Things to Do

Spain's traditional-method sparkling wine origin, ranging from historic mass-market labels to prestigious artisan growers

Andalusia's cold vegetable soup, a smooth, savory essential for hot summer afternoons.

Jerez's premier sherry bodega, with historic tours, a long solera, and good fino pairings.

The world's premier acorn-fed cured ham, prized for its delicate, savory, and melt-in-the-mouth texture

A refined sherry producer combining high-aged VORS vintages with an exceptional private Spanish art collection

A beautiful May tradition where locals open their flower-laden, hidden private courtyards for public competition

The authentic home of flamenco, best experienced in intimate, unamplified performances within traditional neighborhood peñas

A waterfront promenade by the cruise port, best in the evening.

The oil the province presses: mostly Picual, fruity and peppery, best bought at the mill.

Santiago de Compostela's July 25 festival — the feast of St. James, with fireworks over the cathedral and the botafumeiro swung at Mass.

Pamplona's nine-day July festival and the running of the bulls (encierro) — the most famous fiesta in Spain.

Haro's June 29 wine fight — thousands spray each other with red wine on the cliffs of San Felices de Bilibio, then march back to town.

The unique Andalusian home of sherry, offering incredible fortified wines and authentic cultural experiences

A silky, refreshing Málaga specialty made from ground almonds, garlic, and bread, garnished with grapes

Coastal Andalusia's flash-fried mixed seafood, best eaten hot at a beachside chiringuito.

Five days of jazz in July, with free stages on the beach, running since 1966.

Undiscovered coastal Andalusian region celebrated for unique Zalema whites and traditional orange-infused wines

Córdoba's signature cold, creamy tomato-and-bread soup topped with crisp jamón and hard-boiled egg

Exemplary Jerez bodega offering a comprehensive educational look at the full range of sherry styles

Slow-braised oxtail stew, a winter staple of bullfighting regions like Córdoba.

Bilbao's nine-day August festival: riverside txosnas, a giant figure, and the city outdoors until dawn.

The Basque rib steak: aged, thick-cut, grilled over charcoal and served rare.

January to April in a Basque cider house: fixed menu, unlimited cider, and you queue at the barrel with a glass.

The Basque half of Rioja: medieval wine villages, bodegas cut into the hill, and two famous modern wineries.

Historic Andalusian origin for sweet Pedro Ximénez and Moscatel wines, pre-dating the modern sherry industry

The largest olive-growing province on earth, a landscape of one crop for as far as you can drive.

Seville's April Fair — a week of casetas, flamenco, rebujito, and horses at the Los Remedios fairground, two weeks after Semana Santa.

Jerez de la Frontera's May horse fair — Spain's premier equestrian festival, with Carthusian horses, sherry, and flamenco.

Paprika smoked over oak in this valley, and the reason Spanish chorizo tastes as it does.

White tuna from the Bay of Biscay, caught on lines in summer and tinned within hours.

On 20 January the whole city drums for twenty-four hours, from midnight to midnight.

Black beans from the Oria valley, served with morcilla and pickled peppers in the town that grows them.

The Whitsun pilgrimage to the village of El Rocío (Huelva) — a million people, horses, and covered wagons crossing the Doñana marshes to the Virgin.

A classic Cordoban bar snack consisting of pork fillet rolled with jamón, breaded, and deep-fried

A classic Sevillian tapa of spinach and chickpeas simmered in a cumin-paprika sofrito.

Seville's Holy Week — nightly processions of floats (pasos) through the old town, Spain's most intense religious festival.

Valencia's March fire festival — giant satirical papier-mâché figures (fallas) built, exhibited, then burned.

A rippling, wave-form winery by Santiago Calatrava, set among the vines of Rioja Alavesa.

A historic winery transformed into a modern architectural marvel by Frank Gehry in the heart of Rioja

Catalan wine region blending Mediterranean coastal beauty with sophisticated Grenache and Carignan vintages

Leading Rías Baixas estate that elevated Albariño to a world-class white wine status

Toledo's Corpus Christi procession — the most important festival in a city of festivals, with the procession through a carpeted, canopied old town.

Elite estate led by a winemaking visionary, famous for crafting one of the world's most sought-after Priorat reds

Historic Haro winery renowned for consistent Imperial Reserva and an expansive underground cellar network

Transformative Bierzo estate credited with elevating Mencía grapes to grand cru quality through single-vineyard precision

Coastal Valencian region famous for its rare, aged sweet red Fondillón and high-quality Monastrell

A Rioja house known for its widely sold Gran Reserva and a large library of aging vintages.

