How did anarchism lead to charming Casas Viejas village to change its name to ‘Benalup’?
IMAGINE that you’re driving to Cadiz for a holiday from Madrid or Marbella, and you’ve decided to leave the main road, in order to take
ON THIS DAY: Dali, Buñuel – and Dani Carvajal? A trio of Spanish geniuses have links to this weekend in January
IT’S one of the coldest, darkest weekends around Spain, where traditionally not much happens and nobody has any money or energy left. With the festivities
MICHAEL COY explains how the lives of two Spanish princesses 500 years apart didn’t go to plan – thanks to their choice of husbands
DISNEY princesses never had it easy. Their paths to a happy ending were always strewn with formidable obstacles: evil stepmothers, jealous witches, tentacle-bottomed sea sorceresses
REYES: The connections to Spain’s top composer and a now extinct rare mountain goat
THREE Kings Day – or ‘Reyes’ in Spanish – is known to Anglosaxons as ‘the Epiphany’. It falls on January 6, and while it’s no
Birmingham-Tenerife Flight Hit by Severe Turbulence
A RYANAIR plane was struck by ‘severe turbulence’ on Sunday afternoon (28 December) and was forced to return to England. Some passengers were injured. Flight
MICHAEL COY delves into the world of Spain’s premier forensic linguist – who catches crooks with just one word
HER name is Sheila Queralt. By training, she’s a linguist. But if you are thinking of committing crime in Barcelona, her home town, or anywhere
Spain doesn’t quite get Christmas as we know it, writes MICHAEL COY – so here’s how to enjoy it the Spanish way
MICHAEL COY discusses some of the rituals associated with the winter festivities. Just like with Hallowe’en, Spain has tended to go off half-cocked over Christmas.
MICHAEL COY introduces us to his hero – George Santayana: A Spanish-American thinker famous for his pithy sayings
Whom should we choose as our heroes? John Wayne? Cristiano Ronaldo? Nigel Farage? Should we have heroes at all? MICHAEL COY introduces us to one
Daring swashbuckle and the restoration of honour: MICHAEL COY on a Spanish theatrical classic -the Mayor of Zalamea
MICHAEL COY has a story for us – a stirring tale of honour, abuse and true nobility. It’s unlikely that you’ve ever visited Zalamea. The
Shock as bird flu rips through Spain’s beloved stork population
POPULATIONS of the the iconic stork – the much-loved wild bird native to north and central Spain – are being devastated by a rapidly-mutating bird
Grim end of year for violence against women in Spain: Six deaths in 15 days – will 2026 be the worst on record, asks MICHAEL COY
SPANISH people call it violencia de género. This year in Spain, 44 women have lost their lives. Six have died in a grimly rising tide
Spain turns to ‘IKEA-style’ flat-pack homes to solve massive housing shortage
SPAIN is betting on ‘IKEA-style’ kit homes to solve a massive housing deficit that has left the country short of 600,000 properties. A quiet revolution
Why is December 6 known as Constitution Day in Spain?
Today, December 6, is Constitution Day in Spain — a national holiday. Because of this, many shops are closed. Despite its proximity to Christmas, it
THIS WEEK IN SPAIN: Michael Coy has been diving into the Spanish archives again…
Here are FOUR historical byways which make the first week of December significant Hernán Cortés Though his achievements changed the course of world history, it’s
ON THIS DAY: Spain permitted female nouns, two legendary singers were born – and a Spanish cinematic classic was released, writes MICHAEL COY
THE English language is wholly and entirely democratic. No-one tells English speakers how to use certain words or what we can and can’t ‘officially’ say.
In Spain it’s known as violencia de genero. Tuesday, November 25, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women
WE all have a mental image of domestic violence, but the Spanish government urges us to broaden our understanding. Physical abuse is, sadly, familiar to
Linking the opera Carmen to the Sevilla tobacco factory and a French author
We all have heard of Carmen, the sexy heroine of the opera set in Sevilla. But what’s her connection with nicotine? Michael Coy informs us.
LIFE IN SPAIN: The Deceiver of Seville, Mozart and the modern bullring
WHAT thread connects the Spanish theatre of the 17th century, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and the modern bullring? Let’s start with the bullring. If you ever
THIS WEEK IN SPAIN: The Prestige oil tanker disaster
On November 19, 2002, a ship went down off the Spanish coast, causing an ecological catastrophe. MICHAEL COY reminds us what happened. SPAIN is especially
‘¡Franco ha Muerto!’ Today marks the 50th anniversary of Franco’s death. Spain’s dictator is remembered by MICHAEL COY
HE had no charm and no charisma. In his 83 years on earth, no one ever quoted him cracking a joke or saying anything remotely
MOMENTS IN SPANISH HISTORY: The Siege of Toledo
FOR 68 desperate days in the summer of 1936, around 1,500 people found themselves trapped inside Toledo’s ancient fortress, the Alcazar. How they held out
MOMENTS IN SPANISH HISTORY: The Battle of Trafalgar
IT was one of the most pivotal events in world history unfolded—a moment whose 220th anniversary has just passed. The Battle of Trafalgar, fought between
LIFE IN SPAIN: The Frank Sinatra incident in Malaga
ON September 19, 1964, Malaga police slapped Frank Sinatra with a 25,000 peseta fine – around $175 – after the singer sparked a barroom brawl.
LIFE IN SPAIN: A work of art that offers a glimpse into some ancient Spanish traditions.
THE canvas was painted by Bartolome Esteban Murillo in 1675, in Sevilla. Today it hangs in the National Gallery of Art in Washington DC. Its
SPOTLIGHT ON: Pedro Almodóvar Spain’s greatest-ever film director?
PEDRO Almodóvar Caballero has made a career out of being an outsider. He is obviously – even flamboyantly – gay, and his films go out
A National Hero: This week in 2006, Fernando Alonso won his second consecutive Formula One World Championship. MICHAEL COY ponders the importance of professional sport in our lives.
AN era is coming to a close in Spain. We’ve lived through a generation of world-beaters – but sport being sport, these heroes must eventually