The Must See Spain Blog
 A Traveler's Guide
by Kristin Espinar

The tradition of tapas began centuries ago in Spain. Taverns would put slices of bread or cheese on top of glasses of wine or sherry to keep out fruit flies. Patrons would eat these snacks, called “tapas” from the Spanish word “tapar” meaning “to cover.” Over time, tapas evolved into a wide array of small dishes served in bars. It became a social custom in Spain to go from bar to bar sampling various tapas and drinks with friends.