A colourful walk by the sea in Malta, an unexpected encounter, and a curious story about the local boats with Norwegian design.

The best way to get to know a place is to get lost in it.

With this belief, I started walking down the sea promenade in Buġibba, without a map, internet connection, or even a direction. Armed with less than 15 euros and a camera, I set off on an expedition on the last day of my week-long trip.

I felt like time had stopped, or at least slowed down, just like life in summer resorts during the winter season. Thus, I could take note of any tiny detail that drew my attention. With my scarce like a continental breakfast knowledge about the island, I could not explain all the British influence around here. The cars were going “the wrong way”, the traffic lights and the taxis were identical with the ones I used to see in London, the sockets had three wholes and so on. It turns out that Malta was part of the British Empire for more than 150 years, becoming independent only in late 1964.

Often, a peculiar terrace or a door would lead me into a labyrinth of narrow streets. Later, I’d eventually find my way back to the sea promenade, going straight ahead. I came across a small dock, crowded with colourful boars. As I was taking them a photoshoot, I heard someone asking: “So, you like boats?”. Honestly, no, I just enjoy pretty shots and I had seen potential in the abundance of bright colours.

The Maltese man who was asking had little to no interest in photography. Boats were his passion. In the girl, enthusiastically taking photos by the dock, he saw a soul mate. I could not speak about boats, but I thoroughly enjoyed his story about the “Maltese boats with a Norwegian design”.

Back in 1091, Malta was mainly populated by Muslims. Christians were considered “second rate” kind of people and they had no right to own property. That disturbed Pope Urban II who sent a reputable Norwegian general and his army of Crusaders to the island.

Although the Knights of the Cross were used to battles, in Malta they were supposed to deal with the situation in a non-violent way. Therefore, the Norwegian man bought off all land from the Muslims, paying them several times what it was worth. Left with no place to live and enough money to start a new life, the followers of Islam moved to Africa, settling in Morocco and Libya. Christians bought cheaply the newly freed land and started working it. To this day Malta is a Catholic country and its population is quite religious.

The army of Crusaders stayed on the island to keep things in order. Probably, most of them married Maltese women. “Poor guys” – said my tour guide, his voice heavy with sorrow. Norwegians were skilled in shipbuilding and they loved fishing. For this reason, they started making boats, just as they did back in their homeland. However, when they tried to hammer together all the wooden pieces, they would crack. The timber on the island was a lot softer than the one they had up North. So the Maltese people showed Norwegians how to build their boats, laying one wooden strip on top of another. The foreigners adopted the local technique, but they kept the Norwegian design. Nowadays, Maltese vessels look identical to the ones found in Scandinavia.

After sharing this lovely story, my tour guide had to go as his wife was waiting for him. “Is she local?”- I asked. He nodded. “Poor you.” – I said apologetically and we parted with a smile.

The pull of Barcelona is undeniable. The number of tourists has grown more than four times for the past 25 years. The record of 7,5 million of visitors per year makes this one of the most popular destinations in Europe (after London, Paris and Rome). In my previous post I talked about the tourist side of Barcelona.

Now I want to present to you the other side of the Catalonian capital, which is reserved only for real explorers. It is charming, sometimes childishly funny, other times serious. 

A tasty start of the tour

It is best to start the day like the locals: at that inconvenient time when it is too late to have breakfast and too early to have lunch. That is the perfect moment to try some American-style pancakes with strawberries, banana, coconut flakes and maple syrup. Truth be told, choosing what to eat is really hard when your stomach is growling and you have a menu full of tasty temptations. Good thing is that there is no wrong choice in Bruch&Cake. Bad thing is that you are probably never going to be hungry enough to try all they have on offer.

Barcelona is actually full of cafes and restaurants that offer amazing food. There is literally something for everyone. For those of us who love healthy vegan and vegetarian food the city is paradise. That being said, I cannot possibly go without mentioning the Gopal protein burger and the Teresa Carles restaurant chain.

Encants market and the dance of the lights

This is one of the places you need to see after dark. The mirrored ceiling of the Encants market shines like gold as the street lights are reflected. This incredible modern structure is meant to dignify the lively commercial activity that went on here since 1928. Encants, the market for second-hand goods, existed even back in the 15^th century. It has had varios locations but its name “Charm” (translated from Catalan) has always stayed the same. Anything – from antique furniture to vintage clothing – could charm you here.

You are bound to find a group of excited children and adults on the other side of the tramway. They are most likely singling, shouting, imitating animals or just making inarticulate sounds. All this cacophony just to see their voices turned into light. There are a few highly sensitive sensors placed around the square adjacent to the Museum of Design. They react to sound intensity, turning any voice or noise into colourful figures on the 550 LED lamps at ground level. Try repeating rhythmically some random sounds: that would drive the lights crazy as well as anyone nearby!

The bunkers of Carmel

The Rovira hill is a lovely place from which you can enjoy the sunset, the sunrise or just the stunning 360-degree view over Barcelona! You can see the basilica of the “Holy family”, located in the heart of the city; the Tibidabo hill and the lonely church on top of it; the straight streets and boulevards that lead straight to the beach and the Mediterranean sea, which slowly melts into the sky.

