Beautiful culture and lovely people

So, you are travelling to Spain, the land of beautiful culture and lovely people. While your trip might give you butterflies in the stomach, the very idea of eating in Spain might not appeal to your vegetarian tastes. Of course, it isn’t impossible to find something to eat in a land known for its ham and meat. Nothing spoils a trip more than food that is below par. Worry not, because, contrary to popular belief, Spain is also the land of hidden delights for vegetarians.

Madrid, Seville, Granada, and Barcelona must be your top spots to visit. Fortunately, these are also the places where you can find good vegetarian restaurants to make your trip even more enjoyable. 

Madrid

The city of Madrid is breath-taking with its adrenaline charged bullfighting and the picturesque Manzanares River. The food isn’t far behind either. Here are some restaurants vegetarians should watch out for: 

1. La Isla Del Tesoro, Bilbao – Walking into this restaurant is like walking into your dream garden and having lunch in it. There is a lot of variety for vegetarians to choose from. One of the favourites is the “Jungle Burger” but that isn’t quite the most surprising item in the great menu. They take a national cuisine as their theme every day and centre their menu around it, which makes every day a surprise.

2. Restaurante Vega Viana, Chueca – Gorge on zucchini burritos that come with Manchengo cheese and carrot croquettes that are served with yoghurt cream and sultanas. The menu is in English, and it has options for your carnivore eating friends as well.

3. El Estragón, La Latina - Every vegetarian tourist swears by this restaurant and it is, undoubtedly, one of the best vegetarian places in Madrid to eat. Another great thing is the affordability of the restaurant that makes matters even better. They do use butter in their dishes, though, so vegans might need to ask if they can cook them in oil.

Barcelona

This colourful city and the gentle Mediterranean are slowly embracing vegetarian food. The little vegetarian places cropping up everywhere are an indication. There are a lot of fun options for you to explore here: 

1. La Bascula – This eco restaurant uses everything organic, from its juices to its food. The eating utensils and plates are bio degradable. The food is to die for as the desserts are homemade and the meals are immensely satisfying. 

2. Teresa Carles – It’s like walking into New York with its wooden tables and neat interiors. The restaurant has a huge variety for vegetarians as well as the meat eaters if you are in a group and the food is traditional and tasty. 

3. Vegetalia – This place is calm and when you’re in it, you want to do nothing but quietly sip your smoothie while standing on the terrace. However, if you do have time, the food is great and exotic. The vegetable paella has many fans and the tofu tempura is delicious as well. 

Granada

The weather is lovely here, and the mood is forever hippie. Just lay back and enjoy the small and lazy city with its gorgeous food. Most restaurants have options for both vegetarians and Vegans, and here are a few places to look out for: 

1. HICURI – A fully Vegetarian restaurant. There are also options for vegans on the menu. You can choose from the prix fixe and a-la-carte options. It is prudent for tourists working on a tight budget to choose prix fixe and their lasagne is a speciality. Beer and Tapa dishes combined are €1.80.  The cream soup and chocolate cake are a favourite for everyone and you should definitely try them. 

2. Muglia II – Are you missing Indian food in Spain? This restaurant serves authentic Naan and Indian curry for Indian food lovers who appreciate the spice palate. Even foodies who know Indian food appreciate this place for its great meals.

3. Hannigan & Sons – This is a nice Irish pub and you can hang out here with your friends and sip on an ice cold beer, or try their Veggie burger with fries, which is filling and delicious. For a list of vegetarian beers in Spain visit here.

Seville

You’ll find quite a few nice places here: 

1. Almanara Restaurant – The décor at this place is minimalistic and the food is anything but that. Treat your taste buds with gorgeous and fresh dishes and have generous helpings of goat cheese. 

2. Gaia Restaurant – The food used is organic and there are options for vegans. You must try the hummus and the cream tomato soup if you visit this place.

Knowing a few good vegetarian places to eat might make your trip better, if you would like to find more restaurants across Spain you can also use Happy Cow; they have a huge database of Vegetarian and vegan eateries.  Enjoy in Spain, the place that taught the world how to have fun and if you are a Vegetarian in Spain and want to venture out to a new country see these Vegetarian options around the world.

