Spain: A Culinary Wonder

Natives of each of these regions – 17 in total across the country – wear their local color with pride, exhibiting their passion through festivals, fiercely contested sporting occasions, and – most alluringly for the intrepid traveler – food. Passing through Madrid, Barcelona, or Bilbao, you’ll find the local cuisine shifts dramatically, with a carousel of dishes, ingredients, and cooking techniques to discover. Locals you encounter will all put forward a convincing case that their cuisine is the best on the Peninsula.

Improbably, Spanish food does not have quite carry the same worldwide cache as their near neighbors. While Italians claim to have ‘taught the world to eat’, and the French boast of their haute cuisine, Spanish food flies under the radar. Here at UTC we believe Spain to be Europe’s most underrated foodie destination; anyone planning their next trip to Europe, for whom diving into local cuisine a key part of the experience (that’s all of us then…), should be licking their lips as the gastronomic opportunities on offer here.

Located on Spain’s green northeastern coast, Bilbao is the de facto capital of the Basque Country. A thriving city, it is surrounded by lush rolling hills and spectacular coastline. Like the rest of the Basque it is renowned for its gastronomy: with traditional family-run eateries sitting next to Michelin-starred dining destinations; Pintxo bars – tiny wine bars specializing in spectacular ‘mini tapas’ – all offer their own take on Basque favorites. Bilbao’s impressive architecture includes the glittering titanium-clad Guggenheim museum and a series of historic treasures, including an art nouveau train station, neo-baroque theater, and some magnificent cathedrals.

La Rioja is a mecca for wine lovers in Spain. A postcard-perfect scene of lush vineyards and Medieval villages. The people of La Rioja share a history of winemaking going back centuries, exhibited in a series of atmospheric underground wine cellars, and backed up by highly modern wineries which are bringing Riojan culture right up to the contemporary. The region is easily explored as a day trip from San Sebastian, taking in a series of gorgeous vineyards and passing through impossibly beautiful villages such as hilltop Laguardia, with its medieval streets spilling out onto viewpoints that act as a natural balcony across the surrounding countryside.