Spain - customs and traditions. The most unusual traditions of Spain

Tomatina in Spain
La Tomatina (Spanish: “La Tomatina”) is one of the most famous and unusual festivals in Spain, which has been taking place since 1945 in the small town of Bunol, 40 km away. from Valencia. Tomatina is not just a holiday with fireworks, dancing and competitions, but a real tomato battle, which is traditionally held in the last week of August.
The main part of the festival begins at a special signal from the city hall, after which trucks loaded to the brim with ripe tomatoes appear on the main square - they serve as throwing missiles. The goal of the fun is quite simple - you need to crush the tomatoes a little, throw them as much as possible large quantity participants and try not to come under fire yourself, although it is almost impossible to remain clean during the battle.
About 40 thousand people take part in the two-hour battle and more than 100 tons of tomatoes are destroyed. The holiday ends with a swim in a pool filled with tomato juice.
The Tomatina Festival in Spain is rightfully considered the most unusual event. During the festival, the population of this small town increases 4-5 times. Every year the festival only becomes more popular.

Egg-Flour War "Enfarinats"
Enfarinats is another Spanish battle festival that uses an edible arsenal. Unlike Tomatina, in Enfarinats the main weapons are eggs and flour, and only men can take part in battle.
An impromptu war takes place in the city of Ibi (province of Alicante) before the New Year.
Before the battle begins, all participants are divided into two groups. The first group includes married men, who act as “invaders” of the city, issue comic laws and monitor their implementation. Each violator must pay a fine, otherwise he will be immediately bombarded with flour and eggs. The task of the second group is to protect the citizens of the city and drive out the robbers.

San Fermin in Pamplona
San Fermin (Spanish: Sanfermines) is the running of the bulls and the most extreme holiday in Spain. The permanent location of the race is the city of Pamplona in the north of the country.

The famous running of the bulls has been going on for eight centuries, although it gained worldwide fame only in the 20th century thanks to Ernest Hemingway, who described the mesmerizing atmosphere of the festival and the city of Pamplona in his novel
The holiday lasts from July 6 to July 14. At this time, tourists and local residents There is a unique opportunity to compete with the bulls in speed and agility. Every day in the morning, 12 angry animals are released onto the streets of the old city, and daredevils try to run 850 meters with them. According to the participants, not everyone can overcome even half the distance.

Needless to say, running with bulls is an extremely traumatic activity. However, every year from 1 to 3 million people come to Pamplona to take part in the race and watch the exciting show.

Festival of the Living Dead in Spain
The Feast of the Living Dead is another unusual fiesta in Spain, which takes place in the city of Las Neves on July 29.
The holiday was invented by those who have ever been on the verge of death. Thousands of people take part in the procession, thereby expressing their respect to the patroness of all resurrected Saint Martha. At 10 o'clock in the morning, some of the faithful lie down in coffins, and their loved ones carry them from the Las Nieves church to the cemetery, after which everyone goes to church service and pray for those who are still alive. However, not everything is as gloomy as it might seem at first glance. The day ends with music, dancing, entertainment programs and beautiful fireworks.

Casteli - human towers in Tarragona
In the fall, another unique competition takes place in Spain, which has become a real attraction of the country. Teams of castellers (Spanish: castellers) from all over the area come to the city of Tarragona in order to build the tallest and most beautiful tower of people.

The tradition of building “living” towers comes from the folk dance of Catalonia. The dancers, at the end of the music, had to line up in a small pyramid. Over time, the dance became less popular, but the fun of building towers out of people grew into a tradition.

The construction of living towers is a very exciting and vibrant spectacle. Sometimes castellers manage to build a tower 10 levels high. The strongest members of the team stand at the base; they are the ones who hold the entire structure on their shoulders. The level above are girls, and the very top of the tower is completed by children.
According to the terms of the competition, it is not enough to build a “living” pyramid; it also needs to be carefully disassembled, and not all teams succeed in this. The competition is accompanied by folk festivals with music, dancing and competitions for children.

