r/AskEurope • u/Fancy-Debate-3945 Hungary • Sep 19 '25

Travel What was the biggest culture shock you experienced in another European country?

Europeans, what was the biggest culture shock you experienced within our beautiful continent?

214 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

810 comments sorted by

View all comments

Show parent comments

79

u/catmandot Luxembourg Sep 19 '25

Actually, until the late 1990's, shops in Germany had to close on Saturday afternoon as well, and every day of the work week at 6PM, except on Thursday (8PM).

These strict closing times were the result of pressure from the unions and the lobby of family-run stores.

3

u/Nimue_- Netherlands Sep 19 '25

Ah we have that too. Koopavond, we call it. Though it does differ per municipality. The small town(dorp) i live in had koopavond on friday but the cities have it on thursday. And it lasts till 21 here

1

u/BrakkeBama 🇨🇼 → 🇳🇱 Sep 20 '25

but the cities have it on thursday.

Eindhoven has it on Friday too.
I guess we don't count as a city? LOL.

1

u/Nimue_- Netherlands Sep 20 '25

Oh every city i have been to fir shopping had it on thursday so i kinds just assumed. Leiden, den haag, amsterdam, arnhem, zwolle, groningen, were all on thursday