IYLIA - Entre Tierras
I had the great pleasure of finally driving through the north of Spain over the past couple of weeks. I had a few appointments with some of our IYLIA wineries up north and decided to chart a path that would allow me to truly experience the natural beauty of northern Spain.
I have been fortunate to travel to some of the most gorgeous coastal vacation spots in the world—from Santorini to Sicily, the Caribbean to Hawaii. And I must tell you, Spain in the summertime is one of the best places to go. Venturing into the interior of the country is just as gorgeous, if not more so, than the overcrowded beaches.
The Spanish countryside is awash with the most unique, consistently green trees and plants. It’s fascinating to see the varying shades of green, almost like a Pantone chart, covering the terrain. The greenery is breathtaking. Especially in the summertime, when everyone else is at the coast, it is delightful to explore the interior of Spain. Here, you can witness the plants as they take shape and come to life as we approach the harvest season, which starts in September and October. I also drove to the Pyrenees and was awestruck by the seemingly untouched natural beauty of this magnificent countryside.
One of the things I love most about Spain is the incredible abundance of lush plants. It’s one of the main reasons why everything tastes so good. If you know Spanish cuisine, it is really clean and not covered with extra sauces so that the true flavors of the produce and seafood can really shine through.
As I’ve shared in the past, many Spanish, Italian, and French grapes are now being grown in Spain because of the tempered climate here, even with global warming.
And there’s no better place to see all of this on display than the mercados. These markets, which are essentially farmers' markets, are often indoor spaces packed with some of the freshest artisanal fruits, vegetables, honey, meat, seafood, wine, beer, and more.
Please allow me share a couple of the images from my travels, and I’ll keep you posted on my future travels :-)
Oxo,
Layla-Joy