Preeti Vadgama is a lifelong Vegetarian who likes to write about the best Vegetarian places to eat around the world. She works for HostelBookers.com in London.

Flamenco

The best-known phenomenon in the Spanish music industry is flamenco music. The origin of flamenco lies in southern Spain, Andalusia. However, besides flamenco, there are many other Spanish influences in the music known in the Netherlands. Flamenco is one of Spain's most famous musical genres. Flamenco is an umbrella term for the dance, music and singing that originated in the second half of the 19th century in southern Spanish Andalusia. The first things that immediately stand out about flamenco is the twelve-tell system, the Arabic sound influences and the lavish embellishments such as clothing style used in this genre of music. Flamenco is mostly known as powerful, expressive and spirited.

The basis of flamenco is singing. This singing is also called cante flamenco. The cante flamenco is supported by the baile flamenco, the dance style. The baile flamenco consists of often graceful arm and hand movements and intricate footwork. The footwork is also known as "taconeo.

When looking for information about flamenco, one also often comes across the word Duende. Duende is the moment when the guitarist, singer or dancer becomes so absorbed in the music that it creates something more than song, dance or music. The moment a duende takes place, the audience is breathlessly focused on the person possessing this Duende.

Spanish Pop Music

Besides flamenco, there are a number of Spanish singers who have made their mark in Spanish pop music worldwide. Alejandro Sanz and David Bisbal are good examples. David Bisbal gained name recognition in the Netherlands after Jeroen van der Boom released the song "Jij bent zo" in 2007. The original of this song is Spanish-language and was sung by David Bisbal. During Jeroen van der Boom's concert, David was therefore one of the guests of honor. The covering of "Silencio" to "You are so" was not the only song that created worldwide fame for David Bisbal. Outside the Netherlands and Spain, David became very well known worldwide for the song 'Wavin´ Flag' which he released together with K´naan, an African artist as the title song for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. This song became a huge hit, and since then David Bisbal has been a much sought-after artist all over the world. He also has a number of Latin Awards to his name.

The international Coordinating Council of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere Program (MaB) met in Paris last week and announced that it was adding three more sites to Spain’s impressive list of biosphere reserves. Spain now has a total of 45 reserves, edging out Russia as the country with the second most reserves, just behind the U.S. which has 47.

Protecting biodiversity

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization created the world network of biospheres program in the 1970’s to reduce the loss of Earth’s biodiversity. The program focuses on selecting places where local communities interact closely with the environment to adopt sustainable development practices. Sites designated as biosphere reserves serve as models for other communities in implementing innovative approaches to conserving biological and cultural diversity. There are currently 621 reserves located around the world.

Spain is unique in that its physical space is relatively small compared to the other countries listed as having the most biosphere reserves. Russia is the largest country in the world in terms of area and the US is the fourth largest while Spain ranks 52^nd. The high density of areas in Spain recognized by UNESCO’s MaB program as “sites of excellence” for managing natural and human activity attests to the rich diversity of carefully conserved biological landscapes there. Its vast lands of protected wildlife make Spain an ideal destination for ecotourism, where visitors can experience life in peaceful rural destinations and gain personal insight into these communities’ successful partnerships with nature.

Spain’s 3 new UNESCO biosphere reserves

Terres de l’Ebre in Tarragona is on the northeast coast of Spain. About 190,000 people live in this area, which features numerous coastal and inland ecosystems. Energy technology from wind, water and solar sources has also been developed here in a special effort to protect the stunning local landscape.

La granja y el espinar (Segovia) is located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, a central Spain mountain range that extends nearly 80 km north to south and ends close to Madrid. This wooded region is home to about 14,000 people, various centers for forest research, and small scale agricultural activity.

Mariñas Coruñesas e Terras do Mandeo is on Galicia’s northeastern Atlantic coast, an area that includes 18 towns and where rural communities pay special attention to sustainable development.

