Category Archives: Spanish culture

A little Madrid street with a BIG personality



After a loooooong break I’m back with a beautiful spring evening wander down one of my favourite Madrid streets — Calle de Santa Isabel. We’ll be taking in the sights and sounds with stop-offs in El Cine Doré (Cinema and home to Spain’s national film archive), San Antón municipal market, El Amor de Díos Flamenco … Continue reading A little Madrid street with a BIG personality


Sounds that make you sound Spanish – ¡Buah! ¡Anda! ¡Hala! ¡Uy! ¡Puf!



Want to sound super Spanish? I run through ten useful and fun Spanish interjections that you can pepper your conversations with to help express yourself even more clearly when you’re chatting en español. ¡Anda! When I first started learning Spanish and hanging around with native speakers I kept hearing these noises that popped up in … Continue reading Sounds that make you sound Spanish – ¡Buah! ¡Anda! ¡Hala! ¡Uy! ¡Puf!


Cycling Southern Spain with Chris Atkin



Chris Atkin, author of his new book, (Just As Well) It’s Not About The Bike: A Journey Across Southern Spain, joins me in this episode to chat about his experience pedaling 1300 kilometres from Valencia to Gibraltar on a basic bike with only seven gears and barely enough room for panniers. Chris describes some of … Continue reading Cycling Southern Spain with Chris Atkin


Speaking Andaluz & life in Andalucía with Adam Harrison from El Inglés Andaluz



Think you can speak Spanish? Think again if you move to Andalucía! Adam Harrison moved to Huelva province seven years ago and realised that the local dialect was very different to the Spanish he had learnt. So on a quest to share is observations and frustrations learning Andaluz Adam set up InglesAndaluz on TikTok and … Continue reading Speaking Andaluz & life in Andalucía with Adam Harrison from El Inglés Andaluz


Sketches of Menorca – deep water, mayonnaise, horses’ private parts, gin & Georgian palaces



In this episode we delve into the curious history, culture and untouched landscape of the balearic island of Menorca. Joining us to guide us around this lesser-discovered island is Lorraine Ure. For Lorraine, Menorca was love at first sight when the cruise ship she was working on docked in the port of Mahón. She has … Continue reading Sketches of Menorca – deep water, mayonnaise, horses’ private parts, gin & Georgian palaces


Sephardic Roots – Jewish History in Spain & Sephardic Ancestry Citizenship



In this episode of The When in Spain podcast we’re talking about Jewish history or Sephardic history – to use the Hebrew word – in Spain. We’ll also be talking about a law that Spain passed in 2015 that has laid a pathway for people of Sephardic descent to reclaim Spanish citizenship – and one … Continue reading Sephardic Roots – Jewish History in Spain & Sephardic Ancestry Citizenship


The Basque Country with David Bumstead



Drizzle, green hills, pintxos, cider, pelota & bull running. We must be talking The Basque Country! Tucked into the corner of northeastern Spain, País Vasco, or as it is known in the regional Basque language, Euskadi is one of the lesser-known Spains for many. To talk us through the landscape, cities, beaches, language, traditions and … Continue reading The Basque Country with David Bumstead


Ernest Hemingway’s Madrid with historian Stephen Drake-Jones



In this episode I look at the American writer, Ernest Hemingway´s relationship with Madrid and wider Spain and how Spain and the Spanish capital inspired and influenced his writing. Ernest Hemingway is commonly associated with a handful of places around the world, most notably Paris, Pamplona, Havana, Key West and Ketchum, Idaho, where he took … Continue reading Ernest Hemingway’s Madrid with historian Stephen Drake-Jones


Charming Chinchón – Garlic, Goya, Anis, John Wayne & a picture-perfect plaza



Join me for a walk around a little slice of deep Spain, right on Madrid’s doorstep. Located on the Tagus-Jarama river basin, Chinchón is just 45km from Madrid but worlds apart. Although it has grown beyond its village confines, visiting its antique heart is like stepping back into a charming, ramshackle past. Surrounded by vineyards … Continue reading Charming Chinchón – Garlic, Goya, Anis, John Wayne & a picture-perfect plaza


The world of Sherry with culinary adventurer Annie B



This week I’ve got a great guest for you Spain lovers – I’m going to be chatting all about that famous Spanish wine, Sherry with Annie Manson – aka Annie B! Annie is a foodie, food writer, Sherry expert and qualified Sherry educator. Annie who hails from Scotland, ran her own successful catering and corporate … Continue reading The world of Sherry with culinary adventurer Annie B