Spanish On the Go! - Improve your listening comprehension skills with our authentic podcasts

Mexico City is the second city in the world with the most amount of museums with a total of 170 museums and 43 specialized galleries. In the Mexican capital you can find the more traditional fine arts and archeology museums as well as specific and curious museums dedicated to traditional drinks like pulque and tequila, perfumes, prints, shoes, old toys, chocolate and more! Click play to learn more about Mexico City's fascinating collection of museums and start planning your next visit!

The Spanish language is the fascinating and always-changing result of hundreds of years of peoples, cultures and languages coming together. Sanskrit, the ancient classic language of India, is one such influence. From Sanskrit the Spanish language has indirectly adopted words like 'naranja', 'ajedrez' or 'azúcar' and directly embraced words like 'avatar', 'nirvana' or 'mantra'. Click play to hear how this ancestral language became a part of our everyday Spanish conversations!

Arsenio Rodriguez was a Cuban musician, composer and bandleader who revolutionized the Afro-Cuban music scene. Blind from a young age, Arsenio grew up understanding the world through its sounds and rhythms. Arsenio was proficient in several instruments and he merged and developed musical styles with ease, laying the foundations for salsa and other Latin music genres. Click play to hear how Arsenio overcame his physical limitations and social disadvantages, earned the nickname of 'El Ciego maravilloso' (The Blind Marvel) and how his ground-breaking career changed the music world forever.

Have you ever wondered what are those little balls at the bottom of your bubble tea? Those are tapioca pearls. Tapioca is the starch extracted of the yuca (cassava) root. Yuca and tapioca had been staples in the diets of the Amazon indigenous peoples for hundreds of years. The Portuguese colonizers took this nutritious plant to their territories in Africa and Asia. Now, both the cassava plant and its starch are widely-used all over the world and highly-valued for its many properties. Click play to learn more about tapioca, its origins and how it became a must-have ingredient in kitchens all over the world.

  Yma Súmac was a remarkably talented vocalist and actress from Peru. With no formal training but unwavering discipline and prodigious musical skills, she became a sensation in the United States in the 50's. Yma's amazing vocal range was capable of reaching the highest highs and the lowest lows. She got her start in the 1940s performing Peruvian folk music, but her talents soon took her around the world, pushing musical boundaries, breaking records and reaching new milestones at every turn. Click play and listen to the impressive musical journey of Yma Súmac, the 'Inca princess' that enchanted the world with her voice.

In a multicultural nation like the United States, finding interpreters for Spanish-speaking immigrants is quite easy. However, not everyone who comes from Latin America speaks Spanish; many immigrants only speak indigenous languages, some of which are quite rare. To meet the challenge of finding and training people to assist with these lesser-known language varieties, Latin American communities in the US started banding together. Click play now to hear about the remarkable efforts of these communities of interpreters helping immigrants navigate legal, administrative, educational and healt-care systems for a chance at a better life in the US.

Camilo Torres Restrepo was a Colombian priest, political leader, professor and guerrillero. These roles might seem at odds with each other, but Camilo was at heart a man who witnessed first-hand the hardships and inequalities experienced by the lower classes in Colombia and was determined to make a change for good. While his ideology combining social Catholicism and Marxism ruffled many feathers within the Church and the ruling class in Colombia, he also became a revolutionary symbol to many others. Click play to hear about the remarkable life and legacy of el cura guerrillero from Colombia!

La Habana café is not just another coffee shop in Mexico City. Its an epicenter of culture where poets, writers, journalists and revolutionaries from all over the world have stopped by for un cafecito y huevos rancheros on their way to make history. In fact, on this very café Gabriel García Márquez worked on One Hundred Years of Solitude and Fidel Castro and Che Guevara planned the Cuban Revolution.   Click play now to learn more about the fascinating history of el café La Habana and the many renowned characters that have passed through its walls.

