Learn About Spain
El Paseo – Spain’s Cherished Walking Culture
One of the pleasures of traveling is noticing how the way people get around reflects the culture around them.
In the United States, the car is king. It makes sense. This is a vast country, with long distances between home, work, shopping and restaurants. Even in smaller cities, getting through the day often means driving. There’s also something very American about the independence of having your own car and heading wherever you want, whenever you want.
Holland is a different world where the bicycle rules. Cities are compact and easily navigated by bikes, so it makes sense to zoom around the ubiquitous bike lanes. In fact, pedestrians better watch out because biking is so dominant that you could easily get run over! On a recent visit, we saw a giant group of hundreds of bicycles parked near the train station with one perplexed soul scratching his head as he wondered how he would ever find his own bike!
For Spain, walking is more than a way to get around, it is a central part of daily life and social connection. It helps that most cities and towns in Spain are compact and easily walkable. This makes it easy to make the rounds every day. The Spanish often visit local shops and the municipal market to grab a quick cortado and buy the necessities for the day like freshly baked bread, vegetables and dinner ingredients. Along the way, people connect by chatting with their favorite vendors and friends visiting the market.
The most beloved walk of the day is called El Paseo. In the early evening, families, neighbors and friends stroll the town, often down a pedestrian friendly street lined with restaurants and shops. Whole towns come together to enjoy each other’s company. Old couples stroll slowly together, stopping frequently to chat with lifelong friends. Younger folks gather outside bars to share a beer and a tapa. And children are welcomed, with the little ones chasing pigeons in the town square with glee.
All this walking is a healthy habit. On average, adults in Spain walk nearly 10,000 steps a day. But exercise is rarely the goal, it’s just a natural part of the day in Spain.
El Paseo is even more healthful in how it fosters community and connection. You don’t need to set a date with friends and family to see each other, you can just meet up in the center of town. And compared to the United States, a lot of people in Spain live near their hometowns, so you can easily have a stroll with your cousins or old friends as often as you like.
Spanish towns and cities are designed for the walking lifestyle, with stores, schools, plazas and workplaces located in walking distance. The custom of living in small apartments also supports a walking culture. Why stay home when the plaza is full of life?
That may be what we love most about El Paseo. It isn’t really about walking at all. It’s about slowing down, stepping outside and being part of your community. In Spain, the journey through town is often just as important as the destination, especially when you have friends and family walking alongside you.
¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >
Learn About Spain
Lleida
Lleida was called Lerda by the Romans, and it is there that Caesar defeated the troops of Pompei. The capital city of a mountainous province in Cataluña, Lleida is nestled in the foothills of the majestic snow capped Pyrenees. Lush irrigated fields surround Lleida (as it is called in the Catalan language) which stands on the right bank of the Segre River, close by the spot where it runs into the Ebro.
Because of this fertile farmland, Lleida is the site of many famous cattle, agricultural, and fruit shows. The arbequina olive orchards in the area produce some of the most celebrated olive oil in Spain. Its delicate fruity flavor makes it a favorite of gourmets for their green salads, or even just enjoyed on a piece of freshly baked bread.
Many of the houses of Lleida climb a steep hill which is crowned by an imposing citadel which surrounds both La Zuda, an old Moorish castle, and also a fortress built in the 12th century by the Knights Templar just after their reconquest of the city. In the center is a soaring and majestic 12th - 15th century Romanesque Gothic cathedral. Its extraordinarily large cloister with notable archways is decorated with Gothic and Renaissance doorways. Within the old "Seo" is a valuable collection of tapestries.
Notes about Arbequina Olives:
Originally from Arbeca in Lleida, the Arbequina olive also grows in Tarragona, Zaragoza and Huesca.
The Tree - The Arbequina olive tree is fairly small and can be grown in concentrated numbers in orchards. The wood has a dark green color which, along with the tree's size, makes the Arbequina look something like a broom bush. Its leaves have a lengthwise groove and are ocher-green on the top with a yellowish underside.
The Fruit - Arbequina olives are small and oval shaped, with a large pit. The trees start producing early and provide large quantities of fruit. Arbequina olives have a distinctive flavor, unlike typical green olives. They have a light nutty flavor, and our family has been known to consume a whole jar at one sitting. They are also ideal with martinis, or so I have been told.
The Oil - Arbequina olives produce an exceptional oil with a wonderful fruity aroma. This sweet and smooth oil has a slight aftertaste of almonds. Extra virgin Arbequina oil combines perfectly with garden salads, fresh spring vegetables and grilled fish.
