The Prado Museum  current exhibition gives a close look at the technique of one of the most revered artists in the history of drawing and provides an occasion to learn from his example. The exhibition presents itself touches on his complex relationship with the art of portraiture, (the sacred art which has secured his place as one of the great painters of history), torn between ambition and repulsion. The works of Ingres and his very individual aesthetic represent a key movement towards the artistic revolutions of the end of the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century. He…

Let me bring you to 5 of my favorite alternative art institutions in town. “Madrid is a city of improvisation; living on the spur of the moment is part of our culture and this makes life more open and full of surprises” 1.La Casa Encendida This center of young art and culture opened the same year as we did. It curates the best of up-and-coming artists from Spain and the world, including B Wurtz . La Casa Encendida help madrilians by cultivating contemporary-art culture. 2.Palacio de Linares I´m also fascinating by spooky spots “legend has it that it´s haunted” alluding…

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…

People from Madrid “madrileños” we love food and we are happy to devote a huge amount of time and energy to the act of eating. Then there is the geography of Madrid, which sits in the centre of the country like a giant spider on its web. Much of the highest quality produce ends up here. The fish and seafood, in particular, are of unsurpassable quality, the fish market being the second largest in the world after Tokyo. It is not impossible to eat badly here, but you do have to try quite hard. The sheer quantity of good restaurants,…