Better known as Juan Latino, Juan de Sesa was a man ahead of his time. He was raised in slavery as the page to the heir of a noble Spanish family but he grew to be a free man, poet, writer and highly-respected Latin professor in the University of Granada. As an Afro-European man he broke countless of barriers, such as being the only recognized Black writer of the Spanish Renaissance, the first Black university professor in the Western world, and forming one of the first legal mixed-race marriages in Spain. Click play now to hear the remarkable life story of Juan Latino, the beloved Black scholar that was almost erased from our history books.

El jamón ibérico is more than a delicious Spanish delicatessen; it's a fundamental part of Spain's history and cultural identity. This Iberian ham is a type of dry-cured pork leg that stands out from other hams for the quality of its ingredients and careful, ancient preparation process. Made only from an indigenous breed of Iberian free-range pig, this exquisite ham has numerous health benefits as well. Tune in now and listen to the mouthwatering story of el jamón ibérico and learn how it became one of Spain's star foods world-wide.

Rafael Cordero ('El Cordero negro') was a free Afro-Puerto Rican man with a passion for teaching in a time and place where education was only available for those who were rich, white and male. Rafael and his sisters were raised in a home that highly-valued education and knowledge and they gave those values back to their community. Rafael opened a modest school for kids of all races, social classes and economic backgrounds at his home and never accepted a penny for his education endeavors. Click play to hear about the inspirational life and work of the Cordero siblings and their dedication to make education accessible to everyone in Puerto Rico.

Álvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca was a Spanish explorer who lived countless adventures in the New World. One of four survivors of the 1527 Narváez expedition, for 10 years he crossed -afoot- from Florida to New Mexico with nothing but the few clothes on his back, a small group of companions and a few goods he traded with indigenous tribes for food and protection. During these years, Cabeza de Vaca gained a reputation as a healer, earned the trust of native peoples, acted as mediator in tribal conflicts and learned how to communicate in different native languages. Click play and hear the exciting tales of this intrepid Spanish explorer who crossed the US from east to west and wrote a book about his unique adventures and contact with the native peoples of the US.

Juan José Nieto Gil was a Colombian writer, politician, and Army general. Most significantly he was also the country's first (and only) Afro-Colombian president for six months in 1861. Intelligent, determined, fearless, Nieto Gil took over the presidency in a time of great social and political unrest in Colombia, which he managed to stabilize despite not being accepted by the country's classist and racist elite. Click play to hear how a poor mulatto boy who learned how to read when he was 14 defied social and class conventions to rise to the highest political office in Colombia.

Larry Harlow was a salsa pianist, composer, performer and producer from a family of Jewish immigrants in Brooklyn. Born and raised in a family full of diverse musical and cultural influences, Larry fell in love with the Latin rhythms of Spanish Harlem and made the bold choice of travelling to Cuba to experience the Cuban culture firsthand. Larry learned Spanish and became a santero. In addition to his passion for Latin culture and music, his talent and visionary business sense, changed the Latin American music scene. Click play to learn about the "Judío maravilloso" whose love of salsa, Santeria and his own Jewish roots made him an unforgettable character among latinos all the way from New York to Medellín.

Literary cafés were spaces that sprung all over Europe during the 19th and 20th century where intellectuals, poets and artists gathered to discuss ideas. Madrid's cafés were the epicenter of Hispanic culture and the brightest writers, artists, scientists and thinkers of their time never missed the opportunity to enjoy a delicious cup of coffee and a lively debate. Click play to hear about the rise and fall of los cafés literarios, their cultural legacy and their expansion across Latin American capitals.

Happy and prosper 2026! We want to share with you the resolutions and well-wishes of amigos from all over the Spanish-speaking world.  

During the Spanish Civil War, three fearless photographers risked their lives to immortalize the raw and devastating realities of both the battlefields and daily life in Spain. Together, Robert Capa, Gerda Taro, and David Seymour (all pseudonyms) captured over 4000 film negatives that were kept locked for 70 years inside a suitcase that survived wars, dictatorships, and a voyage across the ocean until they were finally recovered in Mexico in 2007. Click play to hear more about the amazing journey of the film negatives that redefined photojournalism and the invaluable historic record preserved inside una maleta mexicana.