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Sanlúcar de Barrameda
Sanlúcar de Barrameda is one of our favorite Andalucían coastal towns, and remains pretty much the way it was a generation ago. It is a short drive along the Atlantic coast from Cádiz to its site at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River, which used to be navigable all the way to Sevilla. It is here that Columbus drew the crew for one of his voyages from the local men.
Across the mouth of the river is La Doñana, Europe's largest nature preserve, which you can visit by taking a tour on a small boat. Each spring during Pentecost hundreds of thousands of gypsies and other pilgrims cross the estuary on their way to honor Nuestra Señora de Rocío.
Next to the piers are several remarkable restaurants that feature the freshest of fresh seafood, direct from the fishing boats. Sanlúcar is famous for a rare local langosta, a large shrimp/lobster, which is harvested by hand. The price is not cheap, but worth every Euro cent!
When you head to town from the waterfront's long, wide beaches (where they hold horse races each August), you will stroll along a broad tile promenade lined with palm trees. Along the way, you will pass one of the bodegas that produce manzanilla, the celebrated light dry sherry made only in Sanlúcar. Finally, at the end of the promenade you will enter the old town with its many cafes that surround an animated market brimming with fresh produce. You might be tempted to stay over night so that you could enjoy authentic flamenco at a local peña.
What a nice way to experience the joy of Spain!
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Girona
Girona, (Gerona in Castillian Spanish), is a delightful city in the far northeast of Spain. After a few days in the hustle of the capitol of Cataluña you can get on the Autovia, and in a matter of a few minutes you will be immersed in a fascinating culture with deep roots. The town is known as the city of 1,000 sieges, with its ramparts built and rebuilt by the Iberians, Romans, and throughout the Middle Ages. Girona resisted the attacks of everyone from Charlemagne to Napoleon.
The earliest Jews of Girona were survivors of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD. They came to Cataluña, even prior to the conquest of Spain by the Moors beginning in 711 AD.
The Jewish community became famous in the Middle Ages for its celebrated Cabalistic School. The past can be felt in the atmosphere of the narrow alleyways of the Jewish Quarter. There is a very interesting new museum that is informative and enjoyable.
In the treasury of Girona's 13th century cathedral is the city's greatest treasure -- the Tapestry of Creation, a unique work dating from about 1100. It is delicate embroidery with well preserved colors, which shows Christ in Majesty in a circular area at the center, surrounded by different stages of creation.
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Cartagena
The ancient city of Cartagena, in the province of Murcia, lies in a unique position sheltered by fortified cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. This port, located in the southwest shore of the Province of Murcia, was considered by the British admiral Lord Nelson to be the safest port in the Mediterranean.
Fortified walls - La Morilla del Mar - built during the reign of Philip II, surround the old quarter of the city. Today the walls make a beautiful promenade punctuated with patches of bright flowers. Along the top of the Castillo de la Concepción (formerly a fortress and now a public garden), you can walk high above the city. Looking down, you can see the fishing boats arriving with their catches from the Mediterranean and far beyond in the Atlantic.
For literally thousands of years the fishermen braved the Atlantic to catch cod, which they cleaned and packed in salt for the long trip back to home port. It is here along the waterfront that the renowned family company Ricardo Fuentes E Hijos prepares top quality bacalao (salt cod) loins for shipping to us at Tienda.com. Also along the shores they prepare for us the finest mojama, a delicacy highly coveted in Southern Spain. These lightly salted tuna loins are hung up to cure in the warm Mediterranean sun. Pungent breezes from the sea dry the fish, much as jamón serrano is cured up in the mountains not many kilometers away in the Alpujarras Mountains.
What I like most about Cartagena is her peacefulness and natural beauty. Because it is both a major naval base and a hub of maritime commerce, Cartagena is not a sleepy town. On the other hand, it has been spared the invasion of busloads of tourists, who find this ancient city "off the beaten track" and therefore hard to fit in their whirlwind itineraries. Granada and Valencia are as close as the tourists come.
Like Cádiz, on the edge of the Atlantic, Cartagena was one of the great ports of Antiquity. Although not as ancient as Cádiz, (founded by the Phoenicians in 1100 BC), this magnificent natural port was first captured by the North African empire of Carthage in 221 BC and named Cartago Nova, New Carthage.
