What separates a tasca from a bar elsewhere in the world is its tapas. The delightful tradition of serving small snacks with drinks is found all over Spain, but attains its greatest heights in the cities of Madrid, Barcelona, Seville Santiago de Compostela and the smaller, sophisticated San Sebastián.

Tapa means to cover or lid, and the association with appetizers is thought to have come from the old habit of placing a slice of bread or a piece of ham on top of one’s wine glass (probably to keep out insects). The edible “lid” was the precursor of modern-day tapas, which now number in the hundreds in variety. One bar in Madrid offers over eighty different tapas on the menu!