, Author at Olive Press News Spain

ON THIS DAY: Spain’s answer to Lord Nelson and a great sculptor were born, snow fell where it never does … and a space-age fashion designer passed

BLAZ DE LEZO British people of a certain age were brought up on stories of English naval excellence and Spanish incompetence. The Armada was thwarted,

3 Feb, 2026 @ 08:00

La Cultura·Lead·National News

LIFE IN SPAIN: Lola Flores embodied the soul of Andalucia – but she was possessed by a demon

TO truly understand the fire of Andalucía, you first have to meet its demon. His name is the duende. He is not a friendly spirit.

26 Jan, 2026 @ 12:49

La Cultura·Lead

Experts fear Mount Etna will tumble into the sea – and create a tsunami that destroys the Spanish coast

WHAT danger does an Italian volcano pose for us? Well, Mount Etna’s massive south face has reportedly shifted an inch and a half in the

24 Jan, 2026 @ 12:00

Environment·Green·Other News

ON THIS DAY: Pep’s birthday, Julio Iglesias’ randy dad, a Spanish playwright was born and a Nobel laureate died

CALDERÓN PEDRO Calderón de la Barca was born in Madrid on 17 January, 1600. He died in the same city in 1681, having dominated the

18 Jan, 2026 @ 09:00

La Cultura·Lead

ON THIS DAY: When America atom-bombed Andalucia (by mistake)

IT sounds like the plot of a 1970s disaster movie, but it really happened. On 17 January 1966, the US Air Force dropped four atom

17 Jan, 2026 @ 09:00

La Cultura·Lead

ON THIS DAY: Spain’s biggest football fan and a disgraced royal in-law were born – and Goya began a masterpiece

FOCUSING today on just one date – January 15 – we’ve dug up three Spanish personalities who you may find mildly diverting! 1. MANOLO EL

15 Jan, 2026 @ 18:46

La Cultura·Lead

ON THIS DAY: Messi marked a milestone, the Vatican banned some abhorrent practices, and a legendary Spanish voice actor passed

HERE are some snippets from history – football, racism and voice-overs – decide for yourself you think January 13 is an anniversary worth celebrating! LIONEL

13 Jan, 2026 @ 16:44

La Cultura·Lead

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

11 Jan, 2026 @ 11:30

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

10 Jan, 2026 @ 14:00

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

10 Jan, 2026 @ 11:30

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

6 Jan, 2026 @ 12:20

Animals·La Cultura·Lead

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

30 Dec, 2025 @ 11:42

Lead·Tenerife

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

21 Dec, 2025 @ 14:25

Crime & Law·National News

Big night TONIGHT for 'nougat' town that's one of Spain's first to switch on its Christmas lights

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.

21 Dec, 2025 @ 08:49

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

20 Dec, 2025 @ 14:33

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

20 Dec, 2025 @ 08:19

La Cultura·Lead·National News

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

15 Dec, 2025 @ 11:30

Green·Health·Other News

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

13 Dec, 2025 @ 09:00

Crime & Law·Lead·Other News

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

10 Dec, 2025 @ 14:00

Lead·Property

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

6 Dec, 2025 @ 09:30

Lead

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

6 Dec, 2025 @ 09:00

La Cultura·Lead·Other News

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.

5 Dec, 2025 @ 10:30

La Cultura·Lead

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

23 Nov, 2025 @ 11:57

Andalucia·Lead

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.

23 Nov, 2025 @ 10:27

La Cultura·Lead

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

22 Nov, 2025 @ 10:07

La Cultura·Lead

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

22 Nov, 2025 @ 09:00

Environment·Green·Lead

ON THIS DAY: Spain’s answer to Lord Nelson and a great sculptor were born, snow fell where it never does … and a space-age fashion designer passed

LIFE IN SPAIN: Lola Flores embodied the soul of Andalucia – but she was possessed by a demon

Experts fear Mount Etna will tumble into the sea – and create a tsunami that destroys the Spanish coast

ON THIS DAY: Pep’s birthday, Julio Iglesias’ randy dad, a Spanish playwright was born and a Nobel laureate died

ON THIS DAY: When America atom-bombed Andalucia (by mistake)

ON THIS DAY: Spain’s biggest football fan and a disgraced royal in-law were born – and Goya began a masterpiece

ON THIS DAY: Messi marked a milestone, the Vatican banned some abhorrent practices, and a legendary Spanish voice actor passed

How did anarchism lead to charming Casas Viejas village to change its name to ‘Benalup’?

ON THIS DAY: Dali, Buñuel – and Dani Carvajal? A trio of Spanish geniuses have links to this weekend in January

MICHAEL COY explains how the lives of two Spanish princesses 500 years apart didn’t go to plan – thanks to their choice of husbands

REYES: The connections to Spain’s top composer and a now extinct rare mountain goat

Birmingham-Tenerife Flight Hit by Severe Turbulence

MICHAEL COY delves into the world of Spain’s premier forensic linguist – who catches crooks with just one word

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 introduces us to his hero – George Santayana: A Spanish-American thinker famous for his pithy sayings

Daring swashbuckle and the restoration of honour: MICHAEL COY on a Spanish theatrical classic -the Mayor of Zalamea

Shock as bird flu rips through Spain’s beloved stork population

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

Spain turns to ‘IKEA-style’ flat-pack homes to solve massive housing shortage

Why is December 6 known as Constitution Day in Spain?

THIS WEEK IN SPAIN: Michael Coy has been diving into the Spanish archives again…

ON THIS DAY: Spain permitted female nouns, two legendary singers were born – and a Spanish cinematic classic was released, writes MICHAEL COY

In Spain it’s known as violencia de genero. Tuesday, November 25, marks the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

Linking the opera Carmen to the Sevilla tobacco factory and a French author

LIFE IN SPAIN: The Deceiver of Seville, Mozart and the modern bullring

THIS WEEK IN SPAIN: The Prestige oil tanker disaster

Red alert in Malaga province: Storm Leonardo forces mass evacuations as Costa del Sol faces torrential rains from Wednesday

Chart-topping British pop band hits out at far-right Vox over use of iconic hit single in campaign video

Andalucia schools will shut as storm set to cause continued weather chaos and heavy downpours

All you need to know as Barcelona’s iconic Sagrada Familia opens its doors to thousands of visitors for FREE