Opening Times & Local Customs

Shops

On the Orihuela Costa the majority of shops open from Monday to Saturday from 09:00 or 10:00 until 21:00 or 22:00.  In summertime many shops stay open until 23:00 (latest permitted opening time in Spain). Some smaller shops may open earlier from 08:30, but correspondingly will shut earlier in the evening.

Sunday opening is permitted on the Orihuela Costa during the summer months and most shops take the opportunity to open, but for the remainder of the year Sunday opening is restricted to specific dates linked to specific public holidays, the date of which vary each year.

Pubs and music bars close at 03:00 and nightclubs close at 05:00.

Meal Times

On the Orihuela Costa, like elsewhere in Spain, mealtimes tend to be later than in other European countries. Breakfast is generally served between 09:00 and 11:00 and is usually quite light. Lunch is usually served between 13.30 and 16:00 and dinner between 20.30 and 23.30. Restaurants usually open at these times, although some places serve meals all day long.

Business Hours

Business hours are Monday to Friday from 08:00 or 09:00 until 13:00 or 13.30, and again from 16:00 until 19:00 or 19.30. Banks and public administration offices close at 14:00 or 15:00 and do not reopen in the evening.

Siesta

There was very good reasons why the Spanish observed a daily siestas, but over time these reasons have faded away as the way people work and where they work have changed.

Whilst there may be no formal siesta, many people of all nationalities on the Oriheula Costa still observe this time particularly during the summer months when it is hot as a quiet reflective time with family, therefore some residential areas on the Orihuela Costa may have local community rules regarding noise levels and respecting a period of quiet normally between 14:00 and 16:00.