Mole is more than just a sauce; it's a rich, elaborate and harmonious combination of ingredients and flavors that represents the complexity of Mexican culture. The origins of this delicious sauce date back to pre-Hispanic times where it was only served in religious ceremonies. It evolved into the exquisite dish we know today, thanks to the fusion of traditional Mexican flavors and the new European and Asian ingredients that became available in local markets.  Click play to hear about its history and the many different types of mole, starting with the iconic mole poblano, to learn why this is one of Mexico's star dishes.

25 years ago, a curious and enthusiastic Latina child named Dora made her TV debut in a highly-interactive and educational cartoon show for pre-schoolers. "Dora, la exploradora" completely broke the mold for kids' show: she was Latina, curious, she went on adventures, y hablaba español! Through this innovative show, kids all over the world have improved their motor, interpersonal, and linguistic skills (both in English & Spanish) while having lots of fun. Click play to learn all about this groundbreaking cartoon adapted into 32 languages and how Dora became a cultural bridge in the United States!

Acacoyagua is a small town in Chiapas, Mexico, although at first glance you might think you took a wrong turn to Japan. This picturesque town is the first community of Japanese immigrants that settled in Chiapas in 1897, following a treaty between both nations. Those first immigrants and their descendants had to overcome many obstacles through the years, but now Mexican and Japanese traditions live in harmony in Acacoyagua, resulting in a unique cultural identity that can't be found anywhere else. Click play to hear more about the origins of this flourishing Mexican-Japanese community in the heart of Chiapas.

Every November 1st and 2nd, thousands of Ecuadoreans gather at cemeteries bringing food, flowers, candles, and personal objects of the deceased to celebrate Día de los Finados. The Day of the Dead celebration combines Ecuador's ancestral indigenous traditions with Catholic practices to create a unique celebration of life and death that strengths community bonds and keeps the memory of their dearly departed dear and near to their hearts. Click play to learn all about the special foods, flowers and traditions that make el Día de Muertos ecuatoriano one of its kind!

Lola Álvarez Bravo was the first Mexican female photographer. She learned the art and trade of photography from her renowned husband Manuel Álvarez Bravo, but soon she started to develop her own style. In an art world dominated by male artists, Lola made a name for herself by capturing the everyday life of post-revolution Mexico in black and white. Rural schools, street markets, children playing and workers hard-at-work rebuilding the country were some of her favorite topics in an ever-changing society. Click play to hear about the remarkable woman who captured the essence of daily Mexican life!

The Nazca are an ancestral culture from modern-day Peru. This highly sophisticated culture made great technological advances in ceramics, textiles and agriculture, including the development of underground aqueducts. However, most people around the world know them for the so-called Nazca Lines. These mysterious lines carved into the ground, forming complex and detailed shapes only seen from high above, have puzzled scholars and the public alike for over a century. Click play to learn all about the ancestral Nazca culture and the intriguing line designs they left behind.

Queen Isabella I of Spain is one of the most prominent and controversial figures in the history of Spain. Better known as Isabella the Catholic, she and her husband Ferdinand the Catholic reigned during key global transformational periods such as the political and religious unification of Spain, the end of Muslim rule in the Iberian Peninsula, and the 'discovery' of the New World. Queen Isabella not only sponsored Christopher Columbus expeditions, she also took a keen interest in ensuring the rights of the indigenous peoples of America. Click play to hear more about this fascinating monarch who was instrumental in shaping the world as we know it.

Assata Shakur was the first woman to appear on the FBI Most Wanted Terrorists list. She was a controversial political activist, first within the Black Panther Party and later with the Black Liberation Army. She fought against the systemic oppression of her community and the injustices of the American legal system. After a daring prison break, Assata escaped to Cuba and was granted political asylum by the Castro government, causing even greater tensions between the two feuding nations. Click play to learn about the story of a woman who fought against injustice in the United States and adopted Cuba as her new home. 

