The Spanish Royal Academy (RAE), the body that oversees use of the Spanish language, has nine meanings for the word leche and more than 40 idioms employing it. Clearly, leche is much more than the milk Spain keeps in its refrigerators: it can also be a cosmetic product, a vulgar way to refer to semen, a punch in the face, and even good luck in some Latin American countries like Ecuador, Mexico, El Salvador and Venezuela.

Maybe it’s because they are walled in by mountains. Or because of their odd location that makes them neither from Galicia, Asturias or León – although they share traits with people from all three regions.

Spanish readers of the EL PAÍS gastronomy section El Comidista will already know that we are all crazy about Spanish omelets. In fact, after exhaustive research, the driving force behind the website, Mikel López Iturriaga, has learned to make the perfect tortilla. But as not all of you will have the good fortune to try it for yourselves, we decided to compile a list of bars where the tortilla reigns supreme.

All the Instituto Cervantes network and through its different branches over the world open up their doors on this day with a programme of cultural activities for everybody.