Shifting Time and Space in Spain

Spain has a way of changing one’s relationship with time.

I think we can all attest that time is the most valuable commodity these days—one of the most endangered and yet essential parts of life. Not just time, but down time. Time to just be, time to simply do whatever we want, or absolutely nothing at all.

After nearly two months in Spain with my family, exploring new cities, enjoying long lunches and late dinners, experiencing temperamental and unpredictable weather, having unplanned beach days turn into full afternoons, taking epic hikes where we passed not one other person, visiting local village markets, and enjoying slow mornings, I find myself set to an entirely new rhythm. Not because of visiting landmarks or sticking to planned itineraries, but because of the simple routines we’ve adapted organically that have shaped our daily life here. This shift in my sense of time reveals itself in the little details: the way a café remains full at 10 p.m. on a Tuesday. Passing grandparents walking hand in hand through the plaza dressed up to the nines simply because they’re out for a stroll together. Children playing outside long after a “typical” bedtime. Sunbathers with one distinct goal of absorbing as much vitamin C as they possibly can. How a shop will close for lunch for three straight hours in the middle of the day. The basic, understood human need for conversation, for wine, for lingering - sobremesa. All these things combined make for a massive appreciation for time.

But even more than just an appreciation for time, I notice that it is actually a fundamental, non-negotiable value agreed upon by society to protect free time at all costs.

This protected down time is what has always struck me in travels/life living in Italy and Portugal, but especially in Spain - it’s not just the architecture (though it is beautiful!) and not only the food (though it’s delicious). Rather, it’s the communal understanding that life is meant to be lived, not scaled or optimized. That an afternoon can disappear into a meal with friends and not be considered time wasted and that community isn’t something scheduled into a calendar, but something woven into everyday life.

Over these last two months, I’ve found myself paying attention to how connected daily life feels when I side step the tasks at hand. Where I shift my own understanding of what I want to fit into a day, rather than racing the clock to make it all happen right now.

As we’ve continued building Well Traveled with Luna Zorro, I’ve found myself more and more grateful for the community it has formed - so many amazing writers have shared stories from different corners of the world, and for many reasons, Spain keeps popping up as a favorite.

So the timing felt right to revisit some of the stories that have stayed with us from this magical country. Places and moments that we keep returning to even after we’ve left them.

Here are a few of our highlights from our past pieces on Spain…

-Molly x

“I rose early each day and took the coastal path down to l’Illa Roja beach, where I slipped off my bathing suit in the early hours of the morning and glided into the water. I’d return to the hotel for lunch by the pool, then wander the cobblestone streets from plaza to plaza. A café con leche here, an ice cream there. I couldn’t recommend it more.”

-Catherine Tansey

To Do: Walk the Camí de Ronda
To Eat: Toc al Mar - Toc al Mar is a legendary Costa Brava spot that combines the best of a seaside beach bar with more elevated dining.
To stay: Finca Victoria - A restored farmhouse that is an ode to the easy elegance of the Costa Brava.

“There was never going to be a perfect time. So we stopped trying to make it perfect and just decided to make it happen.

Two weeks into our trip, and we have arrived in our tiny home in San Sebastián, our cupboards and fridge are full, I bought fresh flowers and used an old milk bottle as a vase, and we found our favorite local coffee shop but we’re still deciding which bakery is the best.

We’ve gone from freezing cold, rainy weather to hot, sunny beach days in the matter of a week. We are practicing the Spanish art of pintxos hopping, we’ve braved dipping in the cold Atlantic a handful of times already, we’ve met up with friends, we’ve struck up conversations with locals, we’ve cried and bickered and laughed, and most of all, we are here. That’s kind of the biggest, most essential part. We did it. We made it happen.”

— Molly Berry

To Explore: Short hike up Urgull and have a drink at Polvorin (built into an old ruin) with the best view of the city
To Eat: Head to old town for Pintxos and make sure to stop for the original Basque Cheesecake from La Viña
To Pack: Clothing for ALL weather! It’s all about layers, and a lot of them. Rain coat, puffy jacket, tank top, swimsuit. You never know what you’re gonna get.

