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Horario de apertura al público Facts and links |  |
 While the traditional practice of la siesta is under threat in Spain and Latin America, it is still fairly common for shops, museums, churches and tourist offices to close for at least two hours in the hottest part of the day. Basic summer working hours are Monday to Saturday 9.30am - 1.30pm and 5-8pm. Most museums take a break between 1pm and 4pm, and are closed Sunday afternoon and all day Monday. The larger churches, including most cathedrals, operate similarly; others open only for worship in the early morning and/or the evening. There's a lot of variation however, and some shops, such as los centros comerciales, shopping malls, los grandes almacenes, department stores and los supermercados, supermarkets, stay open without a break from 10am - 9pm or in some cases until 10pm. On a fixed number of Sundays in the year the large department stores and supermarkets are also open to the public. In the coastal tourist regions during the high season, shops are generally open until well after 10pm. Opening hours are also affected by the seemingly vast number of días festivos, public holidays, in Spain. In total there are fourteen national holidays and scores of local ones. For example las fiestas patronales, saints' days, are held to celebrate the patron saint of the local town. Other religious festivals include Easter, la Semana Santa, literally the Holy Week, with processions and celebrations in some places. On these days, shops and offices will close in the afternoon. Links Spanish Tourist Office - the official site These links are included for educational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the BBC of the products or services featured. |