Top tapas tips from the experts in Spain

Who knew? June 16 is World Tapas Day, undoubtedly a concoction of the tourism promotion folks in Spain, but still a good excuse to learn more about the small delicacies that have gained popularity far beyond their native land. One of the promoters, the Tourist Office of Spain, put up a great website to tout the event, and it includes a tapas primer and quiz, along with advice on how to get the most from a tapas crawl and some recipes to try at home. While Madrid is considered the tapas capital, Barcelona and other cities have plenty of places to get patatas bravas and other traditional bites, as well as more original fare.

Quimet y Quimet is one of the best tapas bars in Barcelona.

One of our favorites in Barcelona is Quimet y Quimet. This pocket-sized joint takes a little effort to reach, as it's tucked away on a small street far from the main tourist zones, but the rewards are worth it. Like many good eating places in Europe, there is no website, although there is a modest Facebook page. If you go here, you can order from the menu or ask the person behind the bar - usually fifth generation owner Quim Perez - to put together your own favorite combination.

Whipping up a tapas treat at Quimet y Quimet.

Other notable Barcelona shops include Cerveceria Catalana in l'Eixample, El Xampanyet in El Born and El Quim in the Boqueria market. We also enjoy Bilbao Berria in El  Born, which is conveniently located near our most popular vacation rental apartments.

Bilbao Berria is a recent addition to El Born, and a very good one.

One of the most popular spots here is Sagardi, which serves pintxos, a Basque specialty in which meat, fish, veggies or a combination served on a slice of bread. Here's an article about the difference between tapas and pintxos.

Sagardi in El Born if very popular.

Like the more mainstream Taller de Tapas, Sagardi has multiple locations in Barcelona, and either is a safe choice for those not willing to take a chance on one of the innumerable mom-and-pop shops found throughout the city.

You can quickly walk to these El Born favorites by staying in one of the nicely renovated and very well maintained apartments we offer there. This one is big enough for a family or group of traveling companions, with two full bathrooms.

The living/dining area looks onto a private interior patio.

One bedroom faces the street. There are modern, acoustic windows.

Don't need so much space? No problem, we can show you many vacation rental apartments in Barcelona or Paris suitable for a couple, small family, or for a business trip. Check out some examples at www.likelivingthere.com or if you'd rather, just drop an email to info@likelivingthere.com with your trip basics, and we'll get back to you promptly with recommendations.