Yesterday I added some more detail to the ongoing travel memoir, and before that, I touched on the future of travel writing. This is the first instalment of Food Friday, a segment where I will highlight one of the great pleasures of travelling, drinking and eating.
In most parts of the world, drinking is an integral part of the culture, and has been for a long time. So naturally, the place to gather and imbibe becomes very representative of the culture, and is one of the best ways to truly experience a place. Of course, there will always be touristy bars and restaurants, but travellers are always in search of the authentic experience. So, I give you 5 bars in Europe where you can get just that.
El Rinconcillo (Seville, ES) – Probably one of the most authentic Spanish experiences you can have in the entire country. Situated across town from the touristy Barrio Santa Cruz and the Cathedral, this oddly shaped corner bar is the oldest in Seville. Founded in 1670, it provides exactly the experience you expect. Tall ceilings with sherry casks piled high, bartenders that won’t speak to you unless you’ve been a customer for 15 years, and red wine served in water glasses, along with generous helpings of olives, Serrano Ham and Chorizo. All the bartenders carry a stick of chalk behind their ear, and keep your tab by writing it on the bar in front of you. For the true Sevellano experience, in the summer, order a “Tinto de Verano,” a mixture of red wine and La Casera, a cross between Tonic Water and Sprite. This, as opposed to touristy Sangria or Agua de Sevilla, is the drink of the true Spaniard. El Rinconcillo C/ Gerona, 42, 41003 Sevilla, Spain
The Drunken Ship (Rome, IT) – Anyone who has actually been to this bar will balk at my including it on a list of authentic bars. If one needed to find the highest concentration of ex-pats in the city at any given time, it would be at this bar. However, it’s become something of an institution in the Roman ex-pat community. Everyone that has ever studied, lived, worked, or travelled in Rome for a period longer than about a week will know about the Ship. In fact, students of the North American College, the official seminary for priests-in-training from the United States and Canada are specifically advised to not visit the bar. Cheap and strong drinks to be had, Italiaglish spoken everywhere, always a great time on the Campo de’ Fiore. Piazza Campo de’ Fiori, 21 00186 Roma (Lazio), Italy
The Hemingway Bar (Paris, FR) – I have a particular fascination with bars and restaurants that have a history attached to them, such as bars where drinks were invented, or where famous things happened. Because it seems, for the price of a beer, you can keep a small part of history with you. The Hemingway bar does exactly this. During the Liberation of Paris, Hemingway claimed that he personally liberated the bar at the Ritz Hotel in Paris by firing a couple rounds from a pistol and then bellying up to the bar. Whether the story is completely true or not, Papa definitely slugged a few at the venerable establishment. Bars in Paris are a dime a dozen, but to have a tipple where Hemingway did in a free Paris in August of ‘44, this is your spot. Ritz Hotel 15, Place Vendôme 75001 Paris, France [Metro: Opera]
Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas (Madrid, ES) – No surprise that Spain would have two entries on this list. The Spanish do love their wine. I’ve never been able to tell whether this should be considered a “well known” bar. It appears in some guidebooks, and it’s in a fairly prominent place (50m from world famous Botín, the oldest restaurant in the world). However, for the true atmosphere of Bourbon Madrid, there is no better place than this. The story behind it is fascinating and has all the trappings of a good “how the bar got started” story, involving pirates and thieves and cunning. Located directly underneath the famous Plaza Mayor, it doesn’t take much imagination to see yourself sitting among the pirates and outlaws that once frequented the place. C/ Cuchilleros 1, 28005 Madrid, Spain [Metro: Sol]
Hofbrauhaus (Munich, GER) – As I typed those words, I can hear the groans of all the travel folks going “So touristy!” And yes, it is. You are more likely to be sitting next to a Texan and an Australian then a German. That said, it is still an experience to go to Munich’s most famous beer hall. However, to keep with the theme of the list, I recommend Ayingers Speis und Trank, right close by. You’ll get a more “authentic” experience, but there is nothing like sitting at the long pine tables and having a litre of dünkel plopped down in front of you. Remember, the toast is prost!, but you must look the others in the eye, lest you have seven years of bad sex. Hofbrauhaus: Am Platzl 9, 80331 München, Ayingers Speis und Trank: Am Platzl 1A, 80331 München
Drinking and eating is a must if you truly want to understand the place you are visiting. Are there any other places that are a first stop as soon as you clear immigration?
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[...] last week’s Food Friday, I wrote about 5 Bars in Europe you should visit. Today, I will cover places which are famous for a particular dish or drink, [...]