Other reserves in Spain: Reserves in Spain are scattered throughout the country and include island landscapes such as La Gomera on the Canary Islands to woodland areas like Las Ubiñas - La Mesa Reserve in Asturias, which provides a natural habitat for the Eurasion brown bear. The Sierra Nevada near the city of Granada is the highest mountain chain on the Iberian Peninsula and was added to the world network of biosphere reserves given its ancient monuments of Roman and Arab origin, unique architecture, and popular festivals that attract over one million visitors every year.

UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Spain

Spain also has a long list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the entire old town of certain cities such as Salamanca, with its historical and scenic architectural landscapes. Some Spanish traditions have also been listed on UNESCO’s list of intangible world heritage, including flamenco, the Mediterranean diet, and Catalonia’s curious castells performances, in which teams of traditionally dressed castelleres stand on top of one another’s shoulders to create incredible human towers.

Salamanca, ´Ciudad Dorada´. Salamanca is also called ´the golden city´. This name is due to the type of stone with which many monuments and other buildings are built. This stone comes from Villamayor, a village in the region of Salamanca. This type of stone has a high iron content, giving the city a golden glow especially at sunrise and sunset. Besides this stunning appearance, Salamanca has much more to offer. Such as the new and the old cathedral, among others, and definitely do not forget the beautiful University of Salamanca.

The Romanesque architectural style

The origins of Romanesque architecture date back to the early 11th century. The construction of the old cathedral of Salamanca was started in the 12th century; it was not completely finished until the 14th century. The old cathedral therefore has many features of Romanesque architecture. For example, the cathedral has thick walls, with small windows and narrow doorways. The walls of this type of building carried almost the entire weight of the building. It was therefore feared that if one made openings too large, the walls could no longer bear the weight. So this is why many buildings with Romanesque architecture have dark interiors. Some other features of the Romanesque architectural style that can be found in the old cathedral include the round curved walls, quiet and clear shapes, many decorations and a cross shape as a floor plan.

The Gothic architectural style

Gradually around the 15th century, the Romanesque style gradually passed into the Gothic architectural style. Therefore, the new cathedral built between the 16th and 18th centuries has many features of the Romanesque architectural style, but also some features of the Gothic architectural style. The main difference between the Romanesque and Gothic styles is that Gothic construction left out many elements that were previously important to ensure that the building would stand. Instead of these elements, more use was made of cross-ribbed vaults, pillars and pointed arches. All of these uses made it possible to make the buildings much taller than previously possible.

The University of Salamanca has influences of different architectural styles, for example, the buildings have Romanesque, Gothic and as well as Platoresque features. The main features of the latter architectural style are much reflected in the facade of the University of Salamanca. This facade is beautifully decorated with various ornaments such as chandeliers, garlands and various other ornaments. For example, in addition to the famous frog in the facade, there is also a time traveler. This one symbolizes the "journey" that the University of Salamanca has gone through.

Castilla y León

The local government of the Spanish autonomous community Castile and Leon has recently released a recipe book that showcases the most celebrated dishes of the region, an area with a reputation for pleasing the palates of even its most food-fussy visitors. The book, entitled Jornadas Gastronómicas de Castilla y León, offers anyone planning a trip there a tantalizing sneak preview of the rich culinary landscapes they can expect to explore. Spanish cooking has in very general terms grown in popularity around the world, and there is no better way to find out why than by journeying to its place of origin.  If you haven’t already booked your trip to Spain, the succulent creations sumptuously displayed throughout this handsome book seem to beg the question “what are you still waiting for?”

The book’s introduction presents cooking in the region as a cultural aspect of “enormous” value, and goes on to point out that Castile and Leon includes great culinary diversity and varied cooking traditions. Delve deeper into the book’s interior and prepare for generous rations of appetizing images to leave your tummy craving western Spain’s yummiest entrees, sides, and desserts. Nineteen carefully selected recipes are broken down into five categories: main dishes, meals eaten with a spoon, fish, meats, and desserts.