Throwing a turkey from a church bell tower
In the small village of Casailla (Jaén), every year, during the San Blas festival, local residents throw a turkey from the bell tower, and below it is caught by a crowd gathering at the entrance of the church. The roots of this “slightly strange” tradition go back to late XIX century, when the children of two wealthy families in the village tied the knot. The ceremony took place on the day of St. Blaise (Spanish: San Blas) and so that happy event to celebrate - a turkey, a symbol of wealth and prosperity, was thrown from the church bell tower. And, despite the fact that it all sounds quite surreal, the tradition in this village has been preserved until today. The lucky one who catches this turkey is received by the crowd as a hero. But if any single girl finds a feather from this turkey, it is believed that she will get married in the next 12 months. (Attention! The turkey participating in this tradition does not die).

Colacho
This is probably the strangest and most unusual tradition you have ever heard of. A villager dresses up in a colorful devil costume ("Colacho") and walks in a procession through the village. Neighbors decorate their houses with flowers and colorful shawls. At some specific points, a kind of altar is installed and, opposite, on mattresses, children born in the last 12 months are laid out. According to tradition, "Colacho" must jump over the little ones, thus driving away troubles and big troubles from them. The more jumps, the less chance of trouble. This curious tradition has taken place in the village of Burgos (Castrillo de Murcia) since 1621.

"Golden" Lung
Are you able to spit an olive pit over 30 meters away?! Congratulations! You can participate in the annual Golden Lung competition in Elche, Alicante! The essence of this curious competition comes down to spitting a bone as far as possible. There are 2 types: olive pit and date pit. The current record is 36.50 meters for the olive stone and 28 meters for the date stone.

Lekeitio, or "Day of the Goose"
Every year on September 5th, the port of the Basque town of Lekeitio is filled with people who want to take part in the interesting tradition of “Antchar Eguna” (Goose Day). An elastic rope with a dead goose is stretched across the width of the port (but many years ago the goose was alive!). In boats, groups of merry young people approach the goose, one of whom jumps out of the boat and grabs the goose’s head. From both sides people pull on the rope, raising and lowering it several meters. The goal of this competition is to hold on as long as possible or tear off the goose's head. This tradition is already 300 years old and the competition is accompanied by traditional music, regional dances and, of course, you cannot do without a huge amount of food!

Summer New Year
We all celebrate the New Year on the night from December 31 to January 1, and in these 12 seconds with each strike of the clock, sometimes we do not have time to make all the wishes we would like. How do you like the idea of ​​celebrating the New Year again, and in the summer too?! Halfway between Granada and Almeria is the village of Berchules. This a nice place, full of white houses and cobbled streets, is famous throughout Spain for its mid-summer New Year celebrations! And the whole point is that for several years there was a blackout in Berchules, and even on the most important night of the year! As one can imagine, the villagers were unable to get the clock to strike, nor, accordingly, eat their 12 grapes, nor enjoy New Year's Eve in full! Since then, the residents of Berchules decided to celebrate the New Year in the first week of August, which every year attracts more and more people to those parts!

Merengue War, the sweetest holiday!
During the regional holidays in the city of San Sebastian (week of August 15), it is organized real battle! But here the weapon is none other than the famous delicious dessert meringue! The area of ​​Sages (famous for its festive atmosphere and especially loved by surfers) is filled with people willing to do anything to participate in this fairly young tradition (since 2011). Participants are divided by age: children, teenagers and adults, and a battle begins in which more than 300 kilograms are used. The winner is the one who, in the opinion of the jury, can remain as clean as possible.

Enjoy your holiday, and remember that going to a Spanish holiday is really great! Many tourists specially plan their vacation so as to enjoy the unusual atmosphere, mass celebrations or an organized, but no less fun procession!

Any country, even if it is a resort, is not only about beach towels, but also an opportunity to immerse yourself in a completely different culture and customs. The website continues a series of publications about the strangest traditions different countries, now it’s Spain’s turn, and Spanish traditions.

For those who decide to spend their holidays in Spain, probably the first association with this country is an ongoing holiday. And, indeed, when we tried to prepare an overview of the strangest Spanish traditions, it turned out that they are somehow connected with various holidays. Apparently a holiday in Spain is the same holiday that can be attributed to the traditions of Spain!

