Best books and movies about Spain: What to read and watch before your trip

First of all, I know it has been ages since my last post and I have a good explanation for that. I returned to my home country after two years abroad, my Irish boyfriend came to visit so I acted as a tour guide for two weeks, I started collaborating as a writer with an online agency and I could keep going, but I know you are not here to read about my personal life.

A couple of months ago I wrote a post about what to read and watch if you are travelling to Scotland and it got a very positive response (first viral post on Pinterest, yay!). That’s why I decided to write a second post, this time inspired by books and movies about Spain!

I love Spanish literature and I started watching a bunch of their movies and shows a few years ago, so it seemed perfect to write about it. Also, when I was recently in Spain, it felt so cool to visit places I had read about in the past. Obviously it’s a completely biased guide, these are just the best books and movies about Spain according to myself, but I hope it helps you if you are planning a trip to this beautiful place.

*This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you click on one of the product links, I’ll receive a small commission. I only recommend products I believe in and I have tried myself.

Books about Spain

1. The Shadow of the Wind – Carlos Ruiz Zafón

It all starts with Barcelona, a boy who couldn’t remember his mother and a cemetery of forgotten books. The Shadow of the Wind was one of the novels that marked me the most during my college years. Ruiz Zafón not only turns Barcelona into a character, but his prose is so beautiful that it seems like poetry.

Summary: The Shadow of the wind is set during Spanish civil war and follows the life of Daniel Sempere, a naïve daydreamer who finds a book written by a forgotten author. After his discovery, Daniel starts being followed by an enigmatic character. A faceless man tracks his every step and our protagonist soon discovers that his creepy stalker is just shadowing him for one reason: to burn his precious book.

Trying to protect this mysterious copy, Daniel gets involved in one of Barcelona’s darkest secrets. A cursed writer, a homeless man, a corrupt police officer and a tragic love story coexist in this decadent city. Daniel has to solve the mystery in order to save his life and discover the truth behind the novel he found in the cemetery of Forgotten books.

Zafón actually wrote an entire series following the same story line. The Shadow of the Wind is the first one that got published, but there are actually two sequels and two prequels. So if you are an obsessive-compulsive maniac like yours truly, that bonds with characters like they were real people, this might be a good choice for you. Also, the depictions and descriptions of Barcelona are really magical. I remember visiting the city last year and I couldn’t help but notice all the places that appear in the book. It’s definitely a great prelude for a trip to Spain.

2. For whom the bell toll

Sometimes when I’m talking about books and movies about a specific country, I like to include an author that’s not originally from said place. In this case, Hemingway was American, but he wrote about Spain and I think his perspective is very different from Spanish writers.

Summary: This is yet another story set during Spanish Civil War. I don’t know, I guess there’s juts something compelling about it, since it marked many lives. Anyways, From Whom the Bell Tolls happens in Spain, but the main character is American. Robert Jordan travelled to Spain to join the Republican forces. Jordan has special mission: he has to go behind enemy lines to blow up a bridge.  In order to do so, he needs to work with a guerrilla band, but he suspects the leader might compromise the operation. On the side, our protagonist also meets María, a girl who escapes from the authoritarian regime, and he quickly falls in love with her.

Robert faces an internal conflict: He has a duty to the cause, but he also knows that his mission will drive him away from María. The power struggles inside the guerrilla intensify and Robert needs to decide if he should blow the bridge or not.

Hemingway actually worked as a war correspondent during the Spanish conflict, so we get a very truthful depiction of the war. He even met a girl called María who served as an inspiration for the character. The book offers a foreign look on a Spanish conflict and, although I’m not a huge fan of Hemingway in general, I think it brings an interesting perspective that’s not present in other books and movies about Spain.

3. The Seamstress – María Dueñas

I don’t know why I feel I should include a historical romance, even when I’m not really into that genre… However, although The Seamstress seems to fit into the romance category, it has an extra layer of depth. I thought I was going to read a really mushy story, but there’s war, there’s culture and there’s girl power. Yeah, you will see kisses and drama, but there’s a bit more than just that.