The cover feature is Castilian soup served up piping hot in an earthenware pot, garnished with a slice of jamón ibérico. This, along with other hearty offerings such as Judiones de La Granja estofados con escabeche de pavo (a butter bean stew with pickled turkey and a dash of saffron) are designed to warm chilly eaters during Castile and Leon’s cool months. Flip ahead to the desserts and check out Burgos-style cheese cake flanked by red berry sauce and sweet chestnuts. Also find here Crema de arroz con leche en texturas (rice cream with milk in textures), a zesty zinger of a sweet treat that calls for lemon and orange peels and cinnamon.

If you’re planning on preparing some of these Castile and Leon offerings, finding the ingredients at your neighborhood supermarket may prove an impossible challenge. You’ll likely have to substitute items such as Ribera del Duero red wine and Valladolid olive oil with more generic varieties or brands specific to different regions.

A modern twist on traditional Castilian dishes

Many of these recipes put a modern twist on traditional Castilian dishes and capture the historical flavor of this region splashed with an updated edge; fresh new takes on firmly established classics that will appease the demanding appetites of a wide array of diners, from picky gourmets to easy to please foodies.

The book closes by suggesting that in one getaway to Castile and Leon you’ll see the world, a statement nearly as bold as the 19 recipes presented in this feastival of fantastic flavors. That declaration is accompanied by scenic images of each one of the autonomous community’s provinces, where the crenulated parapets of Avila’s medieval city wall and the tiered arches of Segovia’s Roman aqueduct remind many readers that their experiences enjoying traditional Castilian dining concepts in Spain will be back-dropped by spectacular panoramas of monument studded Spanish landscapes. 

Spain's oldest university can be found in Salamanca. Salamanca is located in the province of the same name, about 200 kilometers northwest of Madrid. The University of Salamanca is not only the oldest university in Spain, but also the second oldest in Europe after the University of Bologna.

• The University of Salamanca was founded in 1218 by King Alfons IX of Leon. Christopher Columbus, among others, was a professor at this university.
• In addition to a Spanish course, there are numerous other options for studying in Salamanca.
• There is a frog in the facade of the university's main building; legend has it that students who find it will have a prosperous time studying.

Now what makes Salamanca such a great student city is that, among other things, it speaks the purest Spanish, it is a modern city with beautiful architecture but still has the charm of a village. This is because everything is within walking distance and because you do come into contact with international and national students everywhere. The beautiful architecture of the city has made the old center of Salamanca, including the university and the old and new cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1988.

The number of students at the university increased until 1580. At that time there were 6,500 students studying at the university. In the seventeenth century, the number of students decreased. Today, more than 30,000 students study in Salamanca every year. This therefore makes Salamanca the student city of Spain.

The Spanish language

In addition to studying Spanish language, writing and culture, there are numerous other options for studying in Salamanca. In the past, students could choose to study medicine, law, technology, art-philosophy, mathematics, music, humanities and, of course, linguistics, among others. Today, there are still numerous options. For example, there are several opportunities to study the Spanish language. But there are also still opportunities to study medicine, psychology, mathematics, history, literature, philosophy, law science at the University of Salamanca. Studying in Salamanca for an entire academic year, a semester or just during the summer are some examples of the many options at the university.

The facade of the university's main building has caused the frog to become Salamanca's city symbol. Something of this city symbol can be found in every souvenir shop. Now it is not that the frog is a special animal for the Salamantinos (inhabitants of Salamanca) but because a frog can be found on the beautifully decorated facade of the university. Not only on the facade of the university but also at the richly decorated door on the west side of the new cathedral, the frog can be found. Legend has it that students who find the frog face a prosperous student life. For non-students, the frog ensures good luck in love. So while visiting Salamanca, it is well worth trying to find the frog.

As you know, Spain consists of the Spanish peninsula, the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands. But what you probably didn't know is that there are also two enclaves in Morocco that belong to Spain, Ceuta and Melilla. So there are many more Spanish facts you probably don't know yet. Like that besides the official national Spanish language, there are also four official regional languages in Spain.

