As we come to the last day of National Hispanic Heritage Month, there is one last list to explore. The Spanish period drama.
Netflix (and now other streaming services) offers a plethora of Spanish programming. From gritty, dark dramas to light-hearted, romantic comedies, there are a number of shows to appeal to everyone.
In particular, if you are looking for a romantic Spanish period drama, look no further! Netflix, for example, has a number to satisfy your romantic “tooth!”
To help you start a new obsession (hey, what are friends for?), below is a list of my favorite Spanish period dramas on Netflix.
RELATED: The 20 Best Streaming Services to Watch Period Dramas (And What to Watch First)
Fans of Downton Abbey, Timeless, and Atonement are sure to enjoy these series. I do highly recommend watching these shows in their original language with subtitles.
Finding time in our busy schedules to watch programming with subtitles is hard. However, hearing the words as originally meant to be spoken adds to the experience. You will not regret it, I promise!
First, before we dive in, a warning about content. The Spanish rating system is less restrictive than American television. Therefore, many of these shows do have a rating of TV-MA or TV-14.
Related Post: 100+ Best Period Dramas on Amazon Prime to Watch
Much of this is due to war violence, some profanity, and brief nudity. However, the content is not gratuitous or for shock value. Last, a link to any reviews on our site is also found below.
Without further ado, here are seven Spanish period dramas you are sure to love! When you’re done binging these, check out more period dramas on Netflix. There are plenty more to choose from!
Editorial Note: The availability of the “where to watch” sections are for the U.S. and can change at any time. Availability was last updated in August 2023. When this article was first published, every Spanish drama listed was available on Netflix. But some of the dramas are no longer available.
7 BEST SPANISH PERIOD DRAMAS YOU NEED TO BINGE NOW
(In No Particular Order)
#1 Gran Hotel (Grand Hotel)
Fans of Downton Abbey will adore this Spanish period drama. It has drama, intrigue, and romance! Oh, did I mention romance?? Swoon-worthy romance of the highest caliber!
The series follows a young man named Julio. He gets a job as a footman at a hotel to investigate his sister’s disappearance. There, he meets Alicia, the owner’s daughter.
Together, they work to uncover the mystery. However, as it happens, they also fall in love. A wonderfully told old-fashioned romance, prepare to watch this series more than once!
Oh, and did I mention how dreamy the lead is???
Content Warning: Rated TV-PG
Where to Watch: Vix Streaming and on DVD (both without English subtitles). It’s currently unavailable on Netflix, but here’s to hoping it returns.
Related Post | Grand Hotel Review – An Addictive Romantic Series for All Period Drama Lovers
#2 Velvet
If you love a story of family and star-crossed lovers, this is the series for you. Velvet is a sumptuous Spanish period drama that is deeply romantic.
It tells the story of the heir to a fashion house who falls in love with a seamstress. Naturally, the family objects and separates them.
Years later, they reunite, setting off an explosive chain of events. Set In 1950s Spain, the sets are beautiful, and the costumes are absolutely gorgeous!
Content Warning: Rated TV-14
Where to Watch: Netflix and Hoopla or buy on Digital.
Related Post | Velvet: You’ll Lose Your Heart to this Beautiful Romance
#3 Las Chicas Del Cable (Cable Girls)
This steamy Spanish historical drama follows the lives of four women brought together by their job as telephone operators in 1928 Spain.
Filled with romance and secrets, Las Chicas Del Cable explores what it means to be an independent woman during the roaring 20s. Think a tamer Sex and the City meets The Great Gatsby. Swoon!
Content Warning: Rated TV-MA for some nudity and sensuality. Common sense rating on Netflix states suitable for children 15+.
Where to Watch: Stream this Spanish romantic series on Netflix.
Related Post | Netflix’s Cable Girls (2017): Love, Revenge & Betrayal Put Friendships on the Line
#4 Tiempos de guerra (Morocco: Love in Times of War)
Another Spanish period drama set during the late 1920s, this series features stunning cinematography and costumes.
