General

The largest and most populous of the islands, a beautiful and diverse island with the well known southern resorts, mountain villages, the old school resort of Puerto de la Cruz and the capital Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The view of snow capped Mount Teide adds to the drama of this island.

The main airport is Tenerife south for international flights, Tenerife North at La Laguna is mainly domestic flights. The Titsa bus company provide an excellent efficient service throughout the islands and buying a card for a small fee gives you discounted fares and can be used by more than one person.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife

General

The city is not really on the tourist list of places to visit but we enjoyed the atmosphere of this port city, although it lacks a beach La Teresitas is only 20 minutes away by bus and is a lovely beach with a selection of bars and restaurants.

Accommodation

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com, we chose the Urban Anaga Hotel, C/ Imeldo Serris 19 and it suited us on our first visit to the city. It is in a great location for exploring the city and close to a variety of bars & restaurants and is a modern hotel with a rooftop bar, a vermut bar and a new Japanese restaurant soon to open in addition the staff are exceptionally helpful.

Restaurants & Bars

La Esquina de Gamonal, C/Clavel 7, was without a doubt our favourite restaurant during our visit. We found it on our first night for a drink and went back for lunch and drinks on several occasions. Excellent food, great service and a lovely atmosphere made it a home from home.

Guannabi, C/Antonio Dominguez Alfonso 34, was another good choice in a street with a wide selection of places to eat. It is stylishly designed and offers traditional food but with a twist, lovely service but booking recommended at weekends.

La Cuadra del Palmero, C/Imeldo Serris 25, we stopped one evening for a drink but were tempted to try the food in the lovely open courtyard and enjoyed an excellent meal so much so we returned on another evening and again thought the food and service was very good.

Plaza 18, C/ de San Francisco 18, the outdoor setting is lovely, the food is good but not outstanding but always appreciated the warm welcome.

Wine & Cheese Bar, C/ de San Francisco 28, we visited twice, once for a paella lunch which was good and then one evening for a cheese selection and wine, had intended to return but always very busy.

La Concepcion, C/Antonio Dominguez Alfonso 4, is a highly rated and popular modern tapas restaurant in this lovely street. The cooking was very good and the service good, booking recommended at weekends.

Caminito, Callejon del Combate 10, in another street with a wide choice of places to eat we chose this for a drink and some empanadas, they were not the best I have had but there are good comments about the tapas they serve.

Tasca La Monteria, Callejon del Combate 12, just next door to Caminito above we had lunch here and enjoyed the dishes we had. It is very popular and gets consistently good reports.

La Salita, C/Bethancourt Alfonso 10, nice small place with good jamon and other tapas and pleasant service.

Sal de Campo & Café Guimera, Plaza Isla de la Madera, this was our go to café for breakfast but it was also a very popular restaurant particularly at lunchtime, we ate there one evening and enjoyed the food.

El Rinconcito de Dalia, C/Sabino Berthelot 48, while in search of an upmarket tapas bar we found this lovely place in the same square and had a really well cooked three course set lunch, great value.

Café Palmelita, C/del Castillo 9, is a beautiful old school café and cake shop which also serves wine and cava and is a gem of a place to sit outside and watch the world go by.

Opera Vermuteria, C/ Imeldo Serris is part of the Urban Anaga Hotel and as the name implies specialises in vermut with a wide selection and also of course a wide selection of other drinks.

Caramba, C/Marina 1, great setting by the Plaza Espana this fusion & Spanish mix café is very popular, great for a drink or to try some of the interesting dishes on offer, popular so service can be slow.

Strasse, Parque Garcia Sanabria, is an upmarket café & restaurant in this lovely park we only stopped for a drink but they have a branch at Las Teresitas beach and we ate there and the food and service was good.

Culture

La Laguna is a beautiful historic town, a world heritage site and is conveniently only 20 minutes from Santa Cruz at the end of the tram route it is beautiful to wander around but beware it is 500 metres above sea level and much colder than Santa Cruz.

Parque Garcia Sanabria is beautiful and well worth exploring, it is a lovely walk along the Rambla de Santa Cruz to get there.

Las Teresitas is the nearest beach to Santa Cruz and well worth visiting, the bus 910 has its terminus there, it is just past the small town of San Andres which we didn’t find very inspiring.

Mercado de Nuestra Senora de Africa should be on the list of things to see and as well as the various market stalls there is a wide selection of places to eat.

Puerto de la Cruz

General

Spread out over the slopes of Northern Tenerife Puerto de la Cruz is the elder statesman of tourism on the island and has been welcoming visitors since the late 19^th century. It has of course expanded hugely and there are many large resort hotels along the front and up the slopes of the city.

The heart of it as far as we were concerned was the old port area and it’s surrounding area, the lovely square Plaza Charco and the old fisherman’s area of La Ranilla with it’s great choice of places to eat, quirky shops and the murals decorating many of the buildings.

The Titsa bus station is around a 15 minute uphill walk from the old port and from there with your Travel Card you can visit some of the lovely towns in the hills surrounding the city and the Botanic Gardens.

Accommodation

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com we chose an apartment in the old fisherman’s area La Ranilla, loads of places to eat, a short walk from the old port and almost flat unlike most of the city.

Restaurants & Bars

Hannen, Plaza del Charco was our first stop on arrival, it is a German style bar with excellent beer and food, the meat quality is top notch. It has great staff and and a top location near the port and on the square. It was a firm favourite during our stay.

Agora, Plaza Benito Perez Galdos, was our other favourite place, this gem of a bar & café is on a lovely square with a number of restaurants & a lively local atmosphere. They have a great drinks selection and also a small selection of small tapas style dishes, the staff are excellent and it is of course very popular especially for the comfortable large wicker chairs near the door.

Vulk, C/Cruz Verde 2, is one of a number of restaurants in this small street in La Ranilla. It is an Argentinian restaurant and micro brewery run by two young Argentinians. The food is excellent and reasonably priced, the service can be slow when it is busy but it is definitely worth a visit.

Templo de Vino, C/El Lomo 2, is another popular restaurant in the area and has a wide and varied menu however one of it’s specialities is Schnitzel and they offer a variety and they are excellent. The friendly owner/manager is on hand in the evening to advise on choices.

Tropical, C/El Lomo 7, is one of the old school restaurants in the area and justifiably popular with visitors and locals. A wide choice of dishes are on offer and a number of set menus at lunchtime. The staff are great, helpful and generous with post meal drinks.

Don Camillo, is on the corner of Plaza Benito Perez Galdos and C/Mequinez and is an Italian restaurant with a variety of Italian staples on offer including very good pizzas. The setting is lovely and the food reasonably priced, the service could be warmer.

La Pescaderia, have two restaurants one on Plaza Benito Perez Galdos and one at C/Perdomo near the port. We had lunch at the latter and chose the mixed grilled fish & seafood plate to share. It wasn’t the best I have had and perhaps not the best choice from our point of view but well prepared & decent value. Both places are popular with locals and visitors and they have a place at the Mercado Municipal.

Zumaque, C/Puerto Viejo 18, is a fairly new restaurant and is very cool and stylish. We booked for Sunday lunch and were impressed with the service and the food, there is a lot of fusion choices and we enjoyed the gyoza dumplings and the ramen.

Mil Sabores, C/Cruz Verde 5, another in this great street and we gave it a try for Sunday lunch and enjoyed the whole roast chicken which we shared along with a salad and a generous serving of chips. Simple food, well served by friendly staff.

El Patio, Plaza Benito Perez Galdos, although this was on the list to try for lunch or dinner we only managed to stop a couple of times for a drink. The service was excellent and what was being served looked very good so sadly it is for another time.

Saigon Delize, C/San Juan is as you may guess a Vietnamese restaurant and never ones to miss eating this lovely cuisine we booked for Sunday lunch. The food was good however the service very slow indeed and rather spoilt the lunch. The owner whose wife, the chef, is Vietnamese did apologise saying Sundays were always busy.

Cofradia de Pescadores, C/Las Lonjas 5, this has the prime setting of a terrace overlooking the old port and booking is essential. We had a lovely table, the food was excellent, the service very good and reasonably priced for the quality. I can fully understand why it is so popular.

El Bajo, C/Mequinez 21, is another old school restaurant in the old fisherman’s quarter and we were impressed with the quality of the service and the food.

La Fragata, C/La Marina 5 is a good bar with a great terrace overlooking the port, we used it frequently for a nightcap and the friendly service and very reasonable prices made it a firm favourite.

Café Ebano, C/La Hoya 2, was another favourite place to stop for a refreshment. It is opposite the beautiful church of Nuestra Senora de la Pena de Francia. Service can be slow but the seats at the front are prized for the setting.

Delizia, C/San Juan 4, was our breakfast place during our stay. The outside table are very popular as their coffees and pastries are outstanding. They also have a wide range of excellent ice creams., enjoy one with the local coffee speciality a Zaperoco (also known as a Barraquito) a multi layered coffee including Licor 43.

Africa Gastrobar, C/Agustin de Betancourt 3, had read good things about this place but unfortunately they were closed for holidays during most of our stay, we did stop for a drink once they re-opened but did not have a chance to try the food.

F&M Café, C/Agustin de Betancourt 5, had a good local feel about it and we stopped for a drink but stayed for lunch, friendly service, good food and great value.

Barako, C/Mequinez 2, we only found this place towards the end of our stay but were impressed with the friendly service and the quality of the couple of small dishes we tried.

Oliva, C/Retama 3, is one of a number of restaurants opposite the lovely Botanic Gardens. We stopped by for a drink and were taken aback by how many tables were reserved for lunch and resolved to return on another occasion which we did. There is not a huge range of dishes but what there is are very well done and Schnitzels are a speciality and available in half portions. We enjoyed the food and the service and can understand it’s popularity.

Delhi Darbar, C/Retama 3, is one of the other restaurants in this street and is also very popular. We shared three starters and enjoyed the food and the atmosphere.