“An ice cold beer is a perfect companion, but go for a glass of jerez, or sherry, a fortified wine produced an hour outside of Seville, near the town of Jerez de la Frontera, for the most Andaluz of experiences.

Tapas bars and taverns stud the city, offering creamy rounds of fried eggplant topped with honey, lots of sherry, and plates of well-marbled jamón ibérico.”

— Catherine Tansey

To Do: Visit Las Setas: So named “setas,” Spanish for mushrooms, for the structure’s uncanny resemblance to fungi, this expansive wooden pergola by Berlinese architect Jürgen Mayer is one of the city’s best third spaces, serving as a shaded gathering point and delighting in its architectural interest.
To Eat: Bar Casa Morales: Go here for the vibes, not the service. This is an old school sherry bar, where bottles line the walls and service is to the point.
To Stay: Triana House: Located in the historic artisan-center of Seville, Triana House shines for its impeccably decorated rooms, gorgeous common spaces, and warmth of hospitality.

“At 11:00 a.m., we received urgent calls from our sons’ schools, evacuate immediately. A fast-moving fire, fueled by fierce winds, was tearing through the canyon. As we fled along Sunset Boulevard, smoke blackened the sky, veiling the sun in an angry, burnt orange haze. That night, the Pacific Palisades burned.

Then came Mallorca. The moment I arrived, the island cast its spell. Rugged mountains kissed by the sea, jewel-toned water stretching endlessly to the horizon. Palma hummed with life, vibrant and elegant, while the villages of Deià and Valldemossa felt like postcards brought to life.”

— Amanda Blue Peterson

“Seated alone at a makeshift corner table in Madrid, with a plate of chipirones en su tinta in front of me, I decided to move to Madrid. This aha moment eating in Madrid was not a singular experience. On that trip, it seemed every taverna I wandered into, every bar I sat at, every restaurant I visited for a lunchtime menú del día was putting out phenomenal food.

Finding myself at perfect tapa bar after tapa bar, a gruff older man invariably shoveling plates of briny fish and creamy croquettes toward me and palo cortado sherry in my hands, it seemed that, in Madrid, I had found a good place to land.”

— Catherine Tansey

To Do: Plaza de Olavide: Skip recommendations for Plaza Mayor and head to Plaza de Olavide for a more local experience.
To drink: La Venecia: The fusty sherry bar favored by Hemingway — a Madrid institution. No tips and no photos allowed.
To Stay: The Principal: Plush, dark academia vibes in the center of Madrid.

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by busy calendars and the temptation to dwell on all the things we didn’t get to. I’m learning to quiet that urge to do it all and instead focus on places evolving in meaningful ways to help decide where to spend my time exploring.

Menorca is one of those places, with its vibrant culinary scene, stunning but understated properties, and creative energy, all elements that showcase its unique character without overshadowing it.

-Elisa Maria Torres

To Stay: Christine Bedfor A thoughtfully designed hotel with vibrant decor, rich textures, sourced antiques, and a “more is more” charm. Features a pool perfect for a dip and exceptionally helpful staff.
Where to Eat: En Caragol Great food, stunning views, and excellent service kept us coming back throughout our trip.
To See + Do: Check out the Hauser + Wirth gallery on Illa del Rei, a charming island just off Mahón, and enjoy lunch at Cantina. Be sure to catch the family workshops, available from May to September

“Ask a vintner how it’s done and they’ll tell you: patience, protection, digging deep. The same could be said for how people live here. It’s more than agriculture, it’s a kind of quiet stewardship that rises in unlikely places. Where vision, ingenuity, and willpower matter most.

That ethos runs through the island, especially in the legacy of César Manrique—painter, sculptor, island steward. His homes and museums are built into the land itself. He didn’t try to conquer the landscape, he worked with it. You see that in the architecture, in the way white villages sit softly against the red rock, as if asking permission to be there.”

-Elisa Maria Torres

With each passing month, our community of thoughtful travelers and reflective writers continues to expand. It’s become more than a publication; it’s a gathering place of interesting people creating inspiring things and going to incredible places.

If you feel called to contribute to Well-Traveled, we’d love to hear from you! Whether it’s a favorite city, a thoughtful reflection, or a fun travel itinerary, write to us at communications@lunazorro.com, and join the journey.

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