Mercedes of Orléans

Getting around

Train and stagecoach travel combinations

Rail travel drastically changed transit, though it remained slow; for example, the journey from Manzanares to Granada required an additional 30-hour stagecoach trip.

At the table

Traditional versus foreign dining times

While some elegant families adopted French dining hours of eating at 6 p.m., many traditional families stuck to eating their main meal at 2 p.m. and dinner after 10 p.m.

What people wore

Limited wardrobes for humble women

A typical humble woman in mid-19th century Spain often possessed only two outfits: one for daily work and one reserved for Sundays and feast days.

Music

The dance of the Seises

In Seville Cathedral, a group of ten choir boys known as the Seises danced while playing castanets during major Catholic festivities.

Daily life

Buying fish for 2 reales

In Santoña, residents could buy fresh fish directly from fishing nets pulled to the shore for as little as 2 reales, although the catch size varied significantly.