Culture

The Botanic Gardens are beautiful and well worth a visit, they can easily be reached by bus from the Bus Station or by taxi. There are some very good eating places opposite the entrance which are worth trying, see above.

La Orotava is in the hills above the city and is a beautiful historic town with some lovely gardens but it is extremely hilly, we also visited Icod de Los Vinos but were slightly disappointed with the town.

The Mercado Municipal near the Bus Station has a number of food stalls and produce plus other stall on a Saturday. The food stalls sell amazingly cheap wine and cava by the glass and also some good seafood dishes. It is very popular with locals and ex-pat residents.

Drink

Given the excellent warm all year round climate beer is of course popular on all the islands, in Tenerife the local beer is Dorada, in Gran Canaria it is Tropical, both are lager type beers Dorada has a bit more substance than Tropical. Craft beers are becoming very popular and are available in a number of bars. There are also a number of local beers which are more of a malt variety than lager type and this is particularly the case in Gran Canaria where if you ask for a cana, a small beer, you really need to say Pilsen to ensure you get the lager style.

As a huge Spanish wine enthusiast, I was surprised and delighted to find that wine was produced in the Canaries. Tenerife and Lanzarote are the main wine growing islands and the most common grapes are local varieties listan negro, listan blanco and malvasia. In Tenerife we were lucky enough to meet the wine producer of Bamboo wines, we really liked both the white & the red and found it in a number of restaurants also in the supermarket. We had planned to do a wine tour in Lanzarote but we did not manage to get there which was a disappointment as much of the crop is grown on black volcanic soil.

General

Gran Canaria is the third largest island but has almost half of the total population. We were only in the northern part of the island which has a stunning, green, mountainous landscape and also a number of micro climates.

We travelled from Tenerife to Gran Canaria by ferry and the Fred Olsen fast ferry docka at Agaete from where there is a complimentary bus to Las Palmas which takes about 40 minutes. The airport for the island is close to the capital Las Palmas.

Getting around the island by bus is very easy, the company Global run all the services and buying a travel card gives you a discount on all fares.

Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

General

Las Palmas is a large city, I was surprised by how large it was but also impressed by the city with a wonderful historic area, a stunning beach and a bustling area of shops, bars and restaurants. The three main parts that visitors will see are Vegueta, which is the historic part, Playa de las Canteras the stunning beach area and Triana which is the heart of the lively city.

It is a large city and there is a municipal bus service for getting around as the distance from Vegueta to Playa de las  Canteras is around 5km. Vegueta is not well served by buses and Triana might well be a better option for exploring the city as the main bus station for the island is there and Vegueta is an easy walk.

Accommodation

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com we chose an apartment in the historic part of Vegueta, we loved the area but with hindsight Triana would have been a better choice for transport links and for a wider choice of places to eat and drink. It also has the advantage of being close to Vegueta for exploring this area.

Restaurants & Bars

Te Lo Dije Perez, C/Obispo Codina 6, Vegueta, was a favourite during our stay, it is styled almost as a Belgian beer bar, with an amazing range of beers, but also good wines and other drinks. The food is very good with a wide range of choice ranging from Begian beef casserole to Canarian classic dishes. The staff are incredibly friendly and run a great place.

Tasca La Picadita, C/Herreria 12, Vegueta,  was another favourite for a drink, a snack or a full meal. They specialise in South American dishes including empanadas which are top notch and beef dishes such as Uruguayan Steak. The staff are great and the atmosphere always welcoming.

El Rifeno, C/Pelota 15, Vegueta, is a Moroccan restaurant in the main restaurant street in this historic area. We booked for Sunday lunch and enjoyed the food, atmosphere and service.

Restaurant 18, C/Mendizabal 38, Vegueta, we popped in for a post dinner drink one evening and were impressed by the friendly service, we returned for lunch having booked a table and were equally impressed by the food, the portions were as is often the case in the Canaries larger than expected.

La Barberia, C/Mendizabal 14, Vegueta, another of the many restaurants in this street and they were happy to serve you with a glass of wine or a couple of small dishes.

Tasca Siete Viejas, C/Pelota 6, Vegueta, I had heard good things and were keen to try it, we managed to get a reservation for dinner but to be honest were disappointed with the service and atmosphere, the food was fine but didn’t match my expectations.

8 Canes, Plaza Santa Ana 2, Vegueta, is in the lovely square next to the cathedral, it is named after the lovely statues of 8 dogs which are in the square. They have a large selection of drinks including beer, wine, spirit and cocktails and also have a wide range of vermut.

El Monje de Santa Ana, Plaza Santa Ana, Vegueta, was always busy when we passed but we did pop in one evening and had a glass of wine and enjoyed the friendly service.

Positano, C/de Perdomo 13, Triana, is as the name suggests an Italian restaurant and having stopped for a drink one day we returned and enjoyed the thin base pizza, very friendly staff and reasonable priced.

Allende, C/Domingo J Navarro 16, Triana, I had read good reports and when we turned up just before it opened for lunch we found a queue, we were lucky enough to get a table inside and really enjoyed the food so much so we booked for another day on the terrace. The food was again very good but the service less helpful than the previous visit but it is still a top recommendation.

La Famila, C/de San Pedro 5, Triana, a small friendly café & bar serving offers such as 2 wines and some cheese for very reasonable prices.

La Travesia de Triana, C/Lagunetas 11, this is one of these places which you spot and know you have to visit, we were lucky enough to get seats at the bar on two occasions as tables are nearly always fully booked. We really enjoyed the wines and tapas on offer and the service was excellent.

Bodegon Lagunetas, C/Constantino 16, Triana, this is a Las Palmas institution and we visited a few times once for lunch when we reserved a table inside and on other occasions managed to secure a table outside for a drink. The food is traditional Canarian and is well cooked the staff are on the whole very pleasant but seem under pressure from the owners.

La Macarena, C/Prudencio Morales 21, Playa de las Canteras, we found this on our first visit to the stunning beach and were very lucky to get a terrace table, we had a couple of drinks and were impressed with the food being served and stayed for lunch sharing a couple of dishes.

Culture

The historic part of the city Vegueta is a must to explore, the Cathedral which has a list for rooftop views, the lovely squares, the excellent Casa de Colon Museum and other museums and galleries plus great places to eat and drink.

The Playa de las Canteras is a really stunning beach, the setting reminded me of San Sebastian and there are loads of places to eat and drink while enjoying the view.

We took the Global bus to Teror a small town in the hills and it was lovely, the scenery on the journey is stunning and we enjoyed a lovely lunch at a restaurant called Araucaria in the main street.

Drink

Given the excellent warm all year round climate beer is of course popular on all the islands, in Tenerife the local beer is Dorada, in Gran Canaria it is Tropical, both are lager type beers Dorada has a bit more substance than Tropical. Craft beers are becoming very popular and are available in a number of bars. There are also a number of local beers which are more of a malt variety than lager type and this is particularly the case in Gran Canaria where if you ask for a cana, a small beer, you really need to say Pilsen to ensure you get the lager style.

As a huge Spanish wine enthusiast, I was surprised and delighted to find that wine was produced in the Canaries. Tenerife and Lanzarote are the main wine growing islands and the most common grapes are local varieties listan negro, listan blanco and malvasia. In Tenerife we were lucky enough to meet the wine producer of Bamboo wines, we really liked both the white & the red and found it in a number of restaurants also in the supermarket. We had planned to do a wine tour in Lanzarote but we did not manage to get there which was a disappointment as much of the crop is grown on black volcanic soil.

General

We intended using the island as a stopping off point from Gran Canaria to Lanzarote and took the ferry from Las Palmas to Morro Jable at the southern tip of the island. We stayed there for a few days then took the local bus run by Tiadhe to the capital Puerto de Rosario with the intention of then catching the ferry from Corralejo to Lanzarote unfortunately we were not able to do this and returned to Tenerife.

Fuerteventura has been described as having a Martian type landscape and it certainly felt like that when we travelled up the long island. The beaches are stunning and reputed to be amongst the best of all the islands.

Morro Jable

General

The port is a ten minute taxi journey from the town which attracts mainly German tourists for it’s fantastic beach. There are many hotel and apartment complexes along the beach and on the edge of the town, We stayed close to the centre just by the beach which was ideal for our short stay.

Accommodation

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com we chose the Igramar Apartments just by the beach and five minutes walk from a good selection of places to eat and drink. The split level apartments facing the sea have wonderful views from the balconies.

Restaurants & Bars

Avenida del Mar, Av. Tomas Grau Gorrea 1, was our go to restaurant for dinner during our stay we really enjoyed the food and the service and it was excellent value for money and of course the setting by the ocean was lovely.

Waikiki, Av. Tomas Grau Gorrea 27 was our other favourite place for a light lunch or for a drink before dinner, lovely staff, great setting overlooking the ocean and it was two minutes from our apartment.

Culture

You are there for the beach and it is stunning so enjoy that.

Puerto de Rosario

General

I knew that this was not a tourist place but we thought for a few days it would be an interesting stop particularly as I had read they were trying to attract visitors with a series of murals and sculptures around the town. The reality was somewhat different and the town is rather run down, it was impossible to find out information on the murals, there was a lack of choice of places to eat and drink and a lack of people around. It does have a lovely clean town beach but not much else to recommend it.

Accommodation

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com there is not a lot of choice we stayed close to the beach which was a good choice.

Restaurants & Bars

El Faro de Diego, C/Garcia Escamez 22, we found when we first arrived and it was one of the few lively places in the town. We ate there and it was reasonably good and also stopped for a drink on a couple of occasions.

La Tremenda, C/Doctor Fleming 4 was another chance find and we were lucky enough to be able to book a table for Saturday night, the food and the service was excellent. They have another place La Marea just by the beach which sadly we didn’t get to try.