At your leisure you can absorb the layers of history, which are evident all about you in this moderately sized city of 175,000. Walk down to the harbor to visit a fascinating National Archeological Museum, which includes a section on seafaring activity during antiquity, complete with model galleys and other vessels. You can also linger at the Roman theater built in the first century BC. Along with Mérida, it is one of the most important Roman theaters in Spain.
On the other hand modern architecture is interesting too. The Ayuntamiento is a Modernist style Town Hall, graced with a sweeping marble staircase. The bullring is encompassed by handsome Moorish arches and decorated with striking Andalucían tiles.
Murcia is an often-overlooked portion of Spain. Personally, I have fond memories of our trips to the interior of the Province; especially our visit to the venerable shrine of Caravaca de la Cruz and the farm town of Calasparra encompassed with the fields of precious Calasparra rice. But most of all, I treasure the hours I spent with my wife Ruth, strolling along the walls of Cartagena. It is worth the trip.
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Cáceres
Venerable Cáceres is in the remote land of Extremadura in Western Spain. Founded in Roman times, it presents excellent examples of two very different parts of the city's heritage - the Moorish fortress and the feudal city. Because of its remote location, the citizens have been able to preserve and promote one of the most complete Medieval and Renaissance quarters in the world. Coats of arms adorn the palaces and ancestral homes inhabited by noble families.
The beauty and appeal of Cáceres comes from immersing yourself in the labyrinth of streets and tiny plazas, passing under arches, past towers and walls, between churches, beautiful convents and innumerable palaces. You will discover an incredible mix of architectural design ranging from Moorish to Northern Gothic to the Italian Renaissance. The Parador in Cáceres is set on the Moorish foundations of the Toirreorgaz Palace.
The city is a perfect staging area to visit the old Roman border town of Ciudad Rodrigo. the Moorish shrine in the mountain village of Guadalupe or the peaceful town of Trujillo -- home of five famous Conquistadores, and site of the National Cheese Festival each Spring. In fact, on the outskirts is the town of Casar where La Tienda's celebrated Torta del Casar cheese is produced. This remarkable cheese with a creamy interior is greatly valued by connoisseurs throughout Europe and the United States.
With all of this to see, and hardly a random tourist in sight, Cáceres is a wonderful city to get away from the 21st Century and enjoy the relative peace of another era.
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Olite
The town of Olite is a Medieval gem. In fact, it has been declared a National Monument. The Royal Palace is one of the most luxurious in Europe, and the altarpiece of the Church of Santa María is an exquisite treasure. The carved wooden altar cross is especially moving.
You can stay in the summer castle of the Carlos the Noble, King of Navarra. The castle is one of many "Paradors", special hotels operated by the Spanish government. Outfitted with taste and filled with hand made regional artifacts, the castle has stained glass windows and Gothic arcades.
The province of Navarra is also famous for its inimitable Piquillos de Pimiento - a key ingredient for a gourmet paella, and for chorizos and stews. A pinch of it in our gazpacho sets it apart from the rest. Actually, the town of Lodosa where the smoked piquillo peppers are prepared by hand is close by Olite. La Tienda.com carries both the peppers and the gazpacho.
Close by, in a field along the pilgrimage road to Santiago de Compostela, you can visit an octagonal church in Eunate. It was built by the crusading Knights Templar, who were inspired by the architecture of Jerusalem. Also close by is Puente La Reina, the point where the pilgrimage route of Navarra and Aragón merge. It is filled with a rich legacy of art, including the church known as El Crucifijo because of a poignant crucifix carved by a pious German artist.
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Santillana del Mar
When you drive along the coast of the Cantabrian Sea in northernmost Spain, perhaps from Asturias going toward Bilbao and the Guggenheim Museum, you will be delighted to come across this wonderful village. It is astonishingly well preserved and highly evocative of medieval times. Some families still have their prized livestock sheltered on the ground floor of their houses.
The town grew up around a monastery, sheltering the relics of San Juliana, who was martyred in Asia Minor. Throughout the Middle Ages the monastery was famous as a place of pilgrimage and was particularly favored by the prominent families of Castile. You may visit the 12th century church, which is still the village parish.
In the 15th century, when it became powerful as a collegiate church, fine mansions of massive rough stone with wrought iron balconies or wooden galleries (solanas) surrounded it. From these homes many great people in the Castilian line were to spring. One of those homes has been expanded into a gracious National Parador where you will undoubtedly want to spend a peaceful night or two.
As a side trip you might like to visit the Caves of Altamira, among the most significant in the world for their prehistoric wall paintings.
