If you’ve ever walked through a Spanish beach town wearing bright clothing, well applied sunscreen, with camera in hand, then you may have earned yourself the honorary title of guiri.

But where did this curious little word come from? The word ‘guiri’ actually has a more significant origin than what many think. You will forgiven for thinking that it originated on the beaches of Benidorm, but it actually started on a battlefield!

During the Carlist Wars of the 1830s (a messy Spanish Civil War with various royal claimants), the supporters of Queen María Cristina and her daughter, Isabella II, came to be known as ‘cristinos’. But further north, in Basque Country, the locals altered the word slightly to better fit Basque speech patterns and the name ‘cristinos’ most likely transformed into ‘gristinos’ and then ‘guiristinos’. And the term stuck.

Morbi vitae purus dictum, ultrices tellus in, gravida lectus.

During these same wars the British Auxiliary Legion were sent to support the queen’s side, and many years later, guiristino became less about political alignment and more about Northern and Western Europeans trying to say the word ‘Cerveza’.

Now, fast-forward almost 2 centuries, and guiri had become the go-to term for tourists. Guiris are practically everywhere, flaunting sunburnt shoulders, with sangria at hand, and enthusiastic attempts at flamenco.

Is the term offensive? Not really. Guiri is often used with affection (or at least a chuckle), and it’s already deeply embedded in casual Spanish. You’ll hear it the most in places that enjoy a strong holiday season: Andalusia, Madrid, the Balearic Islands, the Costa del Sol, and the Costa Blanca.

Some parts of Spain have other words for foreigners (extranjeros, forasteros, mochileros, yanquis), but guiri has a special place in the heart — it’s a bit like ordering paella for dinner. The Spanish might cringe a little, but deep down, they love the additional fun and flavour the guiris bring.

So, if you are ever referred to as guiri, just smile, own it, and order another sangría. You’ve earned it.