Bar Rocamar, C/Leon y Castillo 2, was a chance find on a walk along the seafront and it was an excellent find. Lovely owner and generous tapas served with each drink.

Culture

Had we been able to find the art works perhaps we would have enjoyed our time a bit more but I have to say that is doubtful, the beach Playa Chica is lovely.

Drink

Given the excellent warm all year round climate beer is of course popular on all the islands, in Tenerife the local beer is Dorada, in Gran Canaria it is Tropical, both are lager type beers Dorada has a bit more substance than Tropical. Craft beers are becoming very popular and are available in a number of bars. There are also a number of local beers which are more of a malt variety than lager type and this is particularly the case in Gran Canaria where if you ask for a cana, a small beer, you really need to say Pilsen to ensure you get the lager style.

As a huge Spanish wine enthusiast, I was surprised and delighted to find that wine was produced in the Canaries. Tenerife and Lanzarote are the main wine growing islands and the most common grapes are local varieties listan negro, listan blanco and malvasia. In Tenerife we were lucky enough to meet the wine producer of Bamboo wines, we really liked both the white & the red and found it in a number of restaurants also in the supermarket. We had planned to do a wine tour in Lanzarote but we did not manage to get there which was a disappointment as much of the crop is grown on black volcanic soil.

Girona

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com. We chose to stay in the new part as it was convenient for the bus and train stations and only five minutes walk to the old part of the city.

San Feliu de Guixols

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com. We wanted to stay in the main part of the old town rather than the beach area of S’Agaro, there are not very many options but we chose well with Can Segura, Carrer de San Pere, 11, a small hotel in the centre with a very good restaurant. The rooms are simply decorated but suit the location and the restaurant is excellent, a great choice for lunch.

Girona

There is some excellent eating to be had in Girona both in restaurants and tapas bars, the main concentration is in the old part although there are also many places in the new part and the Praca de la Indepencia is lined with bars & restaurants, although not all are great it is worth sitting outside for a drink.

Llevataps, Placa de l’Oli 1, was on my list to try and we went for lunch on our first day and enjoyed an excellent menu del dia, top quality cooking in a lovely setting. They have an excellent a la carte menu available in the evening.

L’Estrella del Mar, Carrer de la Cort Reial, 17, is one of two or three fish & seafood restaurants in this area, we chose this after reading good reports. There is no menu as such, the owner talked us through the seafood & fish available and everything is weighed immediately in order that you know the price. Top quality produce and service and while not cheap it is value for money.

El Balco, Carrer de les Hortes, 16, this is in the new part of the city, just across the red bridge from the old part. The look of this small place immediately appealed to me and the reports were excellent, it specialises in meats and is run by a charming Argentinian guy. We booked for lunch and thoroughly enjoyed the experience, the food we chose was excellently cooked, fabulous wine list and great service, not cheap but worth every euro.

El Pou del Call, Carrer de la Forca, 14, on the road up to the Cathedral we found this restaurant which we had visited many years ago. We chose from the a la carte menu but there is an excellent menu del dia menu and we enjoyed our lunch. There are mixed comments and while perhaps the service can be slightly offhand we would not hesitate to return.

Can Roca, Ctra. De Talaia 42,  this was where one of the world’s top restaurants El Celler de Can Roca started, the original premises before they moved down the road and still run by the family. It is only ten minutes from the centre on the  L5 bus and so worth a visit. We arrived just before 1pm and had a drink at the bar part, it is a real local place and tables fill very quickly. We got a table and had the outstanding 4 course menu with a bottle of wine for 12 Euros each. It was excellent cooking, the service friendly and by the time we left the queue was unbelievable. A must for any future visit.

Artusi, Placa de les Castanyes , we found this place when there was a one off street food festival and we enjoyed their choices, we returned for a drink at lunchtime, the staff are very pleasant but overworked. They offer a menu del dia which we didn’t try and they were turning customers away, there are mixed reviews but we would give it a try for lunch. They have a small selection of pinxtos at the bar.

Txalaka, Carrer Bonastruc de Porta, 4, this Basque restaurant is only five minutes away from the Praca de la Independencia in the new part. It has probably the best and definitely the largest display of Basque Pinxtos I have ever seen. Unusually there is no standing at the bar, tables only but you can then go and choose your pinxtos and the staff  will serve your drinks at the table. Friendly, excellent food and great value a must in Girona.

Zanpanzar, Carrer de la Cort Reial, 12, is another Basque bar but in the old part and with a very different feel, it is the usual stand at the bar and grab a pinxto or two and order a drink but there is also a seated part with waiter service. A favourite during our stay.

Cercle, Carrer  Nou del Teatre, 1, wish we had found this earlier in our stay, we loved this bar, friendly service, a good choice of well priced drinks, including wine and vermut and decent tapas. It had a great atmosphere and a very mixed clientele.

Federal Café, Carrer de la Forca, 9, we visited this café a couple of times but only for a drink, pleasant service and very popular for food which looked good, definitely not typical Spanish offerings. They also have places in Barcelona, Madrid & Valencia.

El Café, Carrer Ciutadans 1, this small café offers simple food at lunchtime along with drinks then at night there is tapas and more drinks, a slight price rise in the evening and a different atmosphere but great both day & night & friendly staff, they also have occasional live music.

La Reserva Espai de Gourmet, Carrer de les Hortes, 3, pleasant shop specialising in various cold meats but also serving drinks inside and in the small terrace. Well worth a stop and an early evening offer of cava with Jamon is good value.

Konig, have several places around the city some in the Praca de la Independencia and one near San Feliu church with a lovely garden. Did not try the food but a lot of choice and decent drinks but service can be slow, not a gourmet destination but a decent pit-stop.

Casa Moner, Carrer de Santa Clara, 46, just off the Praca de la Independencia, is a very smart bakers, great for breakfast and they also do a lunch deal. They have a number of branches around the city.

San Feliu de Guixols

Can Kiku, Carrer Major, 10-12, is a modern style restaurant in one of the main pedestrianised streets, they also have an excellent grocers shop attached. The speciality is grilled meats but there is a wide choice of dishes on the excellent set lunch menu. It is also a pleasant stop for a wine or cava on the terrace.

Meraki, Burger-Gastrobar, Carrer Major, 30, was a great find for our stay, an oriental look is evident in the menu and also the décor. They have a wide selection of dishes, including burgers which looked great. The drinks choice is excellent with some very good wine and vermut plus of course beer and spirits.

Can Elisa, Placa del Mercat, 23, I had read good reports about Can Elisa and we were delighted with our decision to try it for the set lunch menu. There is a terrace and a very pleasant room, the food was very good and the service friendly, great value.

Can Segura, Carrer de San Pere, 11, is the restaurant attached to the hotel of the same name. It was apparent during our stay that this is one of the most popular places for the locals to lunch. We ate on the terrace on our last day and the menu del dia was top notch, totally understood its popularity.

El Trinquet, Carrer de San Pere, 26, this highly rated place was a must and we loved it, top notch tapas dishes, all with a twist, great drinks choices and friendly staff. Outstanding quality on all fronts and it was definitely a favourite during our stay.

Viader Vins, Carrer d’Anselm Clavé, 9, is a delicatessen, a fabulous wine shop and a wine bar. It is run by two ladies who I understand are third generation in the wine business. The expansion to a wine bar with tapas and some top notch wines by the glass let us sit outside sipping wine and watching life in San Feliu, the complimentary plate of savoury pastries during the day was the icing on the cake.

La Vermuteria, Carrer de San Pere, 33, we only had the chance to pop in on a couple of occasions for a wine and vermut but wish we had been able to try the food, especially the menu del dia but just too many places to try.

Cerveceria Hot Dog, Carrer de Sant Antoni, 40, as everyone says do not be put off by the name, this is an incredibly popular place, packed with locals enjoying the good simple tapas and larger dishes. The staff are friendly, the prices very reasonable and it is definitely more than a Hot Dog place.

La Gabia Dels Mussols, Av. de la Platja, lovely cool looking white bar on the beach, great setting decent drinks but service not great. Definitely a must for at least one visit, there is also a food menu but there are mixed comments. Go for a sunset drink then perhaps go elsewhere to eat.

Alan’s Bar, Carrer de Sant Llorenç, 28, this is the late night haunt in the old town, pleasant service and good drinks, just what you need to find for your nightcap.

Drink

Girona is on the edge of the wine region D.O. Emporda, the majority of the wine produced is red but they also produce white and rose wines. The reds are high quality and full bodied and the whites flavoursome, the varieties of grape include Carignan (known as Samso here) & Grenache for the reds and white Grenache for the whites.

Cava of course is very popular as Catalonia is home to the Spanish sparkling wine, most good bars will sell cava by the glass and there are some great names to look out for Juve y Camps, a personal favourite, Raventos I Blanc and of course more familiar names such as Freixnet and Cordoniu both of which will have some better examples than the ones normally found at home.

Vermut, having a resurgence in Spain, is also popular here and has been produced from way back in Catalonia particularly around Reus, try both the white and the red (negro) and enjoy.

Girona

The main sites are in the historic part of the city and include the Cathderal, the church of San Feliu, the historic walls and the coloured houses along the river. Across the river in the newer part is the lovely Praca de la Independencia and there is also a film museum.

San Feliu de Guixols

San Feliu is my idea of a perfect Spanish small resort town, lovely beach, good looking town, excellent food & drink and always good to see the locals heading to the beach with chairs & umbrellas. I suspect July & August would be too busy for me but September was lovely. Enjoy the “moderniste” buildings, the Monastery has a highly rate art museum and take the train that runs along the seafront to see the beach at S’Agaro and the church of Ermita de San Elm high above the town. Also worth visiting are the small town of Palafrugell and the fishing port of Palamos for the Fishing Museum & Fish Auction, easily reached by local bus.

