SPAIN
SPAIN TRAVEL BLOG
October/November 2019 -- Madrid/Andalucia/Barcelona
October 2021 -- Northern Spain/Madrid
DAY 2 -- SAN SEBASTIÁN-DONOSTIA
DAY 3 -- SAN SEBASTIÁN-DONOSTIA, (AGAIN)
DAY 5 -- BILBAO/SANTILLANA DEL MAR
DAY 10 -- LUGO/SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA
DAY 11 -- SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (AGAIN)
DAY 12 -- SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA/LEON
DAY 17 -- SPAIN -- PARTING THOUGHTS
November 2022 Costa Brava/Barcelona
DAY 1 -- PUTTING THE “LOW” IN BARCELONA
DAY 3 -- BESALU -- PLEASE ALLOW ME TO INTRODUCE MYSELF
DAY 4 -- CADAQUES & FIGUERES -- THE OLD BIDDY AND THE PEA
DAY 5 -- SANT FELIU de GUIXOLS --SOMETIMES YOU JUST MIGHT FIND YOU GET WHAT YOU NEED
SLEEP AND EAT IN SPAIN
Barcelona
Violeta Boutique Hotel -- Cute hotel near the Placa Catalunya. Great value.
Barcelo Sants -- Profoundly strange but perfectly fine and extremely convenient hotel next to the train station. Transport yourself to outer space in the City of Barcelona. I was very confused.
Upper Diagonal Hotel -- In the Sarria neighborhood, so off the tourist track. Nice modern hotel with an OK ground floor restaurant.
Rosa Negras -- Good tacos and margaritas in the Gothic quarter
Bilbao
Hotel Bilbao Jardin -- Clean, modern hotel in the heart of old town
La Ribera Market -- Fabulous pintxos food hall
Gelati Gelati -- Fantastic gelato
Burgos
Hotel Norte & Londres -- Very basic and dated but clean hotel in an excellent location
Corao
Hotel Rural Entremontes -- Basic and clean hotel kind of in the middle of nowhere in the Picos de Europa near Cangas de Onis. Helps to know some Spanish
Cordoba
Hotel Mezquita -- Clean, vintage hotel across the street from the Mezquita. Excellent location and value.
Cudillero
Casona de La Paca -- Elegant hotel outside of the centro. Fantastic breakfast. A little more expensive than my other accommodations in Spain but a great bang for the buck.
Restaurante Arbichera -- Restaurant across the street from Casona de la Paca. Good value. The cachopo is massive. Cider sangria is tasty.
Figueres/Castello d'Empuries
Palau Macelli -- OMG! Absolutely gorgeous hotel in Castello d'Empuries (about a 15 minute drive from Figueres). Recently renovated palace with fabulous rooms. I was upgraded to a junior suite, and it may have been the nicest hotel I've ever stayed in (and for only 80 Euros a night in the off season). Excellent breakfast.
Girona
Erba by Pillow -- nice, clean, modern but basic accommodations about a 10 minute walk from the old city. Nearby parking is hideously expensive.
Granada
Casa del Capitel Nazari -- Fantastic value. Updated hotel rooms in a historic building. Great location.
Leon
Hotel Alda Via Leon -- Excellent location. Basic accommodations in a vintage hotel.
Madrid
Hostal Artistic B&B -- Super cute B&B halfway between Atocha Station and the Plaza Mayor. Friendly staff and excellent breakfast. Warning -- there are LOTS of stairs and no elevator. Great value if you don't mind climbing stairs with your luggage.
Hostal Met Madrid -- Super clean, basic hotel in a superb location just one block from the Mercado San Miguel and the Plaza Mayor. Excellent value.
Chocolateria San Gines -- world famous for churros and thick hot chocolate
Mercado de San Miguel -- Food hall with nearly every type of tapas you can imagine.
Minibar -- Great tapas restaurant across the street from the Hostal Met Madrid. Order the melted goat cheese. You can thank me later. Reservations recommended.
Museo del Jamon -- Several locations. Iconic restaurant where you can try all kinds of Spanish ham.
Taqueria El Chaparrito -- Yummy and cheap tacos near the Plaza Mayor
Oviedo
Soho Boutique Hotel -- Clean, modern and centrally located hotel overlooking a square near the Cathedral. Excellent value.
Ronda
Hotel Ronda -- Clean basic accommodations in Old Town near the New Bridge. Good value
Salamanca
Salamanca Suites Hotel -- Modern, all-suite hotel in an excellent location just steps from the Plaza Mayor. Fantastic value.
Cuzco Bodega -- Yummy tapas and sangria near the Plaza Mayor
Winelovers, vinos, tapas y + -- Really delicious food and a friendly staff. Lots of Asian-inspired tapas
San Sebastian
Welcome Gros -- Clean, modern hotel across the river from old town
Bar Sport -- Good pintxos in a fun atmosphere
La Vina -- Famous for Basque cheesecake
Santiago de Compostela
Pension Residencia Tambre -- Friendly, clean and basic hotel about a 20 minute walk from the Cathedral. Don't be scared off by the slightly shabby exterior. The staff is amazing!
Santillana del Mar
Posada la Casa Organista -- SUPER cute hotel in a great location. Friendly staff. Good breakfast. Absolutely LOVED this place. *****
Seville
Hotel La Bella Sevilla -- Nice modern hotel on a car-free street in a great location.