Melilla and Ceuta

Melilla and Ceuta are two Spanish enclaves located off the Mediterranean coast of Morocco. The neighboring country of these enclaves is Morocco. Melilla is about 20 kilometers from Nador and Ceuta is a little closer to the Spanish mainland, near the Strait of Gibraltar. The enclaves are easy to visit from Spain. For example, there are daily ferry crossings from several cities in Spain. What makes it attractive to visit these cities is that although Ceuta and Melilla belong to the European Union, they are exempt from European tax legislation. So tax-free shopping! These enclaves belong to Spain because until 1950 Morocco was part of Spain. In 1950, Morocco gained independence, but Spain kept the two enclaves, Ceuta and Melilla. Spanish is therefore spoken in Ceuta and Melilla, although a passport is required when visiting these cities, as these cities are not within Europe.

The Spanish language

In addition to the Spanish language spoken throughout Spain, there are several dialects found in Spain, just like in the Netherlands. However, in Spain, four of these dialects have been named official reginonal languages. Galician, Basque, Catalan and Valencian. In Catalonia and the Basque Country, their regional language is often considered the main language. In many public places, such as on road signs, you will find Catalan or Basque first, with the Spanish meaning given underneath.

The Spanish climate

By now you already know a lot of information about Spain. You will also know that Spain is a very suitable winter destination. However, not all areas of Spain are suitable for wintering. Spain has three climate regions. The south and east coasts of Spain have a Mediterranean climate, as do the islands and enclaves. The north and northwest of mainland Spain has a maritime climate, and finally the central interior has a continental climate. The inland and northwest side of Spain can be compared to the Dutch climate, which has mild winters and cool summers. Of course, in Spain, as in the Netherlands, there can be outliers that make it either warmer or cooler. So the islands, Ceuta, Melilla, the south and east coasts are the best winter destinations.
 

 Photo by i-Dave

Spanish culture has many different customs and traditions. The siesta, the special division of the day with no less than 4 meal times and then there are the dozens of different types of Tapas. There are many other special, "crazy" customs from the Spanish culture. For example, what about the bullfights in Pamplona or La Tomatina in Buñol. Below is a small selection of the sometimes very unusual customs of Spanish culture.

Siesta

Many stores, supermarkets and other public places in Spanish towns and cities close between 2 and 5 p.m. To many people, siesta is known as the afternoon nap of those who work in Spain. However, this is by no means the case. Only a small part of the Spanish population actually takes an afternoon nap. Since the time of siesta is also sometimes the time when lunch is eaten in Spain, many Spaniards choose to spend this time with family or in a café for a sumptuous lunch. The Spanish lunch that takes place between 2 and 3 p.m. is similar to the evening meal eaten in the Netherlands. Large hot dishes that are often eaten with the whole family. After the Spaniards finish their afternoon nap or their extensive lunch, they return to work until 7 or 9 pm.

Tapas

After the extended lunch, tapas is often eaten between 6 and 7 p.m. with colleagues. Almonds, olives, ham, chorizo and shrimp are just a few examples of tapas. These small bites are mainly used to whet the appetite, because around 10 p.m., the people of Spain will begin their last meal of the day, dinner. Dinner is much lighter than the Spaniards' lunch. This is why tapas are eaten between lunch and dinner.

La Tomatina

Finally; La Tomatina this is a festival celebrating the harvesting of new ripe tomatoes from the land. The festival begins every last Wednesday of August at 10 a.m. with a ham being hung on a greased pole. The start of the tomato fight takes place as soon as someone manages to get the ham off the greased pole. At that moment, trucks full of tomatoes enter the Plaza del Pueblo and the fight can begin! After exactly one hour, the final signal will be given and all locals and tourists make their way to the nearest garden hose to get rid of the tomato residue. Since 1957 the tomato fight was officially authorized and since 1980 tomatoes have even been handed out by the municipality. The next tomato fight will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 28, 2013. During a Spanish course, Buñol is definitely worth a visit.

