Holy Roman Emperor  Charles V ( 1st of  Spain) , ruled a great empire where “the sun never set”. In the 16th century his ships brought huge amounts of gold and silver from the new world to the port of Seville, thus making Spain the first European power. Cristóbal Colón and further Conquerors had brought as well a lot of culinary products unknown in the old world such as tomatoes, potatoes, corn, pumpkins, pine-apples, chilli peppers, lima and cocoa, the latter not appreciated at the beginning. But this is another story…!   These imported culinary products allowed the Spanish Court’s…

September to December: a Perfect Time to Visit Seville. Seville is always a luxury trip, and fall is the perfect season to visit the city. The weather is mild, crowds are minimal, the harvests bountiful. I am delighted to share with you my favourite fall experiences in and around charming Seville.   Blessed for thousands years with a mild-warm climate, Seville is a charming destination in autumn. Mass tourism will have already disappeared from the sites and streets, so locals tend to welcome more selected travelers! I invite you to take part in the same experiences that I enjoy every…

Even in an age of online commerce, shoppers still flock to flea markets and antique shopps..Madrid’s best weekend markets are where you can vintage home decoration, new and second-hand clothes, and more treasures.   The Classic and traditional El Rastro C/ Ribera de Curtidores This is Madrid’s oldest and most iconic street market. Every Sunday from 9am to 3pm, hundreds of stalls are set up in C/Ribera de Curtidores, in the Embajadores neighborhood, filling the street with life and bustle. It’s a must for tourists and locals alike, who browse through the new and second-hand clothes, costume jewelry, decorative items,…

Do you think that there is no real scene of young artists in Madrid? Our guide Daniel Leguina tell us some of the best places to show you that this is not true. Art itself is the only real indicator of cultural vitality La Tabacalera (LTBC)   Calle Embajadores, 53 The building of the former Tobacco Factory of Embajadores is in public ownership and under the Ministry of Culture through the General Directorate of Fine Arts (GDFA).  Due to its characteristics, the building is part of the historical heritage and has been listed as Heritage of Cultural Interest. LTBC is a social centerthatpromotes the…

It´s always a great new that Madrid re-open a Museum this week, the Museo Carlos de Amberes is located in a former church in the well-heeled area of Barrio de Salamanca and dedicated to Dutch and Flemish Old Masters. The museum heralds a new era for the Fundación Carlos de Amberes, which started as a charity back in 1594, when Philip II of Spain was also Lord of the Seventeen Provinces of the Netherlands. By 1987, it had shifted its focus towards artistic and educational philanthropic activities, and, since 1992, it has run an active program of temporary exhibitions, lectures,…