In a tapas bar in Marbella, I recently overheard a Dutch couple sighing that Spaniards “don’t really do gezelligheid.” I smiled. Having lived in England for years, I thought I knew what coziness was — until I heard the Dutch talk about gezelligheid. A word that fascinates even my British friends, because it seems to include everything from candlelight to croquettes. But here in Andalusia, I’ve learned that cozy living […]

Maybe it sounds familiar: you wake up, grab your phone, check your messages, coffee, shower, off you go. And before you know it, it’s already noon. Many Northern Europeans start their day in high gear — even here on the Costa. But the Spanish morning follows a different rhythm: slower, lighter, more mindful. And that makes all the difference. The power of a slow start In Spain, no one seems […]

There are days when a meal begins long before you take your first bite — a scent drifting from the kitchen that takes over the whole house: paprika, garlic, broth. Outside, the sea breeze still lingers softly, but inside something is simmering that tastes like comfort. On the Costa, November isn’t just the month of chestnuts, but also of Spanish stews — the season when patience becomes the main ingredient. […]

At the bakery this morning, I overheard someone say that the air conditioner works just fine as a heater. I thought it was a joke. Regular readers already know how complicated my relationship with that device is — let’s just say we tolerate each other as long as the thermostat stays out of it. But then, how do you heat a home in Spain? The misconception of comfort As soon […]

It starts with a smell. Not of sea salt or sunscreen, but something earthier. As I walk through Alicante’s old town, a sweet, smoky scent rises from a steel drum. Chestnuts. They hiss on the grill, their shells cracked open, edges blackened. A man scoops them into paper bags with a wooden spoon. It’s the first sign that summer is truly over. Regular readers of this column know I have […]