My husband and I explored Spain for six weeks and enjoyed some must-see attractions and local cuisine. Join me as I recap this unforgettable Spanish adventure.
Hubby and I were away the last eight weeks, two weeks on a transatlantic cruise that transported us across the Atlantic ocean where we disembarked in Barcelona Spain. We then spent six weeks in Spain. We got kicked out of Spain in 2020 when the world shut down, cutting that vacation short and Hubby had wanted to return ever since.
Six Weeks Traveling in Spain
I write up these travel posts to not only share with you the images and our experiences – in case you want to take a trip to that locale, or to remind you of when you vacationed in the area – but as I write in my New Year’s posts, to recall what happened when traveling. And boy oh boy, do I need the written account on this vacation.
Hubby called my mother the other day to get some input on our trip to London this fall. She wanted to stay in a certain area, and I had forgotten exactly where. Well, as they are chatting, he starts talking about our trip to Spain (I assume she asked him how it was). I swear it sounded like we had gone on completely different trips!!!
I take pictures and notes, save receipts, etc. While my write-ups are written through my experience lens, I think they are also gonna be a “you are wrong, that is not how it happened” future documentation for Hubby. *cough*
Anyhoooo…
How We Booked Accommodations and Tours Spain
Hubby again used his a spreadsheet to help plan this trip. He used mainly Viator and hotels.com and TripAdvisor to book our tours and where we would be staying.
One funny story is he booked one tour with Viator in Madrid, and booked the same tour the next day via Get Your Guide. All the tour writes ups are different, and it wasn’t until we arrived at that the market and food tour that he realized his mistake. He was able to cancel the next day’s tour for a full refund, but it is a good reason to stick with only one or two tour sources to book tours (unless you are VERY sure it is only available with a local agency, like one of our wine tours in Italy was!)
What We Packed for Spain
I always use a pac-safe purse when traveling. Stylish? Nope. Safe? Yes. We also use airtags in our luggage and my purse. A “just in case” tracker.
While I have several nice DSLR cameras and lenses, and a decent powershot travel camera, this trip I decided to only use my phone. While we did not travel carry on light, we still needed to keep the weight down on our luggage as we were moving places and the smaller the better when moving luggage through Europe.
Transportation Used in Spain
Our modes of transportation were: Transatlantic ship (from Miami) to Barcelona. Barcelona to Málaga via train through Madrid, then a car from Málaga to Fuengirola. Fuengirola to Seville via car as the train would have been much longer, and no cheaper. Seville to Madrid via train. Madrid to Atlanta via plane.
I didn’t need the security of carry-on only this trip as our luggage never left our side from leaving home through Madrid. If it was lost on the return flight home? Well, it would be returned to our house when found. We did pack a carry-on bag (we always bring a collapsible piece of luggage with us) with a change of clothing and toiletries in case our checked luggage was lost (we drove home, but we the time change we took a hotel and started out early the next morning). That didn’t happen, but I always like to be prepared.
We ended up taking one size up from carry-on, and that served us well. The bulkiest things we took were a second pair of sneakers (black) and raincoats. And, turned out we needed those for the rain/cold in Barcelona, the cold in Madrid (third week in May!), and the rain in Fuengirola.
It worked out for us this trip, but I need to make a decision on the size of the suitcase for our next trip as it is not a direct flight to Europe. We are meeting my mother and aunt in Boston, and there isn’t a direct flight to Boston from Pensacola, never mind Pensacola to London! The more flight changes the more opportunity to lose my luggage. Yes, I am an airline pessimist.
What We Did in Spain
This trip came about when Hubby found a transatlantic cruise on Oceania (a cruise line we had wanted to try) that was heading east in April. We went decided we would take that and then spend some time in Spain.
To begin with, Oceania has fantastic food. They have a reputation for being the best culinary experience in the cruising industry, and I nothing we ate disputes that claim. It was such good food, that on day 3 we decided to only eat one full meal a day, and a small meal for either lunch or dinner as we felt the calories piling on. And, even with cutting back our meals I’d bet we still gained 10 pounds! Normally when we go to Europe I lose 10-15 pounds. Not this time! We started on a high note, and then made certain to not overeat the rest of our trip.