The bunkers of Carmel, situated on the top of the Rovira hill, are here since the time of the Spanish Civil war (1936-1939). They were built as a fortification that would protect Barcelona from the bombings of general Franco. There used to be meter-long canons mounted into the concrete and stone walls. After the war, they were removed and the place was abandoned. But its fantastic view has earned it some popularity. In recent years the spot is frequented by many local and foreign “explorers”.

I challenge you to find more “hidden” gems in town. Barcelona is full of surprises and it has what it takes to charm each and every one of its visitors. Do not be just a tourist, be a bold, brave and curious explorer!

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

Spain is a mosaic of different cultures and local cuisine is the reflection. The large variety of meals is also due to the geography of the country with high mountains and tropical islands. Arguably the best thing about Spanish food is that it is easy to make and surprisingly tasty.

Here are three recipes for starters made with tomato. Light and fresh, they are a perfect choice for the hot summer days.

Gazpacho Andaluz

Gazpacho used to be a simple garlic soup before the discovery of the New world. After Columbus came back from his voyage the recipe was enhanced with tomato, cucumber and pepper. Empress Eugénie de Montijo, a Spanish noblewoman and a wife to Napoleon III, introduced the fresh tomato soup in the French court in the 19^th century. Nowadays this dish is popular all around the world because it is delicious and easy to make.

Ingredients (for the soup)

• 1 kg ripen tomatoes
• 1 green pepper
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g bread crumbles
• 150 ml olive oil
• 3 Ts white wine vinegar
• Salt

Ingredients (for garnishing)

• 50 g onion
• 1 tomato
• 50 g green pepper
• 50 g cucumber
• 50 g croutons

Method 

Peel the tomatoes: first make an X shape into the skin using a sharp knife, put them into hot water for 1-2 minutes and then remove the skin. Cut the pepper into cubes. Wet the bread crumbs using 150 ml of water and drain the excess. Put all ingredients into a blender and pulse a few times until you get a fine purée. Add salt to taste and let the mixture cool in the fridge for a few hours.

Serve the soup together with some finely chopped onion, croutons and tomato, pepper and cucumber cut into cubes. Enjoy your home-made tomato soup.

Baked tomatoes

This is one of the simplest Mediterranean recipes. The baked tomatoes are usually served for starter together with bread and olive oil. They are equally delicious both warm and cooled.

Ingredients

• 500 g tomatoes
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 Ts parsley
• 3 Ts water
• 1 Ts bread crumbs
• Olive oil
• Milled red pepper
• Salt

Method

Cut the tomatoes into 1 cm thick circles or in halves depending on their size. Put them into an oiled baking dish and sprinkle some salt.

Pound the garlic, finely chopped parsley and salt using pestle and mortar. Add water to the mixture and spread it out evenly over the tomatoes. Sprinkle some milled red pepper and bread crumbs. Bake the potatoes for 15-20 minutes. Top them with fruit vinegar and serve.

Bread with tomato

Home-made bread, coated with tomato juice and the most precious balm – olive oil, sprinkled with sea salt, is the essence of Catalonian cuisine. The process of making it described in an incredibly poetical manner in the book “The art of Spanish cuisine”. It sounds more like something divine rather than a culinary recipe. You can imagine what a “miracle” it was for people to turn their dry bread into fresh, tomato-flavoured slices.

Ingredients

• Bread
• Ripen tomatoes
• Olive oil
• Sea salt
• Cheese (optional)

Method

Cut the bread into 1,5 cm thick slices. Halve the tomatoes and coat each slice in juice on both sides. The bread needs to get a reddish tint. Add some salt and olive oil to taste.

You can also put cheese on top. I coated the bread slices with olive oil and baked them for 15 minutes at 200^oC to get them extra crispy. Then, I savoured them in the company of the baked tomatoes from the previous recipe.

Try this outstanding recipe for traditional tortilla de patatas if you appreciate Spanish cuisine. This is one of the most popular culinary temptations and it goes perfectly with all three tomato-based starters in this post.

The pull of Barcelona is undeniable. The number of tourists has grown more than four times for the past 25 years. The record of 7,5 million of visitors per year makes this one of the most popular destinations in Europe (after London, Paris and Rome). In my previous post I talked about the tourist side of Barcelona. 

Now I want to present to you the other side of the Catalonian capital, which is reserved only for real explorers. It is charming, sometimes childishly funny, other times serious. 

A tasty start of the tour

It is best to start the day like the locals: at that inconvenient time when it is too late to have breakfast and too early to have lunch. That is the perfect moment to try some American-style pancakes with strawberries, banana, coconut flakes and maple syrup. Truth be told, choosing what to eat is really hard when your stomach is growling and you have a menu full of tasty temptations. Good thing is that there is no wrong choice in Bruch&Cake. Bad thing is that you are probably never going to be hungry enough to try all they have on offer.