Back in the 1950's a family abuse case shocked Mexican society to its core. A man by the name of Rafael Pérez Hernández kept his wife and kids locked in the family house for over a decade under terrible conditions. Hernández saw himself as a 'free thinker' and claimed to be protecting his family from the evils and dangers of the corrupt outside world. While in reality, Hernández deprived his family of any freedom and kept them in a world of physical and emotional abuse. Click play to hear the harrowing tale of the man whose utopian quest for freedom became a prison for his loved ones.

The Valdivia culture originated centuries ago in the north shore of modern-day Ecuador. The Valdivia civilization developed sophisticated agriculture and pottery tools and techniques never seen before. In fact, the Valdivian culture is considered the first pottery-making civilization in the American continent. Among the many exquisite pieces recovered are the so-called Venuses, feminine figurines each with their own unique characteristics. These enigmatic figurines have specially captured the attention of the world and are a source of great debate among academics. Click play to learn more about this fascinating ancient civilization who started the Latin American pottery-making tradition that lives on to our days.

El asado argentino is more than a delicious barbecued meal: is a ritual passed down from generation to generation that fuses the country's past, present and future. Understanding Argentina's passion for asado is understanding its history, from the first horses and cattle introduced by the Spanish colonizers to the rich tradition of los gauchos who were the first Argentineans to normalize grilling and eating different beef cuts. The gauchos made a full ceremony of the grilling that included sharing the meal with friends while singing, drinking mate and telling stories around the fire. Click play to learn more about the origins of Argentina's most popular meal and national identity and heritage!

The Great Pyramid of Cholula in Puebla, Mexico, is not as tall as some of the famous Egyptian pyramids, but its surface is so wide that it is the biggest in the world! This magnificent pyramid offers many insights into the lives, social and religious practices of the ancient peoples that lived in this area, yet for centuries it remained completely hidden by vegetation. In fact, for years people mistook this impressive archeological site for a hill and they even built a Catholic church on top of the hidden temple. Click play to uncover the many secrets of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, the world's largest pyramid!

Born in extreme poverty in post-Civil War Spain, when he was around 8, Marcos Rodríguez Pantoja was left to survive alone deep in the Andalusian mountains range. He befriended a pack of wolves and other creatures, hunted and foraged for food to survive. Years later, he was captured by the Civil Guard and taken into the city for the long, slow and very difficult process of re-entering the society that cast him away as a child. Click play to be blow-away by the inspiring story of the feral child who beat all odds.

Miami is known for its vibrant night life, incredible beaches, and predominantly Latino population that goes back hundreds of years. While the arrival of thousands of Cubans escaping Castro's regime not only influenced the language, cuisine and economy of the city, it also opened the door for the waves of Latin American immigrants that followed and turned Miami in the capital of Latin America. Click plat to learn more about how Miami became the metropolis it is now with 70% of latinos!

The Chapulín Colorado is a Mexican fictional superhero very popular all over Latin America.  El Chapulín is a beloved character created in the 1970s by Roberto Gomez Bolaño: Short, clumsy, not particularly good looking or strong, but with a good heart and noble, el Chapulín is an antihero character that won the hearts of Spanish-speaking audiences of all ages. Originally born as a parody of the invincible, superhuman American heroes, el Chapulín Colorado charmed audiences with his human flaws and big heart. Click play to hear more about this one-of-a-kind Mexican hero beloved across the Spanish-speaking world!

Luis Espinal Camps was not an ordinary priest. He was a Spanish Jesuit priest born in Mallorca. Poet, journalist, filmmaker, film critic, and political activist, he dedicated his life to advocating for social justice and equality. After his first TV show was repeatedly censored by Franco's regime, Camps went to Bolivia. There, Camps embraced his role as a human rights defender of the poor and challenger of the status quo, which earned him powerful enemies within the dictatorial government, the Church and the private sector. Click play to learn more about this courageous Spanish-Bolivian priest who paid the ultimate price fighting for justice: 

Tango was born in the impoverished areas of Buenos Aires where local, African and European musical styles merged to create a sound full of longing, love and sorrow. Over time, both the music genre and the dance crossed borders and were embraced by people of all classes the world over. In recent years, tango has attracted the attention of neuroscientists battling Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders with encouraging results. Click play to hear how the tango's characteristic rhythm, pacing, and coordinated physical movements have turned this Argentinean dance into a major neurological ally.