The crossing was a tad rough at the beginning. We stopped in the Bahamas, and then skipped docking in Bermuda as the ocean was rolling and rough. While we saw ships in the Bermuda port (via port cameras) that day we were supposed to be in Bermuda, I cannot complain that the captain decided to skip the stop as our next three days at sea were very rough! One night, I woke up grasping the edge of the bed so I would not fall out. Walking was a challenge inside the ship for a few days and we did not venture outside at all during that time period. The barf bags were out at the elevators, and I would guess people were popping Dramamine (we did not need it, while rough seas, they were not the roughest we have encountered).
We stopped in the Azores (Portugal) where we had been in 2022. We also stopped in Cadiz (LOVED it!), Alicante, and Motril, Spain (which we did not love as much).
We did a food tour in Cadiz which was excellent. The tour included the local food market, as well as stops for tapas.
This was in a local tapas place. We sat at the bar as there were more tapa options available at the bar than at table seathing. While not always true, we did notice this a lot throughout Spain.
That’s an interesting way to keep track of a bar tab!
Cadiz is a beautiful little place, very walk-able, very welcoming. I would love to return and spend a few days.
We took a ship tour in Alicante. This was food and wine and a Flamenco show. The tour was very well done. I am glad we saw the Flamenco dancer as we had another show booked in Seville which we canceled. We do not speak or understand Spanish with any fluency. Hubby can do “kitchen Spanish,” but I have about 30 Spanish words and phrases in my repertoire and you be better speaking slowly if you want me to understand you.
A Flamenco dance tells a story. The facial expressions and dance moves are very much a part of that story. While we could appreciate the dance and music on a visual level, being unable to understand the story took away from the event. And so, we decided not to pay to see another show.
We did a market tour in Motril that was a ship tour. The market was nice, but what wasn’t nice was that we got left behind by the tour guide! This was the first time that has ever happened to us. We must have heard him say the wrong meet-up time after we were released to wander that market as the meet-up point was where we started (so no confusion there), and Hubby set a watch alarm with the time we thought we heard. The guide’s English was heavily accented and very fast. We should have asked for clarification. Lesson learned. Fortunately it only cost us a $10 cab ride back to the ship.
We disembarked in Barcelona and spent a few days there. The weather was atrocious, rainy and cold, so we only did a few market tours. They were experiencing a drought (ironic in light of the weather), so I was very happy that Hubby did our laundry before we got off the ship as our hotel’s laundromat was shutdown. We always travel light, and would have been hand washing if he had not done so.
Barcelona is a “new” city to me and by that I mean that everything is redone, wide open boulevards, easy to get about. But oh my, the tourists. Just crowds and crowds of people everywhere.
We went to two markets, Mercat de la Boquería – which was so mobbed we could barely get through. We had planned on returning on our final day in Barcelona as it was an unplanned day, but it poured that day and so it did not happen. We also visited the Mercat de Santa Caterina which is more of a locals market, and was very easy to get around.
Churros throughout Spain were not very tasty. They were mostly bland and greasy to me. What saved them, was the cup of chocolate served with them. In a few places that chocolate was drinkable, but in most areas it was very thick – more like pudding. You dip the end of the churro into the chocolate, and then eat it. That made it palatable. They were also seldom straight. They were mostly curled. Churros are also a breakfast food in Spain, and you can spot the tourists eating them at other times of the day.
After Barcelona, it was back to Fuengirola. This was the “easy living” town we were tossed from in 2020, and where Hubby had wanted to return to just to look out on the Mediterranean sipping Sangria or beer.
I had fallen in February and done a number on my eye. I was using a cane to make certain I would not fall on our vacation (and I did not), but I also was not looking to do some of the things we did in 2020. So, while we loved Morocco, a one day trip was not on the agenda this time. Walking through Alhambra again? Also not happening regardless of how fantastic the place is (and it is fantastic).
