What to buy in Spain: A Complete Guide
A curated list of the best and most authentic gifts to buy in Spain in each region of of the country.
If the culture of a given country is defined, as it is often the case, as the group of elements that are shared by a particular group of people, it would soon strike us that Spanish culture is diverse. Beyond the most obvious stereotypes of siesta, bullfighters and flamenco dancer, lies a deeper way in which live is understood. Spanish culture is complex, dynamic and rich. As in many countries in the world, globalisation has introduced many changes to daily routines and even to what people believe is right or wrong. Nevertheless, there are many things which are clearly “Spanish” As in many other places in the world, Spanish culture is today best enjoyed and perceived away from the larger cities. It is in small towns in Spain and villages where shared behaviours shape routine, where culture is made more obvious and best enjoyed.
In this section we have compiled a group of in-depth articles that cover different dimensions of the so called Spanish culture. They range from gastronomy to famous people, from sports to arts, traditions, religion and party.
The Spanish culture is best understood through the events and different cultures that spent time in the peninsula. From the Phoenicians, Spaniards learnt about the use of money, trading and even mining. From the Romans they learnt to grow wines, olive trees and build beautiful and delicate pieces of art. But the Romans also influenced on war and Spanish soldiers became very important for the Roman legions. Spain provided important writers to the Roman empire with Seneca, Cordoba´s most famous person, as the most obvious example. But Spain also provided Emperors: Trajan, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius and Theodosius were all from Hispania.
When the Romans withdrew Spain was a Christian country, and this was what the Visigoths found when they followed the Romans. The visigoths were Arrianos but in 589, with King Recadero, Spain became Catholic, and a common belief was shared amongst the Goths kings. But this did not prevent fights, something which was well used by the Muslims who, within just twenty miles of water from Spain, perceived they could enjoy Africa without the heat up north. By 711 they crossed the strait of Gibraltar and in just 2 years they conquered most of Southern Spain. Spain and its culture profited. Tribal antipathies did not prevent the Moors to establish the Caliphate of Cordoba, which rivalled with Baghdad and where culture and arts thrived. At that time the city of Cordoba was Europe´s second largest city only behind Constantinople. The Moors thought people the techniques of irrigation, and they brought a sort of sybaritic fancy, best understood at the Alhmabra palace, and this vision which could have infused into local culture. The Reconquista started in 718 but took more than 7 centuries to get finalised. Through this long process, the Christian cross went up in Mosques and when the processes ended, Spain sent ships to America. The Spaniards may have thought themselves invincible at the time. That could have left certain traits of local culture, as well as also the new products that arrived from America, that developed local gastronomy, and merged with the scents of Moorish recipes.
As all empires through history, the Spanish Empire collapsed and out of many losses, the one of Cuba in 1898 left a proud country poor, an imperial attitude but not empire…
The XX century brought the darkest episode of Spanish history with its civil war, but if one thing is to be retained is that the country came out of it as a democracy, galloping down with great people in the highroad of history.
A curated list of the best and most authentic gifts to buy in Spain in each region of of the country.
Spain is an amazing country filled with excellent things to see and do. But what is Spain famous for? Here is a list of the top things Spain is famous for
Discover some of the most famous people the country of Spain has produced. Our top 15 famous Spanish people list covers some of the most influential people from this amazing Mediterranean paradise.
The ultimate guide to making traditional, Valencian Paella, which is probably a lot different than what you expect. Check out the proper way to cook an authentic Valencian paella.
There are many reasons to visit Santiago in addition to it being the final destination of the pilgrimage. Besides its main tourist attractions of monuments and museums, the city has an incessant cultural agenda with arts, entertainment and leisure time activities offered throughout the year such as music, lectures, theater, cinema, concerts, exhibitions and festivals.
Spain has a rich culture defined by its gastronomy, its dances and music. The Spanish culture has been shaped through centuries by the different influences lived through centuries: phoenicians, romans, visigoths, moors, or by important events like the Reconquista, the discovery of America or by the dark episode of its civil war
Jews have been one of the most influential cultures in the history of Spain, and in this article, we go over the history of the Jewish community in the Iberian Penninsula
A curated list of the best gifts from Spain, the perfect guide to authentic Spanish presents.
Spain is an amazing country filled with excellent things to see and do. But what is Spain famous for? Here is a list of the top things Spain is famous for
FC Barcelona is one of the most popular football clubs in the world. The teams popularity is thanks to many factors, but success on the pitch is the main reason. FC Barcelona or Barça for short is one of the winningest teams in Spain and in Europe with many league and European titles to their name. Let’s take a look back at the history of this storied football club.
Ribera del Duero in central Spain is one of the country’s most important wine-producing regions. 2 hours north by car from Madrid on the way to Burgos
Spain was and continues to be a popular filming destination for Hollywood movies thanks to its beautiful landscapes, architectural gems, sunny weather and also low costs. Many movies filmed in Spain date back to the 50s and 60s. Spain was a filming hotspot location for many 1950-60 Western classics and many of the countries fantastic attractions do continue to be selected by many directors and producers due to their beauty
Spain is an amazing country filled with excellent things to see and do. But what is Spain famous for? Here is a list of the top things Spain is famous for