Summary: Everything that Sira has always known is sowing. She has a lovely fiancée and a modest, but safe future ahead of her. Things seem to be going well until she meets Ramiro, a charming businessman that picks an interest on her. Sira fells completely in love with him and leaves her fiancée, her mother and her dressmaking career behind to move from Madrid to Tangier. However, things don’t go as planned there, Sira tries to go back to Spain, but the Civil War just started, so she’s trapped in Morocco with no money and no idea of what to do. Having little choice, our protagonist decides to go back to what she has always known and she opens a dressmaking studio for the expat elite. Eventually she returns to Spain, but she finds a country completely different from the one she left.

Although this book also takes place in Morocco, I think it belongs to the list of books and movies about Spain because it does give a sense of the Spanish culture and a particular insight on the conflict Spaniards lived in the 40’s. The novel was so popular that Netflix even adapted a TV series based on María Dueñas’ story (I haven’t finished watching it, so I can’t tell if it’s worth it). If you can’t get away from your romantic side, but also enjoy some history and political plots, you should really check out this book.

4. Cathedral of the Sea – Idelfonso Falcones

Quick warning: if you are looking to cheer yourself up, this might not be the best choice.

A lot of books and movies about Spain revolve around the Civil War, and I can see the appeal. However, Cathedral of the Sea is actually set during the feudalism times in the medieval ages. Have you ever heard of The Pillars of the Earth? Well, this is kind of its Spanish equivalent.

Summary: The story revolves around the construction of Santa María del Mar Cathedral, in Barcelona, and follows the life of Arnau Estanyol on his quest to become a master builder.

It might look like an innocent plotline, but let me tell you medieval times were harsh. Therefore there are a lot of deaths, unconsented sex, torture, religious corruption and general lack of hygiene. Nevertheless, it’s hard to put it down. The book depicts a very different angle of Barcelona and Spain in general. I guess I am use to the idea of medieval England, but this Spanish depiction was a novelty to me. You get an idea of the social classes back in the day, the power and abuses of the church and the general horrors of the time. It is one of those books where you follow the characters throughout their entire lifetime, so you get the chance to connect and even suffer with them.

Every time I closed the book I was left with a horrible void inside my chest, but I guess that’s part of its appeal. It does provide a great insight into this historic period and I definitely felt the chills when I visited Santa María del Mar during my time in Barcelona.

If you are into dramas, historical fiction and big-ass books that can put someone into a comma if thrown with enough force, then this is definitely for you!

Bonus:

I’d also suggest Don Quixote of La Mancha, by Miguel de Cervantes, which is one of the most important works of Spanish literature. However, it’s a complicated, long and unusual book. Cervantes is the Spanish equivalent of Shakespeare and there are academics solely dedicated to study his work. The language is tricky and the metaphors are hard to get, but it’s truly a wonderful piece of art.

Movies about Spain

1. Stockholm – Rodrigo Sorogoyen

Do you like romantic movies? If you do, that’s great, but this is not a film for you.

Summary: Stockholm might start like your average rom-com: boy meets girl at a party and claims to be in love with her. Everything OK so far, but the thing is she’s not interested in him at all and he doesn’t seem to get it. He’s persistent. Not in a creepy way, but in a way every girl has experienced on a standard night out. She says no, he thinks that means “try harder”.

He follows her through the night attempting to convince her he’s actually in love with her. She keeps avoiding him, but he doesn’t seem to accept rejection and we never know if he’s going to get his way or not or if he’s actually in love with this girl or only playing her to get between her legs.

Do you know how at the beginning of 500 days of Summer the narrator says “This is not a love story, but it is a story about love”? Well, this is a story about how love is not supposed to be. It is not common to find this film in a list of books and movies about Spain, since it’s a bit on the indie side. However, it is perfect if you have a cynical eye or you don’t believe in romance anymore. Although it’s also good if you just want a change in your standard rom-com and enjoy a good cinematography work.