Check out the usual booking sites such as www.booking.com or www.hotels.com bear in mind when booking the hilly layout of the city, my recommendation would be places close to the Praza de Compostela which is handy for the waterfront and the old town. The other main concentration of hotels is around the foot of the Avenida de Gran Via and near the main station and the shopping area but not as good for a variety of bars and restaurants.

Restaurants

Vigo is packed with bars and restaurants and two things to note are that at lunchtime most restaurants offer a Menu de Dia, three courses and a drink, which is great value we sampled some priced between €7 and €13 all of which were top quality, the second thing is that most bars give you a free tapas with drinks. This may vary from tortilla, cheese or meats to mini hamburgers or freshly fried small fish. There were one or two places which did not do this mainly around Rua de Rosalio de Castro, although many in that area did, my motto is no tapas no tip and don’t go back.

Around Praza de Compostela

Meson Compostela, Praza de Compostela 6, large old fashioned restaurant and bar with a street terrace which is very popular with a local crowd who visit regularly for lunch, late dinners or just drinks. It has excellent staff, good service and generous free tapas.

Vitruvia, Praza de Compostela 5, a very cool café and bar, with a young clientele, we really liked the atmosphere and service.

The Othilio Bar, Rua de Luis Taboada 9, high up in the ratings for where to eat in Vigo this is a great place for breakfast, lunch or dinner. A coffee at breakfast includes free small pastries, the set lunch is top notch cooking at very reasonable prices but booking is essential and the evening menu looked excellent and gets great reports.

Maruja Limon, Rua Montero Rios 4, this is Vigo Michelin star dining and is superb. We chose the middle of the tasting menus and also chose to sit at the high table overlooking the kitchen both good choices. The cooking is fabulous, the dishes just kept coming but the feeling is relaxed and the prices for cooking of this standard are very reasonable, needless to say booking is recommended particularly at weekends.

Casco Vella (Old Town)

Gamboa Vinte, Rua Gamboa 20, is at the foot of one of the main routes up to the old town and we loved it from the minute we stopped for a glass of wine, good choice, lovely staff and excellent tapas. The food is also excellent, we had a fantastic menu del dia, the fish mains were both excellent, it is incredible value and the whole team are great.

La Depensa de Castilla, Rua Carral 12, is close to Gamboa Vinte above and is a wine bar and grocers, very popular with a local crowd the couple who run this are charming and they have an excellent selection of wines by the glass and bottle as well as platters of meats, cheese and pate.

Taberna Baiuca, Rua Mendez Nunez 11, one of our favourites, they have a lovely selection of wines and a variety of dishes to try, some Spanish some from other parts of the world. The service is friendly but can be slow as it does get very busy, we only found it open in the evenings although other information suggested it opened in the day as well. This was a real favourite and the sparkling pink from Portugal was a great start to an evening wander around the old town.

A Lareira, Rua Cesteiros 4, is described as a gourmet grocers shop, but I think it is more of a wine bar with some lovely meats, cheeses and other grocery items. It is run by a lovely couple who offer a small but good selection of wines by the glass as well as a large selection by the bottle, mainly local. There was always a small free tapas with our wines and a warm welcome.

La Central, Praza Constitucion 8, one of many bars surrounding this lovely square but this is by far the best. Always popular but the service is always excellent, good beers and wines with free tapas and the food looked very good, wish we had had a chance to try the menu del dia.

A Curuxa, Rua Cesteiros 7, we found this place on our first day and had a very good menu del dia, what was outstanding was the service from the owner. It was always busy when we passed by on other occasions and gets great reports of the dishes on offer.

El Amante, Rua Joaquin Yanez 17, is on the way up to the old town from the port, I wish we had stopped by earlier on our visit as when we sat outside on our way to a lunch reservation we received a tapas of fish stew which was outstanding. The menu del dia looked really interesting and while service can be a bit slow it is recommended.

Enoteca Buque, Rua de Palma 9, a very popular local wine bar, the wines were good but there is a lack of information on wines available by the glass and the service is not the best.

East of Rua Colon – Rua Rosalio de Castro

This is a wealthy local area and there are a number of good restaurants and bars that make it worth exploring.

Follas Novas, Rua Serafin Avendano 10, I had heard great reports and our hotel also recommended it, we arrived early one lunchtime to find it was full but the charming owner suggested we book for another day which we did. The food and service was excellent, a very generous shared scallop starter followed by two fish dishes and a very reasonable priced bottle of local white made for a great lunch. The restaurant was full with locals, many obviously regulars and they were turning people away so booking is a must.

La Excama, Rua Rosalio de Castro 32, we visited here twice once just for a glass of wine but were impressed with the look of the food so returned for lunch, there were a number of interesting  menu del dia options but we shared two small dishes both of them very good. There is a lovely garden area at the rear of the restaurant.

Lafayette Lounge Bar, Rua Canceleiro 9, a smart modern bar and restaurant with a large terrace area, only stopped for drinks but worth checking out.

Porto Santo, Avenida Garcia Barbon 45, we stopped for a drink and were impressed by the choice of free tapas, we headed for lunch at somewhere else, sadly it was full therefore we returned to Port Santo to find a queue for lunch. It wasn’t surprising the menu del dia is incredible value, friendly service, good food made this a great choice.

Bouzas

The suburb of Bouzas has some good small bars and restaurants worth visiting, Patouro was recommended by the owner of Maruja Limon, also worth trying are O Croque, La Bodega del Aquila, and Bodega Mondariz, all are very close together.

Cagnas

Take the short ferry crossing to Cagnas which is a delightful seaside town and has some lovely bars and restaurants amongst those to try are Artemar, Lacon do Plantacions, Sol Poniente, O Pelao and Un Punto de Sal.

Drink

Galicia produces some great wines most are white and the best known is Albarino but you will also find two other local whites Godello and Ribeiro. The local reds are mainly Mencia which in the past was associated with easy drinking reds but winemakers in this area are now producing some very good reds. Nearly all bars will offer three whites and three reds by the glass, the whites being the local three of Albarino, Godello and Ribeiro (don’t forget that it ends in an “O”) as the reds will be a Rioja, a Ribera (del Duero) and the local Mencia. Do try and taste all the local wines, the whites go so well with the local fish and seafood.

Spain has a number of draft lagers but one stands out for the quality and taste and that is Estrella Galicia and the good news is Vigo is the home of this beer and therefore about 60% of bars have this as their draught beer and it is excellent.

There are a couple of good museums in the city and parks where you can get great views. It is also good to visit the small attractive town of Cagnas opposite, a twenty minute ferry ride away, especially on Friday when there is a great street market.

The Islas de Cies, a National Park, are a popular day trip from the ferry port with some good walking and a wonderful beach.

Bouzas is a suburb of Vigo but was a separate fishing port in the past, it is a pleasant place to walk round and has some lovely places to eat and drink.

Merida

Using www.booking.com we stayed at the Merida Palace hotel, a splendid old building facing the lovely Plaza de Espana and a short walk from all the main Roman monuments. Some of rooms overlook the Plaza and we enjoyed our stay here and it was exceptional value for money.

Caceres

We chose the Hotel Casa Don Fernando www.casadonfernando.com for our stay in Caceres, it is situated on the Plaza Mayor facing the old town. Our superior room faced the square with wonderful views and was very well appointed and the staff were super. We enjoyed it so much we cancelled another hotel in Caceres that we had booked for our last night in Extremadura and stayed here instead.

Trujillo

Again using www.booking.com we booked Izan Trujillo, Plaza de Campillo 1, the building is a converted convent and some rooms are in the original building some in the new part behind. The common areas are pleasant but the service was rather slow. It was very good value and a short walk from the Plaza Mayor and the old town. The location saved making your way through the maze of streets of the old town.

Merida

El Trasiego, C/Romero Leal 3, is a modern very smart tapas bar with excellent food, try the tempura prawns with a mango curry sauce, the service could be friendlier but still a must.

Sagasta 9, C/Sagasta 9, could easily be missed as there is only a door on the street which leads to a long passage and a patio. The food is excellent and the service friendly, it is very popular and finding a table can be difficult.

La Tabernita, C/Berzocana 2, is a local gem, lovely staff, generous free tapas and amazing value for money.

El Alfarero, C/Sagasta 29, is a well run bar and restaurant with a very charming owner, a good value “menu del dia” and good tapas.

La Carboneria, Plaza de la Constitucion, is mainly a restaurant specialising in grilled meats but also worth popping in to try a glass of wine from their wide selection of excellent local wines.

Last but not least, in the Plaza de Espana are four kiosks each serving drinks and some tapas. The best by some way is if you stand outside the Merida Palace Hotel facing the square the kiosk to your left. The lovely friendly service, the incredibly generous free tapas made this a must. It also seems to be the most popular with the locals and rightly so.

Caceres

Caceres was Spain’s culinary capital for 2015 and from what we experienced justifiably so. The quality of food in all the places we visited was top-notch, Caceres was chosen for its use of local ingredients in traditional recipes and also for the quality of produce including local wines.

The must in the town has to be Atrio the two star Michelin restaurant. There are two choices of tasting menus available at around £100 per head but apart from the food the other attraction is the wine list which has won The Wine Spectator magazine’s world’s best wine list award for the last two years. The whole experience is amazing, the design of the restaurant and wine cellar which you can visit, the service and relaxed atmosphere and of course the exceptional food and wine.

La Cacacherria, C/Orellana 1, is in the heart of the old walled town and has a wonderful selection of modern tapas using local ingredients. It does not take bookings so get there as it opens for lunch or dinner, the pork loin with pimento praline was fabulous as were the other dishes we tried. An excellent selection of wines by the glass and bottle and very friendly service and so reasonably priced.

Torre de Sande, C/de los Condes 3, is also in the heart of the old town there is a restaurant and tapas bar and we only ate in the tapas part but enjoyed the experience. It was incredibly busy and hard to find a table and you have to order at the bar but we enjoyed all the dishes we tried, only two as the enormous free tapas of paella stopped a third being requested. The service was very friendly given that it was so busy and they seemed understaffed. It has a more traditional feel than La Cacacherria but definitely worth a visit.