Fuengirola’s market was also being renovated, so it was closed. To be honest it was nothing special, smelled like fish (duh), and could have used some updating. A lot of our time was spent eating. We were pleasantly surprised that so many of the restaurants we enjoyed the last time we were in the area were still in business.
We spent our time in Fuengirola chilling. We did do day trips to Mijas (it had not changed), La Cala de Mijas (was that cute!), Marbella (where the rich and famous play, and I can see why!) and Ronda (meh).
Our trip up Mijas was a 15 minute cab ride, and we spent the time walking around and having lunch. What amazed me was how many businesses either never closed, or came back. They also had more shops then I recall from four years ago. Mijas is a little mountain town infamous for their donkeys, and all there is to do is shop or eat, IMO.
La Cala de Mijas was a cute little town with a nice boardwalk, beach, and many restaurants. We took a day trip there to see what it was about, and found it to be a nice area.
In Marbella we took an excellent food tour. The gentleman running it is Dutch and he had relocated over 15 years prior. He really knew the ins-and-outs of the local market (where we ate at four different places), and pointed out the sights in the old town.
We also took a walk down to see the Mediterranean. It was a lovely day trip, and I couldn’t help regretting we were not spending more time there.
Ronda is famous for the gorge and the bridge, Puente Nuevo, over it. There are actually three bridges in Ronda, Puente Nuevo, Puente Viejo, and Puente Romano, but that one is the town’s claim to fame. That bridge is not very old, however, being completed in the 1790s. I was hoping for a thousand year old bridge, but that is gone.
That last one looks like it is a painting, but it is just a camera photo of the view from one side of the bridge.
Hubby took me to a lovely little restaurant for lunch in Ronda with an excellent view.
When you get a drink, the view is beautiful!
The weather in Ronda was terrible. Rainy and cold, it was fairly miserable, but we made the best of it!
I am not a fan of anchovies or sardines. However, the lemon anchovies we enjoyed along the Mediterranean coast were simply delicious.
I even liked the fire sardines!
After Fuengirola, it was off to Seville.
Dreadful time in Spanish history. That was a walk-through to the Inquisition jail in Seville. The old jail now has municipal functions, and housing. I do not think I could ever live there even though the area had completely changed and is filled with flowers, architectural details, and (believe it or not) charm.
I loved Seville. What a charming city.
We stayed in the old town. That is an old aqueduct in the house where we stayed. The house was attached to a nunnery, and I am sure there is a story behind how the family was able to purchase this home. Sadly, did not get that story, but we did hear how they had no interested in digging or renovating the ground floor anymore.
Why not?
We were told (not just by our host, but by several of our tour guides) that if you find something of architectural value, you need to let the authorities know. Best case scenario is you have to turn over your finds to a museum. Worst case, they want to dig where your home is.
While the street where our apartment was located was old cobblestones, the general area was flat and modern. When I went to Spain this time I wanted a few more fans to add to my collection. We stumbled across a little shop where they made manton and sanila and sold hand made/hand painted fans. I managed to purchase a large one that I plan to have framed to hang on the wall.
We also visited several local markets.
Those were nut stuffed figs at the Seville market. They were $12, and Hubby was balking at the price as I was paying the man. Hubby then proceeded to eat seven of those eight, and kept telling me how good they were. The one I ate was fantastic.
We also visited the Antiquarian de Sevilla, Roman ruins under the mushroom! (A structure, Metropol Parasol, that looks like a mushroom.) The Roman ruins were very interesting as they were underground so you could appreciate how built-up the city was over the centuries, but also that so much was exposed to the touch. While low-lit and many areas were surrounded with glass, the ruins were also wheelchair accessible and very inexpensive to visit (2 euros 20 cents per person).
We took a day trip to Cordoba and that was the only place I was unhappy. The old cobblestones were giving me panic attacks as I worried I would fall. Cordoba itself is charming, old, and very interesting, but physically I was not up for it at this point.
