Totally Spain's Practical Guide of What to Pack for Spain

We’ve just come off the phone from a client asking what to pack for Spain. It’s something we are often asked – usually with the subtext of how the person can avoid looking like a tourist. While we don’t think that everybody should look the same (how boring would that be!) here’s our guide to dressing in Spain with a few Do’s and Don’t to consider when packing.

One father and son here proving that you can’t go wrong with a smart shirt or top.

EveryDay Smart Casual
It’s safe to say that whatever the weather, Spaniards tend to dress smartly. If not a suit, men will wear a shirt and blazer to work and often a shirt again or a polo shirt at the weekend. In fact, many Spaniards won’t differentiate between weekday and weekend clothes. Grooming is also of great importance – although curiously, men may not be as cleanly shaven as you might expect. The day or two-day long stubble often adds an informality to the well-ironed and polished clothing. As you might expect, women also dress smartly for work and outside the workplace. Accessories such as shoes, bags and jewellery are also important to a Spanish woman’s wardrobe. And a trip to the hairdresser for a blow-dry and a manicure is much less of a luxury than in other European countries.

If you haven’t packed the right bag or shoes, there’s no shortage of shops in Spain to pick up a perfect shopper or pair of pumps.

The smartness and formality of the clothing is the same all year round. Smart lightweight suits and dresses in the Summer which are covered with a trench coat and accessorised with a sturdy umbrella in the Spring and Autumn. In fact, when it rains, you’ll be surprised at the number of expensive wellington boots you’ll see out and about. In the Winter months, you’ll see ‘good’ woollen coats and highly polished boots and gloves, and among the older generation lots of smart hats. If you like to ‘fit in’ when you go on holiday, ‘smart casual’ is definitely the way to go in Spain.

When the Spanish Travel in Spain
Smart casual reigns for Spaniards at home and also on holidays in their own country. Most will be wearing what they would normally wear in their home town with a pair of slightly more comfortable walking shoes. The exception would be Spaniards attending formal events such as weddings and the opera – which you can locate by hanging around the cathedrals and box-offices at the theatres.

If you want to enjoy the best Spain’s cities have to offer, you’ll thank yourself for packing a comfy pair of shoes.

The Spanish on the Beach

Travelling to the coast (or living there) doesn’t mean any great change in the Spanish dress code. A woman going to the beach will have her bikini or swimsuit but will have on a smart beach dress, probably dressy leather sandals and bag. Men will also dress smartly for the beach and after a swim will change into a smart polo or t-shirt and shorts just in case they go for lunch/drinks/tapas. Once away from the streets that lead to the beach, you will never see Spaniards in swimsuits. The same goes for flip-flops. They are worn on the beach or at the swimming pool. Incidentally, it is illegal to drive barefoot or wearing flip-flops in Spain. If you are looking for alternatives to your Havaianas, consider purchasing a pair of espadrilles or menorquinas which you can read about here.

Wear flip flops in Spain where you would wear a swimsuit.

Dressing down in Rural Spain
The exception to the ‘smart casual’ look is in rural areas, in the countryside or up the mountains. This is where you’ll see Spaniards in hiking trousers, walking shoes and a t-shirt or polo all day long. The influx of shops such as Decathlon across Spain has made it easier than ever to pick up inexpensive footwear, clothing and accessories for hiking. Of course the locals don’t wear these hiking clothes and probably find it hilarious to see so many people with all the gear. But unless you know the terrain, we’d recommend good shoes and clothing – better being prepared than not…

Things get a lot more casual up in the mountains.

Smart casual plus walking shoes it is then! But what else do you need to know when packing your case? Here’s a few tips and pitfalls:

Do’s and Don’t to Dressing in Spain

• First things first – a smile goes a long way. Whatever you wear, a smile always fits in and goes with everything. That and a few phrases in Spanish, will make you the most welcomed person in the country
• Carrying a newspaper is another way to be passed of as a local. Even better if you can read it!
• Unless you are a teenager, don’t wear flips flops away from the pool or beach. Not in the city. Not in a restaurant. Not in a museum.
• Bring layers. A scarf is a very versatile item for both the heat and the cold.
• Cover your shoulders when going inside a church. Not only are these spaces chilly but it does show some respect to those who are worshipping inside. On a hot day, a church is a great place to sit and people watch. On a cold day, you’ll need to wrap up.
• If you are touring around Spain, don’t expect the weather in one part of Spain to be the same as the other. Download a weather app to your smartphone and watch for the difference between maximum and minimum temperatures as well as the percentage of rainfall, humidity and wind. The max/min temperatures will help you decide whether to take a jacket or not. When you leave your hotel it might be 25 degrees but if it drops to 12 at night or in the shade, you’ll be less likely to sit out on a terrace soaking up the atmosphere. If you don’t have a smartphone and can’t understand the local newspaper/TV weather reports, ask your concierge or look out the window if you are in the city centre to get a rough idea for what people are wearing.
• Good shoes matter in Spain. It is one of the world’s largest shoe manufacturers and you’ll see that when you get here. Leather rules here. Of courses if you are doing the Camino de Santiago, you’ll be wearing hiking boots all day long but you’ll certainly want to treat yourself to a posh meal out at the end of the walk. If you can’t fit a decent pair of leather shoes in your rucksack, consider buying a pair when you’ve finished the Camino. If you are on a city break and want to wear trainers when exploring the sights, consider sticking a pair of smarter shoes or heels in your daypack (or buy a cheap pair) to put on when you get to a nice restaurant.
• Accessories are your friends in Spain especially if you are female. Spanish women like their jewellery whether it’s costume, contemporary or the real deal. When packing, consider putting in a pair or two of earrings and a necklace. They don’t take up much room and can dress up a daytime outfit to nighttime when you want it to.
• Be prepared for heat in Summer but also for the cold! You’ll need to bring a scarf or light jacket for the air-conditioned museums, restaurants and galleries you’ll be in during the middle of the day. Remember buildings such as wineries will also be chilly so pack accordingly.
• Baseball caps should be treated like other hats, they’re great outdoors but when you go inside to a restaurant or museum or winery – take them off.
• If you really want to fit in – especially in the winter months – add an extra layer. The Spanish tend to dress for a climate that’s seems colder than their own and are more concerned about draughts and breezes than elsewhere. If choosing a table on a terrace outside of the warm summer months, watch where the Spanish sit – it’s probably the most protected and snug.
• In the Winter, you might be surprised to see many of the bars aren’t heated and the doors are often left open to attract people. If you want the tapas experience in January – bring lots of layers so you don’t feel cold when you step outside. Feather-lined anoraks are very popular here among the younger generation and are of late being worn by their parents too. Check the temperatures for winter trips and if it’s showing minus zero – bring a warm layer.
• If you are not a fan of clothes shopping and like to travel light, remember when packing that many hotels offer laundry and ironing services. Yes, it’s costly but if you are making lots of connections within Spain, you’ll be more confortable with a small carry-on. Of course, there are lots of online tips for choosing what to pack, how to pack (have you tried the bundling method?) and how to care for your clothes on the go. We should warn you that while hotel laundries offer a next day service, dry-cleaning facilities tend to move slower than in Anglo-Saxon countries.

Hats off to these guys in the Reina Sofia museum.

Forgotten Something? Where to Shop in Spain

We probably don’t need to tell you about the Spanish high street names such as Zara, Mango, Massimo Dutti and Adolfo Dominguez to buy anything you might need while on your trip. If you have some extra cash for clothes you should check out high-end brands such as Hoss Intropia for women’s clothing, Loewe for leather ‎and Purificacion Garcia for clothing also. The department store chain El Corte Ingles is also a handy one-stop-shop. Of course, if you are not in a rush, wandering around the flea markets is a great way to shop in the smaller towns and villages – also useful for picking up a few gifts for home as well.

If you are shopping in Spain make sure to try the brands you don’t have back home – as well as the ones you do.

You can also layer up quite cheaply by finding the local market.

And Keep your Eyes Open For…
You’ll see plenty of kids in jeans and track suits during the week, but at weekends, you’ll notice Spanish children are more formally or traditionally dressed. A newborn baby is often dressed in a style that looks like it were inspired from the 19th century rather than the 21st. Keep an eye out for siblings dressed in matching outfits. Look out for the big bows and long ribbons on girls. Boys might be wearing short pants – even in Winter. You can pick up some of this clothing, if you like the look, in the high-street chains such as Zara and the more upmarket ones such as Nanos.

Some of the childrenswear is quaintly traditional and old-fashioned.

Along with the traditionally dressed children, clients often comment on the perfectly coiffed and dressed ladies (of a certain age) sitting at cafés well into the evening. Don’t be fooled into thinking they are ladies of leisure. Some are but many run busy households and spend their mornings providing daycare for their grandchildren and running errands for their grown-up children. Keep an eye out for these groups in popular cafes from 6-10pm. This is also ‘paseo’ or strolling time when you see the great and the good out for a wander – a great opportunity for people-watching.

Of course, we can’t touch on everything here. We’d love you to see the beret-wearing gentlemen in the Basque country. The widows dressed in black in the rural villages. The red and white combination worn at Pamplona for San Fermines. The traditional costumes worn by young and old during regional fiestas. The colours of the dresses worn to the feria in Seville. The Spanish comb called the ‘peineta’. And the solemnity of the robes worn during Easter Week. Plus the wild costumes worn for Carnaval by Spaniards of all ages. Spanish clothing is a little more complex than ‘smart casual’. But for now, we’ll leave it there. Happy packing!

You’ll enjoy spotting the differences in clothing from one region to another in Spain. The ‘boina’ or beret rules in the North especially in the Basque Country.

We hope this guide has helped you know what to pack for Spain – whatever the temperature.

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