When in Rome… do as the Romans do, or when in Barcelona, do as the locals do. Our eating patterns are quite particular and dinners are so late in Spain that we usually have a snack in the late afternoon. It is called the ‘Merienda’, and is also the perfect time to socialize among friends and family, without the commitment of a late dinner.

A merienda consists of a sweet or savory or snack, chatting and sitting around an old marble or wooden table. The most typical snack would be to have a ‘suizo’ with ‘melindros’ or ‘churros’. A ‘suizo’ (Swiss) is a cup of thick hot chocolate topped up with double cream, so it resembles a snowy mountain in Switzerland. Then comes the best part, when we dip in the churros or melindros and eat them coated in chocolate and cream.

If you prefer savory snacks instead, our expert guide will take you to a traditional bar where you can taste our local tomato bread, topped up with our great local Manchego cheese or dry local fuet.

I you so wish, you can follow up your merienda with a short walk around the hidden corners of the neighborhood, so you explore any remaining undiscovered area of the old city.