In the heart of hectic South Beach, find respite with a trip down Española Way. This charming one-block stretch offers an escape from the heavy foot traffic down Lincoln Road and the effervescent nightlife on Washington Avenue. Instead, you will find cobblestone streets and brightly strung lights: an evocation of an era gone by. Take some time to explore the stores, galleries, restaurants, and bars that line the street in Miami’s original "Historic Village."
Española Way is a thoroughfare with peculiar origins. Originally designed in 1925 according to a Mediterranean style, the block was intended to give South Beach’s wealthy residents and visitors the impression they had been transported into a French or Spanish village. As you walk the cobblestone street, take note of the art deco architecture and the seashell-pink stucco buildings. The Way is still largely preserved in its original form.
The late 1920s brought a seedier crowd to Española Way, with Al Capone a regular gambler at the Clay Hotel there. After a long period of dilapidation, the area enjoyed a cultural rebirth in the 1980s and became a popular location for filming, most famously as a setting for the show Miami Vice.
The cultural life of Española Way lives on in its numerous galleries, displaying a range of work that includes paintings and sculptures. Browse for souvenirs at the many mum-and-pop stores that sell beachwear and handmade jewellery among other things. Española Way is also a fine location for dining, and you will everything from Spanish tapas to Italian pasta and beyond at the various cafés and restaurants along the way.
Only when the sun does down does Española Way well and truly come alive. Treat yourself to a special drink from one of the many bars then join in a dance class or just sit back and enjoy the live music in the street.
Española Way is a one-block stretch that runs between Collins Avenue and Pennsylvania Avenue in Miami’s South Beach. You could walk its length in several minutes, but this is a destination that is best enjoyed slowly. Escape the beach’s bustle with a leisurely walk down Española Way, an homage to the past with a distinctly modern feel.
