Some real tips for traveling in Spain from a Spanish
I've seen quite a few people come to Spain expecting one thing and finding another, so I'm leaving here some things I usually tell friends when they come to visit.
First, don't try to see everything in one trip. Spain changes a lot from north to south. Seville, Barcelona, Bilbao, Valencia... each place has its own pace. If you go in a hurry, in the end everything gets mixed up and you don't enjoy anything.
The schedule thing is also quite surprising. Having dinner at 6 in the afternoon here isn't very common, and many kitchens don't open early like in other countries. It's not bad or good, just different, but better to know it so you don't go without eating at the most random moment.
In summer, especially July and August, the south can be quite tough because of the heat. A lot of people underestimate this and end up making plans at midday when the most logical thing is to move early or in the afternoon.
About food, don't just stick to the very touristy areas. A small bar with a daily menu is usually much more authentic and cheaper than any place with photos on the door.
In big cities like Barcelona or Madrid, watch out for pickpockets in very crowded areas. It's not to scare you, but you should be a little careful, especially on public transport and in tourist spots.
If you talk to locals, not everyone is going to switch to English automatically, especially in small towns. I sometimes end up helping travelers who get a bit lost, and in those situations I've seen that having real-time translation tools helps a lot. Even I, when I'm abroad or with people who don't speak Spanish, use something like the Timekettle New T1 so the conversation flows without stopping every 10 seconds.
And last tip, don't obsess over "seeing it all". Spain is more enjoyed sitting on a terrace, eating something simple and letting the day go slow.