Today there is nothing pretentious in what is once again a small community inhabited largely by farmers who return with their animals at nightfall. The delicious tuna, bonito, and anchovies that the locals eat from the neighboring Cantabrian Sea are treasured by gourmets the world around.
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Priego de Cordoba
We have always enjoyed the delightful pueblos blancos, or white towns, of Andalucía. Although they share many characteristics in common, each has its own character and style. Our quest for fine artisan olive oil led us to Priego de Córdoba - one of the region's little gems. Surrounded by ancient olive groves, it is situated at the foot of the highest mountain in the province next to a Natural Park of the Sierra Sabbética. It is a peaceful place to while away a couple of days.
Priego's dazzling white houses, flower decked windows and tiny winding streets date back to Moorish times, as do the fortifications of the Palace of the Dukes of Medinaceli in the center of town. There are also elegant 17th and 18th century mansions to enjoy, which were built when Priego was the center of a thriving silk industry. Its textiles were prized throughout Europe and America.
One of the most splendid sights is the Fuente del Rey. This spectacular fountain has a total of 139 jets spouting natural spring water from the mouth of the same number of masks! During this period of prosperity they built several churches which are masterpieces of Andalucían Baroque architecture.
While visiting Priego you might sample its noteworthy chorizo, home-made morcilla, fresh goat cheese, several Moorish sweets and their artisan dark chocolate that is loaded with almonds. Most of all, this is an opportunity to taste extra virgin olive oil at its finest.
During December and January you can witness the olives being harvested and turned into olive oil. If you plan to be in Priego at that time, and speak Spanish, we would be glad to contact our good friend Fermín Rodríguez and let him know you are coming. He would love to share with you a taste of oil the very day it is pressed. It is a delightful culinary experience you will long remember.
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Padrón
Padrón, a small village of 700 people at the top of a breathtaking fjord, is one of the most beautiful spots in all Galicia. It is the birthplace of several of Spain's leading writers and poets including Rosalía de Castro, Macías, Rodrígues de Padrón, and the Nobel Prizewinner for Literature, Camilio José Cela.
For the sportsman, Padrón is favored because it lies in a fertile valley beside two rivers at the foot of sheltering mountains, making it an ideal spot to fish for salmon, trout and lamprey.
For the pilgrim Padrón has a particular significance. Legend has it that when the Apostles divided the known world into missionary zones, the Iberian peninsula fell to James (Santiago) and he spent a number of years preaching there before returning to Jerusalem, and martyrdom. His followers are believed to have carried his body down to the coast and put it into a stone boat, which was carried by angels and the wind beyond the Pillars of Hercules (the straits of Gibraltar), to land near Finisterre, at Padrón, on the Atlantic coast of northern Spain. The boat was moored to a great stone post, or padrón which is still preserved in the village. The remains of St. James were transported to Santiago de Compostela where they remain today as an object of veneration for millions of pilgrims.
For the gourmet cook, the village is the current source of the rare pimientos de Padrón brought back from the New World by Columbus. Since the 16th Century, many pilgrims who arrived in Santiago have feasted upon these thin dark green peppers grown in the town. If you are visiting the area in the summer, you can enjoy the light sweet peppers, which are sautéed in olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt and served on a platter. If you do not want to wait until you get to Spain, you can order fresh pimientos de Padrón through our web site.
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Jaen
Jaén, strategically placed between Andalucía and La Mancha, is a fascinating place. It is located near the largest national park in Spain - the Sierra de Cazorla, which features one of the most important reserves of mountain goats, bucks, deer and wild boar.
Jaén also is not far from Ubeda, the capital of the 16th Century Andalucían Renaissance and burial place of the mystic Saint John of the Cross. Within the town itself is a cathedral with a spectacular Baroque façade, many convents, palaces and Moorish baths.
But the great structure in Jaén is the magnificent Moorish castle on the top of the Mount of Santa Catalina, overlooking valleys, open country and olive groves. Built by Moorish King Alhamar in the 9th Century, St. Fernando II recovered it in 1246. The castle houses a splendid Parador hotel, decorated with ancient armor and grandiose tapestries along with distinctive ogival arches. Intricate gilt work covers many of the halls and corridors, revealing a marked Moorish influence.
If you are flying into Madrid and then planning to head south to Andalucía, why not rent a car and head right to the Jaén Parador on excellent, clearly marked highways? You will be there for a late lunch - and then you can rest up with a blissful siesta in one of their great bedrooms overlooking the gorge. You will be so high up the mountains, the birds will soar beneath you! Because it is a Parador, the quality is high, and the cost surprisingly reasonable.
