Flamenco is a music style that is easily conceptualised but seldom understood. From humble origins it has found a global audience, but Flamenco's modern reputation as "Spain's national music" would shock its 16th century pioneers who used song and dance as a way to cope with tragedy and despair. In this episode, we introduce you to the advocates, to the detractors and to the trailblazers of cante jondo, and we offer a basic understanding of the tormented history of the world's most popular folk music - as well as its cultural relevance in the 21st century.

The Casa Vicens is the private summer house commissioned by stockbroker and merchant Manuel Vicens i Montaner in the charming, alternative neighbourhood of Gràcia. Now open to the public, Vicens gave young local architect Antoni Gaudí his first opportunity to explore ideas and concepts that would later define much of Barcelona's fabulously idiosyncratic modernist architecture. And while Gaudí experimented wildly from room to room, the common colour scheme of the building's exterior gives the Casa Vicens the impression of being one giant gingerbread house!
Have you visited? Is there a different Gaudí building you prefer? Let us know in comments and don't forget to like and subscribe. Many thanks for listening!

Andalusia's fortified wines are some of the most prestigious but most misunderstood drinks on the planet. From the driest of the dry to the sweetest of the sweet, centuries of tradition and careful supervision combine in a small corner of Southwest Spain to produce a range of wines unlike any other on the planet. In this episode, we explore what sherry is, why it is the way it is and what type of sherry is best suited to your palate. ¡Salud!