A day trip from Sevilla to Carmona Carmona is built on a ridge overlooking the central plain of Andalucía. To the north is the Sierra Morena, and to the south is the peak of San Cristobal. The city is known for its thriving trade in wine, olive oil, grain, and cattle, and it holds an annual fair in April. Carmona is among the most historic towns in southern Europe. It is walkable and is a living museum of the civilisations that have conquered it, from the Carthaginians to the

HOSTAL LA TORRE If you are looking for a great, chilled place to stay outside the hustle and bustle of Sant Antoni, head to Hostal La Torre. It is set high on a cliff called Cap Nde eget, about 4 km outside Sant Antoni de Portmany (San Antonio), looking out towards the luscious blue Mediterranean. Luscious gardens The terrace provides a stunning panoramic view of the beautiful surrounding area. It has a nice courtyard garden area to the rear and a lovely restaurant with a won

We returned to Sevilla for the first time since 2019 after many false alarms over the past couple of years due to covid, cancelled flights, etc. This was our second tapas tour with our friend, Shawn Hennessey of Sevilla Tapas. You can see our 2019 tapas tour HERE ;  all the bars are still valid. This time, we headed for the down-to-earth Tirana district of Sevilla, which the Mercado de Triana, a lively market hall near the arched Puente de Isabel II bridge, anchors. Many re

We visited the newly opened Bar Rioja in the Regent Quarter in Kings Cross, London. It is part of the Camino group, which has a significant presence in this area. This bar is dedicated to some of our favourite Spanish wines from the Rioja region of northern Spain. La Rioja, Spain’s largest and most popular wine region, was the first to become internationally famous. It is also one of the 17 provinces of Spain, and the smallest. It lies in the country’s north, approximately 12

LA RIOJA - LOGROÑO PINCHO BAR CRAWL On our recent trip to La Rioja, we decided to take a pinchos bar crawl down the famous Calle Laurel in Logroño. These were our favourite bars and bites on this hectic but pleasant November evening. BAR CID Travesía de Laurel, 1, 26001 Logroño, La Rioja It is quite literally a hole in the wall and easy to walk past. The traditional Bar Cid has vines and grapes dangling from the wooden beam ceiling above the same pair of men hanging out at th

JOSÉ PIZARRO @ The Royal Academy of Arts This is José Pizarro’s first foray into central London, amazingly ten years after he opened the fabulous José Tapas Bar on Bermondsey Street in South London. He has taken over the Dorfman Senate Room on the first floor of Burlington Gardens. This beautiful, light, and airy space is a sit-down restaurant with plenty of bar-top dining options. He has opened the Poster Bar downstairs, which is more of a café/tapas bar. It is best to pop

ANDANZA Andanza (luck or fate in Spanish) comes from the same people behind The Rose Gastropub opposite. In its previous incarnation, the restaurant was a William Hill betting shop for over 30 years, so as everyone says to the owners, “I hope your gamble has paid off!” The chef worked formally in Basque restaurant Lurra, and the team carver was from restaurant Brindisa, so they have some of the best food. On a sunny Tuesday evening, we went when most of the customers were eat

Pamplona/Iruña is the historical capital of Navarre/Navara in the former Kingdom of Navarre. It was a medieval Basque kingdom until Castile annexed it in the 16th century. The city is famous worldwide for the running of the bulls during the San Fermín festival, which is held annually from July 6 to 14. This festival was brought to literary renown with the 1926 publication of Ernest Hemingway's novel, The Sun Also Rises. We stayed at, CASA OTANO BAR RESTAURANTE Bajo, Calle de

12 TAPAS Michelin Bib Gourmand The menu at this great little spot, recently awarded a Michelin Bib Gourmand, is not very extensive, but the quality is outstanding. The tapas here are reinterpretations of traditional dishes like migas, aioli shrimp montadito, and salmorejo, but with a thoroughly modern touch. We had the 8-course Menú Degustacíon at €35 per person. Foie al Palo Cortado sobre torta de anís y naranja amarga (foie with Palo Cortado on aniseed and bitter orange

TABERNA LA SORPRESA On a short trip to Cádiz, we stopped at Taberna La Sorpresa for a few tapas and a glass of the local sherry wine. This Taberna is a very underrated hidden gem. It is quite particular in that the tapas and platos here highlight fresh fish rather than the mainly fried seafood found in other parts of Cádiz. Go here once you have had enough fried food and want to try something unique to the area. We started with a couple of copas of manzanilla, followed by sar