Tapas are a fundamental part of Spanish culture. They are not just food; they are a way of life, deeply ingrained in Spanish social customs. The word “tapa” means lid or cover. Tapas started as a piece of cheese placed over your glass of wine to prevent flies from getting in. This evolved into people recognizing that by having a bit to eat with each drink, they didn’t get as drunk as quickly (and could drink more/longer). It took us a while to figure out the routine, but In Segovia and surrounding towns basically you receive some kind of small tapa EVERY time you order a drink. If you are at the bar ordering, there is typically a case (like a bakery case) full of small portions of different kinds of foods. You just point at the one you want and it comes free with your drink. If there is no case or you are ordering from a table, they will just give you some random little plate of food along with your drinks. Super cool!

We didn’t automatically get tapas with drink orders in the northern coastal towns… maybe some olives at best!