La Minerva, Plaza Mayor 8, we only got a chance to visit on our last day as the first couple of times we tried the bar area was packed. When we did manage to squeeze in the choice of free tapas with our wine indicated that we should have persevered earlier in our visit and ordered some of the interesting choices on the menu.

Oquendo, C/Obispo Segura Saez 2, is in the newer part of the town and is an upmarket bar and restaurant. We only popped in for a wine but the choices of free tapas to go with the wine convinced us that this was well worth recommending.

Meson Iberico, Plaza San Juan 12, we loved this small bar attached to an old school restaurant specialising in roast meats. The staff are very friendly and we enjoyed the tostas on offer especially the one with the local Torta de Casar cheese. The setting in the square where there are plenty of other places is lovely.

Restaurante Caceres, Plaza Mayor 30, was our local haunt during our stay, we had breakfast there, sat in the square with a wine or inside with a small bar. The staff were always friendly and it was popular with locals, cannot comment on the food but would recommend a visit.

Mastropiero Gastro Bar & Garden, C/Fuente Nueva 4, is well worth a visit, ignore the OTT name and enjoy the choice of tapas bar, gin bar, restaurant and the lovely garden. Slightly more expensive than other places we tried but the service more than made up for it.

Bar Las Claras, Plaza de la Soledad, is a very small bar specialising in beers, with some lovely outdoor seating this is a great place to chill out after exploring the old town.

Trujillo

La Victoria, Plaza Mayor 26, we visited on a number of occasions because of the friendly staff and generous, good quality free tapas including mini pastries with breakfast. This is very popular with locals at all times of the day and it was easy to understand why.

Hostal Meson Hueson, C/Arquillo 4, is just off the Plaza Mayor and is well worth finding. An old fashioned bar and restaurant which has rooms to rent this was a friendly local haunt with free tapas and always a warm welcome.

Gloss Bar, Plaza Mayor 4, we visited twice once in the afternoon to sit out on the terrace overlooking the square and the second that evening to sample some of their wines and enjoy the free tapas. Sadly it was not open the next night and the beer bar next door which they appear to own was not open during our stay.

Hostal La Cadena, Plaza Mayor 8, is one of a number of similar restaurants in the raised part of the square. We chose it for lunch as it offered a menu del dia featuring local dishes it was good value and the service was good old fashioned Spanish, the wine included was on the poor side.

Mike’s Bar, C/Sillerias is just off the Plaza Mayor and is run by Miguel, it is a smart evening bar for a drink and also a chat with him and his customers. Quiet when we visited but fingers crossed he does well.

Drink

DO Ribera del Guadiana is the wine region of Extremadura and it extends over the provinces of Caceres and Badajoz, it is fairly recently created DO only coming into being in 1999. Wine are produced using over 25 grape types, some only grown locally, and there are reds, white and also cava from a small permitted area.

There are also local wines called Vino de la Tierra which although ranked one step below the DO on the Spanish wine quality ladder produces some outstanding wines notably those from Habla Bodega, their Habla del Silencio is excellent but each year they produce a unique red, Habla 1 to Habla 14, well worth seeking out.

There is also a wide variety of mainly local craft beers, Spain has changed greatly in the last few years with small craft breweries opening up and it was particularly good to see three smaller places having their own local beers.

Merida

The main attractions are of course the Roman monuments including the Roman Bridge, the Theatre & Amphitheatre, the remains of the Forum including the Temple of Diana and many other examples which show the importance of Merida in Roman times. There is also the excellent Museum of Roman Art.

Caceres

The old town of Caceres is a world heritage site and this area has a large number of towers, palaces and churches surrounded by walls built in Arab times. The old town flourished again when wealthy explorers returned from their journeys to the Americas. The tourist office in the old town has excellent information, maps, books etc. on the region and will identify the best sites to visit.

Trujillo

Trujillo is a small hill top town which has not changed a great deal since it was home to some of the famous Spanish conquistadors including Francisco Pizarro whose statue is in the Plaza Mayor. The majestic palaces reflect the wealth brought back to the town and as do the many churches around the old town. The size of the town means that a one night stay would allow you to see all the major attractions.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com but one to be highly recommended is the Hotel San Valero, C/Manifestacion 22, a very smart boutique hotel in the old part of the city. The rooms are very well appointed and the staff very helpful, it has a café, bar and restaurant attached, free wi-fi in the rooms.

There are some fabulous tapas bars in Zaragoza, some with really unusual specialities, there are many restaurants which offer a very reasonably priced set menu del dia.

Casa Juanico, Plaza Santa Cruz 21,is a very popular bar with a wide range of excellent tapas and also serving larger plates.

La Republicana. C/Mendez Nunez 38, a lovely quirky bar and restaurant with great food and really friendly staff and offering some great vegetable dishes..

La Ria, CV/Torrenueva 35, a modern bar and restaurant which does a very reasonable menu del dia.

Taberna Dona Casta, C/Estebanes 6, is a fabulous bar, incredibly popular with a range of croquettes which are fantastic. They get freshly cooked to order and it also does a range of other tapas and raciones as well. The croquettes are so fantastic it would be a shame to try anything else at least initially.

Vinos Nicolas, is opposite Dona Casta, it is a great bar with a speciality of delicious small pastry parcels of amazing combinations, the staff are really friendly and there is an excellent wine selection..

La Cueva, C/Libetad 16, is diagonally opposite Nicolas, and opposite Dona Casta. This is a bar which only does one tapas, a skewer of grilled mushrooms with a prawn on top and enough garlic to keep away the vampires. You can have the mushrooms without the prawn.

Bodegas Almau, C/Estebanes 10, is about 3 doors down from Dona Casta and is an exceptionally smart old fashioned bar and wine shop with an excellent range of canapés. This bar wins frequent prizes at the tapas awards.

The corner on which three of the above four sit must be one of the best corners in any Spanish city for tapas and wines.

Los Vitorinos, C/Jose de Las Heras 6, is a fantastic old fashioned bar with a selection of canapés of a variety I have never seen anywhere else in Spain, it is not cheap but worth every euro. One word of warning there is one member of staff who could do with a course in customer care.

Calle Heroismo and the surrounding streets are at the end of the old part known as El Tubo, a lot of the bars specialise in cold meats, cheese and pate. Some of the recommended ones are.

Alta Taberna Pedro Saputo, C/Antonio Agustin 19, is a very smart bar and restaurant which does great tapas such a monkfish brochettes to order.

Casa Luis, C/Romea 8, is just round the corner and also does some excellent tapas, and seems popular with people having full meals

Pantagruel, C/Herosimo 35, reputed to be the best in this street for toast with meats, cheeses and pates, incredibly popular and very cheap.

Gran Café de Zaragoza, C/Alfonso 1, an institution worth visiting but seemed a bit expensive late at night.

Bar Bacarach, C/Espoz y Mina, is a very smart late night bar with a oldish crowd, fine for a nightcap.

Drink

Another city where there is an opportunity to try wines from a number of areas close by. Campo de Borja is probably closest to Zaragoza and produces some excellent red wines from mainly the garnacha grape, really loved trying these on our visit. Other areas are Carinena and Somontano producing both red and white and in the case of the latter some very good rose.

Zaragoza has one of the most important religious buildings in Spain, the Basilica de Nuestro Senora del Pilar which should definitely be visited as the building dominates the old part of the city, the square where it sits has some great buildings and monuments.

There are some excellent Roman remains including an amphitheatre and a ticket can be bought for all the sites.

Finally the Aljaferia is a Moorish palace which predates the Alhambra in Granada and is certainly worth the walk or short bus trip to visit.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com but one to be highly recommended is the Hotel Boutique Gareus, C/Colmenares 2, a real find. Hotels were scarce in Valladolid when we booked probably because of the Fiesta and this looked fine and also handy for the train station. It turned out to be really top notch, the public areas, the room, the staff were all rxcellent. It is a ten to fifteen minute walk to the Plaza Mayor but that was not a problem.

Los Zagales, C/Pasion 13, has to be one of the best places in the city. It has won numerous awards for it’s innovative tapas yet inside it is like an old fashioned bar not the modern place you might have expected. Try the award winning Obama in the White House, or Tigre Toston or Tierra Mar Aire – or let’s face it anything on the menu. The McChurro mini-burger is like no burger you will have tried before.

Jero, C/Correos, is another of the best places to visit, there are loads of different pinxtos to try, look at the board on the wall to see what each contains as there are some incredible combinations.

Bar La Sepia, C/Jesus 1, we did not get to the bar but sampled the food at their stall and judging by the amount of people and what we tried it is rightly another of the must try places, the sepia, cuttlefish, is of course the speciality.

Restaurant Gabino, C/Angustias, apparently has the best modern chef in the city and if the morcilla magdalena is anything to go by they could be correct. Again the cooking was only sampled at their stall but it was excellent.

El Peso. C/del Peso, another place tried at it’s stall but boy was the cooking great – the tuna brochette with caramelised onions and a cream of pepper plus a dessert tapas made me want to go and eat there immediately.

Drink

Valladolid is surrounded by a number of different wines growing areas, Rueda, Cigales, Ribera del Duero and Toro. Rueda produces some excellent white wines from the verdejo grape, Cigales produces both white and red, Ribera del Duero famed for it’s fabulous reds which give Rioja a run for their money and lastly Toro producing some excellent reds mainly from a grape variety called tinto de toro, tempranillo.

The Plaza Mayor and Cathedral are not the most stunning however there are enough other sites to make up for this. The Palacio de los Pimentel, with the amazing gothic façade of the Iglesia de San Pedro and the even more fantastic Colegio de San Gregorio. Valladolid certainly deserves a visit for a couple of days to enjoy the great food and wine.