1. Running from the bulls.

Speaking about strange Spanish traditions, first of all, of course, we should talk about bullfighting, and not so much about it, but about the Bull Running Festival that precedes it in the city of Pamplona. A herd of fighting bulls is released into the streets behind a crowd of young people. The goal of the runners is to feel the breath of the bull on their back. Unfortunately, not a single festival is complete without injuries; however, deaths are quite rare. If someone wants to tickle their nerves, the festival is held annually on July 7-14. So you can plan a holiday in Spain just for this period. By the way, Spain is the only country that considers bullfighting a sport.

2. Goose Day.

Having talked about bullfighting, one cannot help but recall Goose Day - another barbaric holiday, rooted in the Middle Ages. On this day, in the town of Lekeitio, a greased goose is suspended over the water in the harbor on a rope (or rather, these days it is already the carcass of a goose, although previously they hung a live one). People passing by in boats try to grab the goose. It is believed that this competition on Goose Day is the ancestor of bungee jumping.

3. Tomato wars or battle of tomatoes.

Another militant, but much less traumatic holiday is the La Tomatina Festival, which takes place in Valencia annually on the last Wednesday of August. At the peak of the tomato harvest, thousands of people come to this holiday and throw ripe tomatoes at each other. Rivers of tomato juice flow through the streets. After the Tomato War ends, everyone gathers in the city's main square for a celebration of food and wine.

They should take these tomatoes and roll them into jars or something, then take them and trample them like that. However, the tomato war is fun. And this holiday can really be included in your holiday in Spain.

4. How to find a husband in Spain.

On May 15, all single women in Madrid rush to visit the Ermita de San Isidro chapel where they prick their fingers with pins - it is believed that this will help them find a husband. But this is only one of the traditions of a colorful festival dedicated to the patron saint of Madrid, San Isidro, with festivities, performances and dances.

5. Another way to find a husband.

In Malaga, women use another method to say goodbye to loneliness. On St. Anthony's Day they throw pebbles at the genitals of the San Antonio statue. It is believed that for this the Saint will give them a friend or a husband for next year. The priests, in principle, do not object (they would try to object to a crowd of women), they only urge them to be careful not to damage the wooden altar with pebbles.

6. Blessing of pets

The previous tradition exists only in one area, but in general Saint Anthony is the patron saint of animals, and on this day long lines line up at the Church of the Saint in Madrid so that pets can receive the blessing of the church (at least cats and dogs are not asked to confess). Proud pet owners then parade with their pets.

7. More about St. Anthony's Day

On this day there is also another tradition: believers buy three “holy” buns, two of which, according to tradition, must be eaten during the day. The last bun is kept with the coin for a year as a guarantee of work and health.

8. Funny figures

9. Jumping over children

In Spain you can find another rather strange tradition, namely jumping over babies in a devil costume. This action is designed to drive the devil away from children. We already wrote about something similar in “ Strange traditions India" - only there children are thrown from the roof of the mosque. Some kind of Middle Ages, and that’s all!

10. Once again about evil spirits

If you don't want to take part in festivities involving animals or throwing food, you can have a devilishly good time at the La Endiablada festival in Cuenca while on holiday in Spain. Every year at the beginning of February, residents “disguise” themselves as demons and tie large cow bells around their waists. A 3-day celebration with crazy costumes, processions and dancing in the streets is a truly vibrant and memorable spectacle. True, no one remembers exactly where this tradition came from, and what the action was supposed to mean, but the main thing is that everyone has fun!

Here is a far from complete dozen of curious Spanish traditions and celebrations. And if you are not yet convinced that Spain, with its golden beaches and wonderful climate, is a non-stop fiesta, then perhaps you will be convinced to spend your holiday here by the fact that this country has excellent cuisine and wine, and the largest number of bars of any country EU!!! But bars in Spain are a separate issue...

The culture and traditions of Spain are significantly different from cultural heritage, customs and spiritual values ​​of other European countries. Numerous tourists are attracted by the colorful atmosphere, temperament, friendliness and friendliness of the local population.

What are the features of Spanish culture?

Thanks to special geographical location culture is endowed with unique originality, richness and beauty. Its territorial location on the border between Africa and Europe, the shores washed by the warm Mediterranean Sea and the soft Atlantic Ocean - all this is reflected in the traditions and customs of hospitable Spain.

The long-term layering of cultural layers occurred due to the influence various peoples and religions. The culture of Spain is a unique combination of the folklore heritage of the ancient Romans, Greeks, and Arabs. The Spanish Mudejar style is a symbiosis of architecture, painting, music, expressed through international cultural characteristics.