The Nobel laureate poet Pablo Neruda is without a doubt one of the most important and influential writers in Latin American literature and the world at large. He also had an active role in Chile's political life, serving as diplomat and senator for the Communist Party. In 1973, two years after receiving the Nobel Prize in Literature, Pablo Neruda died. Cancer was the official cause, but the timing of his death -less than two weeks after the coup d'état led by Augusto Pinochet- and other suspicious circumstances have raised serious doubts on its veracity. Click play to learn more about Neruda's life, political commitment and the ongoing debate about the true nature of his death.

Maria Zambrano is one of the brightest minds in the Spanish-speaking region. She was an essayist and philosopher, originally from Spain. Her life was marked, first, by the Spanish Civil War and then by World War II, conflicts that forced her into exile and strongly influenced her work. She lived in Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Chile and more places, all while constantly writing and publishing her groundbreaking and influential work in politics, the arts, and philosophy.   Click play to hear more about the life, work, and legacy of this brilliant and restless woman thinker!

In Latin America the advancements of modern medicine and science coexist with ancient beliefs that blame different physical ailments on 'spiritual forces'. These evils usually manifest as negative energies found in certain locations (abandoned buildings, crossroads, accident sites, etc) or used by other people to cause harm. Perhaps el mal de ojo (evil eye) is the better known one, but all throughout Latin America we can find different types of spiritual afflictions that can only be cured -according to ancient beliefs- by very specific rituals involving herbs, cleanses, or prayers. Click play to learn all about these powerful spiritual afflictions, their ancestral cures and how to protect yourself against them!

Pepe Mujica was not an ordinary politician. As a young man, his pursuit for equality, social justice, and the defense of human rights, led him to join a guerrilla group. As a consequence, Mujica spent 12 years imprisoned, beaten, tortured, and isolated during the Uruguayan dictatorship, but they could not break his spirit or his principles. Once democracy returned to Uruguay, Mujica dedicated his life to public service holding positions as congressman, senator, minister and president without ever betraying his beliefs and living in the same modest way in which he grew up.   Tune in to our podcast to learn more about the inspiring life and legacy of the 'world's humblest head of state'.

The 'burundanga', better known in English as angel's trumpet, is a cursed flower. This beautiful, delicate, and fragrant flower is extremely toxic and it can cause hallucinations, disorientation, control loss, memory loss, paralysis, induce comas and even death. Historically, this flower was used for medical and shamanistic purposes only. However, in recent times, this toxic flower has gained popularity among criminals in many parts of South America, Mexico and even Europe who use it to easily manipulate their victims. Click play to hear more about the tradition, benefits and dangers of the bewitching burundanga.

Jesús Arriaga, better known as 'Chucho el Roto', is a popular figure in Mexican culture. Class inequalities in Mexican society forced him into a life of crime early on, but Chucho el Roto became a bandit with a strict code of honor: steal from the rich, give to the poor, and no use of violence. A true master of disguise and deceit, soon enough the spectacular deeds of this 'Mexican Robin Hood' earned him the admiration of the lower classes and the loathing of the authorities. Click play to learn more about this Mexican folk hero that has inspired countless songs, books, movies, documentaries and more, keeping the legend of 'Chucho el Roto' alive and well.

In Mexico, las historietas (comics) emerged in the 20th century as the ideal narrative media for the middle and lower classes. Thanks to their low cost, las historietas were able to reach a massive audience serving both as entertainment and as a reflection of the realities of Mexican society. Witty, sarcastic, and full of endearing characters, las historietas used humor to bring attention to important issues facing the nation. Click play to hear about three emblematic historietas and their cultural significance in Mexican society.

For centuries, women had a prominent role in Latin American societies, but the 20th and 21st centuries in particular saw them rise to power to the highest office in Chile, Argentina, Bolivia, Panama, Peru, and other countries in the region. This coming Sunday, April 13th, Ecuador is having a presidential election and Luisa González is a strong candidate to become the next president of Ecuador, adding to the more than a dozen women who have led their countries in the region. Click play to learn about the women in power that have made history and continue breaking new ground.