Priorat's accessible neighbor, delivering intense, slate-grown Garnacha and Cariñena wines at superior values

Alicante's June bonfire festival — the coastal sister of Valencia's Fallas, with hogueras burned on the night of San Juan.

Historic Haro winery anchoring the Barrio de la Estación with traditional hand-racking and oak-fermented Rioja classics

The world's biggest tomato fight, in the small Valencia-region town of Buñol, last Wednesday of August.

Pioneering Priorat estate that established the region as a premier global winemaking destination

Hard sheep's cheese from the Basque hills, smoked or unsmoked, best bought at a market.

Madrid's Three Kings parade on the evening of 5 January — Spain's main Christmas-season event and the night before the gift-giving day.

Santa Cruz's February carnival — the second-largest in the world after Rio, with queens, comparsas, and all-night street parties.

Alcoy's April festival of mock battles between Moors and Christians — the most spectacular of dozens of Moros y Cristianos festivals across Spain.

Asturian natural cider: flat, sour, poured from a height, and drunk in small amounts.

Floating platforms where Galicia farms most of Europe's mussels, worked by families in small boats.

The apple valleys behind the Asturian coast, where cider is still pressed a village at a time.

The best-known txakoli house in Getaria, with vines above the sea and visits by appointment.

The standard-bearer for traditional Rioja, with manual racking and long aging behind its 904 and 890 reservas.

Hand-made folding knives from the workshops of Taramundi: the best thing to buy in western Asturias.

Barcelona's Gràcia neighborhood festival in August — streets compete to decorate themselves most elaborately, then party all night.

Salt-cured anchovies from the Cantabrian coast, filleted by hand and sold in tins and jars.

Acorn-fed ham cured in these villages, and the most expensive thing worth carrying home from Spain.

A rugged, remote Catalan wine region famous for its intense reds grown on dramatic slate terraces

A three-Michelin-starred Catalan temple of technical, playful, and consistently world-class fine dining

Castilla y León's premier white-wine region celebrated for crisp, high-value Verdejo wines

Madrid's hearty winter three-course stew served in stages, featuring chickpeas, meats, and vegetables

The hub of Spanish cava production, offering accessible and scenic wine tours near Barcelona

A warming Asturian specialty of white beans and pork, best enjoyed with a glass of natural cider

Segovia's suckling pig roasted in clay, and a culinary reason to come from Madrid.

A sophisticated red-wine region featuring bold vintages and striking modern architecture along the Duero

Refreshing, slightly effervescent Basque white wine from Getaria, traditionally poured from a height

The definitive Spanish potato omelette, a beloved national staple judged by its texture and preparation

Traditional Basque cider house experience featuring rustic set menus and natural cider poured directly from the barrel

A masterpiece of Modernista architecture featuring extensive underground cellars toured by electric train

Haro's historic, traditional winery where wine is still racked by hand in century-old oak casks

Spain’s signature firm sheep's milk cheese from La Mancha, perfectly paired with quince paste and red wine

Europe's largest covered market, a bustling landmark of local produce and exceptional pintxo culture

Logroño's September wine-harvest festival — the traditional kickoff to the Rioja harvest, with the treading of the first grapes.

The Canary Islands’ staple: salt-crusted baby potatoes served with zesty red and green mojo sauces.

La Mancha saffron: tiny quantities, hard handwork, and the only Spanish saffron with a protected name.

Inland Andalusia's summer salad: tomato, pepper, onion and oil, chopped small and salted.

Hake cheeks, gelatinous and expensive, cooked in green sauce or in pil-pil.

Old terraced vineyards on the gorge slopes, vines on their own roots, a small denomination of its own.

An elegant iron-and-glass market in central Madrid, perfect for gourmet snacks and a midday glass of vermouth

The definitive Galician seafood staple featuring octopus seasoned with paprika, salt, and olive oil

Spain's premier wine region, with historic bodegas and medieval villages along the Ebro.

The lush, green coastal home of crisp Albariño wines and the Atlantic’s finest fresh seafood

Valencia's explosive March festival featuring giant art installations, daily fireworks, and a spectacular finale

Basque bite-sized culinary creations served on bread, perfect for an evening of bar-crawling in San Sebastián

Valencia's refreshing, traditional tiger-nut milk served chilled with a sweet fartón pastry

The pioneer of San Sebastián's creative pintxo scene, serving hot, inventive small plates straight from the plancha

Spain's most diverse wine region, bridging the gap between Rioja and the Pyrenees with excellent rosados and reds

The Valencian coastal counterpart to paella, using short vermicelli noodles simmered in a rich seafood broth

Galicia's most dramatic wine territory, featuring steep terrace vineyards overlooking the Sil and Miño canyons

A premier Galician market where you can source fresh Atlantic seafood and have it prepared by nearby bars

Barcelona's local market, recognizable by its colorful undulating roof and beloved for its excellent neighborhood bar counters

Spain's most celebrated winery, home of Único, in the heart of Ribera del Duero.

