When in Spain

I discuss the growing craft beer scene in Spain with David Ross and Patrick Tuck at their new Madrid pub La Osita . (The little bear) David and Patrick are craft ale brewers, pub owners, friends and business partners. I head along to meet them at their newly-opened craft beer pub in the heart of Madrid. We talk about about the growing popularity of craft beer in Spain, how the scene compares with...

This week I’m talking Flamenco, that unmistakable Spanish art form, some might argue the very quintessence of Spain. Listen in as I attend a flamenco dance class for professional ‘bailaoras’ or flamenco dancers given by Belén López at Madrid’s  Centro de Arte Flamenco y Danza Española Amor de Dios ,  a prestigious dance school. While I was there I met up with friend and pro...

An interview with award-winning Spain blogger and Andalucía expert, Molly Piccavey. In this episode dedicated to Spain’s southern region of Andalucía, we talk about how Molly set-up and has grown her blog piccavey.com to a top 50 travel blog. Molly shares here take on what to see, visit, eat and drink in Andalucía. We’ll also look at the Andalusian culture and Molly offers some tips an...

With the Summer holiday season just around the corner, you might be contemplating which books to pack to while away the hours while relaxing or travelling. Assuming you’re a big fan of Spain, I’ve put together a ‘When in Spain Reading List’ of 16 of my favourite reads about Spain. My recommendations include books on Spanish history and society, light reads about moving and...

I wanted a biscuit to enjoy with my coffee. But this week instead of heading to a supermarket for a run of the mill cookie, I went on a more mysterious shopping expedition to satiate my sweet fix. Yes, I went to see a nun. Well, actually not see, because like all nuns who bake beautiful biscuits and mouthwatering sweets, they’re cloistered and hidden away in convents all across Spain, having...

Semana Santa or  Holy Week is the biggest religious celebration of the year in Spain. What’s the story behind those ‘pointy hats’ (capirotes)? What the difference is between a ‘Trono’ and a ‘Paso’ float? And how did this Spanish religious tradition all start? To find out more, Karina and I head down to Málaga to watch the religious processions that include...

Fancy coming to my Spanish class? My classmates, Cat, Matt and Lia and our Spanish teacher, Ana take a break from grammar and share our favourite colourful Spanish expressions, sayings and vulgar vocabulary. If you’re easily offended you might want to skip this episode! Have you ever needed to describe bad sex? Uff! There’s a phrase for that. Do you carry a torch for someone or have fe...

Products that SCREAM spain! What are they? In this episode of When in Spain I take a walk around Madrid and try to identify 16 quintessential Spanish products, mostly food I have to admit! I also take a look at the stories and history behind the items on my Spanish shopping list. Join me on my shopping trip around traditional family-run shops, delicatessens, grocery stores and my local supermarket...

Want to speak Spanish fluently? I stop off at The Royal Spanish Academy or  Real Academia Española , in the centre of Madrid, ground zero for the Spanish language and home of the Diccionario de la lengua española, the official dictionary of the Spanish language. The Academy’s mission is to ensure the stability of the Spanish language and promote linguistic unity under the motto “ Limpi...

Nine Spanish culture shocks that I still can’t get my head around, even after living in Spain for nearly six years. Here they are… 1. Volume control? According to the World Health Organisation Spain is the second noisiest country in the world after Japan. This would explain why several times a week I wish I had a universal mute button. Almost everywhere you go it’s loud. In Spain peopl...

Feliz Día de San Valentín!  Love and romance en España. Today is the el 14 de Febrero – the14 th February and well rather predictably this episode takes a loving look at Valentine’s Day here in Spain. I’m going to look at what loved-up Spaniards get up to on this special day for lovers – i’ll be comparing the Spanish Valentine’s Day with Valentine’s Day back home in t...

If you want to see the beauty of this walk then check out my video of ‘el caminito’ on YouTube.   https://youtu.be/-bKWkSSOe5s Get your a head for heights on because in this episode of When in Spain I take you on a dizzying walk along El Caminito del Rey – The King’s Little Path, once dubbed the most dangerous path in the world. The route is famous for its 300 feet-high boa...

If you’d like to see as well as hear the sights in this episode, check out this episode as a video on the new When in Spain YouTube channel . I hit Madrid’s Christmas market to see what’s on offer and talk about the Spanish Christmas and New Year timetable. I head up to Doña Manolita’s – the place to buy a lucky Christmas lottery ticket and look at why ‘El Gordo...

