“Closed for August”: How Spain Moves with the Rhythm of the Seasons
- Elizabeth Pinkerton
- Jul 31
- 3 min read
“Cerrado por vacaciones del 1 de agosto al 1 de septiembre. Buen verano.”
“Closed for vacation from August 1st to September 1st. Have a good summer.”
I remember walking past that sign on a near-empty street during my first August here and thinking, I am definitely in Spain.
It seemed like everyone in my neighborhood had left for vacation, and I was the last to get the memo.
Somewhere between college and a full-time career, I stopped experiencing summer as an adult. Unless you have children on a school schedule or work in education, August can often be business as usual, just hotter.
Living in Spain has slowly given the feeling of summer back to me.
Embracing the Spanish Summer
Here in Spain, August is an opportunity to slow down and enjoy the moment. Businesses close or limit their hours. Friends and colleagues flee the heat and humidity of the city to take refuge in the beaches of Costa Brava, the Pyrenees mountains, or the cool, rugged coastline of Galicia.
It caught me off guard when I first arrived. My first August, for example, I showed up at my local print shop needing copies of a document for a meeting later that day — only to discover they had switched to summer hours and wouldn’t reopen until the next morning.
Grrr.
Spain wasn’t bending to my urgency. Nope, it was up to me to bend.
And so, I’ve adapted. Now I embrace the slow, sultry rhythm of Spanish summers. Even though I’ll be working in August, I will ease my pace. I'll take a break in the afternoon to read a book while my dog and I share the lounge chair on the patio. I'll enjoy evening strolls in the warm summer air, capped off by a cone of gelato.
The Beauty of Seasonal Rhythms
This punctuated rhythm of the seasons is something I’ve come to deeply appreciate about Spain — a cadence of bustling activity interspersed with intentional pauses. The quiet of August is the rest before the buzzy energy of the fall.
By contrast, in the U.S., we’re often expected to ignore seasonal signals. Whether it’s a Wednesday in March or a Thursday in August, the pace rarely changes. We press on at full tilt, missing the natural cues to rest, reflect, and recalibrate. (Of course, neither the U.S. nor Spain is a monolith, and these comparisons don’t always hold. But they reflect my lived experience.)
So, has it made me less productive? Actually, I’ve found the opposite to be true. By honoring the natural ebb of summer, I feel more energized, creative, and engaged when the tempo picks back up. Productivity doesn’t always come from pushing harder. Sometimes, it comes from letting things rest long enough to bloom.
A Question Worth Considering Before You Move
Obviously, this way of life will not suit everyone. If you thrive in a go-go environment, you may feel frustrated by the extended vacations, abundant public holidays, and slower summer pace. Ask yourself: Does following the rhythm of the seasons make you swoon with delight or squirm with impatience?
It’s one of the many cultural differences I explore with clients who are considering a move to Spain. Because while the lower cost of living, affordable healthcare, and delicious food and wine are attractive, those aren’t the factors that will make or break your experience living in Spain. What will is your readiness to adapt your expectations and your willingness to embrace a culture different from your own.
Thinking About Moving to Spain?
If you're wondering whether life in Spain might be the right fit for you, I'd love to continue the conversation. Schedule a complimentary Clarity Call, and let's explore not just the practical realities of moving — but whether the lifestyle itself aligns with the life you're hoping to build.
