Tapas

It’s almost impossible to emulate the gastronomical variety of Spain. There are so many regions – each with their own traditional dishes and cooking techniques, that tourists will find themselves overwhelmed by the diversity of fragrances and tastes that emerge from this passionate and bountiful land.

Spain is famous for many things – flamenco, football, and the long, lazy sunny days, to name just a few. It’s the birthplace of Picasso and siesta, and prides itself with gorgeous beaches, stylish islands, and some of the most striking architecture to be found anywhere in Europe. Its warm, friendly locals have incredibly long names, and their sweet, melodious language is one of the most widely spoken on Earth after Mandarin Chinese. Not only will you find raucous nightlife and fiestas here, but this vibrant area of the Iberian Peninsula is also widely known for its delicious food.

Whether enjoyed in a humble tapas bar in Andalusia or a Catalan restaurant awarded three Michelin stars, the Spanish cuisine is an explosion of colors, aromas, and Mediterranean flavors. It’s a glorious fusion of cultures and ethnicities, of past and present, of sea and mountains. It’s also reason enough to visit this idyllic country, and, obviously, one of the things I most love about Spain.

When I started this post, I had the intention to make a “Top 10 Things to Eat in Spain”, but while writing, I realized that I just can’t decide about the order, so I chose to make a list instead. For me, each of these foods tells a story, reminding me of some great moments spent in Spain, and I hope that one day, they will become some beautiful memories for you, too.

Tapas
Spanish tapas with crab tartare

You are not allowed to visit Spain without experiencing the famous tapas! It’s like visiting Paris without seeing the Tour Eiffel, or like exploring Italy without having a proper espresso.

First of all, tapas are not a particular type of food; they are a sort of little meals that Spaniards eat any time of the day or night, anywhere. I won’t make a general presentation of tapas because you can find that anywhere on the Internet. Plus, it will probably take me a few hours to share my own personal tapas experience, so I will just try to summarize some interesting facts about this Spanish way of eating.

Tapas are part of the Spanish culture, and, for a better understanding of this fact, you should know that in Spain, there is also a verb “tapear”, which means “eating tapas”.

Unfortunately, these little meals are not always free. While cities like Madrid, Granada, and even Barcelona provide tourists with these little pleasures free of any costs every time you order a drink in a bar or a pub, there are still many areas, especially around the Basque Country or Andalusia, where you probably won’t get any free tapas.

The best tapas I’ve ever had were in Madrid, in their popular tapas bars, where you don’t even have to pay for your lunch or dinner, because every time you order a beer, you’ll get a nice plate with mini sandwiches, almonds, squids, or any other snacks, but never the same dish – which is absolutely great!

On the other hand, the tastiest tapas I’ve ever tried consisted of a platter of blue cheese on a beach in Mallorca, for which I had to pay though, but it was definitely worth every penny.