Don't forget to sample the tasty Jaén olives, cracked by hand so that the olives can marinate in spices. It is an exquisite treat for true olive lovers.
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Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is an elegant town just about midway on the autopista between the glorious Sevilla of flowers and fountains, and the ancient port of Cádiz, the oldest city in Europe, with its labyrinth of streets and wonderful seafood.
Jerez has a charm all its own with plazas lined with orange trees and the rich aroma of the many sherry bodegas wafting through the evening air. Also in Jerez are the stables of the celebrated Royal Andalucían School of Equestrian Art, home of the Pura Raza Espanola - Andalusian horses.
Perhaps the finest time to visit this delightful region is late April and early May. Jerez celebrates a meaningful Semana Santa with processions that are more for the townspeople than tourists. The world-renowned processions are held in Sevilla, just a half an hour away.
Soon thereafter in early May the notable families of Jerez participate in the Feria de los Caballos - a wonderful experience of handsome horse drawn carriages, striking Andalucían horses, and equally lovely Andalucían ladies riding side saddle next to their handsome caballeros. At the feria there is racing as well as dressage and carriage competitions.
Jerez is noted for its vineyards as well, which produce sherry and artisan-aged vinegar. Continuity is maintained using the solera aging system by which wines of identical types are kept in groups of casks in ascending grades. The "blender" draws off wine from the oldest stock, replacing it with a similar amount of wine from the second oldest cask and so on so that the wine moves on progressively.
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Spain Celebrates Victory Together
Americans have experienced some epic sporting victories over the years, from the “Miracle on Ice” hockey victory over Russia in 1980 to the Dream Team basketball victory in 1992 and the historic Women’s World Cup victory in 1999. And American fans celebrated with parades and parties. But those celebrations pale in comparison to the gatherings in Spain after the 2026 world soccer victory!
In Madrid alone, over 2 million ecstatic fans filled the streets, giving a hero’s welcome to the returning champions. We were astonished to see videos of a vast sea of fans at La Plaza de Cibeles, singing together in one voice, faces glowing with the joy of victory. In a country that often experiences regional tensions, it was incredible to see the entire population coming together with national pride.
Fútbol (soccer) is bordering on a national religion in Spain, with teams participating in intense rivalries between clubs. Some matches are so legendary they even have names, like El Clásico or El Derby. But when the national team played in the big tournament, these rivalries disappeared. On the national team, members of the legendary clubs of La Liga, like FC Barcelona and Atlético Madrid, played side by side.
We talked with a friend in Valencia who told us the streets were empty during the matches, as families and friends gathered in bars and homes to cheer on La Roja. The crowds shouted in unified passion, bonding with strangers as they celebrated goals or commiserated about bad calls.
We were able to experience some of Spain’s communal joy with a watch party that we organized at the Virginia Beer Company in our hometown of Williamsburg, VA. We shared a free spread of simple tapas with the crowd, from Marcona almonds and picos breadsticks to anchovy stuffed olives and quicos crunchy corn. We even hand-sliced a Jamón Ibérico, with hungry fans devouring the ham faster than we could slice.
The crowd grew to over a hundred people, and we were excited to see a group of a dozen Spanish fans leading the cheers. They were young adults working at Busch Gardens for the summer, and their enthusiasm was infectious. They even inspired the Williamsburg locals to sing “¡OLÉ, OLÉ OLÉ OLÉ!” at full volume. The excellent glasses of beer did not hurt the enthusiasm!
As the final whistle blew in overtime, the entire crowd exploded, led by the Spanish fans. They waved huge red and yellow flags, sang victory songs and literally jumped for joy as a group! One guy ran over and grabbed what was left of the jamón, holding it high in the air like it was a religious icon, then kissed it to celebrate the victory. Another fan grabbed a porrón pitcher that we’d brought and poured a long stream of beer in his mouth. For a moment, it felt like we were at a bar in Madrid or Sevilla, sharing the thrill of victory with the people of Spain.
In life, stereotypes are sometimes positive and real. Spaniards do love jamón with an intensity bordering on obsession. They do come together and connect, creating community wherever they are. It was thrilling to share their passion and excitement; it was an event that we’ll always remember.
¡Hola! I'm Jonathan Harris, one of the owners of La Tienda. I love sharing insights about Spain's amazing food culture. Learn more >