Spanish architecture

Historical buildings are distinguished by their diversity, dictated by fashion trends of different periods. The culture of Spain is widely represented in monumental buildings: Gothic cathedrals, medieval castles, luxurious palaces. By number worldwide famous monuments Spain is in second place, losing the championship to Italy.

A must see for curious tourists Arc de Triomphe and Casa Lleo Morera in Barcelona. When heading to Valencia, you cannot miss the Torres de Serrano fortress gate, built in the 14th century. The step pyramids of Guimar, located on the island of Tenerife, amaze the imagination with their scale and remain an age-old mystery for humanity. The Arabic Giralda minaret with the Golden Tower is the symbol of Seville. The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostella houses the ancient relics of St. James, after whom the historical building is named.

The cultural features of Spain are also reflected in modern buildings. Agbar Tower, a building in the shape of a fish by architect Frank Gehry, “Bin Laden’s house” - here is a small list of world-famous works architectural art, representing their country with dignity.

Spanish fine art

The art of Spain has left a wide mark on the world cultural history. The works of the Golden Age brought worldwide fame to painting. These include masterpieces religious genre, created by the artist El Greco. No less famous are such creators as Francisco Ribalta, Diego Velazquez, Bartolomeo Murillo , Jusepe Ribera . Artistic traditions were subsequently continued by the brilliant work of Francisco Goya. Invaluable contribution to modern Art paintings were contributed by Salvador Dali, Joan Miro, Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris.

Spanish literature

During the Golden Age, the culture of Spain is enriched with outstanding works literary genre. The author of the famous Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, brought glory to his homeland. No less famous are literary heroes Felix Lope de Vega, Pedro Calderon de la Barca and Miguel de Unamuno. Modern literary fame was supported by playwright and poet Federico Juan Goytisolo, Miguel Delibes and Camilo José Cela, who became a Nobel Prize laureate. The art of drama was glorified mainly thanks to Ramon del Valle-Inclan.

The culture of Spain is noted thanks to the successes of domestic cinema. The director, the author of the masterpiece “Un Chien Andalou,” has created a whole gallery of world-famous works over the forty years of his film career. Such authors as Pedro Almodóvar and Carlos Saura strengthened the master’s fame.

Spanish music

Spain is one of the oldest musical countries in Europe. Amazing originality song genres, instrumental music, dance art are determined by the historical characteristics of this land. During the initial period of its development musical culture Spain included various directions, characteristic of certain provinces. Over time, various cultures intertwined more and more closely with each other, forming a special Spanish style, noticeably different from all others.

Already from the beginning of the 13th century, the music of Spain was famous for the art of playing the guitar. Today, the traditional musical instrument is represented by two types: flamenco and acoustic guitar. Contemporary music contains at its core the origins of folklore, which distinguish Spanish works by their originality and recognition.

Classical works were developed in the sixteenth century, taking church melodies as a basis. At the beginning of the 20th century, composers Enrique Granados, Isaac Albeniz, and Manuel de Falla brought pan-European fame to Spanish music. Contemporary classical singing art is represented by the brilliant voices of Montserrat Caballé, Placido Domingo and José Carreras.

Flamenco

The temperamental and fiery style of flamenco is the traditional music of Spain, born in Andalusia. It is presented in three directions: songs, dances and playing the guitar. The style was based on ancient gypsy ritual dances, which were passed down from generation to generation, preserving their traditions and enriched with new musical colors.

Today, flamenco dancing is presented in the form of musical performances filled with semantic content, expressing special sensuality and passion. The indispensable attributes of dance numbers (long dresses, colorful shawls, fans) help to better express feelings and emphasize the folk origin of the style. Flamenco dancing is often accompanied by the rhythmic sounds of castanets, clapping of hands (palmas), and expressive playing of the cajon drum.

The flamenco dance culture combines several different musical patterns under one name. A characteristic feature of the Spanish style is the obligatory element of improvisation, which allows you to create completely unique works of dance art.

Festivals and holidays in Spain

Ancient origins and wealth cultural expressions determine bright beauty and originality national holidays. The musical country annually holds various festivals, carnivals and processions.

