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Restaurants abound in the heavily touristed Gothic Quarter, but few of them are particularly good. Irati is one of the exceptions, a bustling spot popular with locals thanks to its excellent pintxos, traditional Basque tapas served on bread and speared with a toothpick. There’s seating in the back, but you’re really here for the experience of eating pintxos, which means standing shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar and helping yourself to the buffet of bite-size offerings. A sure bet is the jamón, lightly drizzled in olive oil, and the blue cheese topped with quince paste and walnuts. Save room for the hot snacks, like ham-and-cheese croquetas, which are brought out at regular intervals from the kitchen. And don’t toss your toothpicks—that’s how the bill is tallied.

If you’re in Madrid and in the mood for tapas, you might not know exactly where to go or what to taste. The Mercado San Miguel (metro Sol) takes away all that decision-making by providing you with a taste experience all under one roof. The old, derelict market was renovated just a few years ago and turned into an upmarket culinary emporium of sorts. It has more than 30 food stalls, each selling something different. My favorite is the bellota ham sold at Carrasco, but there is plenty more. You can sample sherries and Rioja wines at the wine bar, or do as Spaniards do and pick away at tapas as you make your way through the market. I highly recommend the croquettes, or croquetas, in one of the outside alleys: they have ham, chicken, shrimp, cheese and a variety of others. The more standard tapas area easy to find, like tortilla, and seafood is beautifully laid out for you to pick and choose. Right in the middle is my top-rated tapa place. I couldn’t find a name for it but it’s the largest counter, shaped like a U, and has everything from potatoes aioli to steamed razor clams, with everything in-between.

The man behind the award-winning molecular gastronomy at el Bulli and his younger brother are the great culinary minds behind contemporary tapas bar Tickets, on Avinguda Parallel in Barcelona’s theatre district. Don’t miss molecular favorites like the spherical olives, liquid ravioli and air-baguette from el Bulli that made it onto the menu.

Less than an hour from Barcelona’s city center, Sant Sadurní d’Anoia is the perfect day trip for wine aficionados, particularly fans of cava, the sparkling wine from Catalonia. Tour the grounds at multinational operations like Cordoníu and Freixenet, or sign up for a tasting at one of the smaller mom-and-pop operations. Most wineries have bottles for sale and larger operations can even ship a case home for you. Bus and bike tours are available.

Read articles from this print issue of Afar Magazine.

On this week’s episode of Travel Tales by AFAR, an art lover on a whirlwind trip through Spain and France explores the dramatic life—and complicated legacy—of Pablo Picasso.

On this week’s episode of Unpacked, author and journalist Paige McClanahan shares what it takes to be a tourist who makes a positive impact on the places—and people— you visit.

In the first episode of Unpacked by AFAR, a traveler explores how we can be better to the places we visit (and why we should save the concept of revenge for the movies).

Taste culinary creativity at its finest and flavors from around the globe on this four-day Toronto getaway filled with incredible restaurants and food experiences.

On this episode of “View From AFAR,” Walt Leger, President and CEO of New Orleans & Company talks about the city’s vibe and where to go beyond the French Quarter.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, we journey to Kerala, India, to explore what tourism looks like when it truly benefits a local community—and travelers.

On this episode of View From Afar, hospitality leader Anna Nash reveals how Explora Journeys blends luxury hotel sensibilities with slow travel, sustainability, and thoughtful design to reimagine life at sea.

On this episode of Unpacked, four editors reveal how they chose the best off-the-beaten-path destinations for this year’s “Where to Go in 2025” list.

In this week’s episode of Unpacked by AFAR, an AFAR editor—and digital nomad—explores the dark side of working remotely.