Tapas

Tapas are less a menu than a way of life in Spain: small plates of food shared over drinks, from olives, ham and cheese to fried fish, patatas bravas and tortilla, eaten standing at a bar and often hopping from one to the next. In Andalusia a tapa may come free with a drink; in the Basque north they become pintxos, elaborate morsels crowding the counter.

The main sights

• The small plates - the shared dishes from ham and olives to fried fish.
• The bar-hop - the tradition of moving from bar to bar.
• Andalusian free tapas - the plate that comes with a drink in the south.
• Basque pintxos - the elaborate counter morsels of the north.

When to go

Year-round; an evening of grazing, best from around eight or nine at night when Spaniards eat. Bar-hopping between several places is the authentic way rather than sitting for one big meal.

What to expect

Spaniards eat late, so bars are quiet before eight or nine in the evening. The custom varies by region, from free tapas in Granada to pay-per-pintxo in the Basque Country. Tourist-area bars can overcharge, so follow the locals to the busy ones.

Nearby

Every Spanish city has its tapas bars; Seville, Granada and San Sebastian are famous for them.