Planning a holiday to Mallorca and want to fit in like a local? Here are some tips which could be useful from not eating paella in the evening to what coffee to drink.
The Spanish say that only foreigners eat paella for dinner so if you want to get a frown from your waiter then go ahead and order! Paella is a traditional lunch-time dish, infact many Spaniards believe that it is a "heavy dish" and one which is not fit for night-time consumption.
Drinking coffee is a Spanish art but watch what coffee you order. My experience is that only foreigners will order a "cafe con leche" after lunch or at any time after breakfast. The large coffee with milk is not as popular as a cortado, loosely speaking a smaller version. This can be drank after lunch or throughout the morning.
A warning to men! Never remove your t-shirt or shirt away from the beach. This is very much frowned on and most Spanish people say that it shows a complete lack of respect.
The Spanish are a proud people. Try and make an effort to speak Spanish, a gracias and a por favor is enough. If you are in Mallorca, especially in the villages, if you learn a few words of Mallorquin this will be a real bonus point.
Tapas are not a full blown meal in Spain, they are more like a snack to be enjoyed with a drink. The rise in their popularity (as a result of tourism) has meant that they are often served as meals but this is not really a Spanish tradition. If you are unsure order a variado, which as its name suggest is a mixture of all.
Always ask the price before ordering a "house bottle of wine" if it is doesn´t appear on the menu and also bread and olives are also charged.
While they maybe difficult to find in some places in Mallorca an ensaimada for breakfast in a real treat.