"It’s not a secret that Spain and Italy operate on their own clock. Shops open at 11. Lunch is not served before 1:30. EVERYTHING is closed for three hours in the middle of the day. In Milan you can go for an apero at 7, but you need to hurry because by 9 the place has cleared. In Madrid an “early” dinner starts around 9:30pm and nightclubs don’t fill up until 2 or 3 in the morning. Sundays, unless you plan to go to church, brunch or a big mall, you’re better off staying home. The best tip to get on Spanish or Italian time is to eat when you’re supposed to, go out when everyone else is out and don’t try to do anything mid-afternoon.
"For some foreigners the strict adherence to these schedules may be inconvenient and even unnatural. But as anyone who has lived in either country will tell you, these “sacred hours” force people to slow down and go with the flow. More importantly, they encourage people to eat, drink and be merry along with everybody else. These two cultures take great pride in their “live to work, not work to live” philosophy. They are the kings of living happily in their comfort zone. Whatever you do, don’t mess with their clock!"
From Coco Videla, Saatchi & Saatchi Planning Director, Madrid & Milan
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