Vamos Espana Travel Itinerary
Day 1-4 Barcelona @ H10 Madison
Montserat Monestary: Our unexpected highlight of Barcelona, we picked a very early last minute tour and it made all the difference. Spain as a whole is very sleepy in the morning so we were able to beat the crowds and experience this site without the hoards of tourists that began flooding in throughout the afternoon. A beautiful harmony of nature and history, this spot was well worth the drive and we could have happily spent many additional hours on the walking trails admiring the landscape of Catalonia. *Plan to dress conservatively while in the monestary.* Check it out!
Hop- on - Hop - off bus: You ‘ Gaudi ‘ try this one. There was no better way to see so much of the city in a short period of time. Not to miss ? La Sagrada Familia - you just have to, but any google will tell you that. I wish we had packed a lunch(and some beers) for a picnic in Park Guell, Gaudi’s exhibit in nature and also made reservations to attend the sunset jazz night held at Casa Mila.
Rental Car: Enterprise(TT 3:45) ~$70
We chose to rent a car and drive because the plan was to leave early and check out the beaches of Tarragona in route to Valencia, but Barcelona was so packed that we ended up getting a late start and our beach day became VERY rushed. We still stopped at the beaches but returning the car and driving down the narrow one way streets of Valencia was a chaotic experience. In retrospect I would recommend beginning the drive much earlier or taking the train (TT 3:50 hrs) ~ 12 EUR, 15 times per day.
Day 4-6 Valencia @ AIRBNB
La Tomatina: Festivals All Around ~$120
I first heard of La Tomatina in my high school Spanish class and for years it lived on the bottom of my bucket list (BIG tomato fan right here!) but when I realized I could take leave during the festival it became the cornerstone and inspiration for our entire trip. Ketchup with my experience in my La Tomatina post!
Valencia is also known as the original creator of Paella, a famous Spanish rice dish originating in the 18th century. We spent the remainder of our time here perusing shops, eating good food and drinking wine - as one should.
Flight: Ryanair VLC- IBZ (TT 0:40 minutes) ~75 EUR
Day 6-10 Ibiza @ Hardrock Hotel
Pacha + Ushuai Beach Club : Martin Garrix & Kygo
While the non-stop parties alone are worth a trip, renting a car and exploring the rest of the island showed us a naturally magical side of Ibiza that wasn’t expected. The beaches and food on the SW corner of the island far surpassed anything we experienced near the main town.
Hiking at Sa Pedera, Atlantis of Ibiza
Sunset at Es Vedra
Restaurante El Carmen at Cale d’Hort
Flight: Ryanair IBZ-AGP (TT 1:10 Hours) ~100 EUR
Day 10-13 Malga @ AIRBNB
Surprisingly (not really) after a long weekend of sleepless nights in Ibiza I was starting to feel slightly under the weather, cue the Hammam Al Andalus Arabian baths. The opulence of this naturally lit bath house was the perfect setting to relax in thermal pools, sip mint tea and partake in several services. Every fiber of my inner Insta-diva longed to take out my camera, which of course is forbidden for privacy purposes. Worth noting- after this experience we chose to return to the Andalus Bath houses in Madrid and did not experience the same level of serenity
I made a fruit plate from our trip to the market in order to take a break from the savory tapas.
Hometown to Picasso , the coastal town of Malga boasts countless roads of art and food. We shopped the local produce markets for a break from non- stop meats and cheeses.
Train: (TT 1:55 hrs) ~ 18 EUR, 5 times/day
Day13- 16 Sevilla @AIRBNB
First off- THIS AIRBNB IS ONE OF THE COOLEST SPOTS I’VE EVER STAYED! Link below. Not only was the 500 year old building beautifully restored but it was also perfectly located in a central spot. 5 stars, would recommend! Book it here!
Alcazar of Seville: As a huge GOT fan we elected to take a tour to visit the filming location of Dorne and the Water gardens. Did you know they used giant balloons to lift camera equipment for aerial views in building where wall fixtures were prohibited? And Seville's mayor accidently cost the city millions by accidently tweeting spoilers to the series.. Despite not being a GOT fan herself my mother still enjoyed the fun facts, lush gardens and history that go with Moorish Arabian inspired Seville.
Seville was probably my favorite city for it’s unique and historic personality. It was a great spot to buy non touristy gifts such as Orange scented sprays, marmalade and local wines.
Tapas & Flamenco? OLE!
Devour did a great food, wine and Flamenco tour. My fav quote of the evening: “Do you eat all of it?”“YES! It is like a woman and you should eat everything !” <—haha! Take the tour
Train: (TT 5:30 hrs) ~ 19 EUR, 20+ times per day
Day 16-20 Madrid @ Hello Hotel
Hello Madrid was a great hotel, centrally located and filled with countless cute touches. The rooftop pool boasted great city views and they had an awesome breakfast every morning in the penthouse restaurant.
Botin Restuarante: We put our phones down and decided to forgo travel apps when looking for dinner one night but low and behold we unknowingly ended up in one of Spain's oldest restaurants. Founded in 1725, Botin is filled with vibrant history, live music and a romantic ambiance that normally requires a reservation - luckily mother is pretty and the maître d’ seemed to have a soft spot for blonde British women, later returning to our table with his photo album collection of the many celebrities who dined there throughout the decades.
Mercado San Miguel: Tough to find a table but this market was a super vibey spot to try out a variety of Spanish foods and wines.
Parque de Retiro: Exhausted from the travels we were super happy to chill out a bit. Mother loves paddle boats, mostly when I am the one paddling. This park was a beautiful spot for an afternoon siesta.
Lessons Learnt:
At a certain point we realize there are only so many beautiful churches and fancy museums we could handle and perhaps we didn't need to see every single one…happiness levels rose- better late than never. The ambiance of Spain, the music, the food and my companion were more that enough for a great vacation and I’m happy that we determined to ditch my strict itinerary sooner rather than later.
* While I LOVE a good penthouse apartment I must admit that this being the second time I carried both Mother’s and my luggage up 6+ flights of stairs left a little to be desired. *