In this week’s When in Spain episode I take us on a wander around El Rastro , Madrid’s sprawling outdoor market where you can find almost anything. Whether visiting as a tourist or living in the Spanish capital, El Rastro flea market is a must-see and is one of the most ‘ castizo’ things you can experience in the city. Whether visiting as a tourist or living in the Spanish capita...

Do Spaniards like the dark despite Spain being one of the sunniest countries in Europe? Maybe you can have too much of a good thing! Spain has between 2,500 and 3,000 hours of sunshine in an average year, compared with just 1,600 in countries such as the United Kingdom. In this episode I ponder the Spanish obsession with window blinds and why Spanish homes are often dark with the lights on during...

Spain has fantastic public transport options that make it easy and comfortable to get around the the Iberian peninsular and it’s islands. Spain is a big, rugged country and driving isn’t always the quickest or most convenient option. That’s why in this episode of the When in Spain show I look at how to around Spain on public transport. I examine the benefits of using Spain’...

…we got to spend a few hours in a bar in someone’s house in a village with a population of eight. EIGHT people. The very local wine was cheap at 80¢ a glass! In this episode, we escape Madrid for a weekend tour of Spain’s northern region of Asturias , the Picos de Europa mountains, a visit to the place where the reconquest all began and a spanner in the works. Well, a blown out t...

In this bonus episode I answer a few questions from listeners…Alternative things to see and do in Madrid, advice for moving to Barcelona and a future episode on healthcare and health insurance in Spain. Also, how about some When in Spain episodes in Spanish? Over to you… FOLLOW WHEN IN SPAIN 📺Subscribe on YouTube: https://bit.ly/2SOrKrL 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦Join the When in Spain Facebook Group...

I talk trains – my favourite way to travel. Sit back and enjoy the ride as I take us on a trip from Madrid to Barcelona on Spain’s high speed train, the AVE (Alta Velocidad Española). From Madrid’s Atocha station with its indoor jungle to Barcelona’s modern Sants terminal, I describe the journey as we rocket across Spain at nearly 300 km p/h. I look at routes, destinations,...

This week an episode on Spain’s most controversial tradition, bullfighting. During the show I attend a ‘corrida’ at Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring with a Spanish friend to see this ancient spectacle in the flesh. I didn’t enjoy or agree with what I witnessed, that I expected. But I wanted to see if I could understand why others are so passionate about it.  A few things...

Spanish podcast pioneers, Ben Curtis,  an Englishman from Oxford and Marina Diez,  a native Madrileña have run the Notes in Spanish podcast since 2006 for all Spanish language learners. They also produced the Notes from Spain podcast series about Spanish life and culture. Ben and Marina and their podcasts were a huge inspiration for me when deciding to embark on a new life in Spain and indeed to s...

Evening meals at 11pm! Two-hour lunch breaks! Hitting bars until 7am! In this episode I try to stay awake to look at Spain’s daily routine, timetables, mealtimes and work schedules and try to work out if Spaniards really do ever sleep. I examine the history of the infamous Spanish siesta (Think ancient Rome, Franco and the Spanish Civil War) and find out of it really does still exist or has just b...

Do you have to be mad to open your own bookshop in Spain in this day and age? Well, Terry Craven from Madrid’s Desperate Literature bookshop assures me that if you’re not brave then you must be stupid! I spend a morning surrounded by books while Terry, busy pricing and unpacking boxes of books talks through some lesser-known Spanish literature that helps get under the skin of Spain and...

Let’s hit the shops! Need a stamp? Run out of milk and everything’s closed? Fancy some churros? I’ll take a look at Spain’s traditional shops, run through their names and admire how they continue to survive in the face of the big supermarket chains. I’ll also talk about how to navigate Spain’s sometimes frustrating opening hours and look at restaurants and bars...

Cerveza ! Yes, a whole episode dedicated to beer! Salud! Spain is the 4th biggest beer producer in Europe and the 10th biggest in the world. But, ordering a beer can be a confusing experience. Do you order a caña or a tubo ? What’s the difference between a copa and a doble ? How big is a tanque ? Can I just order a pint? Maybe. Beers in Spain come in all shapes and sizes, and how you order them wi...