Valladolid esta muy bien, no solo su gastronomia y sus vinos (Ribera de Duero, Rueda, Toro, Cigales y Tierra de Leon). Su historia, fue capital de España antes de establecerse definitivamente en Madrid, la plaza mayor, la zona de la catedral, San Pablo, San Benito....Y es una ciudad limpia y cuidada, con teatros, exposiciones, festival de Cine...¡A mi me encanta!
Thanks for making this video! Really happy to see Valladolid gather a bit more attention. It's one of those places that tends to go under the radar because it lacks some of the big monuments or festivals that other cities have. But it's a fantastic place for a day or even a weekend trip, especially considering its proximity to Madrid. Lots of history, good food and even better wine in a very relaxed and easygoing city. Also, it being the capital of its region (Castilla y León), you'll have access to a good amount of shops and services. James, Valladolid definitely deserves another visit to experience more of what the city and the province have to offer besides flashy tapas. Hope to see you back soon!
Fantastic video! We had no idea Valladolid had so many tapas places! It's definitely a place we'll have to visit next time we're back in Spain and see if it compares to our favorite tapas city in Spain: Logroño!
My wife's family come from Valladolid so I know the city very well. There are indeed a few famous Tapas joints but they are specialist places and not really representative of tapas in general. I still think it's way better in the Basque Country or the Granada region which is the real home of tapas.
This is brilliant!! Due to the competition, all of the host restaurants gain a new tapa. Then I am sure if they hosted the winning competitor their business improves even more. It’s a great way to gather and build the collective creativity.
Hi James, Yoli and Lucía. I hope you are all well. What a great video. Such talented chefs. Valladolid would never have occred to me as a place for such amazing tapas. Thanks for making this tour so enjoyable and so much fun. Well done. All the very best.
James and Yoli, that was fun. This was a very talented area when it comes to tapas, that little something you wouldn't normally think of, but alas, I'm more Provençal. Thanks for taking us along.
What a great video. One of the things that I love about tapas in Spain , is not just the taste of so many delicious options, but the presentation of them. You first eat with your eyes and in Spain, they sure understand that concept quite well. All the tapas you've shown had a unique way of being presented and that alone got my seal of approval. I was quite interested in the tapas (and their presentation) at "5 Gustos" (sorry if an Australian got my attention, but so did the one from New Zealand because Kiwis rule!!!). The only thing that surprised me was that you ate all that food without a glass of wine to pair with them, until the very end when you were at Gastrobar. I had to double take to verify this was a James Blick video. LOL! Thanks for another delightful video.
Ahhhh we are going to back to Valladolid in December, and I just randomly searched 'James Blick Valladolid' to see if you had been... and there was this amazing tour!!!! We ticked off most of your San Sebastián recommendations as well in July! Thanks James, Yoli & Lucia ❤
Nicely done! I loved the game you and Yoly were playing - it made it fun! I must admit, I've never considered Valladolid as a destination for myself, but now I will definitely go. Lots of cute restaurants and bars! Well done, you two!
Hi Miriam, Valladolid is well worth a visit. As the capital of Castile it has some fine historic credentials. The other thing is, if you have your own transport there are literally dozens of interesting towns and villages nearby with amazing monuments. The Duero river was the natural barrier in the Reconquest so there's loads of castles and cathedrals. The wines of the region, particularly Ribera de Duero, are superb.
I had something that looks just like that tapa with the dry ice in Valladolid about 5 years ago! I was so entranced that I took a picture of it. It was our first time there, and I guess the competition must have been going on---it was crazy crowded, and we had some amazing tapas---but I didn't realize it. Such imaginative presentations and unusual ingredients in this group---you showed them so well. This was a great video---thank-you! I want to go back!
That's what it is Adrian. It will be delicious but very expensive and in no way representative of the majority of bars in the city. I know the city very well. Certain areas of Spain went through a ponsification of food as a sort of regional pride some time back and this kind of thing is the personification of that. It's for folk with money to burn (good for them) but it's competition tapas and not regular stuff. In the region of Granada you don't even pay for it.
Not sure that 2,50 a tapa qualifies as expensive or even dear. And a total 5 euros for a good wine (Valladolid is known for local wine areas including Ribera and Rioja) and tapa seems very good value to me, but there again I'm in London where a mediocre glass of wine will set you back 7 pounds. All depends what you're used to, I suppose.
Beautiful ! One of your best shows . I'd love to sample that food if I had the chance . Maybe one day , and then I can hire you as my guide in all things Spanish. Thanks for the video !
