Food

7 Most bars proudly letter their tapas menu on the outside window as well as display it at the bar. Don't hesitate to point if your Spanish fails you.

8 Keep moving. No matter how much you love a place, the goal is to hit as many tascas (tapas bars), to try as many diminutive bites, and to down as many minidrinks as possible.

9 In some bars, you can order your food in three portion sizes: pincho (a mouthful), tapa (saucer-size), and ración (a small plate).

10 Go ahead, act like a local: Throw your napkin and olive pit on the floor. If the bar isn't littered with napkin debris, something is wrong.

11 At each place, you pay at the end of your tapas snarfing. In most typical taverns, barmen charge you by your pile of plates or toothpicks, adding them up with chalk on the bar.

Tapeo: The limitless ramble from bar to tavern, during which one pauses just long enough in each to nibble a meatball or two, munch a couple of garlicky shrimp, and try a forkful of octopus before moving on to the next bar (and plates) of choice.