From tapas to paellas, jamon iberico to papas canarias, a culinary journey under the Spanish sun

Whichever city you choose, tapas bars with hanging Iberian hams await you on every street corner in Spain! As an added bonus, you can enjoy a tasty cold beer for less than a euro, accompanied by delicious pata negra, octopus, squid, cheese, bread toasted with olive oil and fresh tomato, or croquetas, gambas, bull tail... the list is endless! All in a typical, friendly setting, and at low prices! Here are just a few of them.

The name paella comes from the name of the pan used to cook this dish. It originated in Valencia, Spain's 3rd largest city after Madrid and Barcelona. There are many recipes and variations, but you won't find any seafood in the original paella! The main ingredient in this dish is rice. And just as well, since it has been grown mainly in the Valencia region since it (and saffron) were introduced to the Iberian Peninsula during the Arab occupation. Rice has been grown since the 13th century in the sumptuous Albufera lagoon.

Valencian paella is cooked with this round rice, saffron, tomato, beans, sweet chilli pepper and meat from farmyard animals: chicken, hen, duck and rabbit. Never seafood! On the other hand, we like to add green beans and coconut beans, artichokes and even snails. Chorizo, a sausage seasoned with paprika, is often found in paëllas, but more often in marisco (seafood).

It was Franco who decided that paella should become a national emblem, in particular to promote tourism. The colours of paella are also reminiscent of those of the Spanish flag: yellow and red! This dish is a good representation of Spanish culture, with its warm colours, spices and conviviality... We're asking for more!

World Paella Day, which takes place every year on 20 September, is an opportunity to pay tribute to the city of Valencia, which is responsible for one of the best-known dishes on the planet, and an emblem of Spain the world over.

A typical miniature Spanish dish, tapas are synonymous with sharing with friends and conviviality. Gourmets can nibble and taste hundreds of these little dishes for just a few euros. In many of Spain's bars, all you have to do is order a beer and they'll bring you free tapas to nibble on and make your meal!

Pitted greenolives stuffed with anchovies and served with parmesan, pata negra Iberian ham, Vic sausage, tomato-soaked bread, steamed king prawns, bull tail, cracked eggs, fried potatoes with onions or peppers, local cold meats, queso (cheese), calamari or tortilla española (Spanish omelette), patatas bravas and patatas aïoli are just some of the flavours that will satisfy your palate, but the list is endless! Ham croquetas are the most traditional, but you'll find more and more croquetas with mushrooms, crab, squid, prawns, cod or flavourful cheeses.

Andalusia and Extremadura are home to one of the best hams in the world: Iberian ham, made from black pigs (the famous pata negra). Huelva is home to the famous Jamon Bellotta. Characterised by its gastronomic excellence, the Iberian pig is obtained by feeding the pigs a diet in the mountainous regions of the Sierra de Aracena, consisting exclusively of acorns and natural pastures.

Prices are high, as this is truly a luxury product! A mainstay of the region's gastronomy, dozens of Iberian hams hang over the counters, particularly in Jabugo, the temple of ham. There is even a ham route in the Sierra de Aracena.

Anyone who has driven on the roads of Spain has seen a huge black bull (14 metres high!), which lines the country from north to south. It is the symbol of the Osborne brand of wine, the most prestigious brand of fino wine. Founded in 1772, Osborne is one of the oldest wineries in the Xerez Denomination of Origin, and belongs to one of the largest groups in the region, offering a wide range of quality wines and brandies. The wines, brandies and vinegars are protected by an AOC: Jerez (in Spain) Xérès (in France) and Sherry (in the UK). This know-how has been passed down since the time of the Phoenicians, then perfected by the Romans and their successors right up to the present day.

As it is a blend of several harvests, there is never a date written on a sherry wine. Fino (including Osborne) is one of the driest. Manzanilla, found in Sanlucar, is sweeter. The Osborne winery, with over 5,000 barrels, is located in the town of Puerto de Santa Maria, in southern Andalusia, not far from Cadiz and Jerez de la Frontera. The Osborne Group also owns Sanchez Romero Carvajal, the best-known brand of ham in the world: Jabugo Iberian ham.

Do you love good wine? Have you already travelled through Burgundy, Bordeaux and the Loire Valley? How about a little exoticism? Head for the north of Spain, to Rioja. Rioja is like Champagne in France, a region inextricably linked to its vineyards, a qualified designation of origin. It's the cradle of Spanish viticulture, but also of the Spanish language! It's the Spanish Bordeaux, and its vineyards produce some of the finest wines in Spain.

The food here is excellent, especially the famous pintxos, the local tapas! In fact, La Rioja is located just below the Basque Country, and uses the same appellation for tapas. The vineyards of La Rioja, the most famous in Spain, with their prestigious vintages, also extend into the Basque province of Alava. This is the famous Rioja Alavesa and its wine route, known for its Rioja Qualified Designation of Origin. You can stay at the Hotel Marqués de Riscal, attached to the cellars of the same name, designed by the famous Canadian architect Frank Gehry, to whom we owe the famous Guggenheim Museum. The landscapes of the Ríoja Alavesa are superb, providing an ideal backdrop for a walk through the vineyards.

Bagpipes, dolmen, cider, steep cliffs and wild coves, abers (here we're talking about rias, river valleys invaded by the sea) - no, you're not in Brittany, you're in Galicia! Except that it's not just cider that's drunk here! Galicia produces world-renowned wines! Fans of fish and seafood can enjoy some of the best seafood on the Iberian Peninsula. Calamari, octopus, mussels, barnacles, scallops, lobsters and oysters, all in true Galician style, washed down with a wine from one of Galicia's 5 D.O.C.'s (Rías Baixas, O Ribeiro, Monterrei, Ribeira Sacra and Valdeorras). Wine tourism is growing fast here, with visits to wine cellars and tastings.

Here's a truly original wine route: in the middle of volcano craters! Head for Lanzarote in the Canaries, where the vines are grown using a technique that is unique in the world. The result is a strange landscape dotted with low walls of volcanic stone that protect the vines from the wind. Known as picon, the black volcanic sand is highly fertile. A system that preserves the earth's moisture. This technique guarantees an artisanal process, from planting to harvesting the grapes. The wines produced are classified according to an appellation of origin that brings together around ten wineries. Malvoisie white wine is the most famous.