After much anticipation and an 8 hour bus ride from Seville, we arrived in the beautiful city of Lisbon. The bus trip itself was uneventful, however should you ever decide to make this trek by bus, be aware that there are no toilets on the bus. To be fair, the bus was cheap, about $40, so you gets what you pay for. Needless to say, we ate and drank sparingly for fear of having to use facilities that were non-existent. Luckily, our driver scheduled a few much needed bathroom breaks along the way. The scenery along the drive was quite beautiful consisting of terraced hills, sheep, and some of the most exotic looking trees I’ve seen.
The bus dropped us off at the Oriente metro station in Lisbon, another beautiful structure designed by Santiago Calatrava. From there it was an easy and quick trip to our accommodations in Lisbon. Our GORGEOUS apartment was located in the central Intendente neighbourhood. We had booked the place through airbnb and it was STUNNING! Andrew, Emma’s boyfriend, was joining us in Lisbon and for the rest of our trip so we needed a comfortable and spacious place and this apartment delivered. We had two bedrooms and two bathrooms, a kitchen, and living/dining room. The place was beautifully decorated with no detail missed. I loved this place and I knew immediately that it would be difficult to leave at the end of our stay.
That evening, after Andrew arrived after almost 24 hours of traveling, we caught up over some wine while planning our activities for the following day.
Alfama from a distance
Next morning, our first order of business was booking a walking tour of the city. We chose the Sandeman New Europe tour which was meant to be 3 hours. This tour, which did not include the famed Alfama neighbourhood, started in the Barrio Alto neighbourhood and wound its way through many of the cities cobblestone streets as our tour guide shared stories of the city’s heroes, history, food and monuments. Our guide was wonderful at telling stories and we certainly learned a lot, however the tour ran quite late at almost 4 hours! By the end of it we were exhausted and starving. Don’t get me wrong, we enjoyed the tour, but it could have easily been shortened and would have still been quite useful and informative. We could not help but feel as though our guide really enjoyed listening to the sound of his own voice and his seemingly endless remarks about needing tips to cover his rent along and his requests for us to book additional paid tours during our break instead of online following the tour (he gets a commission for the tours you book that day) got a bit old. All that being said, the tour was quite good.
Following the tour, we were thirsty and what better way to quench your thirst then to enjoy some sangria on a patio. We found a nice little resto on a side street and settled in for our first official sangria pitcher in Portugal.
Dinner was actually not too bad, considering we ended up at a small, family run, restaurant where they served both Portuguese and Indian fare. A little weird, but we were so hungry we didn’t care. We ordered lamb and fish dishes which were surprisingly delicious given that this place was a bit of a hole in the wall, the desserts however, were the stars of the show. We had creme brule, a flan and, a traditional Portuguese cake that consisted of layers of cookies interspersed with a coffee flavoured cream that was so tasty I’m still thinking about it. After polishing off our desserts, our server offered us a complimentary ‘whiskey’. I should point out that this ‘whiskey’ was home made and clear in colour. Honestly, it smelled like pure alcohol and tasted like gasoline. I barely chocked it down. Andrew loved it and actually complimented the server on it. His reward? He was happily given a second shot of this Portuguese fire water to gulp down. Why anyone would voluntarily submit themselves to that kind of punishment is beyond me. That stuff was disgusting.
The next morning we signed up for a tour of Alfama which started at 3pm later that day. We spent the morning walking through Lisbon taking in the sights then made our way to the meeting spot for our 3 pm tour. The tour was short and sweet and our guide, who was clearly new at this, was engaging and informative. We walked through Alfama’s winding streets while being regaled with stories of life in Alfama, it’s traditions and people. We were even treated to a shot of homemade Gingha (a delicious cherry flavoured liqueur) served from the window of a lovely lady’s home as we walked by on our tour. I couldn’t help but notice that several enterprising locals were selling shots of Gingha from their windows and stoops to the very thirsty tourists exploring their neighbourhood.
Walking through Alfama
If you visit Lisbon you must treat yourselves to a Fado performance. Fado is a traditional form of music the origins of which can be traced to the 1820s and it’s cultural importance is as significant to Portugal as Flamenco is to Spain. There are no words that can accurately describe Fado music, suffice it to say that it is both beautiful and mournful. We were lucky enough to enjoy an evening of Fado while enjoying a delicious traditional Portuguese meal in the historical Alfama neighbourhood later that evening following our tour.
