The Spanish afternoon nap: the Siesta

Many tourists are eager to take over one of Spain’s most well-known traditions while visiting the country for a holiday: the siesta. But what exactly is the story behind this world famous afternoon nap? The tradition is honoured most on the Spanish countryside during summer, but because shops close around noon it is a phenomenon that every tourist in Spain will encounter at some point during their holiday.

The hours at which the siesta is held can vary from region to region, but according to general guidelines usually takes places between 14:30 and 17:00. During these hours people don’t work but take some rest and more than often even sleep. The most important reason for the siesta during summer is the heat, that really can make working and going to school quite difficult. Many companies, stores and school close their doors during these hours. There is quite some discussion going on about the effectiveness of the siesta, because often people tend to drink during their break and employees return to their jobs a bit tipsy.

For years people have been talking about abolishing the siesta, but very few actual steps to achieve that goal have been taken so far. So keep in mind when visiting Spain that you might finds shops opening at ten in the morning and not opening after the siesta until half past five. The word siesta derives from the Latin sexta hora by the way, which means “the sixth hour”. The Romans counted their hours from the moment of sunrise, which made the sixth hour their noon.

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