There is lots more to see and a lovely park the Campo Grande.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.venere.com and try to choose somewhere as near the old centre as possible, recommended are

Ad Hoc Hotel, C/Boix 4, www.adhochoteles.com is a very nice hotel in the old part of the city, five minutes walk from the Cathedral, this was new when we used it and good to see it is high up the list of best places to stay.

There are some lovely apartments available through www.friendlyrentals.com we have used the company in several cities.

Old City

Jamon, Jamon Calle Bolseria 36 has a great selection of cheeses, meats, bread with toppings (Embuditos) and good wine, friendly and reasonably priced. It is very popular. El Molinon, C/Bolseria 40 is very similar to Jamon Jamon and specialises in meats and cheeses, recent reports indicate a possible change of ownership as the service does not seem as good as previously, perhaps just an off night.

Tasca Angel, C/Purisima 2, between the Market & P/Reina is an old fashioned bar where the speciality is grilled, boned, butterflied sardines. It is also possibly the smallest bar in the city so be patient and you will be served, once you have got in the door of course.

Taberna La Purisima, C/La Purisima 3, a couple of minutes walk from the Mercado central and the Lonja, has an excellent value menu del dia for 12 Euros at the weekend including a glass of wine. Helpful staff who will seat you at the bar if you have to wait for a table, which is likely given the amount of locals eating there.

Taberna de la Reina, P/Reina, is another excellent bar with a good selection of pinxtos, it is a good to sit outside and watch the world go by. Reasonably priced.

Bar Las Cuevas, Off P/de la Virgen, C/Samaniego 9, has a fabulous variety of tapas including lots of baked filled vegetables and seafood, the rice dishes which I have not tried also get great reports.

Seu-Xerea, C/Comte de Almodovar 4, does very good modern food, Spanish with an Oriental mix there is an excellent value menu at lunchtime. Just wish we had been able to return on our last short visit as the recent reports make me want to experience the great cooking again..

Plaza del Tossal & C/ Caballeros is the buzzy night area with bars and clubs but also places to sit out. Bar San Jaume on P/Tossal is a great place to people watch, the bar itself is an old pharmacy and a lovely building.

Bocatin, C/Calatrava 21, came across this while wandering around this area and decided to give it a try for a glass of wine and a couple of tapas and left delighted by our find. The pincho de moruno came as a small casserole with potatoes and sweet onions and a bit of a kick, the croquettes, always a test, were excellent.

Barrio del Carmen

Maria Mandiles, C/Padre Huerfanos 2, Barrio del Carmen, they have two or three restaurants with the same name around the city. We tried this one twice, the first time for some jamon and cheese and one or two montaditos with a bottle of wine and were delighted with the friendly service and reasonably priced food. The second time we went back for a Sunday lunchtime seafood paella which was outstanding value for the quality. I noticed that they really make an effort with customers to make their visit enjoyable.

La Rentaora, Placa del Mossen Sorrell 11, Barrio del Carmen, this was a real find, there are a number of places nearby but this seemed incredibly popular and we agreed to come back in an  hour when there would be a free table. Delighted that we did as the food was good, plentiful and cheap, as was the wine. The service was really friendly and the dishes were so large we changed our last of three choices for a salad.

Café De L’Abad, C/Alta 21, a great place for a post lunch coffee or other drinks. They have an excellent coffee list including local specialities of Café Bonbon, layered with condensed milk, or Café Belmonte, the same but with the addition of brandy.

Tasca El Botijo, C/San Miguel, Barrio del Carmen, an open from morning till night place, in the evening it gets packed. It can be slightly uncomfortable as it gets crowded but the dishes served are worth the squeeze.

Bar Restaurant Almudin, C/Almudin 14, what a lovely place to come upon while wandering around the Barrio del Carmen. Charming staff, lovely wine and a free (generous) tapas of excellent patatas bravas. Having seen a number of dishes coming from the kitchen, this is a must next time.

Santa Companya C/Roteros 21 Lovely modern tapas bar with Italian influence pinxtos (snacks) also cheese and meat plates and specials has a very good wine list, very popular and little chance of a table without a reservation at the weekend.

Port & Beach

Take the tram or the bus to the port area, and walk along the beach but don’t miss the area behind, called Cabanyal with its original fishermans houses.

Bodega Casa Montana, C/Josep Benillure 69 is one of the best bars I have been in, a wonderful old fashioned bodega with excellent tapas and a fabulous wine selection, go for a pre lunch drink and tapas or just stay and eat and drink. These days unless you getting there early it is advisable to book a table.

Casa Guillermo, C/Progreso 15, Cabanyal, this has been run by the same family for generations and moved a couple of years ago to a new location, only minutes from where it was originally. This is an improvement as the new place is brighter, larger and with a patio. It is famous for it’s anchovies, it is known as the king of the anchovies, and also for its lovely owner and staff and the rest of the dishes it does.

La Lonja del Pescado, C/Eugenia Vines 243, is near where the tram reaches the beach one street back from the front. You get your list of grilled fish/seafood dishes and fill in what you want at the table then this gets collected along with your drinks order, a great place and very reasonable. In the winter evenings only, except weekends.

Eating a paella at the beach should be experienced in Valencia and there is a large selection of places, however the jury seems to be out as to which ones are good and which ones not. One we thought good a few years ago seems to have deteriorated, therefore reluctant to recommend one.

L’Eixample

Taperia Hispania, C/Hernan Cortes 20, L’Eixample, a great place to try modern tapas in a very modern setting, we were lucky to get seats at the bar as it soon filled up. The two dishes we tried were both top notch, artichokes, veal cheeks and a red wine reduction and eggs with jamon and potatoes(may not sound exciting but done properly it’s great). Re-reading the menu as I write this I want to try many more of the dishes.

Cervecceria Maipi, C/Maestro Jose Serrano 1, L’Eixample, this is mentioned as a very traditional Valencian restaurant and it certainly is, the walls are adorned by the great players from Valencia FC. We only tried a couple of dishes at the bar and the quality was excellent, the prices are definitely on the high side.

This part of the city has some very upmarket bars and restaurants so it is worth doing some homework and seeking out a couple of places to get a feel of this area.

Ruzafa (Russafa)

This is a great area to explore, it has been “up and coming” and now is packed with unusual shops, galleries, places to eat and loads of quirky bars. Start your wander at Backstage Russafa, C/Literato Azorin 1, as the name indicates a theatrical style bar and then you are spoilt for choice with places to try.

Drink

Here you have a great opportunity to sample some excellent and probably lesser known wines, Utiel-Requena in the Valencia region produces both reds and white, the reds mainly from bobal grape and some other allowed varieties such as tempranillo and garnacha.

Further south just into Murcia there are two areas producing excellent reds, Yecla and Jumilla, they mainly use the monastrell grape variety, both areas also produce white wines. Keep an eye out and try some new local wines.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotels.com as there are loads of excellent hotels in the Barrio Santa Cruz and in other central areas. Should you be there in Semana Santa or for the Feria room rates can be double the rack rate.

An alternative is to rent an apartment and there are some beautiful ones available, check out the following sites, www.veoapartment.com has some excellent apartments and is highly recommended and www.citysiesta.com is also a reliable company with apartments in other cities including Barcelona & Lisbon.

Another recommended site is www.friendlyrentals.com they have some very smart apartments in many cities including Seville.

Barrio Santa Cruz

Bodega Santa Cruz, C/Rodrigo Caro & C/Mateos Gago is the best old fashioned bar in the area. No frills, old fashioned tapas, barmen that have been there as long as I can remember and reasonable prices. This bar is also confusingly known as Las Columnas because of the columns outside. This is a must on your visit.

La Fresquita, C/Mateos Gago 29 is a small traditional Seville bar packed with religious memorabilia, we found it a couple of years ago and have continued to visit it any time we are in the city.

La Azotea, C/Mateos Gago 8, is one of the three Azotea’s in the city and the one with most visitors as oppose to locals. The food, service and ambience is always excellent.

Vineria San Telmo, Paseo Catalina de Ribera 4, although in the heart of the tourist area this is a really good tapas and wine bar. The selection of tapas is excellent, lots of different modern style offerings, great quality and reasonable prices. These days a booking is suggested as it is very popular.

Cafe Bar Las Teresas, C/Santa Teresa 2, this was probably one of the first bars we visited in Seville many years ago, we stopped going after one evening of poor service but returned again recently and enjoyed the experience. It is what you would think of as a typical Seville bar and is in the heart of the tourist area and despite some negative comments on web sites we thought the service and atmosphere was good. If it is too crowded Bar Casa Placido opposite has a similar feel and is usually less crowded.

Plaza Nueva

Ovejas Negra, C/Hernando Colon 8, www.ovejasnegrastapas.com was a real find on a previous visit, a minute from the Giralda it is a modern tapas bar with a wide range of innovative tapas. it is incredibly popular so get there just as it opens to secure either a seat at the bar or a table. This is now a must on any visit to the city. They have opened a new place opposite called Mamarracha, at No. 13 and the menu is different but as interesting as the original.

Maridaje Bodeguita, C/Chicarreros 9, we found this great bar & deli when we stayed round the corner & used it every day for breakfast & were impressed by the quality & service and returned one lunch time to sample the meat, cheese and wine and again everything was top notch, Only open during the day but one for future visits.

Lobo Lopez, C/Rosario 15, we had visited here for a drink on a previous visit as we had been impressed by Nazca their other restaurant. This time we visited for lunch and had an excellent meal, we shared three dishes and had two wines each and the bill was €30. All the dishes were very good and served one after the other not at the same time, lovely service and atmosphere make this a top recommendation.

Bodega Gongora, C/Albareda 5, another tried and tested place for tapas which are good and traditional in style, friendly service and very popular with a local clientele.

Arenal

Round the Bull Ring are some very up-market tapas bars, these are especially good to see on the days when there is a bullfight as the local Sevillanos come out in their finery to attend at the Maestranza Bull Ring. It is also a lively area at weekends for young locals at various “copas” bars, bars specialising in spirits & mixer drinks such as gin & tonic.

