I never made it to Pamplona to sit in Ernest Hemingway’s favourite café, take his seat, and look across the grand salon that inspired so many stories. Instead, I found my own places, just as Hemingway once did.
In Bilbao, I fell in love with Café Iruña almost instantly. It became my daily ritual. From early morning until late evening, I returned again and again for a cortado. My favourite seat was the one in the first image. The stunning Moorish interior, the lively atmosphere, the constant buzz of conversation, and the mix of locals and visitors kept drawing me back.
The second café was discovered entirely by chance. After driving the winding mountain roads, the landscape gradually opened into broad plains. Then I spotted a beautifully preserved 1970s SEAT, one of those simple cars that has quietly become a classic. I thought, “There must be something special here.”
I followed the road into Alsasua and found Café Akeita. With its own coffee roastery and traditional local bar, it felt completely authentic. I was the only visitor from outside the village and probably the tallest man to walk through the door in weeks. Surrounded by elderly locals enjoying their morning conversations, I found my own seat, just as shown in the second image, ordered a cortado, and became part of the café for a little while.
