Picture Credit: Netflix
Netflix’s Spanish slate is expanding once again this summer. Today, Netflix lifted the lid on The Map of Longing (known locally in Spain as El mapa de los anhelos), a brand new limited series adaptation of Alice Kellen’s hit novel. The romantic drama drops in full globally on July 17th, 2026.
If you haven’t been keeping track, Spain has consistently been one of Netflix’s strongest European markets for producing global hits, and this upcoming tearjerker looks like it’ll fit right in with the streamer’s YA and romance offerings. Netflix Spain has just dropped our first look at the new series, including the official poster, first-look images, and a teaser trailer, while officially confirming the July release date.
Here’s everything you need to know about The Map of Longing.
What is The Map of Longing about?
Based on the highly popular novel by Spanish author Alice Kellen (published by Editorial Planeta), the miniseries promises a heavy, emotional narrative centered on grief, purpose, and romance.
Here is the official logline for the new series:
“The series tells the moving story of Greta, who claims to have been born with the sole purpose of saving her sister Lucy, who suffers from leukemia, through her stem cells. However, events take an unexpected turn and Lucy passes away, leaving Greta with a profound existential void. Before departing, Lucy creates ‘The Map of Longings’, a game that challenges Greta to face her pain and discover her own path. On this journey, Greta will meet Will, an enigmatic young man with a dark past that torments him. Can we love someone without first loving ourselves?”
Tonally, think of this one as sitting somewhere between Netflix’s A Perfect Story (Un cuento perfecto) and In Love All Over Again (Todas las veces que nos enamoramos) — that same warm blend of Spanish romance and genuine emotional depth. But the heavier subject matter (terminal illness, grief, a posthumous scavenger hunt) pushes it into tearjerker territory, calling to mind All the Bright Places and, to some extent, 13 Reasons Why, only swap the cassette tapes for a healing map and dial the romance up significantly.
The trailer can be seen below. An English language equivalent can be found directly on Netflix.
Who is in the cast of the Netflix miniseries?
If you’re a frequent watcher of Spanish Netflix Originals, you’re going to recognize some familiar faces in this lineup.
- Alícia Falcó (Eighteen, Billionaire’s Bunker) leads the cast as Greta.
- Pablo Álvarez (Memento Mori, La Favorita 1922) stars opposite her as the enigmatic Will.
- Georgina Amorós will play Lucy. Amorós is a familiar face to Netflix subscribers, best known for her long-running role as Cayetana in the global phenomenon Elite, as well as headlining the rom-com series In Love All Over Again (Todas las veces que nos enamoramos).
Rounding out the supporting cast are:
- Laia Marull (Black Bread, The Innocence)
- Mario de la Rosa (best known to Netflix fans as Suárez in the massive hit Money Heist and also featured in Welcome to Eden)
- Ramón Barea (Everybody Knows)
Who is behind the series?
The miniseries is produced by Brutal Media (which is now part of BBC Studios Global Productions). Brutal Media has been a very reliable partner for Netflix over the last few years. If you recognize the name, they are the production company behind several major Netflix titles, including the thriller series Bank Under Siege (Asalto al Banco Central), the YA sci-fi series Welcome to Eden (Bienvenidos a Edén), the true-crime documentary Rosa Peral’s Tapes, and the rom-com I Love You, Stupid (Te quiero, imbécil).
Arlette Peyret and Raimon Masllorens serve as executive producers on the project. Behind the camera, the miniseries is co-directed by Laura M. Campos and Gemma Ferraté, with the script penned by Isa Sánchez.
The Map of Longing will be available to stream globally on Netflix starting July 17th, 2026. Here’s a few more first looks:
EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Alicia Falcó as Greta, Pablo Álvarez as Will in episode 01 of EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Cr. Mónica Lek/Netflix © 2025
EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Pablo Álvarez as Will, Alicia Falcó as Greta in episode 07 of EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Cr. Mónica Lek/Netflix © 2025
EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Pablo Álvarez as Will, Alicia Falcó as Greta in episode 07 of EL MAPA DE LOS ANHELOS. Cr. Mónica Lek/Netflix © 2025