La Brunilda, C/Galera 5, Arenal, was opened by someone who was involved with Bar Zelai, which had a great reputation. We have visited it on a number of occasions and have always been impressed by the range of dishes and the quality of food and wine. We did not get there this visit but hear from locals that it is still as good as ever and at night getting there at 8pm before it opens at 8.30 is essential to get a seat at the bar or a table.

Mechela Arenal, C/Pastor y Landero 20, has become a firm favourite for lunch with friends. On our most recent visit we all shared a number of dishes and all loved the food. It is excellent value for money, a very pleasant atmosphere and the staff are very nice. Booking is highly recommended. The original one is at C/Bailen 34 and we visited on our most recent visit and booked in advance as you must, again impressed by the food and wine.

Freiduria Arenal, Calle Arenal, join the locals and get a bag of fresh fried fish and stand outside with a beer or wine and people watch. This is run by members of the original owners family which probably explains the well heeled of Seville who visit.

Casa Morales, C/Garcia de Vinuesa, is one of the oldest bars in Seville and probably has not changed since it first opened its doors, the huge sherry barrels are very likely the originals. Limited tapas but worth a visit for a no frills, very popular, traditional bar.

In C/Arfe is a local very small bar Casa Mathias which has impromptu live flamenco mainly late afternoon and early evening, the overspill going into the basic bar next door.

Plaza Alfalfa and Plaza Salvador

It is definitely tradition to stand outside one of the bars in the colonnaded part of the Plaza Salvador opposite the church however my recommendation is do not bother with the tapas which tend to be overpriced and average and seek out the places below.

La Escalona, Plaza Alfalfa 12, we found on a previous visit and returned on our most recent trip. Modern bar and restaurant we were very impressed with the quality of the food and wine and service. It is very popular and we took a local friend who was similarly impressed, this is now a firm favourite.

Bar Manolo, Plaza Alfalfa, was an old fashioned bar where the speciality is fried fish, try the gambas rebozados (deep fried prawns) or pavia de merluza (loin of hake) a great local haunt with prized tables outside. This has been taken over by the same group as own La Escalona above. The bar has been improved greatly in look, decor & seating while still offering a range of similar dishes but with a slightly more upmarket feel.

Bodega La Aurora, C/Perez Galdos 9, looks like an old school bar which it is but attracts a younger crowd however worth a visit as the wines are good, the tapas simple and the staff pleasant.

Taberna Aguilas, C/Aguilas 10, has been there for many years but this year we tried it for the first time and enjoyed the friendly service and good tapas, one to add to the list for future visits.

Sal Gorda, C/Alcaiceria de la Loza 23, the best find of our most recent trip, a very small smartly styled place with a great selection of modern & innovative tapas. Lovely staff, a good wine selection and also craft beers. Booking recommended as it is very popular. A must for our next visit and has also been recommended to Seville friends.

Debellota, C/Angel Maria Comacho 5, has become a bit of a favourite haunt on recent visits. It is like a cross between a grocers and a bar, with an excellent range of wine and champagne and also cold meats and cheese. the owner seems very serious but as you get to know him and enjoy the occasion free tapas of cheese you realise he has a very dry sense of humour. We discovered this year that he had moved to bigger premises and it is still incredibly popular.

Bar Europa, C/Siete Revueltas 35, has an upmarket selection of tapas cooked to order. The crujiente of langostinos with avocado, is not to be missed, crujiente means crunchy and it comprises three langostinos each wrapped in filo pastry and with an avocado dip. It is more expensive than some but worth the extra cents. Returned again and enjoyed the tapas and wine.

El Traga, C/Aguilas 6, having read good reviews we managed to book a table for lunch and really enjoyed the food and the service, starters were particularly impressive, for mains we both had Galician beef which was very good. Reasonably priced for the quality and a very good selection of wines by the glass.

Manducare Restaurant, C/San Esteban 32, this seems to be a fairly new opening and is very popular with locals, it says speciality is local cuisine but they have some twists on it. The same people own the bar opposite called Llanette, with good drinks and tapas.

San Lorenzo, Alameda & Santa Catalina

Eslava, C/Eslava 3, San Lorenzo www.espacioeslava.com is on most people’s list of must try places, the fabulous tapas and small restaurant are incredibly popular. This is a wonderful place, if there is no room at the bar look for a table in the back, squeeze through the crowd but don’t give up ! Great to go back time and time again and find that the tapas are still so good and the prices for the quality, so reasonable. We have been visiting here for years and every time the food is top notch and still incredibly reasonably priced. Visited twice on our most recent visit and is still so very good.

Nearby is the Antigua Abaceria De San Lorenzo, C/Teodosio 53, it’s not a grocer’s shop as it might first seem but a bar and restaurant. The staff are not the most welcoming but the food is good and also very reasonably priced. it is very popular these days.

Bodega San Lorenzo, C/Juan Rabadan 7, very smart old school bar with outside seating. We were impressed with the service and enjoyed having it nearby as a local bar.

Bar San Lorenzo, Plaza San Lorenzo 6, with outside tables in this lovely square we were impressed with the food on offer for variety, quality and price. There is a wide range of dishes and many not Spanish but old school Spanish offering also available. Service can be a bit slow but food and wine makes up for it.

El Sardinero, Plaza San Lorenzo 15, another new find in this square and really enjoyed the wines on order, the tapas we tried and the service. Again the terrace in the square is a lovely setting.

Azotea, C/Jesus del Gran Poder, is excellent on a recent visit the bar area was full but we managed to get a table which meant raciones only and not tapas. We tried three of the specials and they were all excellent, a must on all future visits for the quality, choice and service.

Azotea La Tienda, C/Conde de Barajas 12, is part of the same small group as the one above and is very close by, we tried it for the first time on our most recent visit and loved the food and the service as we have done with all their places.

Con Tenedor, C/San Luis 50, was a must for our most recent visit having heard great reports and we loved it, the menu is done daily and displayed on blackboards and all the dishes were explained in detail in English even though we understood 90% of the Spanish menu. The food was exceptionally good, the service lovely and incredible value for the quality. Booking is strongly recommended.

Also nearby is the Alameda de Hercules which is full of trendy bars but also some good tapas places, at the far end Calle Calatrava is packed with some places to eat and drink. Gigante Bar at No. 17 was a find this visit, cool bar with good service and a wide selection of drinks.

The area around Calle Feria is also worth exploring, there is the oldest market in Seville which has an excellent eating place specialising in seafood & fish. And there are also some new eating places in part of the central market area which were offering a deal of a large tapas and a drink for 4 euros, choices from tradition Spanish rice dishes, fried fish and Mexican.

This area is constantly changing with new places opening, Lola por Dios 2, Conde de Torrejon, has amazingly cheap tapas, mainly cold meats & cheese, plays flamenco music and is a good fun place. There is also an excellent new Freiduria, fried fish & seafood bar, in Calle Feria, great fish, friendly service and very reasonably priced. Just close by in Plaza de los Maldonados are two new bars one of which has a small off-shoot at the Feria Market. On the most recent visit we found La Bodega in C/Feria possibly the cheapest drinks in Seville, decent sherry and vermut at 80 cents a glass.

Bar Lovento, C/Conde de Torrejon 21, was a small old school bar last time we were in the area but the owner moved to bigger premises across the street and this has become rather more fancy specialising in oysters and sparkling wines but other things on offer. The service was  bit slow but worth a visit.

Bar Rioja, C/de Jesus del Gran Poder 4, a local bar on our last visit and we enjoyed the wines, the tapas and the local atmosphere, the service varied depending on who was working but loved the local atmosphere of this small bar.

Bodega Palo Santo, Plaza de la Gavidia 5, we visited briefly on our mot recent visit and while we only stopped for a wine it seemed incredibly popular with a mainly local crowd who seemed to be enjoying the food on offer.

Perro Viejo, C/Arguijo 3, was recommended by a local who knows their food and therefore we tried it on our most recent visit. We were unable to reserve but as advised turned up as it opened and got a table. A wide range of fusion style dishes we really enjoyed the food and the service, The owners have a number of other places.

Salsamento, C/Jeronimo Hernandez 19, we found this modern, recently opened bar by accident and loved the place. A great selection of cold meats and cheeses and an excellent selection of wines, very popular with a cool Seville crowd and service was good. As good as before on our most recent visit.

Do Fusion, C/Jose Gestoso 5, we found this restaurant near the Metropol Parasol (The Mushrooms) by chance and stopped for a glass of wine but were soon ordering from the menu of Japanese/Oriental dishes. We were very impressed with the service and quality of the food. We chatted to one of the owners and enjoyed hearing about his background and the inspiration for the restaurant.

Centro

Flores, C/San Pablo 24 is a very upmarket food and wine shop and also a bar and restaurant. It is not cheap but the quality is top notch whether you are looking for a bottle of wine or some jamon or just want to sit outside with a glass of their excellent wines.

Almansa, C/Zaragoza 48, we found this by chance and were impressed by the look of the tapas and also by how popular it was with a mainly local clientele, we returned to sample the tapas at the bar and thought the cooking was good, one to return to and perhaps visit the restaurant part.

Puerta Triana, C/Zaragoza 2, fairly recent addition and enjoyed the outdoor seating and decent service.

Triana

Mercado de Triana, the market is part working old school market and part places to eat. We visited Ceveceria Loli and enjoyed the tapas but have since read some very negative comments however we would return. There are a number of other places and a fantastic pastry stall near the exit.

Cerviceria La Grande San Jacinto, C/San Jacinto 39, is in the main street and is a Triana institution. Part of the Mariscos Emilio Group, the famous seafood suppliers, this is a basic bar with loads of seafood choices. There is usually a small plate of prawns as a free tapas.

