Iberian Peninsula

Mosaic of Cultures

 A wealth of artisans have evolved out of the singularity of the regions in Spain

Peninsula

A Tourist Paradise

First most popular travel destination in the world in 2017 with 82 million tourists in Spain* and 16 million in Portugal**

Highest revenue from tourists in Europe in 2017

With €87,000M in Spain* and €7,000M in Portugal*

Iberian Artisans H&F connect Top Tourism with our Artisans

We offer the possibility of having a unique experience by stepping into our Iberian culture and getting close to the essence of our traditions through our finest Artisans

For that purpose, we have designed artisanal tours of the most representative artisans of our cultural heritage. Spain and Portugal are countries rich in traditions that are reflected in their landscapes, flavours, and unique  creations

what we do

WE ORGANISE

a personal encounter with the best Iberian artisans at their workshops. This unique experience can be anything from finding out how Flamenco guitars are made for top artists such as Paco de Lucía or the traditional wine Bota-bag that Ernest Hemingway made known to the rest of the world in his literary work.

WE GUARANTEE

a first-hand experience of the history and peculiarities of each quartier and popular places where the workshops are located, with our specialised hosts

We  craft  tailor–made  tours  to  visit  the  unique  Madrids’  most  genuine workshops, enjoying a stroll along the centre of the city and its historical corners

The tour can be done on foot or by car. We recommend doing it on foot. The maximum estimated walking time from one workshop to another is 15 minutes

In any case, each route will be adapted to the needs of each client

2018 RATES

Our rates include:

• Visit and exclusive meeting with our Artisans in their workshops
• Bi-lingual (English) companion throughout the tour
• First-hand experience of the history and peculiarities of the quartiers close to the workshops

Up to three workshops can be chosen per tour according to the preference of the client. The tours are on foot or by car, depending on the needs of the client. Should they choose to

go by car, a surcharge will be applied to our rate.

(10 persons maximum / tour)

 

SPANISH GUITARS

A work of Art

Our luthier makes guitars of great beauty and they are considered to be works of art. He is passionate about his profession and livelihood. This enthusiasm has been passed down through the generations and currently he works alongside his son and daughter, who are the fourth generation of this well known Spanish guitar – making family since 1887.

Their guitars have unique characteristics that make them stand out from others not only for the exquisite work  but  for  the  sound  that  they  make.  Famous guitarists such as Paco de Lucía or Leonard Cohen have frequented this atelier.

He helps to promote the Spanish guitar outside of Spain by taking part in the most prestigious international fairs such as Frankfurt, Los Angeles and Shanghai.

TRADITIONAL WAXWORKER

This traditional waxworker is now the fourth generation of a family of wax chandlers and in her atelier in Calle Paloma uses the same methods to make candles since it opened in 1887.

All candles are hand-dipped. Watching her hang the weighted wicks from the revolving frame and dipping them into the pot of melted wax is something unique. Our Artisan uses wax, paraffin and cotton wicks brought from different corners of Spain.

MASTER TAILOR TO THE BULLFIGHTERS

Our Master Tailor is the maestro behind the outfits worn by the Bullfighters that sparkle in the light quite literally known as trajes de luces (suits covered in lights) in Spanish.  Each  outfit  is  tailor-made  to  perfectly  fit  the Bullfighter; comfortable to wear, just the right weight, and very elegant.

This tailors, founded in 1978, is quite simply the best and you can also find unique creations on display in their museum dedicated  to  bullfighting.  It is  a real  pleasure and privilege having the opportunity to listen to the explications he gives on each outfit when you can feel the passion he feels for his profession.

He has made-to-measure outfits for some of the best Bullfighters in the world such as El Juli, Enrique Ponce and Curro Romero. His fame has spread to celebrities such as La Toya Jackson, Andy García and Plácido Domingo and he has collaborated with top tailors such as Lacroix or Dolce & Gabanna. You can also see his outfits in Pedro Almodóvar’s films and in the Operas of London, Dresde, New York, Sydney and Amsterdam.

WINE BOTA-BAG ARTISANS

Our Artisan works with his own hands, with the same dedication and in exactly the same way as his grandfather did when they first opened the business in 1909.

Every day he crafts wineskins, coriambres and the traditional wine bota-bags that Ernest Hemingway made known to the rest of the world. Making wine bota-bags and wineskins is a long process that includes cutting, sewing or lining them with pitch or pine resin so that the bota-bag does not leak.

He is the last of his kind owning an atelier in Madrid making

bota–bags and wineskins.

BOOKBINDERS

Century-old Craftsmanship

Founded in 1907, this exclusive binder and restoration workshop transforms each book into something unique. All work is done by skilled craftsmen using traditional and modern methods based on their experience and avant- garde techniques.

The atmosphere in this atelier is charming as you watch them work with tools of the trade that have not changed for over 100 years; guillotines, flywheels, shears, and genuine sewing machines. They have the best collection in Spain of over 2,000 bronze embellishers and letters, embroidery, and decorative wheels.

This workshop keeps all the stamps (personal, company, official institutions both national and international) of everyone they have ever worked for; Nobel prizes, politicians, actors, directors, designers, institutions, embassies, and the nobility.

FINE JEWELLER

Prototype of a contemporary craftswoman, the purity of her sculpted lines are rooted in the close link she maintains with the landscape of her native Canary Islands.   The   simplicity   of   shapes   and   the   original combination of silver with surprising materials such as porcelain or wood transmit their purity to her creations. Wearing her jewelry is like embellishing yourself with a ray of light.

The magic of Florence, the vitality of London or the luminosity of Madrid have left their mark on her creations, which also include original dinner services, lamps, vases and tea sets, created for prestigious companies such as Georg Jensen, Kahler, Bodum and Munio.

In 2015 she was awarded with the distinguished Gold Medal of Merit in Fine Arts.

TRADITIONAL ESPARTERO

  Our Espartero represents the third-generation family-run atelier/shop   of   traditional   esparteros   in   Madrid.   Their clientele are interior designers, prop masters for cinema,  and grandfathers or gipsies looking for a stick called a vara in Spanish.

The secret to their success relies on the loyalty of their customers who not only appreciate the quality of this handiwork but also help to stop this century-old trade from being  lost  by  keeping  it  alive.  Here,  you  can  find  rather singular objects that one would never expect to see in a big city like Madrid such as wooden barrels, canes, crooks, bellows, and esparto grass products such as baskets, blinds or carpets and curiosities that are still used in rural Spain today such as snail baskets and nests.