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Award-winning actress Eva Longoria returns for the third installment of CNN's Searching For series. This time, she embarks on a journey to Spain, the land of her ancestors, where she retraces the footsteps of her predecessor, Lorenzo Longoria, who departed the country in 1603 to seek a new life in the Americas. Now, more than 400 years later, Eva takes viewers on a remarkable pilgrimage through Spain's history, cuisine and breathtaking scenery. 

Here's a preview of some of the featured regions: 

Barcelona and the Catalonia Region

Sitting next door to her northern European neighbors, Catalonia has long had an openness to outside ideas and influences, which paired with its traditional identity, has made it a hub for trade and creativity for centuries. Catalonia’s crown jewel is Barcelona, her capital city, located on the azure Mediterranean Sea.

In Barcelona, Eva enjoys some of Spain’s greatest vermouths. The highlight of Eva’s Catalonian trip is her encounter with Ferran Adrià — the legendary chef who started a gastronomic revolution in the 1990s that spread across the world. In Port de Roses, Ferran Adrià treats Eva to his take on a traditional fisherman’s stew. His shrimp suquet may look deceptively simple but the flavor is far from simple, boosted by Ferran’s ingenious use of overlooked ingredients.

Seville and the Andalusia Region

Andalusia is the soul of Spain; it’s brilliant light, white-washed villages and sun-soaked beaches have lured travelers for millennia. This southern powerhouse is home to everything that Spain is most famous for: flamenco, bullfighting, jamón ibérico and tapas.

Originally one of the poorest parts of Spain, the food culture was hard-won. The people here have “duende” — a passionate spirit that transforms life’s suffering into joyful celebration, making the best from what there is.  Much of the food heritage Eva explores in this iconic region originated in the waves of conquerors, from the Phoenicians to the Arabs, and these influences are now so richly interwoven it’s impossible to separate them. 

Asturias

Asturias, on the northern coast of Spain, is a natural paradise.  Protected by the stunning Picos de Europa mountains, it’s a rugged green land bathed in a cool, rainy climate.  This is the land of Eva’s ancestor, Lorenzo, who left 400 years ago and where his descendants still live today in the town of Longoria.

In a delicious and satisfying homecoming, Eva visits long-lost relatives who still live in the stunning historic house built by their ancestors.  She discovers more family lore and learns the Longoria family recipe for her favorite dish of all time, fabada, made with fabes beans that made her family wealthy centuries ago.