When in Spain

British comedian R ichard Marshall from Madrid Stand Up Comedy talks to me about the frustration and isolation we can face when moving to Spain. Richard shares with us how he’s used comedy as an antidote to overcome the anxieties of immersing himself in a new culture and language. We also had lots of laughs examining the little cultural differences we’ve noticed and we also attempt to compare the...

Are you thinking of starting a new life in Spain but feel like you’ve left it too late? Do you want to break free of your routine and start a journey of reinvention, self-discovery and personal growth? Is it too late to change your life when you’re already in your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond? This week I talk to Cepee Tabibian about these issues and doubts that many of us have when consid...

According to the Madrid City Hall, El Ayuntamiento de Madrid the Spanish capital has 9,139 streets. This week I explore a handful of them with Spain travel consultant, Karen Rosenblum. No, we don’t walk all 9,139 of them, but on our wander around the Spanish capital between us we compile a list of our top 12 favourite streets. We chose the them based on their quirky character, physical beaut...

Join me and journalist, Fiona Govan from The Local news website as we eat our way through a Menú del Día – Spain’s great value fixed-price lunch menu which you can find in pretty much any restaurant in Spain, although often tourists and visitors are not sure what it is or what it includes. Find out about one of Spain’s traditional foodie phenomenons as we talk about the format of...

Did you know that Spain´s Lottery is the second oldest in world? Did you know that Spaniards bet a whopping 1.9 billion euros each year? And did you know that one of the most popular lotteries in Spain was set-up by General Franco to help people who had been blinded during the Civil War? Join me in this episode as I put gambling in Spain under the microscope. Yes, betting is big business and there...

This week the Madrid comedy scene and a look at bilingual sense humour and how Spanish life inspires comedy, all brought to you by professional funny people Tricia Audette and Juan Dávila from TYF Comedy . In this episode Tricia and Juan talk about how life in Spain as a non-local (Tricia is from Canada) and local provides the perfect inspiration for much of their comedy material, think mistransla...

In this episode I take you with me as I escape the winter blues and head to Las Palmas on Gran Canaria with Karina in search of winter warmth for the New Year. I meet up with Gran Canaria-born photographer and all-round Canary Island expert, Alex Bramwell to explore what Gran Canaria and the other Canary Islands have to offer. Alex tells me about the Islands´history, the best beaches to visit, the...

Since living in Spain I’ve discovered new kitchen contraptions, I’ve used household items that I never used in the UK (mop & bucket comes to mind) and developed an affection for dated furniture, confusing door bells and bidets. I’ve got used to literally hanging my laundry out in public, albeit clean of course! But I still miss a good wall to wall carpet when winter arrives....

Are you thinking about making the move to Spain? Wondering where to live and how to buy or rent a property? Do you want to look for work or retire to Spain? If the answer is yes to any of these questions then this episode is for you. I chat with Molly Piccavey who runs the award-winning Spain blog Piccavey.com and also works as a relocation coach. Molly has spent more than two decades living and w...

I talk about the Madrid restaurant scene and foodie community in the Spanish capital with Eat Out Madrid founder Valentina Ruffoni. Eat Out Madrid is a Facebook community where food fans can share their personal reviews, recommendations and photos. I talk to Valentina about Madrid’s restaurant scene, dining culture and culture shocks and favourite foods we miss from back home. DID YOU ENJOY...

I talk to Lisa Sadleir who runs the Family Life in Spain blog about the practicalities of moving to Spain with children. Lisa has spent more than 20 years in Spain and has raised her own two children here and she’s also helped many other families make the move. We examine all of the factors to consider when relocating as a family including which type of school to choose, state, private or bi...

The great Spanish city face-off. Yes, it’s the question so many people ask – which city is best, Madrid or Barcelona? And it’s a difficult question to give a definitive answer to! To help me compare these two amazing Spanish cities I speak to Daniel Welsch who has the great privilege of actually living in both cities simultaneously. Qué Suerte! or Que Sort! After living in Madrid...

I have a flick through the best of Spanish TV to bring you 14 of my favourite TV shows and series. I’ve rounded up a bunch of programmes that I find entertaining, useful for learning and practicing Spanish and that have given me an insight into Spanish culture, society and history. Put your feet up and join me as I have a zap though some lunchtime trash TV and then sit down to review a selec...