Located deep in the Guatemalan rainforest, Tikal was a political, religious and economic hub for the Maya civilization. Dating back to approximately 750 BC, this metropolis -known by the Maya as Yax Mutul- soon started to take shape thanks to its impressive temples full of ornamental and architectural features that continue to dazzle many centuries later. Nowadays, Tikal constitutes one of the largest Maya archeological sites in the whole region and has been named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Click play to uncover the secrets of this splendorous ancient city and its importance in the world of Maya culture.

In 1987, after a mountain in Ecuador was partially detonated, a shocking discovery was made. There, carved on the stone, was a massive face with horns, a prominent nose and fangs. This colossal sculpture sent shockwaves through the country and the speculations about its origins and significance ran wild. The real story behind this figure, however, was a true testament to the power of art and the drive of creativity. It was named 'El Poder brutal'. Click play to dive into the mystery of 'El Poder brutal', the striking face secretly carved into an Ecuadorian mountain.

The Fallas is a traditional celebration held in commemoration of Saint Joseph in the city of Valencia, Spain, throughout the month of March. The term Fallas refers to both the festivity -marked by fireworks, music, dancing, parades, and religious offerings- and the colorful and whimsical monuments that are burnt down during its climax. People in Valencia work year-round to prepare the 'ninots', elaborated sculptures that carry social, cultural and political symbolism, and people from around the world gather in Valencia to see them go up in flames. Click play to learn more about this loud and fiery celebration to leave the dreary winter behind and welcome in the Spring!

The Cumbia music genre was born in Colombia from the fusion of Indigenous, African and Spanish cultures. From there, la cumbia crossed frontiers and adopted new musical styles from different countries. In Mexico, people swiftly embraced this music genre and started infusing it with their own traditional instruments and signature musical influences. The adapted cumbia mexicana is a joyful and catchy genre very popular in Mexico, the United States and even in Japan. Click play to hear more about the origins and evolution of the irresistible cumbia mexicana!

Francis Drake was an English explorer, slave trader, and privateer, hailed as a local hero by the British, but despised by Dominicans. Drake had a key role in the Anglo-Spanish War, and made a name for himself invading and raiding La Española in 1586. He led a ruthless assault on Santo Domingo, the modern-day capital of the Dominican Republic, expecting to find gold and wealth which left the city in ruins and its people demoralized. Click play to learn more about the life and deeds of this British pirate that terrorized the Caribbean.

Zapotec indigenous people from Oaxaca, Mexico, have proven to be more advanced than other societies in matters of gender diversity and acceptance. Since pre-Hispanic times, Zapotec culture recognizes men, women, and muxes, people who were born male but choose to live adopting female-coded costumes and roles. Although los muxes are accepted and even regarded as a blessing to their families, outside of their culture they continue to face discrimination. Click play to hear more about the important role of los muxes in Zapotec culture and the challenges they still face from Mexican society at large.

The history of the world is full of fatal love stories, from Romeo and Juliet to the Lovers of Teruel in Spain. In Ecuador there is a love story that is over 6000 years old: los Amantes de Sumpa. This is the popular name given to the skeleton remains of a young couple who died, apparently, making love.  The couple lived over 6000 years ago, and their position suggests that they died in a loving embrace. However, most of their history is still shrouded in mystery. Click play to listen to the romantic tale of los amantes de Sumpa, the perfect example of a love constant beyond death.

Monika Erlt came from a prominent German family with close ties to the Nazi regime, who fled to Bolivia after WWII. There, Monika witnessed extreme poverty and inequality, leading her to question her family's Nazi ideology. After the execution of Che Guevara, Monika joined the guerrilla movement, changed her name and quickly climbed to the highest ranks, raising funds for their cause and successfully carrying out an ambitious plan to revenge the death of Che. Click play to hear all about this fearless woman better known as 'Che Guevara's avenger'.