Barcelona is actually full of cafes and restaurants that offer amazing food. There is literally something for everyone. For those of us who love healthy vegan and vegetarian food the city is paradise. That being said, I cannot possibly go without mentioning the Gopal protein burger and the Teresa Carles restaurant chain.

Encants market and the dance of the lights

This is one of the places you need to see after dark. The mirrored ceiling of the Encants market shines like gold as the street lights are reflected. This incredible modern structure is meant to dignify the lively commercial activity that went on here since 1928. Encants, the market for second-hand goods, existed even back in the 15^th century. It has had varios locations but its name “Charm” (translated from Catalan) has always stayed the same. Anything – from antique furniture to vintage clothing – could charm you here.

You are bound to find a group of excited children and adults on the other side of the tramway. They are most likely singling, shouting, imitating animals or just making inarticulate sounds. All this cacophony just to see their voices turned into light. There are a few highly sensitive sensors placed around the square adjacent to the Museum of Design. They react to sound intensity, turning any voice or noise into colourful figures on the 550 LED lamps at ground level. Try repeating rhythmically some random sounds: that would drive the lights crazy as well as anyone nearby!

The bunkers of Carmel

The Rovira hill is a lovely place from which you can enjoy the sunset, the sunrise or just the stunning 360-degree view over Barcelona! You can see the basilica of the “Holy family”, located in the heart of the city; the Tibidabo hill and the lonely church on top of it; the straight streets and boulevards that lead straight to the beach and the Mediterranean sea, which slowly melts into the sky.

The bunkers of Carmel, situated on the top of the Rovira hill, are here since the time of the Spanish Civil war (1936-1939). They were built as a fortification that would protect Barcelona from the bombings of general Franco. There used to be meter-long canons mounted into the concrete and stone walls. After the war, they were removed and the place was abandoned. But its fantastic view has earned it some popularity. In recent years the spot is frequented by many local and foreign “explorers”.

I challenge you to find more “hidden” gems in town. Barcelona is full of surprises and it has what it takes to charm each and every one of its visitors. Do not be just a tourist, be a bold, brave and curious explorer!

The pull of Barcelona is undeniable. The number of tourists has grown more than four times for the past 25 years. The record of 7,5 million of visitors per year makes this one of the most popular destinations in Europe (after London, Paris and Rome). In my previous post I talked about the tourist side of Barcelona. 

Now I want to present to you the other side of the Catalonian capital, which is reserved only for real explorers. It is charming, sometimes childishly funny, other times serious. 

A tasty start of the tour

It is best to start the day like the locals: at that inconvenient time when it is too late to have breakfast and too early to have lunch. That is the perfect moment to try some American-style pancakes with strawberries, banana, coconut flakes and maple syrup. Truth be told, choosing what to eat is really hard when your stomach is growling and you have a menu full of tasty temptations. Good thing is that there is no wrong choice in Bruch&Cake. Bad thing is that you are probably never going to be hungry enough to try all they have on offer.

Barcelona is actually full of cafes and restaurants that offer amazing food. There is literally something for everyone. For those of us who love healthy vegan and vegetarian food the city is paradise. That being said, I cannot possibly go without mentioning the Gopal protein burger and the Teresa Carles restaurant chain.

Encants market and the dance of the lights

This is one of the places you need to see after dark. The mirrored ceiling of the Encants market shines like gold as the street lights are reflected. This incredible modern structure is meant to dignify the lively commercial activity that went on here since 1928. Encants, the market for second-hand goods, existed even back in the 15^th century. It has had varios locations but its name “Charm” (translated from Catalan) has always stayed the same. Anything – from antique furniture to vintage clothing – could charm you here.

You are bound to find a group of excited children and adults on the other side of the tramway. They are most likely singling, shouting, imitating animals or just making inarticulate sounds. All this cacophony just to see their voices turned into light. There are a few highly sensitive sensors placed around the square adjacent to the Museum of Design. They react to sound intensity, turning any voice or noise into colourful figures on the 550 LED lamps at ground level. Try repeating rhythmically some random sounds: that would drive the lights crazy as well as anyone nearby!

The bunkers of Carmel

The Rovira hill is a lovely place from which you can enjoy the sunset, the sunrise or just the stunning 360-degree view over Barcelona! You can see the basilica of the “Holy family”, located in the heart of the city; the Tibidabo hill and the lonely church on top of it; the straight streets and boulevards that lead straight to the beach and the Mediterranean sea, which slowly melts into the sky.

The bunkers of Carmel, situated on the top of the Rovira hill, are here since the time of the Spanish Civil war (1936-1939). They were built as a fortification that would protect Barcelona from the bombings of general Franco. There used to be meter-long canons mounted into the concrete and stone walls. After the war, they were removed and the place was abandoned. But its fantastic view has earned it some popularity. In recent years the spot is frequented by many local and foreign “explorers”.

I challenge you to find more “hidden” gems in town. Barcelona is full of surprises and it has what it takes to charm each and every one of its visitors. Do not be just a tourist, be a bold, brave and curious explorer!