In February, a nationwide carnival is held, especially vividly presented on the island of Tenerife. The eve of Easter is not complete without many religious processions and religious processions, decorated with colorful and colorful paraphernalia.

The most famous festivals take place in summer and autumn: music, theater, dance. One of the original events is Tomatina - a tomato festival, where a grandiose tomato massacre takes place.

Bullfight

The cultural heritage of Spain undoubtedly includes the famous bullfighting - bullfighting. The spectacular event is presented with a vibrant performance that includes centuries-old art traditions based on respect for sacred animals, excitement and mortal risk.

In ancient times, bullfighting was an obligatory element of national holidays. Today it is a whole art that embodies the Spanish spirit and national identity. The beauty of bullfighting is akin to ballet dance, where the bullfighter shows his skill, courage and talent.

Wonderful people, glorifying the history of their country over many centuries, created and continue to maintain a national heritage, the name of which is the culture of Spain. Briefly looking at creative directions human activity, one cannot help but be imbued with deep respect for the Spanish people, who carefully preserve and increase cultural traditions of their homeland.

Different regions of Spain and even individual localities have their own symbols and heraldry. Moreover, this applies not only to coats of arms or symbols, such as the bear and strawberry tree in Madrid, but also to the richest local folklore tradition, which is often tightly tied to a specific place. Here was the most famous battle with the Moors, over there he was killed (captured, married, ascended the throne - further to your taste) famous hero, and here was located the most ancient monastery or palace - there are literally thousands of objects of legends and symbolism, and the local residents are very proud of them. Gradually they switch to coats of arms, flags, trademarks, stamps and envelopes, becoming an integral part of local culture and life. Characteristic symbols that are respected by the whole country include numerous saints, a bull and the whole complex of traditions associated with bullfighting (however, the attitude towards bullfighting here, oddly enough, is far from clear), figures of fighters for the faith - Cid Campeador, King Ferdinand and others, as well as literary heroes like Don Quixote and Sancho Panza from the novel by Miguel Cervantes.

And at the same time, each such element has a clear practical significance - for example, the colors of the national flag (yellow and red) appeared in 1785 only due to the fact that the panels of such coloring are clearly visible at sea (Spain was one of the leaders of the era of great geographical discoveries ). And hundreds of such examples can be found in every region of the country - the history of Spain is very rich, and there are many reasons for its such obvious personification - almost every local symbol has its own explanation. But the Spanish monarchy and the king are symbols that are common to the entire nation. Respect for the royal house is very high here, and the Spanish monarch himself is one of the most educated and progressive political figures on the continent. In some cases, the use of the adjective "royal" takes clear precedence over the term "national", and the national anthem is called Marcha real ("Royal March") and has no text!

Settlements

Spain is characterized by a very dense grouping of houses in settlements, which gives even small villages the characteristics of cities. The traditional word pueblo, often translated simply as "village", actually has a much broader meaning - "people", "people", "place", "estate" and even "nationality". Size, as is obvious, is secondary to the fact of the concentration of people in a certain place - the main thing, most likely, is the fact of living together in a certain territory. In most settlements, and not just rural ones, houses, barns, warehouses, shops, schools, town halls and churches are built very close to each other. At the same time, fields, gardens, meadows and pastures lie outside the boundaries of the populated center and are called a separate word campo (“surroundings”, “ open place", "region", "camp"). Many attribute this to the Arab influence with its characteristic "medinas", but more likely is the obvious convenience of this type of development in rather difficult local conditions.

It is very rare in Spain to see a farm type of settlement, or the dispersal of residential buildings in open areas (occasionally this can only be found in the Atlantic regions). Even the vast latifundios of the southern regions have a compact populated core with outbuildings (cortijos) and surrounding agricultural land. This is so typical of the Iberian Peninsula that many Spaniards feel something like pity for the inhabitants of remote villages (while not forgetting to criticize the overcrowding of cities). Some associate this with the inherent desire of the Spaniards for communication and the traditional evening “paseo” (“walk”, “promenade”), others - with the opportunity to find a more decent job in the city, but be that as it may, the fact remains - Spanish settlements, even the most modern ones, are difficult to confuse with French or British ones, even at first glance. This is also facilitated by the characteristic local construction style with thick (up to 1 meter!) stone walls of houses and thick shutters (the sun here is hot, and the desire for privacy in dense buildings it is not easy to provide without shutters and blinds), picturesque patios and characteristic local decor. An indispensable element of any settlement is also the central square (interestingly, the names are almost the same throughout Spain - Plaza Mayor), the church and the town hall.

