7 Things I Wish I Would Have Known Before Moving to Spain

Moving to Spain to teach English as an auxiliar de conversación has seriously been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. I’ve gotten to work on speaking Spanish, I’ve gained teaching experience, I’ve been able to travel around Spain and Europe, and—perhaps most importantly—I love living here.

Looking back, however, there are a few things that would have been helpful to know before I made my move. In this post, you can read about the seven things I wish I would have known before moving to Spain.

If you’re thinking of moving to Spain yourself—and especially if you’re from the United States—you might find this list to be helpful as you make this major life transition.

Again, I have to say I love life in Spain. But there are a few things I wish I would have known before leaving the USA. And here are those things:

1. Siestas are taken quite seriously—especially in smaller towns.

Before moving to Spain, I had heard that Spanish people take siestas, or naps, every single day. But napping is not really an accurate picture of what siesta means in Spain.

Sure, siesta translates to English as “nap,” but in Spain, the meaning of the word is a bit broader than that. In Spain, siesta refers to a period in the mid-afternoon from about 2:00 PM to about 5:00 PM where most businesses close so that people can return to their homes for a long lunch and rest. Students are dismissed from school at 2:00 PM, too.

During siesta, napping is definitely an option, and I’m sure many people do take naps during this period. But regardless, siesta means that businesses close for a mid-afternoon break.

In big cities and international or touristy areas, some businesses—especially restaurants or those related to tourism—might remain open during siesta. But in smaller towns with less international influence, siesta is generally observed very seriously. In these areas, you can’t run errands or go grocery shopping during siesta.

I’ve been living in an area with quite a bit of international influence, so some grocery stores and cafes remain open during siesta here. Still, many businesses do close, so it can be difficult—if not impossible—to run errands during the period from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM.

2. Most grocery stores close on Sundays.

In Spain, most grocery stores close on Sundays. Plenty of other businesses close on the weekends, too. But since I often went grocery shopping on Sundays in the USA, it took me a couple of weeks to get the hang of this fact of life in Spain.

Since grocery stores tend to be open Monday through Saturday, it’s really not too much of an inconvenience for them to close Sundays. It just means that people have to plan ahead and buy their groceries earlier in the week. I prefer to buy my groceries no later than Friday, though, because the supermarkets seem to get pretty busy on Saturdays.

In big cities and international areas, there will likely be some sort of market or grocery store open on Sundays, but it just might not be your first choice store or location. As towns get smaller though, open grocery stores are harder to come by on Sundays in Spain.

3. Bureaucratic processes go very slowly.

In Spain, bureaucratic processes tend to go very slowly. Bureaucratic processes go slowly in most places, I suppose. But Spain is notorious for long wait times for governmental documents and applications.

If you’re moving to Spain, you should submit any paperwork or start any governmental applications as soon as possible. If you’re not sure where to start, read my step-by-step guide for things to do when you first move to Spain.

4. Access to public transportation varies widely by region and city.

Compared to my experience in the southern United States, public transportation on Spain’s Costa del Sol has appeared superb. Affordable and frequently running busses and trains connect the area to its central hub in Malaga.

That said, access to public transit varies widely by region and city in Spain. If you’re thinking of moving to Spain without a car, be sure to research what public transportation is offered in the area where you want to live.

5. It may be difficult to get a flu shot in Spain.

I’m not sure the reason behind it, but my friends on the Costa del Sol have found it extremely difficult to get a flu shot in Spain. They’ve told me that the doctors they’ve visited have explained that their offices don’t carry the shots.

A couple of my friends were able to purchase physical flu shots at the pharmacy, but no pharmacist would administer the shots. So my friends refrigerated the shots and eventually found a walk-in clinic where they could bring the shots to a nurse to administer.

Luckily, I had already gotten my flu shot before heading to Spain. So that’s what I’d recommend you do, too, if you want to be sure to get your influenza vaccination during the year you’ll be moving.

6. Flats can get really cold in southern Spain.

On Spain’s Costa del Sol, the summers can be brutally hot and the winters tend to be pretty mild. As a result, the buildings are generally built to expel heat and retain cool air, which works great for the summers but can make winters a bit difficult.

My flat, like many of the flats on the Costa del Sol, does not have heating. In fact, the building stays extra cold since it’s made of stone. If you’ll be living in one of these kinds of flats on Spain’s southern coast, you might want to invest in a heavy blanket or two, as well as some warm pajamas.

7. I love living in Spain!

Before moving to Spain, I felt confident that it was the right decision for me. But I also felt quite nervous about what was to come.

Now that I’m here, I couldn’t be happier with my decision to move to Spain. I love it here!