Steep, slate-rich mountain region in western León producing Spain's most elegant, refined Mencía reds

A bold, pungent Asturian blue cheese aged in mountain caves until it develops a fierce and salty character

A classic Catalan dessert of creamy citrus custard finished with a caramelized sugar crust

Madrid's enduring late-night institution, famous for serving traditional churros and thick chocolate for over a century

Ribera del Duero icon featuring striking modern cellar architecture set against the historic Peñafiel castle backdrop

The Basque bar that revolutionized tortilla culture by serving individual, runny-centered portions fried to order

A savory Canarian hash of shredded meat and chickpeas often paired with salt-wrinkled potatoes

Galician region prized as the source of elegant, mineral-driven Godello whites and structured Mencía reds

Duero river region known for powerful, high-alcohol Tinta de Toro reds produced from ancient pre-phylloxera vines

A protected traditional Spanish holiday confection made from almonds and honey in soft or hard varieties

Murcia's high-altitude powerhouse for dense, sun-baked Monastrell reds and exceptional value

A pungent, intensely creamy sheep's milk cheese from Extremadura meant to be scooped with bread.

A traditional Madrid tapa of salt cod strips coated in a golden, saffron-tinted crispy batter

A savory Murcian stew of broad beans, ham, and pimentón, beloved in local tapas bars.

Crispy, breaded strips of squid served hot with lemon—the ultimate dockside snack in Santander.

A classic Valencian tapa of torn salt cod mixed with hand-shredded roasted red peppers and olive oil

A decadent Basque spider-crab preparation served hot in the shell with a flavorful, gratinated sauce

A hearty Galician winter classic combining cured pork shoulder with bitter, locally grown turnip greens

A Catalan winter ritual: char-grilled spring onions dipped in romesco sauce.

A gargantuan Asturian veal fillet sandwich filled with intense Cabrales cheese and jamón, then breaded and fried

A rustic Catalan farmhouse staple featuring savory pork sausage paired with tender white beans

Galicia's signature creamy, cow's-milk cheese instantly recognizable by its distinct conical breast shape

A robust Extremaduran lamb stew featuring a complex, dark sauce made from the liver and pimentón.

An exquisite Basque salt-cod dish featuring a velvety, emulsified garlic-infused oil sauce

Preeminent grower-cava producer whose long-aged, vintage bottles have redefined the global reputation of Spanish sparkling wine

The prized, briny Galician delicacy of hand-harvested gooseneck barnacles boiled briefly in seawater

A smoky, rustic Catalan salad of fire-charred aubergine, peppers, and onions dressed in quality olive oil

An ancient Canarian staple of toasted grain flour best enjoyed stirred into traditional stews

A unique oven-baked Alicante rice specialty distinguished by its golden, puffed-egg crust

A dense, caramelized Cantabrian farmhouse classic made with fresh curd, butter, and lemon.

A luscious Asturian rice pudding slowly simmered with lemon and cinnamon, finished with a crisp burnt-sugar top

A deep and savory Navarran lamb stew braised with tomatoes and sweet red peppers.

An Extremaduran shepherd’s breakfast of fried bread, panceta, and pimentón, rich with regional lard.

A rustic and hearty Mallorcan rice stew made with wild game, mushrooms, and sobrasada.

A classic Balearic vegetable bake layering fried aubergine, potato, and red pepper in tomato sauce.

A hearty, rustic Cantabrian stew of beans, cabbage, and pork, designed for cold mountain days.

A classic Basque tuna-and-potato stew born on fishing boats and celebrated during the coastal bonito season

Murcia’s favorite street-food snack: a flaky, golden pastry filled with spiced meat and egg.

Cuenca’s winter comfort: a rich, spoonable game pâté served hot in a clay pot with crusty bread.

Consuegra's October saffron festival, with the harvest, the contests and the windmills behind it.

The definitive Castilian charcuterie: a savory, onion-rich rice and blood sausage from Burgos.

A Navarran spring vegetable stew, built around the region's garden produce.

The Villaviciosa cidery that turned an Asturian farmhouse drink into a national brand.

A working Nava lagar, the kind where cider is pressed, sold and poured from the same building.

Nava's cider festival, held each July, is the region's annual argument and celebration.

A soft, spreadable Mallorcan cured sausage seasoned with pimentón.

La Mancha’s peasant-style breakfast of fried stale bread tossed with garlic, chorizo, and grapes.

