The city of Madrid is no less essential to the films of Pedro Almodóvar than kinky sex, crimes of passion and gasp-inducing plot twists. Though born out in Castilla-La Mancha – Don Quixote country – Almodóvar made his punkish early movies here in the capital, where the death of General […]
A local’s guide
Mosque-cathedral The Mezquita-Catedral is the attraction everybody talks about, because it’s incredible. Originally a mosque, built in the 10th century, it later became a cathedral. Being local I don’t pay to get in, but anyone can get in for free by showing up at 8.30am while they’re preparing for the […]
The Alhambra may be Spain’s most visited attraction year on year, but wandering the hills and the backstreets of Granada’s barrios will give you the real feel of this fascinating city, which has elegance and edginess in equal measure. Granada’s fertile valley and sweeping hills have attracted many different civilisations […]
Beach bar Es Cavallet – a kilometre of beautiful sand, dunes and wild rolling waves – is one of Ibiza’s official nudist beaches. It is home to the Chiringay bar, the high-end La Escollera restaurant and also one of my favourite places to eat, El Chiringuito, which has DJs, views […]
Some of the best places in Seville are found by taking a wrong turn. Like when you stumble into a time-worn taverna peddling crisp local sherry or come across the rickety home of Seville-born painter Diego Velázquez. Which makes it all the more of a shame that many visitors to […]
Wander the old city I love the maze of Moorish-feeling little streets in the historic district between Plaça de Cort and the seafront. If you just wander towards La Seu, the cathedral, you always come across something surprising. A lot of the old mansions have been done up and are […]
Sunset beach Cadiz’s most famous beach, Playa de La Caleta, is right in the old town. Get there an hour before sundown and watch the sun dip gently into the Atlantic, as the small fishing boats are painted gold by its final rays. This beach imitated Havana’s craggy harbour in […]
Castilian cuisine Eating out in Burgos is a delight. The restaurants are generally very affordable and for a small city there is a lot of variety. But for something classic, it’s hard to beat Ojeda. Slap-bang in the city centre this much-loved restaurant was founded in 1912, and its main […]