If you happen to be looking for a spicy and temperamental tapas restaurant to show you what exactly Spanish cuisine is all about, Castro is definitely the place to go. Located close to the south-western corner of the Vondelpark, Castro has built up quite a reputation in Amsterdam.

It is quite rare that a Mediterranean feel is so vividly recreated in a—let’s face it—rather rainy city. The very warm and colorfully cozy interior makes you expect Almodovar to come out from behind the bar with your drinks on a tray.

With sangria whispering sweet nothings into your ears, choosing from the menu provides you with some dilemmas: all of the tapas are prepared on the spot and taste equally and outrageously good. The gambas, calamares and enchanting datilles con bacon make your heart beat faster, much like on a corrida in Seville.

But before the male staff returns to their bull-fighting routine and the ladies go back to practicing their flamenco steps, they’ll happily assist you in choosing your tapas and wine, perhaps even seducing you into having a desert or two. Bring your Spanish phrase-book and your evening might turn out inolvidable.