Queen Victoria Eugenie sends a group of nurses from the Spanish Red Cross to Melilla to establish a hospital. The task falls to the Duchess of Victoria.
She leads a group of women who, despite the ravages of war, still find time for romance.
Content Warning: Rated TV-MA for war-related violence and sensuality.
Where to Watch: Vix Streaming (in Spanish only). Hopefully, this drama will return to Netflix soon.
Related Post | Morocco: Love in Times of War (2017) Series Review – An Addictive Spanish Medical Drama and Romance
#5 La Catedral del Mar (Cathedral of the Sea)
This sweeping epic is an amazing Spanish period drama. Set in 15th-century Barcelona, La Catedral del Mar tells the story of Arnau, the son of a fugitive serf, whose rise to the noble class brings suspicion from the Inquisition.
Moreover, this series also features star-crossed lovers. Filled with romance and drama, La Catedral del Mar will appeal to fans of Ken Follet’s Pillars of the Earth.
This is darker than what The Silver Petticoat Review typically covers, and thus, there is no review of this program on our site.
Content Warning: TV-MA for war violence and some graphic sensuality.
Where to Watch: Stream on Netflix.
#6 El Ministerio del Tiempo (The Ministry of Time)
Fans of Timeless will adore the original broadcast of this Spanish period drama. In fact, Timeless was a direct adaptation of this original Spanish drama.
The series is about how three people from different eras in time join the modern-day Ministry of Time. Their mission is to prevent other time travelers from manipulating history.
With action, humor, and, of course, romance, El Ministerio del Tiempo is an addictive series! My apologies – I was unable to find a trailer with English subtitles.
Content Warning: Rated TV-MA for brief nudity and sensuality.
Where to Watch: Vix Streaming (in Spanish only). Hopefully, this drama will also return to Netflix soon.
#7 El Tiempo Entre Costuras (The Time in Between)
This lavish romantic Spanish period drama follows Sira, a seamstress, who leaves Madrid for the love of a man. Soon, she finds herself swept up into a game of espionage as Spain struggles between civil war and its growing relationship with the Axis powers in World War II.
Filled with intrigue, romance, and betrayal, El Tiempo Entre Costuras is sure to please fans of Allied, Charlotte Gray, or Shining Through.
Content Warning: Rated TV-14
Whether you’re new to international dramas, or a longtime fan, these seven Spanish historical dramas are addictive! Settle in and prepare to be swept away to another world!
Have you seen any of these Spanish period dramas? Which one is your favorite? What Spanish period drama would you add to this list? Drop me a line in the comments below!
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Oh love this list! I just started watching Grand Hotel and I love it!! I need to check out these other shows too.
I’m glad you like the list! Gran Hotel is one of my favorites. It’s swoon-worthy to the nth degree!! I just started watching El Ministerio del Tiempo and love it. It’s the right balance of humor, adventure and romance.
I have watched them all since I’m Spanish lol My favorite ones are Grand Hotel and Velvet. El Ministerio del Tiempo started to get boring in the third season, and Tiempos de Guerra wasn’t interesting enough as to hold my attention for the whole chapter.
I love this site! Have you watched Kurt Seyit & Sura on Netflix yet? It is beautiful. I have only ONE more episode of Gran Hotel….boo boo! I came to this site to find my next show.
I’m so glad you like the site! I’ll definitely check out Kurt Seyit & Sura on Netflix. Thank you for the recommendation! Happy reading and viewing!
Do you know how I can watch gran hotel with English subtitles? I can’t read/understand Spanish. I can see it on prime but can not change the subtitles to English…I got vix but it also does not have English subtitles…I almost got Disney but I realized what they had was the wrong gran hotel (not the 2011).
I am really looking forward to seeing it! I also really appreciate your page it has helped me watch many great period pieces…and I am grateful!
Thanks for your help.
Hi Jessica! Sadly, Grand Hotel is not currently available with English subtitles. It used to be on Netflix – which is how so many people watched it. But it’s been gone for a while. Hopefully, it will return again. Or at least be released on DVD with English subtitles. And thank you for your comment!