https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Europe in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed Spain is a fantastic country to bring up kids thanks to the weather, the safety and Spaniards' overall love of children, but that doesn't mean there aren't aspects of Spanish child-rearing that surprise foreigners. https://www.thelocal.com/20240919/the-strange-things-spanish-parents-do-raising-their-children Thu, 19 Sep 2024 13:02:03 +0200 the-strange-things-spanish-parents-do-raising-their-children Ernest Hemingway famously said that Spaniards “delay the day”, and when it comes to eating, this is certainly applicable. https://www.thelocal.com/20241002/why-do-spaniards-eat-so-late Wed, 02 Oct 2024 14:32:56 +0200 why-do-spaniards-eat-so-late The Basque Country and Catalonia are two of Spain’s wealthiest regions according to pretty much every indicator. What’s behind their success? https://www.thelocal.com/20241015/why-are-the-basque-country-and-catalonia-so-rich-compared-to-the-rest-of-spain Tue, 15 Oct 2024 21:24:18 +0200 why-are-the-basque-country-and-catalonia-so-rich-compared-to-the-rest-of-spain If you want to get anything done at the bank in Spain, you better get there early, as the vast majority of 'bancos' close at 2pm and don't open after lunch. https://www.thelocal.com/20240930/why-do-banks-in-spain-close-so-early Mon, 30 Sep 2024 16:28:28 +0200 why-do-banks-in-spain-close-so-early People from Spain's south eastern region of Murcia, where tennis superstar Carlos Alcaraz hails from, often take a lot of flack from other Spaniards, to the point where the long-running joke is that 'Murcia doesn't exist'. https://www.thelocal.com/20231213/why-is-murcia-the-butt-of-all-the-jokes-in-spain Wed, 13 Dec 2023 17:13:23 +0100 why-is-murcia-the-butt-of-all-the-jokes-in-spain Spain on Thursday marks the 50th anniversary of General Francisco Franco's death with political polarisation exacerbating deep-rooted and bitter divisions over the dictator's legacy. https://www.thelocal.com/20251118/divided-spain-marks-50-years-since-ex-dictator-francos-death Tue, 18 Nov 2025 09:58:39 +0100 divided-spain-marks-50-years-since-ex-dictator-francos-death Want to learn more about Spanish history, culture, music and all those idiosyncrasies that make it so unique? These documentaries, some available to watch for free, offer true insight into what makes Spain the fascinating country that it is. https://www.thelocal.com/20230626/ten-of-the-best-documentaries-about-spain Mon, 26 Jun 2023 12:52:11 +0200 ten-of-the-best-documentaries-about-spain What makes Spain and Spaniards tick? These unwritten rules will help you understand some of the traits of the national psyche, from the Spanish attitude to work to what Spaniards prioritise in life. https://www.thelocal.com/20221011/nine-unwritten-rules-that-explain-how-spain-works Tue, 11 Oct 2022 12:35:19 +0200 nine-unwritten-rules-that-explain-how-spain-works The so-called Reconquista (Reconquest) has led many to believe that Spaniards recovered and united their country after 800 years of Moorish conquest. However, the history of ‘España’ as a nation is a lot more complicated than that. https://www.thelocal.com/20231012/when-did-spain-become-spain Thu, 12 Oct 2023 10:54:29 +0200 when-did-spain-become-spain How can you tell Spain's regional accents apart? Where do they drop the ‘s’? And is there a 'best' and 'worst' accent? This detailed guide tells you all you need to know about the accents which people have across Spain’s regions. https://www.thelocal.com/20230803/a-handy-guide-to-understanding-spains-regional-accents Thu, 03 Aug 2023 17:44:55 +0200 a-handy-guide-to-understanding-spains-regional-accents Spain has been at the forefront of the international pro-Palestine effort, more so than any other European nation. Where does this fervent stance come from? And is support as clear cut among Spaniards as it is the government? https://www.thelocal.com/20240524/in-depth-why-does-spain-support-palestine Fri, 24 May 2024 12:57:47 +0200 in-depth-why-does-spain-support-palestine From professional ham cutters to flamenco dressmakers, there are plenty of professions that only exist in Spain. https://www.thelocal.com/20231018/ten-unique-jobs-you-can-only-do-in-spain Wed, 18 Oct 2023 12:04:25 +0200 ten-unique-jobs-you-can-only-do-in-spain One of the most common stereotypes in Spain is that people from the capital think they’re better than everybody else. https://www.thelocal.com/20240827/why-do-people-from-madrid-have-a-reputation-for-being-arrogant Tue, 27 Aug 2024 18:45:06 +0200 why-do-people-from-madrid-have-a-reputation-for-being-arrogant 2025 marks 50 years since dictator Francisco Franco died, an event which propelled Spain into democracy and modernity. There are plenty of myths about what the fascist leader did for Spain, but here are five ways in which he did change Spanish society. https://www.thelocal.com/20250717/franco-did-it-five-quirky-ways-the-dictator-shaped-modern-spain Thu, 17 Jul 2025 17:52:44 +0200 franco-did-it-five-quirky-ways-the-dictator-shaped-modern-spain Spaniards rarely watch anything foreign in its original language, and the country's cultural obsession with dubbing almost every single non-Spanish language film and TV series has roots in history and business. https://www.thelocal.com/20230829/why-does-spain-dub-every-foreign-film-and-tv-series Tue, 29 Aug 2023 12:00:59 +0200 why-does-spain-dub-every-foreign-film-and-tv-series With its sun-drenched beaches and vibrant nightlife, Spain has long been a top destination -- not just for tourists, but also for criminals looking to vanish. https://www.thelocal.com/20250528/costa-del-crime-why-spain-is-home-to-many-foreign-criminals-and-fugitives Wed, 28 May 2025 12:01:39 +0200 costa-del-crime-why-spain-is-home-to-many-foreign-criminals-and-fugitives Despite being known for its year-long sunny weather, Spain is the EU country with the fewest homes with natural light, often intentionally. Why is it that when it comes to spending time at home, Spaniards seem to love being in the dark? https://www.thelocal.com/20220803/why-are-spanish-homes-so-dark Wed, 03 Aug 2022 12:10:03 +0200 why-are-spanish-homes-so-dark Inheriting a home from their deceased parents will increasingly determine whether young people in Spain are rich or poor in future, as the housing crisis and unstable job market make it impossible for them to get on the property ladder any other way. https://www.thelocal.com/20240903/waiting-for-mum-and-dad-to-die-is-inheriting-the-only-hope-for-young-spaniards Tue, 03 Sep 2024 16:00:40 +0200 waiting-for-mum-and-dad-to-die-is-inheriting-the-only-hope-for-young-spaniards We all know the stereotypes about Spanish people, but once you've lived in Spain for some time you pick up on other idiosyncrasies Spaniards have which are fairly unknown to outsiders, and often quite amusing. https://www.thelocal.com/20230817/ten-spanish-cultural-quirks-you-only-notice-once-you-live-in-spain Thu, 17 Aug 2023 15:43:29 +0200 ten-spanish-cultural-quirks-you-only-notice-once-you-live-in-spain Both Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams are the children of first-generation migrants in Spain; their skin colour and standout performances at Euro 2024 say plenty about the country’s changing demographics and reliance on migration to keep afloat. https://www.thelocal.com/20240701/opinion-young-black-stars-excellence-mirrors-spains-national-need-for-migrants Mon, 01 Jul 2024 19:34:48 +0200 opinion-young-black-stars-excellence-mirrors-spains-national-need-for-migrants