Tag Archives: expat life

Foodies in Madrid – Best bites (& sips) plus why do you listen to When in Spain?



I look back at a few food and drink episodes from last year. I sample some beautiful Jamón Ibérico with food guide Margit Sperling from Walk and Eat Spain.  Then I quaff wine and explore the world of Spanish vino with Luke Darracott and Roque Madrid from Madrid & Darracott. Check out the show notes … Continue reading Foodies in Madrid – Best bites (& sips) plus why do you listen to When in Spain?


Paella & pyrotechnics – A Valencia walking tour with photographer Paul Knowles



In this episode we’re talking and walking Spain’s third biggest city – the beautiful Mediterranean city of Valencia. Guiding us around Valencia is photographer and guide, Paul Knowles who runs his own walking private tour, Streets of Valencia. In the episode Paul talks history and reveals some of Valencia’s most important sights, including the Catedral … Continue reading Paella & pyrotechnics – A Valencia walking tour with photographer Paul Knowles


Málaga & The Costa del Sol with travel journalist Lisa Francesca Nand



This week I‘m joined by travel journalist and host of The Big Travel Podcast, Lisa Francesca Nand.  Lisa spent her childhood living on the Costa del Sol from the age of seven when her parents relocated from the north of England to the fishing village of Los Boliches near Fuengirola. Lisa recalls her childhood memories … Continue reading Málaga & The Costa del Sol with travel journalist Lisa Francesca Nand


Treading Toledo’s 2000-year history: Mosques, Monasteries & Synagogues



In this episode I pound the steep and winding cobbled streets of the former Spanish capital, Toledo to discover its incredibly rich and varied history. Once a city where Moors, Christians and Sephardic Jews all lived side by side. Capital of Spain until 1563, when the honour passed to the backwater village of Madrid just … Continue reading Treading Toledo’s 2000-year history: Mosques, Monasteries & Synagogues


Zipping around Zaragoza – a weekend in the capital of Aragón



Join me for a whirlwind wander around Zaragoza, the beautiful capital of the Spanish autonomous region of Aragón. I zipped up to Zaragoza on the AVE from Madrid to meet an old friend who lives in Barcelona. It´s the perfect half-way meeting place. In this episode I explore the city and visit some of Zaragoza´s … Continue reading Zipping around Zaragoza – a weekend in the capital of Aragón


Comedy as an antidote to the frustrations of living in Spain – Laughter is the best medicine with Richard Marshall



British comedian Richard Marshall from Madrid Stand Up Comedy talks to me about the frustration and isolation we can face when moving to Spain. Richard shares with us how he’s used comedy as an antidote to overcome the anxieties of immersing himself in a new culture and language. We also had lots of laughs examining … Continue reading Comedy as an antidote to the frustrations of living in Spain – Laughter is the best medicine with Richard Marshall


Moving to Spain a little later in life – a journey of personal growth & reinvention with Cepee Tabibian



Are you thinking of starting a new life in Spain but feel like you’ve left it too late? Do you want to break free of your routine and start a journey of reinvention, self-discovery and personal growth? Is it too late to change your life when you’re already in your 30s, 40s, 50s and beyond? … Continue reading Moving to Spain a little later in life – a journey of personal growth & reinvention with Cepee Tabibian


12 Favourite Madrid Streets – Exploding Markets, Weddings, Poodles, Pride, Tapas, Art & Piss!



According to the Madrid City Hall, El Ayuntamiento de Madrid the Spanish capital has 9,139 streets. This week I explore a handful of them with Spain travel consultant, Karen Rosenblum. No, we don’t walk all 9,139 of them, but on our wander around the Spanish capital between us we compile a list of our top … Continue reading 12 Favourite Madrid Streets – Exploding Markets, Weddings, Poodles, Pride, Tapas, Art & Piss!


Secrets of the Menú del Día – The history & future of Spain’s lunchtime meal deal



Join me and journalist, Fiona Govan from The Local news website as we eat our way through a Menú del Día – Spain’s great value fixed-price lunch menu which you can find in pretty much any restaurant in Spain, although often tourists and visitors are not sure what it is or what it includes. Find … Continue reading Secrets of the Menú del Día – The history & future of Spain’s lunchtime meal deal


A nation of gamblers? – Spanish lotteries, bingo, casinos & their history



Did you know that Spain´s Lottery is the second oldest in world? Did you know that Spaniards bet a whopping 1.9 billion euros each year? And did you know that one of the most popular lotteries in Spain was set-up by General Franco to help people who had been blinded during the Civil War? Join … Continue reading A nation of gamblers? – Spanish lotteries, bingo, casinos & their history