Taberna Paco Espana, C/Alfareria 18 Triana, was a new find in an area with no shortage of good places. We only tried the croquettes but a place can usually be judged on the quality of these and they were excellent.

La Antigua Abaceria, C/Pureza 12, is an old fashioned bar and grocers shop which specialises in cold meat tapas. An excellent place to visit and very different from most of the bars in the area. On a retun visit with a local friend we found it packed and thought the cold meats and cheeses rather expensive.

Las Golondrinas C/Antillo Campos, is a lovely tiled bar slightly off the beaten track but worth seeking out. Friendly staff and excellent tapas, they have expanded and now have a place opposite for table service, very popular so often a wait for a table.

Blanca Paloma, C/San Jacinto 49, is a very smart bar with a fabulous range of made to order tapas. It is so popular it has expanded into the next door premises one for the Triana tapas trail. We returned on our most recent visit and loved the tapas we ordered, excellent food, wine and service.

Bar Bistec, C/Pellay Correa, is an old school Triana Bar, worth stopping for a drink and to admire the tiled internal patio.

Other Areas

If you venture across the Macarena to outside the old town go to Bar Yebra, C/Medalla Milagrosa 3, an absolutely fabulous tapas bar, the blackboard shows the main meals but the staff (and the customers) will assist by telling you what tapas are available. The fish, seafood and meat dishes are all top notch and incredible value for the high quality

The new town near the railway station also has some great tapas bars. El Rincon de Buhaira, C/Jose de la Camara, started by someone from Bar Yebra above is excellent and round the corner Taberna Tabala, C/Juan de Sierra, is a very smart modern bar with a great selection of innovative tapas

Drink

The thing to try here is sherry which can only be produced in the area lying between Jerez, El Puerto and Sanlucar so no wonder this is a popular tipple. Fino is dry sherry and has to be drunk chilled it is delicious with seafood. When it is produced in Sanlucar it is called Manzanilla and is even drier due to the location.

Most places will offer a great range of Spanish wines, Seville however as with most places in Andalucia and in the rest of Spain seems to be going through a Gin & Tonic frenzy. They are so well done in Seville, in huge balloon glasses with plenty of ice, a work of art.

Vermut is having a resurgence a must to try is Yo Soy Tu Padre above.

Lastly in the summer try a tinto de verano, red wine with ice and lemonade, best with the lemon type sprite, it is very refreshing and totally different to sangria.

Apart from the main sites the Cathedral, the Alcazar and the Barrio Santa Cruz also worth visiting are the Casa de Pilatos, a beautifully preserved house and garden, the Maria Luisa Park, the Museo de Bellas Artes and of course the Bull Ring.

A new attraction is the Metropol Parasol, Plaza Encarnacion a wooden structure of six parasols forming what looks like a giant mushroom and known as such by the locals. The entrance to gain access to the roof is in the basement and after you pay your fee of 3 Euros which includes a drink you go up in the lift to the terrace area. I have to admit that the jury is still out for me on the structure, true it has improved an area that had little going for it but does it fit in…..

Away from the main tourist areas it is worth walking around the Triana area on the other side of the river and the Macarena the traditional working class area and visiting the famous church of the Basilica de la Macarena, but also don’t miss out visiting the church of San Luis, a true gem.

Naturalmente Aromas de Sevilla, C/Alcaicería de la Loza, 24, although a shop could be classed as cultural as it specialises in perfumes many with the various aromas associated with Seville, Run by a lovely lady who although she speaks little English will guide you through your choices and they are really great value.

As usual check the web sites www.booking.com and www.hotel.com however Santander is an affluent city and very popular with Spanish holidaymakers in the summer, this makes accommodation expensive. There is a gem of a place two minutes from the stations, Hostal Cabo Mayor, Calle de Cadiz 1, there are only a handful of rooms but they are very modern, well appointed and the family that own it is very helpful. It is only ten minutes walk to the centre of the city.

Hotel Bahia, Avenida Alfonso X111, 6, is a large newly refurbished hotel close to the centre and in the low season with four stars it can be a bargain. Some rooms have sea views but are naturally more expensive. This has become our place to stay as the quality, location and price are unbeatable.

There are some great old fashioned bars in the streets parallel to the Paseo de Pereda, particularly C/Herman Cortes, C/Pena Herbosa & C/Daoiz y Velarde, a lot of them were old wine bodegas.

Casa Lita, at the far end of the Paseo de Pereda, has a huge selection of pinxtos. It is high up on the list of best places to eat and the quality, range and location are all great.

Dias de Sur, C/Herman Cortes 47, is a modern bar which used to offer tapas and a good menu del dia however on a recent visit there is now only an a la carte menu and some tapas.

La Tuta, C/del Medio, this is a fairly recent opening and was a wonderful find. It has a Galician slant to the menu of pinxtos and main dishes, the pulpo, octopus, was first class as were all the other things we tried. A small free tapas and warm friendly service made this a must. Still as good on our latest visit, excellent food, drink & service,

La Catedra, C/del Medio 5, this has been here for a few years and seems very popular with regular customers, it is a small bar with a very good food and wine selection.

Ramonteca, C/del Medio 1, another new find close to the two above. Smart modern bar which seems very popular with a local crowd. service can be a bit slow but worth a visit.

Bodegas Cigalena, C/Daoiz y Velarde 19, looks a bit touristy with a sign saying museo de vino, but push through to the back and this is a great old bodega, excellent tapas and wines. Check out the wine list, we picked up an excellent wine at a very reasonable price. Their pinxtos/tapas seem to have taken on a more modern twist and are excellent. post Covid this is now seated instead of standing at the bar but staff remain the same.

Bodegas Mazon, C/Herman Cortes 57, may not look very appealing from the entrance but the bar in the front is great with huge old barrels and a free tapas of gazpacho in summer. They do a great jamon tostado and many other choices.

Bodega Fuente De, C/Pena Herbosa 5, is a small bar and restaurant which is incredibly popular with locals. The speciality is the Picon local cheese often given out when you order a drink. The meals served get excellent reports so a must to revisit next time.

Vermuteria Solorzano, C/Pena Herbosa 17, is a fairly new addition and an excellent one. They specialise in vermut and offer a huge range of both red and white, all served differently. The food is also excellent, the squid getting top marks. Great service and atmosphere.

Taberna Santona, C/Pena Herbosa 18, was a new find on our most recent visit, very local feel, friendly service and at lunch time a free tapas of mussels.

Casa Ajero, C/Daoiz y Velarde 18, was a great find, it is a think a re-vamp of an old bar and the decor is great. Excellent tapas on display, a free tapas at lunchtime and a menu del dia. This is a must for future visits.

La Malinche, C/Herman Cortes 41, first visit and impressed with the food on offer as the set lunch menu, most tables are up stairs but we got one on the ground floor and the service and value for money was excellent.

La Mar, C/Pena Herbosa 11, another visit and definitely the place for seafood especially oysters, a must for a return visit.

A Banda, C/Pena Herbosa 15, looking for lunch on our most recent visit we liked the look of this small place offering mainly rice dishes. The menu was excellent, fabulous salad, a plate of large prawns, then a traditional Valencia style paella to share, deserts & a bottle of wine & water for €39. There are other dishes on offer & the service is very friendly.

La Pirula, C/Pena Herbosa 21, was somewhere we had visited a long time ago and on a return visit this time thoroughly enjoyed the lunchtime menu del dia. Good choice, good cooking and excellent value, very popular with locals and a must for lunch next time.

El Diluvio, C/Ataulfo Argenta Músico, 14, had been an old haunt but due to the manner of the owner we had stopped visiting, gave it a chance again this time and were impressed with the tapas choice and the improved service.

Lanchoa, C/Gomez Orena 13, is yet another new bar. The name says it all, the speciality is anchovies. It is a stylish modern bar and if you enjoy the delicacy it is the place for you.

La Conveniente, C/Gomez Orena, going uphill behind the Plaza Canadio is an old bodega with the modern addition of a honky-tonk piano player up among the barrels. Only tried it for a drink and the atmosphere, it was packed with people eating but the food gets mixed reviews.

Bodegas del Riojano, C/Rio de la Pila 5, is one of the most lovely old bodegas I have seen in Spain. All the barrels that run along the walls of the bar and restaurant are all individually painted and the place is beautifully lit. It is well worth finding particularly when there are two other excellent bars in the same street. The restaurant gets excellent reports.

Casa Goria, C/Rio de la Pila 12, is an excellent place with great pinxtos, try the solomillo freshly cooked.  The bar shares the lane outside with Restaurant Cantabria which also does good pinxtos. In particular the morcilla with potatoes and an egg on top is great. It is worth visiting both as they are very different styles of bar although the pinxtos are similar.

Quebec, various locations, is a small chain of bars which offer a good avriety of eating and drinking, whether for breakfast or a lunchtime or evening tapas.

Barrio Pesqueno

This is the fishing port area and you can get a bus 4 from outside the Post Office, it is nothing to look at but it has a strip of excellent fish & seafood restaurants. We visited one which was good some time ago but it seems to have changed. The area is definitely worth a visit purely for the eating possibilities.

Drink

Expect the normal excellent choice of Spanish wines in bars and restaurants, you are not in a wine producing area but you should be able to try lots of wines from the Basque area to the east and Castilla y Leon to the south.

 

The new Centre Botin on the waterfront was designed by the architect Renzo Piano.There is an entry fee into the building and the galleries which have a permanent collection and special exhibitions but it is free to go up to the roof and explore the walkways on the outside of the buildings.

Mercado de la Esperanza, Plaza de la Esperanza is worth a visit, the fish and seafood display on the lower ground floor is one of the best I have seen in any market.

If you have seen the city and tired of the beaches you can take one of the small ferries either to Pedrena, birthplace of Seve Ballesteros or to the beaches on the spit of land in the bay. There are lots of places that can easily be visited from Santander like Santillana del Mar and Comillas.