Fado singing during dinner in Alfama
The following day was pretty busy as we made our way out to Belem to visit the Torre de Belem, enjoyed a delicious lunch of grilled chicken, explored the park after a nice self-catered picnic – made friends with some ducklings and a few peacocks – ate our weight in Pasteis de Belem‘s WORLD FAMOUS Portuguese custard tarts and finally making our way back to our neighbourhood in time to see the sunset from the Miradouro da Senhora do Monte.
Torre Belem
The bustle is non-stop at Pasteis de Belem
Let me tell you, climbing that hill to see the sunset was a killer. However, once we arrived at the top of the hill we were lucky enough to witness one of the most beautiful city sunsets ever. There was something truly magical about this place. We arrived at the top of the hill, sweating, out of breath, cursing every bloody stair we had to climb to make it there, yet somehow all of that didn’t matter. It also didn’t seem to matter to the other thirty or so other people who had also made the ascent. As the sunset over Lisbon, the crowd snapped pictures while toasting each other with wine and beer (which we in our haste forgot to bring. At some point a small band began serenading the crowd with some old standards and as the sunlight faded and the sky began to shift from orange, to pink, and finally red, the jazz trumpet played the sun out of the sky, I couldn’t help but smile. It was a perfect end to a wonderful day.
Sunset over Lisbon
In total, we were in Lisbon for 6 days and we could have easily stayed longer and not run out of things to do or see. We loved the city, its people and its food and I cannot wait to return some day.
After the busy and frenetic pace of Lisbon, we were happy to arrive in Porto. I couldn’t help but notice almost immediately that Porto seemed to be much more quieter and laid back then Lisbon. We arrived by train after a relatively short trip, about 3 hours. Our apartment, again an airbnb rental, was centrally located, about a 10 minute walk from the Sao Bento train station. Fun Fact: the train station was named after a 16th century Benectine monastery which was at one time located on the site, but was destroyed by fire in the late 18th century. It was rebuilt but fell into a state of disrepair. In the early 1900s King Carlos I decided to expand the Portuguese train system and engaged a famous architect, Jose Marques de Silva to redesign the defunct monastery for it to be used as the main train station in Porto
.
One of the two azulejo panels at the Sao Bento station in Porto.
Currently, the train station acts as a main hub for Porto’s suburban train lines. The architecture is stunning, however, the real star attraction of the station are the two azulejo painted tile panels by Jorge Colaco – who was considered to be the most important azulejo painter at the time. The two panels depict landscapes and historical events and are located in the main vestibule of the station.
We arrived at our apartment which was located in a circa 1960’s three story walk-up. Let me tell you that walking into that apartment was like taking a step back in time. The apartment, which used to be owned by an architect, had been magnificently restored to its original design, complete with wood paneled walls, post modern lighting and the most amazing divider wall come bookcase I have ever seen. However, the decor itself paled in comparison to the current owner’s extensive collection of jazz and fado CDs! I was over the moon at discovering these magnificent musical gems and the best part? The owner also left us a delicious bottle of Porto for us to sip on while we enjoyed her sensational jazz collection.
Enjoying some of Porto’s finest at the historical Majestic Cafe.
The following morning we set off to explore the city. Sadly Porto’s only walking tour was not being offered during the days we would be in the city, so we did a bit of research online and made a list of some attractions to seek out while walking around Lisbon. One of the first places we checked out was Porto’s historical Majestic Cafe. There was a bitof a line up but we didn’t mind, since we knew that something delicious was waiting for us inside. We each ordered a dessert and port pairing from their recommended pairings menu, and no surprise, the pairings were perfect.
Luckily for us, we just happened to arrive in Porto while a number of great outdoor events and festivals were taking place, including the one day Em D’Bandada music festival. This music festival is unlike most music festivals in that the bands perform in some very interesting locations such as a streetcar, or in a grocery store, or marching down the sidewalk. Em D’Bandada begins early morning and continues well into the pre-dawn hours. We were fortunate enough to see some great performances as we walked through the city that day. Unfortunately, I got sick that evening but Emma and Andrew were able to check out some of the performances, including a street party featuring a DJ spinning from inside the basket of a cherry picker 5 meters above the street until 4am.