Photo by renotahoe

The Spanish Language in the US

The University of Guadalajara is putting on the 3^rd annual Spanish language book fair of Los Angeles (LéaLA) at the L.A. Convention Center from the 17^th to the 19^th of May. Organizers of the fair, the largest of its kind in the US, aim to strengthen the Spanish language in the country, particularly among the children of its Latino community. They expect record turn out this year, planning to attract over one hundred thousand book enthusiasts and more than 300 publishers including the Penguin group and Random House. 

Besides an impressive list of over 200 book booths, 90 authors are also scheduled to offer book signings, presentations and readings. Although most of the authors are Mexican, writers and readers of all backgrounds are encouraged to participate in the free event. Chilean rock star Beto Cuevas, of the group La Ley, will be on hand to discuss his new book entitled The Art of Being Beto Cuevas, and American best-selling author Nicholas Sparks will talk about literary translation. Other participating authors include Paco Ignacio, Beatriz Riva and Daniel Krauze.

Marisol Schulz, the director of the fair, is also director of the hugely successful International Book Fair of Guadalajara in Mexico. One of her goals has been to attract greater international attention to L.A.’s book fair, and especially from Latin American countries beyond Mexico.  She has already confirmed that members of both Argentina and Colombia’s camaras del libro (trade associations for those in the book industry) will be in attendance this year.

The fair will also pay special homage to the Mexican literary legend Carlos Fuentes and to the widely celebrated Mexican American singer Jenni Rivera, both of whom died last year. Carlos Fuentes’ widow Silvia Lemus will also participate in the tribute to her late husband.

Over 100 Activities to explore Ibero-American Traditions

Over 100 activities are also scheduled for the popular childrens’ area, where kids and parents will get to explore Ibero-American traditions and the rich artwork of the Mexican Muralists. Activities include entertaining and educational stage performances about folk legends from a variety of Latin American regions. A number of childrens’ workshops designed to promote bilingualism have also been scheduled, where kids will hear tales of the plumed serpent Quetzalcoatl and play traditional Mexican games. The group Zaikocirco will also offer entertaining circus performances and puppet shows. Over 40% of last year’s visitors brought their kids, a promising statistic for the future of the Spanish language in the US.

Visitors will also get the chance to see lectures and participate in forums and panel discussions, where a wide range of topics to be discussed include the challenges of distributing and selling Spanish language books in the US, and the history of the city of Tijuana. That city itself is booked as the event’s guest of honor this year.  

Although the main purpose of the book festival has been to promote Spanish-language literature and celebrate Latino heritage, event organizers soon discovered their growing venue was also offering a profitable space for booksellers, filling a clear void in the book industry. 80% of visitors made purchases at last year’s fair. 

The Dutch student life: study, move in as soon as possible and hit the bars with your friends/student association! The Spanish student life is similar, but a little different. For many Dutch students it is hard to imagine living at home until the age of 27!

The Spanish student life means lots of partying (if you want you can go every night of the week!), living at home for a long time and of course lots of studying. In Spain, most students live at home until the age of 27, with some exceptions, of course. The students who will study a little further away and would therefore have to travel for a long time do move into rooms. They become really independent only when they have their own jobs.

Speaking of jobs... Many Spanish students did have side jobs a few years ago, but we all know the financial situation in Spain. There is hardly any work to be had. This has already led to major protests throughout the country several times. 50% of young people are unemployed. Then again, what is very nice to see is that many Spaniards remain so cheerful and sociable despite the unemployment figures! They don't lose their charm because of it!

Study in Spain

Spain is one of the favorite countries among foreign youth to study for a while. You then have the choice of studying at a Spanish university or taking a Spanish language course. Typical among students are the botellones that are held. In the park or somewhere else outdoors with a large group of people from many different countries having a drink. This drink is bought in the supermarket and put in large plastic bottles. Usually this is cola with red wine: calimocho. But cava is always good too!

Contrary to popular belief, Spanish students do receive years of English in school. However, because classes are in Spanish and series or movies on television are dubbed, they do not have the opportunity to practice the language so they do not master it. Fortunately, many foreign students do speak Spanish which allows for good communication. Plus, you learn to speak Spanish much faster when you practice it outside of school!