2. Thesis – Alejandro Amenábar

Last time I mentioned Thesis to a Spaniard the response I got was: “Thesis? But that’s like really old!” Well, yeah, when you talk about books and movies about Spain, this is not the most modern choice, but I felt I had to include it anyways.

Summary: Thesis is almost a psychological thriller that takes place in Madrid. Ángela is a film student and she is researching about gore movies for her university dissertation. She asks the help of Chema, an underdog who is an expert in violent and pornographic films. He seems like an awkward weirdo at the beginning, but they bond and he agrees to help Ángela with her work.

It seems like an academic project like many others. However, Ángela soon finds out that someone in her university is recording snuff films, movies that depict the real murder of a person. Many girls have gone missing, the police have no clue of what happened, but Ángela and Chema find a lead that might reveal who the killer is.

I usually don’t get scared with suspense films, especially with the oldie ones. But the way this movie plays with your mind is brilliant. There aren’t any fancy special effects and not even the cinematography is excellent. The film had a very low-budget, but I think director Amenábar managed to pull it off with a great script and very good actors.

3. Vicky Cristina Barcelona – Woody Allen

I’d say that Vicky Christina Barcelona is one of my favourite films ever. I love that it’s considered as a comedy, but it’s almost a satire. The characters are flawed and borderline pathetic, but they make you laugh with their complete incapacity to decide what they actually want.

Summary: Vicky and Christina are on a holiday in Barcelona. Vicky is your standard controlling type A gal, while Christina is a free spirit that just wants to enjoy life. They are having dinner one night when a smouldering painter, Juan Antonio, approaches them and offers to take both of them to Oviedo to explore the town and have sex with him. The offering unchains a series of events involving the two friends, Juan Antonio and Juan Antonio’s ex wife, an unstable artist with suicidal instincts.

The movie is light, refreshing, funny and has great music too. The acting is brilliant, and it can hardly be otherwise when you have Scarlett Johanson, Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz together. It’s perfect for a casual afternoon where you just want to relax, laugh and have some snacks.

4. Pan’s Labyrinth – Guillermo del Toro

If you like fairy tales, this is like a fairy tale on Valium. Pan’s Labyrinth takes that innocent and fantastic approach of children’s stories and gives it a dark and dangerous twist. After the Oscars, I guess every one knows about Guillermo del Toro and The Shape of Water. However, this is one of Del Toro’s earlier works.

Summary: the story takes place not so long after Spanish Civil War. Ofelia, an imaginative kid, moves with her pregnant mother to Captain Vidal’s house, her future stepfather.

In her new home, Ofelia meets the faun, a peculiar character that tells her she might be the lost princess of an underground world. However, Ofelia needs to prove to be worthy of the title and complete three tasks in order to claim her crown. While the kid faces mythological creatures and terrifying beasts, a rebellion is taking place in her stepfather’s military post. Ofelia not only has to deal with this fantastic and dark underworld, she also has to cope with her sadist stepfather, a sick mother and an unborn sibling.

People have called this film an “Alice in Wonderland for grown-ups”. To me, it’s half a horror movie and half a kid’s fable. It is a beautifully crafted piece with some brutal and gory scenes. The monsters are overly realistic, the violence is palpable and the fantasy has a gothic, yet compelling twist. Granted, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I really think there shouldn’t be a list of books and movies about Spain that doesn’t include this film.

Bonus

Any film by Pedro Almodóvar is a Spanish must-see. He’s an icon of Spain’s film industry, so you really can’t miss him. I did not include him because he has a lot of movies under his name and he also has a very quirky, eccentric and unusual style that not everyone likes. I’d personally recommend Tie me Up, Tie me Down, Women on the verge of a breakdown or Julieta.

If you have any more recommendations regarding books and movies about Spain, please let me know in the comments! Also, if you have read or watch any of these, I’d love to know what you thought!

I guess I’ll see you on the road.

Love,

 

 

 

 

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