Family life

Children in Spain are literally the center of the family and often even the connecting element between representatives different generations. It is interesting that birthdays are celebrated twice: the first is the usual date of birth, the second is the name day. Moreover, the second holiday is often much more colorful and “more important” than the first, since almost all Spaniards get their names in honor of some saint. Since even within one family there can be many namesakes, name days turn into a common “event” for almost everyone, and not just for the “hero of the occasion.”

In Spain, the role of women is traditionally high both in the household and in public and Everyday life. Legislatively, spouses have absolutely equal rights, and there is a powerful historical background- Since the Middle Ages, according to Castilian law, women had equal rights with men to inheritance and property. They could freely manage their property independently of their husband and just as freely transfer or gift it. In marriage, a woman's property was traditionally transferred to her husband, but unmarried women or widows could own their property completely independently. This is where many of the most noticeable features in the relationships between the sexes come from. Spanish women can hardly be considered the most emancipated in Europe, but the fact that they are in no way inferior to men, either in politics or in business, is clearly visible to the naked eye. Moreover, many areas, such as education and the media, as well as municipal administration, are practically “at the mercy” of the fair sex, and the Spaniards themselves only support this.

A striking feature of the high status of women can be the tradition of not changing their surname in marriage. However, this system can be difficult to understand due to the widespread occurrence of double and compound surnames, which are so typical for the Spaniards. Children most often receive the father's first surname, to which the mother's first surname is added. The picture is aggravated by the same complex names, often made up of names that seem impossible to a foreigner - for example, the name Jose Maria can be found in both men and women (in the latter, however, much less often - in this case they are usually called Maria Jose). In various documents common to the whole family, a woman often signs her husband’s surname (usually with the article “de”). And after the death of a spouse, she often leaves her husband’s surname completely (at the same time adding before the husband’s surname “viuda de” - “widow of such and such”), which in the end sometimes forms completely unimaginable constructions of 2-3 names and 2-4 surnames, which also does not make it easy to understand. However, in everyday use and business etiquette usually only the first surname is used. A characteristic feature that makes it a little easier to understand all this diversity is the tradition of calling the first son by the name of the father, and the daughter by the name of the mother. In order not to get confused in this monotony, the Spaniards use numerous variations of nicknames, which often “stick” to a person for life (Pepe, Ronaldinho, Manolo - all from this series).

It’s easy to guess that such a confusing system of first and last names leads to real chaos when searching for a person, especially through a reference book or, even worse, through a telephone directory. Not only are all subscribers identified by their first surname, the “range” of which is generally small, but then they are also followed by a second surname and first name, the latter often being shortened to the first letter. As a result, entire pages of the directory are filled with exactly the same “details”, among which it is simply impossible to find the desired subscriber. However, the problem of finding an organization can be even more difficult, since they are often recorded not under the name or trademark, but under the name of the owner.

Weddings in Spain are organized according to the same principles as in all others. European countries Oh. But divorce is a more complicated procedure. Either both parties agree to it, and then the registration is delayed “only” for a couple of years, or one of them does not want a divorce, and then various tricks are used. But even then, you shouldn’t expect a break in relations to be formalized earlier than 5 years later - it’s a Catholic country, after all.

Etiquette

The concept of “Spanish temperament” usually evokes a lot of cliches and misunderstandings, which is most clearly manifested in the traditional manner of speaking loudly for this country. Moreover, loud speech and shouting are simply not seen here as either a threat or an expression of emotions - this is what they say almost always and everywhere. At the same time, the Spaniards themselves are very friendly and friendly, and raised tones are simply a traditional method of communication. Spaniards are not shy about expressing their feelings openly, and expressiveness of speech and gestures play a significant role in this process. last role. Unlike many other European countries, the concept of “you” almost does not exist - even people of much higher status or age can be addressed as “you”. Also, a Spaniard can speak completely freely to stranger on the street, and in the provinces the old tradition of greeting everyone you meet is often encountered.