We did go to the Archaeological Museum of Cordoba. We got in free, I assume because I was using a cane and they considered it a disability. They let Hubby in for free, too.
The outdoor courtyards were beautiful!
This is an old mill by the bridge.
The mosque-cathedral in Córdoba was/is an Islamic mosque which was converted into a Catholic cathedral in the 13th century. It was a mob-scene. For a price, you could climb the bell tower. We did not.
Our final destination was Madrid.
I usually hate large cities. While I have come to love Rome over the years, normally, for me, the smaller the city, the better. Not Madrid. I absolutely adored it, and so did Hubby!
Everything was very walk-able and compact for tourists. We did a food tour our first day, went to the museum of natural history (well laid out, very inexpensive, and worth the time), and then attempted to go to the Museo Nacional del Prado with a tour after our tour to the Royal Palace was cancelled (they closed the Palace for a few days, one of which was a day we had scheduled a tour).
The Museo Nacional del Prado was a cluster$#@!. Our guide was late, got the tickets, was not allowed to “skip the lines,” and we were sent over to wait in the long (hour long) line after he got the tickets. Hubby and I bailed, and we did get a refund. However, the term “Spanish time” really is not a joke. That was just our most extreme experience with it, and it came on our last day in Spain.
Yes, we went to a few markets in Madrid, and we also ate a some local taverns. That is oxtail stew.
A few thoughts and notes about this trip:
● A vegetable? What’s a vegetable? In Spain, patatas bravas (delicious) was about it, along with Spanish omelets (more potatoes). I did get my fruit daily in the Sangria I drank.
● Hubby and I rent apartments and seldom stay in hotels. We did stay in an extended stay hotel in Barcelona, and except for the laundry not being in service (the drought), it was fine. I am always surprised to find extended stay hotels in Europe that aren’t a dedicated Airbnb-type hotel, but we did! Our apartment stays were serviceable, but not much better than that. Some were very inexpensive so it was tough to complain, but the one in Fuengirola was only good because the view was outstanding and the location superb.
● Due to my eye injury, we took a lot of Ubers or cars this trip. We knew that going to Fuengirola we’d have to take a car from Málaga as there was no way I was going to schlep up the Fuengirola train station stairs with my suitcase. While Hubby didn’t work me too hard this trip (only 5 walking miles per day), there were simply times when a car was a better option.
● A view of the Mediterranean really cannot be beat. Fuengirola was much cooler this past April/May than it was in February/March of 2020. As a matter of fact, the only place it was warm this trip was Seville. Nevertheless, watching the boats, sunbathers (crazy people! it was genuinely cold out), and fishing boats was fascinating.
● Spain is very inexpensive. Since we stayed between 5 and 17 days in each city, we made trips to the local grocery store as well as eating out once per day. The cost of food was very inexpensive compared to the United States. Paying 50¢ for a loaf of bread, $1 for 8 slices of ham, 85¢ for 2 liters of water, etc. was much less than the cost of food in the United States. I don’t think we paid over $75 for any restaurant meal. Quite the difference from our first meal in the States when we arrived home (we drove from Atlanta) which was over $100 for much less food than our Spain meals. The Euro was $1.05 to the dollar, so basically par.
● WTH Atlanta airport!? Hubby has a pedometer on his phone. We walked 3.5 miles through airports on our return home, and it wasn’t in the Madrid airport! It was almost 2 miles walking the concourse in Atlanta to get to customs. Completely absurd. We have our next flights overseas booked, and then we are taking a transatlantic home, but our trip to the far east (coming home from from Tokyo) in 2025 will not be direct to Atlanta (which was we were looking to do until this customs situation)! We spent an hour in the Avis rental line (and the line never go shorter) to come home. It was crazy how long we spent in the Atlanta airport just trying to leave it.
● Our total trip time was approximately eight weeks, our longest trip away from home to date.
All-in-all it was a very enjoyable trip. We are probably done with Spain as there are other places we would like to visit, and I want to go back to Italy again (wine supply is getting low!) If you are looking for an inexpensive holiday, I would suggest looking into Spain.
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