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In these rare times, it always helps to escape and discover other places thanks to art, literature, cinema or music.
At the moment you cannot visit us, but … how about using these days to discover Spain from the comfort of your home? At Sonneil, we have put together a list of options to keep boredom well away.
Because there’s a lot to learn from the good life in Spain.
Books to know Spain
What better way to get to know a place than by reading about it? It is difficult to choose, but we are suggesting you five books on different topics that will bring you a little closer to Spain. 📚
- The Great book of Traditional Cuisine, by Sergio Fernández. The title says it all, right? Discover Spain through its flavors, dishes and raw materials. Nothing more and nothing less than 500 recipes of Spanish cuisine of a lifetime!
- The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. One of the most acclaimed novels in contemporary Spanish literature, it is perfect for discovering 20th century Barcelona hand in hand with mystery.
- A Handbook for Travellers in Spain, by Richard Ford. Ford discovered Spain in 1831, when he arrived in Seville. From there, he traveled the country on horseback. Thanks to his notes, we have one of the first travel guides for Spain ever.
- Ghosts of Spain: Travels Through a Country’s Hidden Past, by Giles Tremlett. A foreigner writing about Spain? Yes, and he does it as if he had been born right here. Tremlett explains and reflects on Spanish politics, society and culture. A must read!
- The Prado, by the Prado Museum. Collects essential works from the history of universal art on a chronological tour of the Prado Museum collection. Velázquez, Goya, El Gredo, Murillo … Beauty galore!
Ah! You can read further about small paradises on the Costa Blanca and the Costa del Sol in our blog. We can’t help it, we are crazy about being close to the sea!
Past and present greatest hits
Music accompanies us in the best and worst moments. To discover Spain through its songs, visit our Spotify playlist. Create your own dance floor and get your feet tapping! 🎉
Some of the most legendary songs in Spanish music (and Sonneil’s favourites) are:
- Mediterráneo, by Joan Manuel Serrat. For those who love the sea and the coastal breeze.
- La vida sigue igual, by Julio Iglesias. For the unregenerate old-schoolers.
- Bailando, by Alaska and Los Pegamoides. For hyperactives.
- Libre, by Nino Bravo. For those who dream of flying.
- Rufino, by Luz Casal. For the 80s nostalgic ones.
- La Puerta de Alcalá, by Ana Belén and Víctor Manuel. For monument hunters.
- ¡Qué bonito!, by Rosario Flores. For the emotional ones.
- Me colé en una fiesta, by Mecano. For those who find parties everywhere.
- No puedo vivir sin ti, by Los Ronaldos. For hopeless lovers.
- Malamente, by Rosalía. For the modern ones.
Travel with documentaries
We cannot travel throughout Spain now, but who says we cannot know it better? We have put together a list of documentaries to discover some of the most impressive landscapes and cities in our country. So write down the ones you like the most and, when these days are over, go visit them! 🌁🌄
- Ciudades españolas Patrimonio de la Humanidad. RTVE streams a documentary series to discover the great cities of the History of Spain. Córdoba, Salamanca, Ibiza and Santiago de Compostela are some of them.
- Mi querida España tells the country’s history through the interviews of Jesús Quintero, one of the great Spanish interviewers of recent times.
- Diario de un nómada. Miquel Silvestre travels Spain on a motorcycle to show us a country of contrasts: large cities and endless fields. A different way of traveling!
- Mar de Levante. In this chapter of the documentary program Spain, between heaven and earth, the main character is the coast of the Valencian Community. Looking forward to a quick dip!
Movies to discover Spain
Spanish cinema has titles that will go down in history for its mastery in portraying the culture, family life or idiosyncrasy of Spaniards. There are many (many), but these are some of the essentials 🎞:
- The language of the butterflies, by José Luis Cuerda. The saddest episode of Spain’s history seen through the eyes of a child.
- Eight Basque surnames, by Emilio Martínez-Lázaro. Much humor to deal with some of the regional topics in Spain.
- Open your eyes, by Alejandro Amenábar. Amenábar’s masterpiece. We’d better keep our mouth shut. You have to watch it yourself!
- Volver, by Pedro Almodóvar. A raw and realistic postcard from rural Spain.
Now, you know where to start to know Spain. If you wish to continue discovering wonderful places, you can follow us on our Instagram and Facebook accounts. At Sonneil, we are available for anyone who dreams of living on the Spanish coast and finding a place where they can enjoy the light and the sea in this wonderful corner of the world.