Road trip number two of 2019. Join us for as we holiday across Spain’s Costa de la Luz. First stop, Cádiz, one of my favourite Spanish cities. I describe the faded grandeur of this once-powerful city, soak up the atmosphere of its squares and streets and contemplate the city’s history and geography. Then on to Conil, a bustling resort with a beautiful but windy beach popular with young...

This week I explore the vegan and vegetarian food scene in Spain with vegans, bloggers and full-time travellers Sam and Veren. Sam and Veren run a sustainable vegan travel blog, alternativetravelers.com and have spent time living, working and travelling and of course eating vegan in Spain. They’ve recently published The Madrid Vegan Guidebook and have put together extensive vegan city guides...

Lots of sights and sounds from Murcia as I make a last minute trip to the region in southeast Spain. Using Murcia city as our base we explore the city of Cartagena and its Roman Theatre ( The second largest in Spain), wander around the city’s harbour and go for seafood. Back in Murcia city I look at the beautiful and architectural eclectic Santa Iglesia Catedral de Santa María, walk through...

Author, Kate Boyle talks about her novel Happy as a Partridge – Life and Love in Madrid.  Kate spent two-and-a-half years living and teaching English in Madrid. Kate recounts her own experience of living in the Spanish capital which inspired her to write her first book whose protagonist is Evie Fuller, a girl approaching her thirties looking for a change of scene and renewed zest for life. K...

An episode dedicated to that quintessential Spanish delicacy, jamón. When visiting Spain it’s a must-try tasty treat. I meet food guide Margit Sperling at Hermanos Benito Jamonería in Madrid’s Mostenses Market . With the help of ‘Jamonero’ José Ignacio Benito we sample Ibérico ham and Serrano ham and compare the differences. Margit gives useful advice on what and where to b...

What do the Spanish words Hasta, Loco, Barrio, Aceite, Moreno, Ojalá, Chaleco, Tarea and Fideo all have in common? They’re all Arabic origin words that have been absorbed into the Spanish language. Spanish has some 1,000 Arabic roots and about 3,000 derived words, so nearly 4,000 in total, that’s 8% of the Spanish language.  In this episode I’ll be exploring the influence of Arab...

I speak to Susan Solomont about her new book Lost & Found in Spain – Tales of an Ambassador’s Wife. When Susan’s husband, Alan Solomont was appointed US Ambassador to Spain under President Obama, she left her career in philanthropy, her friends and family to join her husband for three-and-a-half-years in Madrid. In this episode Susan tells me about life at and the US embassy...

Giving everyone two kisses, mixing up Spanish and English, drinking coffee in glasses, wearing flip-flops indoors, being more stingy when tipping and buying everyone a drink when it’s MY birthday. All things I never used to when I lived in the UK! These are just a handful of habits I’ve picked up since living in Spain. In this episode I talk about these habits and many more that I&#821...

In this episode I talk to Adrian Flude, an avid walker of El Camino de Santiago, Spain´s famous pilgrim route to the city of Santiago de Compostela. Adrian has walked El Camino no fewer than seven times and is something of an expert on The Way of St James. We explore the history of the Camino, talk about some tips and tricks in preparing and walking, describe the different routes to walk and the p...

This week I’m talking all about el vino , Spanish wine. To help me explore the world of Spanish wine I’ve enlisted the help of wine lovers, wine experts Luke Darracott and Roque Madrid. In the episode I head along to their wine shop called Madrid & Darracott where we talk about the history of Spanish wine, the various regions and D.Os, styles and general wine appreciation. We talk a little abo...

Talking and tasting tapas with Margit Sperling from Walk and Eat Spain tour. Margit runs her own neighbourhood food tours in Madrid with a focus on the Malasaña barrio where she lives. In this episode we stop off in a couple of Margit´s favorite tapas stops, to sample cheese, wine and cañas. Along the way we talk tapas, how and what to order, our personal favorites and a few tips for those of you...

In this episode of When in Spain I’m talking about refugees in Spain and a fantastic project and association based here in Madrid called Chefugee .  What is Chefugee? Chefugee collaborates closely with refugees and asylum seekers from all over the world to organize culinary events – from pop up dinners and lunches to catering, team building activities and cooking classes. I talk to Natalia D...