Viva La Siesta!

The siesta used to be part of the daily routine in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Greece and Italy. Etymologically, the term refers to the sixth hour after sunrise (from the Latin hora sexta), the time of the unrelenting heat at noon. This hottest part of the day was spent eating and resting in the European south, while the cooler hours of the morning, afternoon and early evening were reserved for work. And while many believe that siesta refers to the entire duration of this prolonged lunch break, it actually only covers that short, post-prandial nap itself.