Gonzalo de Mora y Fernández, Marques de Casa Riera

Getting around

Slow rail journeys with frequent stops

Spanish rail journeys were famously slow, with trains frequently stopping at small stations where names were not called out because everyone already knew where they were.

At the table

Dietary differences among social classes

While the wealthy ate fine dishes like partridge or sea bream in new modern restaurants, humble households commonly consumed fasting potage, pickled sardines, cod, and potatoes. Poor families often ate very little meat, reserving it for special occasions, while bread and wine remained central to their diet.

What people wore

Dancing fashion and skirt lengths

Women's festive dancing attire often included long tails, though young unmarried women were expected to wear shorter, ground-length skirts.

Music

Musical experts in social settings

In small social gatherings, those who could play string instruments like the violin, guitar, bandurria, or lute were considered the musical experts of the group.

Daily life

Cramped living conditions in urban homes

Working-class homes often featured cramped, poorly lit rooms with little ventilation, frequently lacking basic amenities like internal toilets or running water. Households relied on simple furniture, oil lamps for lighting, and portable braziers or stoves for warmth.