The Spanish do still love British tourists – but only those who follow these rules
From the frenzied headlines, you’d think Spain’s avenues were running with the blood of foreign visitors.
“Barcelona is throwing tourists under the bus,” they yell. “Mallorcans plan to storm beaches.” Isolated incidents – diners squirted with water; disgruntled placards at Insta-famous landmarks – become front-page news across the world, along with sanctimonious opinion pieces on the dangers of biting the hand that feeds you.
It is true to say Spain has grown weary of the impact of mass tourism on its infrastructure, public services and housing market, of course. The Spanish were avid staycationers before it was cool, and would dearly love a bit more towel space on the beach and a shorter line at the Alhambra. They’re nostalgic for a time when the streets were cleaner and quieter, and when the local shops were mostly family affairs. It wasn’t all that long ago.
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But to paint Spain as anti-tourist is completely misguided. Around three million of its workers are directly employed in the tourist sector, and many more than that depend on the country’s enduring appeal to holidaymakers from Britain, France, Germany and elsewhere.
Putting the economic arguments aside, the Spanish are a hospitable people, not given to a generalised grudge. You’ll find them welcoming and helpful, if a little exhausted. They don’t want you to stay away, they just ask that you treat their home as you would your own. So what can you do to fit in?
Talk the talk
Even if it’s just a handful of Spanish words you memorise on the plane, making the effort is always appreciated. Learning a smattering of the local regional language – Basque, Catalan, Galician or Aranese – will make you even more popular (see below).
Walk the walk
If you wouldn’t knock about your home town in a rickshaw, on a Segway or in a pony and trap, don’t do it here. Novelty transport clogs up streets – and makes you look ridiculous. Group tours, particularly by bike, are also the cause of much eye-rolling in the narrow lanes of most historical centres. Most Spanish cities are very walkable, and hiring a guide for one or two people can be cheap.
Support local business
If you recognise the logo, go somewhere else. The queues at every Starbucks (and there are a lot) are an affront to everything that foreign travel stands for. Spain has excellent coffee on every block, whether you want the zinc counter and loud television experience, or the kind of place that roasts the beans for your single-origin cold brew on site and serves it from a Citroën H van.
Don’t mention the war
Or regional independence. It can go badly awry.
Keep the noise down
Lured by the cheap booze and endless sunshine, there’s a certain type of holidaymaker who sees Spain as one giant resort, ripping up the social contract the second they get off the plane. Bear in mind that Airbnb rentals are often in residential blocks, home to people who won’t thank you for crashing into the building drunk at 3am. And if you wouldn’t sing in the streets at home, don’t do it here.
Don’t just say cheese, buy cheese
Spain’s food markets are a feast for the eyes and the subject of a million hashtags. Pirouetting by the fruit stalls is an essential holiday activity for any self-respecting Instagrammer, but it’s a two-way street – stall-holders provide your backdrop, now you provide some custom.
Every drop counts
Spain is in the throes of an unprecedented drought, but regional governments have been disinclined to impose the same water restrictions on tourists that they have on citizens. Do your bit by taking showers rather than baths, and resist the temptation to have your towels and linen changed just because you can.
Cash is king
Spain is still far from being a cashless society, and there are still plenty of old-school establishments that don’t take cards. Small business owners, as everywhere, will thank you for paying in cash – card processing fees can add up over time. It’s also a good idea to tip in cash too, and to have a couple of euros on you for those living rough.
Leave only footprints
Minimising landfill is harder on holiday, but you’re not usually far from a recycling bin in Spain, particularly on the beaches. Use a refillable water bottle and don’t leave cigarette butts in the sand – beach clean-ups (keep an eye out for these, it’s a good way to meet local people while being useful) mostly consist of collecting cigarette ends and, for reasons unknown, puzzling amounts of cotton buds.
Dress to impress
Don’t walk around the city in swimwear (there are rules about this) or in hilariously rude hen/bachelor party gear (there should be rules about this).
Get out
No one will blame you for wanting to see the Prado, the Guggenheim or the Sagrada Família, but to see the real Spain you’ll need to move away from congested city centres to further-flung neighbourhoods or small towns. You’ll find the people welcoming, prices lower and the transport mostly reliable.
Taste the terroir
Seek out Spanish produce wherever possible, and eat what’s in season. Your tastebuds will thank you for it, as will local farmers and fishermen. Wine lists tend to favour the regional varieties, with few international options, and with good reason. Ordering prosecco in a country that produces the infinitely superior cava should be a crime, and note that sangria exists almost entirely to satisfy the tourist market, and will destroy your credibility faster than a Mexican hat.
