Tapas

A tapa is a small Spanish appetizer or snack to have with a drink.

The meaning of the word tapa is a “lid” or a “cover”.

 

It is a very social way to eat for local and tourists.  Tapa’s can be served hot or cold. Anything can be a tapa, a handful of olives, a slice of ham and cheese on bread, there was so many different types.

All the big cities have lots and lots of tapas bars. You can go and have one for a snack or continue to eat until you are really REALLY full! Or move from tapas bar to tapas bar!

In most of the bars they had the tapas sitting directly on the bar, other places had them on a menu.  The ones on the bar was always the best as you could see all the different choices. If you did not what they were called you could just point to the tasty little morsal.

Lots of them had a toothpick in them so you could easily pick them up. You can sit on stools against the bar, even kids are allowed to sit at the bar.

When the bars got really busy you can stand. At night time the tiny bars get really loud with everyone talking and laughing. You then need to shout your order through the people to be heard. You do not have to pay until the end, they keep track of what you have eaten and drunk.

 

It was a fun way to eat! Loved sharing a tapas night with Paul’s family, along with friends we met alone the Camino!