Must See Spain

There are summer drinks in Spain…and then there’s the tinto de verano at Restaurante José María in Segovia.

Cold, crisp, perfectly balanced—light enough to sip slowly in the afternoon heat, but bold enough to stand up to a plate of cochinillo. It wasn’t just a drink; it was the taste of Segovia itself, sunshine and history poured into a glass.

This was, without question, the best tinto de verano I had on my last trip. If you find yourself in Segovia, don’t miss it—sometimes the simplest things are the ones that stay with you the longest.

On our Barcelona trip, we made a special stop for our son—even though he was back in Madrid with the abuelos. He’s completely obsessed with corgis, so naturally we had to check out one of the city’s Corgi Cafes.

Picture this: lattes in hand, fluffy corgi tails wagging everywhere, and a crew of the happiest pups you’ve ever met. It’s part café, part cuddle session, and totally worth it if you’re an animal lover (or traveling with kids who can’t resist a corgi obsession).

Barcelona is full of quirky corners like this—beyond the Gaudí masterpieces and tapas bars, sometimes it’s the small, unexpected stops that make the trip unforgettable.

Would you add a corgi café to your travel list?

Hunting for the Best Tinto de Verano in Spain
I went all over Spain searching for my favorite tinto de verano. Casa Labra’s version? Crisp, refreshing, and dangerously close to winning—bonus points for being just steps from Puerta del Sol.

But Casa Labra isn’t just about what’s in the glass. Back in 1900, Madrid had 1,500 taverns for a population of 840,000 people—three of them right here on this street. Today, only about a dozen survive, and Casa Labra is one of them. It’s been here since 1860, weathering political shifts, revolutions, and even founding the Spanish Socialist Party in 1879.

Naturally, I had to get a photo here—when a tavern has this much history (and this much cod), you mark the occasion.

Speaking of cod… the legends themselves: a golden tajada de bacalao and the creamiest croquetas de bacalao. The batter is light and crisp, the fish inside perfectly salted and tender. At under €2 a piece, they’re a bite of Madrid’s history you can hold in one hand.

If you’re in Madrid, skip the chain cafés. Step into history, order a vermouth or tinto, grab your cod tapa, and stand at the counter like a local. That’s the Casa Labra way.

El Pimpi pours vermut, tinto de verano, and beer on tap. No gimmicks, just what locals and tourists alike want on a hot day. I grabbed a thick-cut tortilla Española at the bar—exactly the kind of anchor a summer afternoon needs.

📖 Get the full guide: “One Day in Malaga” — check the link in bio.

Málaga’s Roman Theatre isn’t showy, but it holds. Built in the 1st century BC and rediscovered mid-20th century, it’s wedged right into the heart of the city. Blink and you’ll miss it. Look closer, and it lingers.

📖 Read: “One Day in Malaga” — full breakdown in bio.

Read the latest Toledo blog with the link in my bio.
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Café de las Monjas – Sweet Start in Toledo

The next morning we wandered early and found ourselves at Café de las Monjas. Quiet inside. Marble tables. Nothing performative.

We ordered chocolate con churros—hot, crisp, and just sweet enough. Then a plate of mazapán, Toledo’s soft almond specialty. Subtle. Smooth. The kind of local food that teaches you to taste slower.

This wasn’t breakfast. It was a mood.

More Toledo food finds (with lots of churros): mustseespain.com

La Ermitaña – A View to Eat For
Lunch at La Ermitaña is a pause with a view. The terrace peers over the old city—cathedral, Alcázar, and river all in one gaze. It’s the kind of place where you don’t check your phone once.

We started with bread and goat butter, soft and earthy. Then croquetas de cabrales, airy inside, crisp outside. I had white asparagus with gazpachuela and prawns—bright, balanced, quietly stunning. He had the corvina, grilled and perfect.

Simple. Intentional. Honest. Like the city itself.
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All the eats and views from our day in Toledo: mustseespain.com

La Abadía – Stone, Silence, and Huevos Rotos
We stepped into La Abadía late in the afternoon. Tucked into a stone cellar, it felt cooler, quieter—like the day had exhaled a bit.

We ordered huevos rotos, that ever-reliable Spanish comfort dish: jamón, fried potatoes, and runny eggs cracked straight over the top. The yolk sank into everything and made it one. Familiar, honest, and exactly what we needed.

The room was hushed, and warm in the good way—brick walls, low light, and plates that didn’t try too hard.



For our full day in Toledo: Link in bio or mustseespain.com

La Malquerida – Tapas with No Agenda
3 p.m., still jet-lagged, still hungry. We wandered into La Malquerida, a place that didn’t overpromise—just delivered.

The patatas bravas came out hot and thick-cut, fried golden and layered with a creamy, smoky sauce that leaned more comfort than spice. Paired with a cold beer and a breeze through the open door? It was the first bite that made Toledo feel like Spain.

No reservations. No fuss. Just salt, crisp, and a table full of simple yes.



Tap the link in bio for our full food and city guide

📍 Áurea Toledo Hotel – History You Can Sleep In
There are hotels that feel like a pause in your itinerary—and then there are ones that feel like the reason you came. Áurea Toledo is the second.

Set just beneath the cathedral, this hotel is a quiet weave of seven medieval courtyard houses, each space folded into the next like the city’s own architecture. You don’t walk through this building—you drift through it. Stone floors, soft lighting, ceilings that haven’t been flattened by renovation.

At check-in: a glass of cava, a nod toward calm. Our room: mural fragments, worn beams, thick walls that held the day’s coolness. Every detail felt preserved, not performed.

Downstairs, a small private spa offered real rest. No music. No playlist. Just warm water, a dry sauna, and a bench warmed by stone and time. It was quiet in the most essential way.
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Full one-day guide in Toledo → Link in bio or mustseespain.com