I need to wear a hat to cover my bald head to protect from sunburn. I don't want to wear a ball cap and stand out. Is there another type of hat that an older man would wear in Spain and not look like a tourist?
Posted by
New Paltz, NY
9110 posts
Baseball caps don't necessarily make you stand out as a tourist. It depends on the logo. If you really want to blend in, buy a cap for one of the Spanish soccer clubs like Barcelona FC or Real Madrid. You should be able buy one at most any souvenir shop once you arrive in Spain.
Posted by
Madison, WI, United States
4 posts
Greg, I can't say for certain that these don't make me look like a tourist, but they're great sun protection, and a little dressier than a ball cap:
http://www.tilley.com/hat_category.asp?catId=1
They're not inexpensive, but they're certainly well made.
Posted by
Bloomington, IL, USA
9371 posts
Many man in Spain, both in the cities and in the rural areas, wear the common "flat hat" such as those worn in Ireland. You wouldn't look different in that.
Posted by
Anaheim, CA, USA
1455 posts
I've been a lot of people wearing the Bucket Style hat. Not sure if they are locals or tourists, but its popular.
Why not get the hat when you arrive in Spain? That way you also won't crush the hat when you are on the plane.
Posted by
Concord, California
138 posts
Or you can wear sunscreen with high SPF content, and reapply it a few times a day. They have now lotions with SPF as high as 75.
Posted by
Badalona, Barcelona, Spain
324 posts
It's virtually certain that you will be identified as a tourist no matter what you do. Bring a hat that you like, and don't worry about what the natives think. My father refuses to leave the house without his Stetson, and he uses it as an icebreaker to get to know people on the street when in Spain.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
83 posts
As the previous poster commented, it will be difficult not to be percieved as a tourist no matter what. Latin culture is very easy going as much as it is passionate about life. In Madrid we met many different types of people from the world - being a tourist is not a stigma.
I think as long as you are feeling comfortable in how you dress, you'll enjoy yourself more. My cap had a nice long brim, it was essential in keeping the sun off of my head & I wouldn't imagine not bringing one.
Posted by
Brooklyn, NY, USA
100 posts
Greg- When I was in Barcelona in April I saw lots of men wearing baseball hats and they weren't all Americans either. Spaniards are very easy going people so I would not worry about it to much. Would hate to have you miss out on anything because your head got burned OUCH!! -Kim
Posted by
Los Angeles, CA, USA
1003 posts
I'd agree with all the previous posters that wearing a baseball cap wouldnt make you stick out as a tourist, been in Portugal, Spain, Belgium, and Amsterdam, and seen lots of baseball caps on all kinds of guys (and girls). In a restaurant here in Amsterdam the other night I saw two girls wearing baseball caps - they didn't have to open their mouths to let me know they were obnoxious Americans. One was wearing a Yankees cap and the other an obscure American college. So yes, if you want to wear a baseball cap, definitely do it, but yes, either wait and buy one in spain or get one that has no logo on it. But more importantly is protecting from the sunburn. Even in cloudy rainy amsterdam I forgot sunscreen on my face one day and got some burn. If the choice is stick out like a tourist or get burned, I'd rather stick out like a tourist, but as people have said here, there are plenty of ways to do both! Most importantly, have fun :)