The authentic Valencian rice dish prepared over an open orange-wood fire with chicken and rabbit

A Basque grill that cooks simple, high-quality ingredients over open charcoal.

A world-renowned Basque seafood restaurant celebrated for its masterful preparation of whole turbot over an open fire

A tiny, revered Basque bar famous for its meticulously crafted tortilla de patatas and expert charcoal-grilled steaks

Artistic subterranean auditorium and lake set within a natural volcanic lava tube

Barcelona's historic market hall, with produce stalls and long-standing tapas bars under one roof.

The world's largest wine-growing region, defining the massive scale and landscape of high-plateau Spanish viticulture

The ultimate late-night Madrid dish of fried potatoes topped with a runny egg and ribbons of jamón

A deeply flavorful, dry rice dish from Alicante, cooked in concentrated fish stock and served with alioli

A traditional Galician savory pie filled with tuna, pork, or eel, perfect for travel or outdoor snacking

A historic, rustic Toledano breakfast of eggs scrambled with lamb brains and chorizo.

Mallorca's spiral pastry, light and airy, traditionally dusted with icing sugar.

A simple, enduring Castilian peasant broth made from garlic, bread, and a perfectly poached egg.

The white asparagus of the Ebro valley, cut from April and eaten in every restaurant between Tudela and Pamplona.

Navarra's sheep cheese: raw milk from Latxa and Rasa ewes, cured hard, sold under the Roncal valley's label.

Castilla y León's slow-roasted milk-fed lamb, prized for its crackling skin and tender meat.

A hearty Catalan fisherman's stew of fish, potatoes, and shellfish thickened with an almond-garlic picada

A traditional Salamancan meat-and-egg pie celebrated as a post-Easter picnic essential.

An elegant Riojan dessert of tender pears poached in red wine until stained a deep, fragrant ruby.

Madrid's working-class standard: fried squid rings in a crusty roll.

La Mancha's slow-cooked vegetable stew, often served with a fried egg.

A high plateau wine denomination inland from Valencia, the home of the Bobal grape.

A blue cheese from the Picos de Europa, cured in caves for months and made from three milks.

Eel and potato stewed with paprika and garlic — the fishermen's dish of the Albufera lagoon.

A goat's cheese washed in red wine until the rind turns dark purple — Murcia's most distinctive cheese.

The Catalan meal base: toasted country bread rubbed with tomato and drizzled with olive oil.

Madrid's Sunday flea market, running downhill through La Latina.

A pure Murcian vegetable tapa featuring zucchini, onion, and egg sautéed in golden olive oil.

Navarra's signature pintxo: fire-roasted piquillo peppers stuffed with cod or meat.

Crispy fried potato cubes topped with a spicy, guarded sauce—a true measure of a classic tapas bar

La Rioja’s smoky, hearty potato-and-chorizo stew, the ideal fuel for a day of wine tasting.

A rich Madrid tradition consisting of fried dough pastries served with thick, dark dipping chocolate

A puff pastry tied like a necktie, made in the border town of Unquera since the 19th century.

A long iced pastry made in Alboraya, designed to be dunked in horchata and sold nowhere else in the same way.

Rice cooked down in fish stock, eaten with the broth on the side — the fishermen's dish of the Mar Menor.

A small wine denomination on the Murcian plateau, growing Monastrell on high, chalky ground.

A working market hall where the fish counter is the reason to come.

A buttery, cup-shaped sponge cake from Cantabria, essential for an authentic morning coffee.

Valencia's modernista market hall, a working slice of local life in a fine iron-and-glass building.

A Madrid institution, known for its salt cod croquettes and standing-room counter since 1860.

Lamb chops grilled over vine cuttings — the meal you eat in a bodega between tastings in Rioja.

A brick market hall in Lavapies with stalls, a bar and an evening trade.

A thin, paprika-red fresh sausage, fried in a coil and eaten in a roll — the default Navarran and Basque snack.

The oldest restaurant in the world, wood-fired since 1725, near the Plaza Mayor.

Aragón’s signature wood-oven roasted milk-fed lamb, a centerpiece for family Sunday lunches.

Aragón's modern wine frontier, utilizing Pyrenean slopes to craft diverse Bordeaux-style and native varietals

The heartland of Spanish Garnacha, offering exceptional old-vine wines with high price-to-quality ratios

A unique Aragonese winter green featuring boiled borage stalks dressed in olive oil and garlic.

A classic 1903 iron-and-glass market hall offering the authentic flavors of Aragon, from local lamb to regional wine

A hearty Aragonese breakfast of fried breadcrumbs with garlic, chorizo, panceta, and grapes.