We think Spanish cooking is reason enough for a trip to Spain. Part of the pleasure of dining on the Iberian Peninsula is variety - each region has a distinctive style. Galicia is known for its wonderful seafood (octopus is one of our favorites); the Basque Country for its bacalao (a preserved salt cod that tastes better than it sounds); Castile for its cheese, grilled meats and cochinillo (roast suckling pig); Extremadura for Iberian or Serrano ham (a dry-cured spiced ham similar to Italy's Prosciutto di Parma); Navarra for trout and chorizo (a spicy sausage); Andalusia for gazpacho (a delicious chilled tomato soup) and tapas; Catalonia for grilled rabbit, romesco (a sweet pepper sauce traditionally eaten with grilled spring onions) and butifarra (blood sausage). Paella (a delicious saffron-flavored rice dish with pimiento, peas, fish and shellfish) is found throughout Spain, but the most authentic version comes from Valencia, where the dish originated.

Other dishes to try include sopa de pescado (fish soup), parrillada (a mixture of various fried fish and shellfish) and grilled lamb and rabbit. Cocido (pronounced co-THEE-do) is a traditional Madrileno dish made from sausage, bacon, garbanzo beans, cabbage and boiled meat - it's especially popular in winter. Desserts include flan (baked egg custard), turron (marzipan, chocolate or nougat), crema Catalana (egg custard with a crunchy glazed top) and pijamas (a silky combination of peaches, flan and whipped cream).

One of the best ways to sample Spanish cooking is at a tapas bar. Tapas are small portions of just about anything: cheese, olives, squid, smoked shrimp, sausage, fried potatoes in a paprika sauce (patas bravas) and marinated vegetables, just to name a few. Order enough little plates, and you will have a meal.

Of course, no meal is complete without a bottle of good Spanish wine - and both red and white wines are a bargain. Rioja is considered the best wine-growing region. Sherry, a fortified white wine, comes from the Andalusian city of Jerez. Cava, a bubbly wine similar to champagne, comes from Catalonia (it is best sampled in one of the champagne bars, which range from expensive to downright homey).

Coffee is another favorite, and it comes in several different ways: espresso, cortado (an espresso with a drop of milk), cafe con leche (an espresso with a lot of milk) or carajillo (an espresso with a shot of rum). At the outdoor cafes, you may think that an awful lot of people are drinking milk. It's probably horchata, a cool, refreshing nonalcoholic beverage made from a sweet root.

In Spain, lunch starts at 1:30 pm and dinner often begins at 9 pm or later, especially in summer.