Sobrino de Botin (Europe's Oldest Restaurant), Madrid (must see)

Dating all the way back to 1725, Sobrino de Botín holds the title of Europe’s oldest continuously operating restaurant—as recognized by the Guinness Book of Records. Originally called Casa Botín, it was founded by a Frenchman named Jean Botín and his wife. In the beginning, it functioned more like a tavern than a restaurant. But after Mrs. Botín passed away, her nephew took over, and the name changed to Sobrino de Botín—which means “Botín’s Nephew” in Spanish.

Step inside, and you'll find yourself in a maze of cozy, rustic dining rooms, where centuries of history seem to linger in the air. Botín is especially famous for two signature dishes: “cochinillo”, or roast suckling pig, and “cordero lechal”, tender roast lamb. The recipes haven’t changed over the years, and believe it or not, the wood-fired oven has never gone cold—it’s been burning continuously for three centuries.

The restaurant has also seen its fair share of famous faces. The legendary Spanish painter Francisco de Goya is said to have worked here as a young waiter while waiting to get into the Royal Academy of Fine Arts. And Ernest Hemingway was a loyal fan—he even gave the place a nod in the final pages of “The Sun Also Rises”, writing, “We lunched upstairs at Botín's. It is one of the best restaurants in the world. We had roast young suckling pig and drank rioja alta.”

If you’re thinking of visiting, be sure to book ahead. Tables fill up fast, and once you step through those doors, it’s easy to see why.