Great video as alway! I’ll stick with my comment on your previous competition coverage though….this is not real tapas as we know it. It’s too cheffy and pretentious. The best tapas I’ve had was in a tiny place in Cuenca where we were presented with a fantastic variety of tapas free with every caña or glass of wine. Likewise all over Andalusia an incredible variety is presented as a complimentary nibble with drinks with great competition between bars. We’ve lived here for 18 years now and it’s still a treat 👍🍷.
The tapas tournament held in Valladolid is indeed not very representative of the original tapas culture, which is essentially abouy getting some complimentary local food with your drink. But it's still a fun thing to experience! Besides, it's also fine if food, as a cultural experience, keeps evolving and re-inventing itself. Anyways, Valladolid definitely has more things to offer. On the food side, you will find delicious lamb and some of the best wine and cheese that Spain has to offer. And besides that, Valladolid's history is rich enough to please the most curious mind, especially if you are willing to do some research before your visit. I totally recommend giving this city a chance!
My wife and I will be traveling to Madrid Spain (Centro) over the Christmas holiday. We are so excited, an nervous, its our first time. Do you think it will be hard for us to find places to eat on Christmas Eve and/or Christmas day?
Just subscribed to your channel; Mark Wiens led me here. Looking forward to watching all your past videos. Spain is on my bucket list of countries to someday visit, especially for the cuisine!
Looks like they are really evolving the tapas but maybe a bit fancy for me. Price is pretty good though. Will add Valladolid to my list to explore these places. Thanks again guys. Have a ball in NZ. ¡Feliz Navidad!
I'm moving to Spain in April. Thanks for the great information. But I'm sure there's more about daily life? Furniture shopping? Doctors visits? Dentist? Health insurance? Fitness? Dating?
I never went hungry in Spain. I wanted to try almost everything. I only gained 3 pounds in 2019. I absolutely loved the walking. That's the only way to get a true feel of Spain, plus hang with the locals.
I'm from Valladolid and I just discovered this 😂 I always tought those were just fancy tapas, not award winning pieces of food! 😂 Anyways, as always great video. I love it when people give a bit of attention to my city, wich has a lot of culture and history but no one gives it any interest sadly 😅 I hope you enjoyed our city! But the only thing I can recommend are museums. Still worth it! 😂
Valladolid? Hmm. I'm an American living in Zamora. There's an AVE from Madrid now! I'd be delighted to give you a historical tour and let you sample our signature dishes!
Question: You said that the tapas were all €2.5? Is that routinely? Or during the Tapas Competition? Tapas are so very costly in the US (when I have found a Tapas Bar or a Tapas Restaurant) that I have not been on a Tapas crawl nor can I say for certain that I have or have not ever had tapas. I don’t know enough to know what separates a tapa from an appetizer (sorry if that is offensive but I really am ignorant of the subject). It IS something that I would like to try, though, and if one can afford to travel to Spain from the US (the US or Australia or Japan or….) SURELY they could set aside €100.00 or more for a traditional Spanish tradition? And I won’t disagree with that and if that is true, then I believe that I would. Once. But I have never heard that all Spanish Peoples are wealthy and I have absolutely heard that tapas are enjoyed by people throughout Spain and there can be simple or humble tapas and there can be extravagant or ______(?) tapas. A long justification for asking if the tapas in that city are always priced at or near €2.50 or only during the competition? If it is only during the competition, what does one typically spend on a tapas crawl in this city or Barcelona or Madrid or anywhere in Spain on a routine Thursday or Friday evening? Fantastic video! Thank you for including us. And thank you to anyone who is familiar with and is willing to explain to me about the tradition, the cost, the extravagance (if any) and maybe other things that I don’t know that I don’t know. 😊
Wow, that's a very difficult question. In each region, and many times within these in each city, there is a different culture when it comes to tapas. And the same goes for their prices. From Lugo, Zamora or León, where the tapa is free in many bars, to San Sebastián, where it is easy to find "pinchos" for more than four euros, there is a wide range of prices and ways of charging for tapas. In Almería, for example, beer + tapa costs 2.50, but there are bars where only a tapa costs 3.50, and this is the case in other cities. The normal thing is that a meal based on tapas costs about 15 to 20 euros almost anywhere, but if you have a fine nose and money in your wallet, this amount can be doubled. Save and come, it's worth it.
Son tapas reguleras. Prefiero pagar más y elegir lo que yo quiero y con mucha más calidad. Me conozco todas las ciudades de España y las mejores son Logroño, San Sebastián y Valladolid, sin olvidar Hondarribia.