When meeting with well-known people, a whole performance is often played out - Spaniards can pat each other on the shoulder for several minutes, hug each other and noisily express great joy. But it is not customary to show offense or frustration - this is a purely personal matter and it should not concern others.

When meeting and saying goodbye to a man and a woman, or two women, it is customary to signify a kiss on both cheeks (to designate, not to kiss!) and wish good day, take an interest in each other’s affairs and in every possible way emphasize the joy of meeting. When meeting a guest they say bienvenido a .... ("welcome to..."), when sitting down at the table - buen provecho ("buen probecho" - literally "good benefit"). During a toast they say chin-chin or salud (the latter if the toast is made in someone's honor). However, the word salud (salud) is quite universal here - it is customary to use it as a sign of greeting on the street, and to wish you health, and as a response to someone’s request. In response to gratitude, de nada is most often used (“de nada” - no thanks). On the street, greetings are usually made with the traditional Hola ("Ola" - "hello"), Buenos Dias ("Buenos Dias" - good afternoon) or Buenas tardes ("Buenas Tardes" - "good evening", used at any time of the day after lunch) . It is interesting that in written form greetings are accompanied by as many as two exclamation marks - at the beginning of the phrase inverted, at the end - normal.

When communicating with Spaniards, it is recommended not to touch on certain topics, such as death or bullfighting. The first is a taboo purely due to the religiosity of the local residents, while in the second, it is easy for a foreigner who is little knowledgeable about this type of entertainment to “press the wrong pedal.” You should not mix personal conversation and formalities - here it is customary to clearly separate working relationships from friendship, personal from public. You should not ask about the age of not only ladies, but also men. Spaniards are generally very proud and easily offended, and discussing age differences can seriously be taken as an indication of unfitness for any activity. Local residents, by and large, have little interest in life outside their country, and in foreigners as such, too, so all their questions should be considered a sign of politeness, nothing more.

It is highly discouraged to criticize the royal house - the Spaniards are very respectful ruling dynasty. Also, you should not touch on religion, and especially football - here local residents have a whole system of hierarchy and preferences, likes and dislikes, which is simply impossible to understand. You should not raise the topic of money, wealth or income level - this is not accepted, just like complaining about your poverty or pointing it out to others. It is very risky to start a conversation about politics - despite all the apparent calm in society, Spain is very politicized, and many topics either have a rather specific connotation or can offend the national identity of the interlocutor. By the way, all these features should be perceived as overly generalized, not forgetting that Spain is a multinational country, and in every corner of it the set of customs and traditions, and therefore the behavior of people, can be very different from the above.

Spaniards are extremely polite people, especially in public. Giving up your seat on public transport is considered a sign of politeness and is highly valued, especially in relation to strangers (it is almost impossible to see an elderly person standing on a tram here). Also characteristic feature is the desire to hold the door for someone walking behind you or to let a woman pass ahead - the Spaniards take this for granted. But jumping the line anywhere is not at all shameful - it only speaks of the status of the “violator,” albeit ostentatious, but important for him, rather than his insolence.

Spain is a colorful country that combines the ardor of the gypsies, the piquancy of the Moorish tribes, the sophistication of the Romanesque style and the solidity of the Celts. Spain is a multinational state. Its residents are very temperamental and at the same time extremely friendly. They love humor and enjoy long conversations. Traditions and customs of Spain reflected in local stereotypes. Folk dancing, singing and round dances colorfully illustrate the culture of the state.

Spanish customs: siesta, paseo, osio

The Spaniards are sensitive to national traditions and respect folk morals. Throughout Spain, there is a vibrant tradition of afternoon sleep - the siesta. During siesta, trade, financial and industrial organizations stop working. Also common in Spain is another interesting tradition- paseo - an evening walk to see family and friends, and the result is paseo - osio - a sincere conversation after the party. Osio is carried out exclusively on fresh air or in a bar, not at home. Spaniards love to have fun. Throughout the year, residents of this country celebrate holidays or carnivals.

Family is the basis of Spanish values

The Spaniards highly respect family traditions. Much attention is paid to children. Children are the basis of a social unit, the foundation of a dynasty. In Spain, it so happens that they honor both name day and birthday. However, name days are celebrated more luxuriously and spectacularly than birthdays.

An interesting fact is that after marriage, Spanish women keep their last name. As a result, children are awarded a double surname.