On our first morning walk through the city, we happened upon an outdoor market selling everything from homemade cookies, compotes and macaroons…just to name a few. I, of course, took full advantage and picked up a small bag of cookies along with a delicious port, apricot and raspberry jam. All were made by small local producers who were all very enthusiastic about their products and rightfully so. All that traveling had made me quite hungry.
Outdoor market in Porto
Porto is also home to a very large outdoor book fair as well as a festival that pays homage to Porto’s official dish, the Francesinha. This dish can best be described as a franken-sandwich stuffed with cured ham, sausage, and beef wrapped in melted cheese then drowned in a beer and tomato sauce. It’s sometimes topped with an egg and served with french fries. It’s not an attractive looking dish, but I was assured by both Emma and Andrew that it was delicious. I wasn’t feeling well, and upon seeing this monstrosity of a sandwich, I was grateful for not being able to stomach food, because there was no way I was putting any of it in my mouth, as I assure you it looked disgusting.
The famous Francesinha…at 2500 calories each, this thing packs a punch
The forecast for the next few days was not very promising with nothing but torrential downpours in the forecast. We decided that the best way to beat the weather was to visit one of the many port lodges across the Douro and hole up there for an afternoon of porto tasting. I mean, what choice did we have?
We attended a really nice tasting at the Taylor’s port lodge. Our tasting included a guided tour and three glasses of port. The tour and tasted lasted about an hour and a half in total and we paired our ports with a very nice artisanal cheese and some handcrafted chocolate truffles. It was pure bliss and by far the best way to combat the dismal weather outside.
Taylor’s port tasting…best way to escape the rain.
Later that evening, we enjoyed a lovely dinner at Grade A, a family run restaurant near the waterfront. The food was simply prepared and absolutely delicious. We were offered a delicious and delicate octopus salad and a plate of lightly battered and deep fried sardines drizzled in oil as appetizers which we devoured almost immediately. I then ordered the prawns in lemon butter and paprika served with lemon wedges, while Emma ordered the pan seared lamb and Andrew had the oven roasted kid. Dessert was a dream, we each ordered something different and shared, as you do! I had a slice of key lime pie – divine! Andrew ordered another version of the layered mocha cream cake he’d had in Lisbon and Emma ordered an oven roasted apple with cinnamon – YUM!
We managed to sign up for the Taste Porto Food tour, which quite frankly I cannot recommend enough. The tour lasted about 3 1/2 hours and was pretty amazing. Our guide Andre, was very knowledgeable and he offered us an experience that took us off the beaten path. The beauty of this tour is that Andre and his team will not take you to the typical touristy food places, his food tour gives you the opportunity to taste the Porto that the locals enjoy. He works closely with local vendors and suppliers to curate a truly authentic Porto food experience. During this tour we visited 6 stops including the Mercado Bolhao, Flor dos Congregados (the oldest restaurant in Porto, a third generation family run resto that has been operating for 152 years – and counting), an incredible bakery famous for its eclairs, another bakery specializing in an incredibly flaky pastry stuffed with both savoury and sweet fillings, an historic coffee house and a taberno specializing in curating the best wines, cheeses and sausages from small local producers. This tour was an absolute highlight and Andre was an absolute wealth of information on the food scene in Porto offering us suggestions on where to eat and which wine bars to visit. Just incredible. One of the best things about this particular tour were the other foodies who also signed up. We met some pretty amazing people including including a journalist from the U.K. who was living in Poland with his wife (we met up with them later that day for pint at a local craft beer pub) another couple from Australia who were living in London, another couple from just outside Toronto who were last minute additions to the tour, and a fantastic woman named Nanna, from Reykjavik, who also happened to be a well known cook book author.
I discovered so much while visiting this amazing city and I’m not just talking about the food and the port. We visited many wonderful spots including the Livraria Lello, an incredible library dating back to 1869 which served as J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Hogwarts while writing Harry Potter.
Inside Livreria Lello
On another day, we wandered into the incredible HATS & C.A.T.S. where I had the pleasure of trying on some of the most beautiful hats I’ve laid eyes upon. These hats were not just hats, they were pure artistry.
Finally, on our last day in Porto we took the historic Tram 1 to Passeio Alegre and walked along the sea wall to watch the waves crashed against the light house as the sun set on the horizon, a scene so wondrously beautiful it made my heart sing. I just couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be there to witness something so amazing.
Malaga has long been one of my absolute favourite destinations, if not for its beautiful old city centre than most definitely for its rich history and breathtaking views from atop the Gibralfaro.
