of the nation, meanwhile, specialized in prized hams. Andalucia and other southern provinces tend toward a more Mediterranean diet rich in olives, citrus, seafoods, candies, and fried dishes. Spanish exploration in the Americas exchanged foods between Old and New Worlds. Spain imported potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, corn, chocolate, squash, avocado, vanilla, tobacco, and peanuts, among other crops. Modern favorites in Spanish cuisine include gazpacho, a cold, raw vegetable soup; paella, a Valencian rice dish mixed with meats and vegetables; Spanish omelettes; and churros, a sweet, cylindrical pastry.
Further Reading:
Spanish Clothing
Traditional clothing in Spain is also regional, with pronounced differences between its northern and southern provinces. Andalusia, home to some of the most iconic Spanish folk outfits, was influenced heavily by Berber and Arab customs. Silks, embroidery, and rich ornaments are all common elements of its costumes, now most often seen on flamenco dancers. The majos or manolos, a youth movement of 18th- and 19th-century Madrid, cemented typical ideas of Spanish fashion. They established the mantilla veil, peineta comb, and gilet jacket worn by woman, generally accompanied by jewelry and perfumes. Sombrero hats, vests, and white, long-sleeved shirts grew common among men. Red and black were popular colors among both genders. Heavy fabrics denoted wealth, but lighter textiles like cotton were worn in summer.
Modern Lifestyles of Spain
Modern Spanish people, for the most part, lead urban, working-class lives. Many of its citizens continue to enjoy traditional cuisine and wear folk outfits on special occasions. Football, or soccer, remains its most popular sport by far. The majority, however, follow lifestyles very similar to those of other European nations.
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References
Gies, David T. The Cambridge Companion to Modern Spanish Culture. Cambridge University Press. 1999.
Payne, Stanley G. Spanish Catholicism: An Historical Overview. University of Wisconsin Press. 1984.
Phillips, William and Carla Rahn Phillips. A Concise History of Spain. Cambridge University Press. 2016.
“The World Factbook: Spain.” Central Intelligence Agency, Central Intelligence Agency, 12 July 2018, www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/sp.html.
Kelly, Francis Michael and Randolph Schwabe. European Costume and Fashion, 1490-1790. Courier Corporation. 2003.
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