In Spain, it was customary to name the first child by the name of the father or mother, respectively. A wedding in this country is no different from a wedding in Europe. However, getting a divorce in Spain is quite problematic - the process often drags on for up to five years.

Funerals in Spain are not like funerals in other countries. The dead are placed in special cells here. No one will dare to place a dead person on the earth as long as the rent for his maintenance is paid on time.

Flamenco is a vivid reflection of the traditions and customs of Spain

Flamenco is a combination of rhythm, beautiful music and breathtaking dancers, created by the soul of the Spanish people. Flamenco reflects the close connection between Eastern and European cultures who did not pass by Spanish soil.

Flamenco begins with the appearance of the fair sex in beautiful, colorful skirts and blouses. Their hairstyle features a raised comb with flowers. Representatives of the stronger sex wear tight-fitting pants and vests. They have leather shoes on their feet. While amazing music is played on the guitar, senors and senoritas sing praises to their betrothed. Next, a dancer appears on the stage, and with increasing tap dancing she shows the tense atmosphere. Suddenly the strumming of the guitar stops, but this is not the end of the dance. Another dancer comes onto the stage, followed by a man with castanets. In a frantic dance rhythm they show how crazy love is. This is a traditional dance in Spain.

Bullfighting is the most beloved folk show in Spain

It is impossible to imagine the existence of Spaniards without such a tradition as bullfighting. Bullfighting is a fight between men and a fighting bull. The outcome of this fight for the animal is known even before the start of the fight, but the fate of the men depends on their skill and speed of reaction.

Bullfighting in Spain begins in March and continues until September. During this entire time interval, approximately 5 hundred contractions take place. As a rule, fights are organized in specially equipped arenas, with the presence of large quantity observers. The fight begins with a rider with a pike - a picador - annoying the animal. Next, the bullfighter continues to tease the bull with the scarlet material. The banderillero's mission is to stab the bull with a banderilla - darts with colorful bandages. The matador is the arbiter of the bull's fate. He has to slaughter the unfortunate animal. Sometimes the animal leaves the arena alive, for this the spectators need to wave snow-white handkerchiefs. The matador receives as a reward, depending on his skill, the ears, tail and legs of a bull.

Matadors in Spain are highly revered and considered a national treasure. Toreadors receive no less fame. They are so popular that their images decorate many streets, houses and homes. They even erect monuments to them. Bullfighting for the Spaniards is a very important and popular tradition, but it is worth noting that now everything more people advocate its abolition.

Holidays in Spain

In Spain, every locality has its own customs and traditions. Any settlement in this country has its own protector, whose name is greatly revered by the locals. In honor of him, luxurious events are held - fiestas. The holiday time is like a siesta - all organizations are closed, and residents are rewarded with bonus days off.

All holidays or fiestas in Spain can be divided into:

1. National: Constitution Day, religious holidays, Three Kings Festival for children;
2. Regional: in Valencia the fire festival is very popular, in Murcia there is the “Romans and Carthaginians” festival, in Alicante there is the “Moors and Christians” festival, in Seville there is the Sevillana festival;
3. Local. Separate for everyone settlement Spain.

All festive events in Spain are organized and carried out extremely enchantingly, joyfully and cheerfully.

Curious holidays and traditions in Spain:

Folk games

As a rule, many holidays in Spain are not complete without sporting events and national competitions. Thus, in the north of the country, the game bolos, reminiscent of a bowling competition, is very developed. The holidays are not complete without aquatic species sports. The rafting is quite famous fast current mountain rivers on pirogues or boats. The Basque Country is famous for its men's folk sports involving strength, agility and endurance, such as tug of war, log cutting, crowbar throwing, sea regattas, pelota and bolos. Competitions for quickly driving animals into stalls are very developed in the Spanish provinces of Old Castile and Navarre. Catalonia is famous for its competitions and trained dog competitions. And in Andalusia, donkeys are used instead of horses.

For many games, all-Spanish competitions are organized.

Culinary characteristics of the Spaniards

The customs of the Spaniards did not bypass the cuisine. It contains all kinds of vegetables and fruits, a wide range of meat products, seafood, aromatic herbs and spices, wine and nuts. Different sauces are a signature feature of chefs and cooks in Spain.