Rose garden in Malaga, beautiful spot along the waterfront
We arrived in Malaga mid afternoon after a scenic train ride through the country side. Upon arrival we checked into our room – booked through airbnb – located in the heart of the old city centre. The room was located in an airy third floor walk up with tall ceilings, an adorable kitchen and spacious living room with large windowed doors opening up to two balconies overlooking the cobblestone streets below. Our room was adorably decorated in whitewashed finish with a large cupboard for our clothes and the most comfortable beds ever – and lets not forget, real, actual pillows…like actual foam pillows. If I’d had room in my backpack, they may have accidentally made their way into my luggage. Mornings were an absolute delight at this place, we enjoyed our breakfasts in the company of other guests and sharing travel stories with them…loved this place.
Freshly caught and deep fried whitebaits with sangria
After checking in we made our way to Confederation Square located in the heart of Malaga, one of my favourite spots to people watch. We promptly sat down at a table on one of the restaurant terraces overlooking the square and ordered a pitcher of sangria and plate of battered and fried whitebaits…absolutely scrumptious! We lingered there for most of the afternoon musing about our adventure so far and what we should explore while staying in Malaga.
We had initially planned a day trip to Morocco from Malaga, but soon discovered that we wouldn’t have enough time to do so. Luckily for us, this would give us time to explore the Alcazaba and the Castillo de Gibralfaro instead. The Alcazaba is a former palace-fortress dating back to 1057 and was occupied by the Muslim governors during their time in Spain. Easily walkable and bargain as you can visit both sites for less than 3 euros – if you are willing to wait until later in the afternoon to make the climb to the Castillo de Gibralfaro as entrance is free after 2pm. We decided to explore both the following day.
One of many beautiful gardens for you to enjoy as you stroll through Malaga
That evening, we decided to check out the tapas scene in Malaga and made our way to El Tapy, a local tapas bar which was highly rated on Yelp because of it’s varied menu and cheap eats. What. A. Shit. Show. The place was crowded and our server ushered us to a tiny table in the back room, crammed up against another table. It was so crammed that the guy at the next table kept hitting me in the back with his elbow every time he took a drink from his wine glass and he and his friend had just ordered another full bottle of wine! We ordered two beers which were brought to us fairly quickly, they were ice cold and accompanied by, quite possibly, the most gag inducing plate of paella I’ve ever had the misfortune of putting in my mouth. I’m afraid it was time to call time on El Tapy. We downed our beers and spent the next 20 minutes trying to flag down our server in order to get our bill. Emma literally, no joke, had to tackle another server in order to finally get our bill. We made haste out of there and off to a quaint little tapas placed we had walked by earlier in the evening, Vineria Cervantes.
Disgusting El Tapy paella, to be avoided at all costs
It was brilliant! We were seated at a small table outside (perfect for people watching) and given a menu. Now the challenges was in choosing something since every plate that passed by our table looked mouth watering and every dish described on the menu sounded delicious. We finally decided on the battered prawns with treacle and a coriander mayonnaise and the Argentine steak with tomatoes and roasted potatoes, paired with a Rioja tinto – Biga ‘crianza’. Their wine list was quite impressive, with many wines available by the glass, so choosing a wine was a bit of an effort, but our server was extremely knowledgeable and quite helpful in helping us choose the right wine.
Vineria Cervantes’ Prawns with treacle and cilantro aoli, not to be missed.
The prawns were incredibly tasty with the sweetness of the treacle playing off nicely against the tang of the coriander mayo. The steak was cooked to perfection and though the tomatoes and roast potatoes were nice, the star of the dish was the spicy chimichurri sauce served alongside, it was heaven. The entire meal brought a tear to my eye, it was so freakin’ good, with the Rioja capping off an absolutely wonderful meal in Malaga.
It’s worth a mention that we ordered the half plates and we did not leave hungry.
Our first step the following day was the Picasso Museum, a permanent Picasso exhibit on display in the artist’s childhood home. Picasso lived in Malaga as a child, left to pursue his art and returned to Malaga only once at the age of 19. The family home was restored and now houses approximately 250 of his oeuvres, generously donated by his family trust. The price is 7 euros and includes the audioguide, which was very informative and offered a great deal of insight into his personal life, his creative process and his progression as an artist. Touring the museum takes about an hour to 90 minutes and not only includes his paintings, but also features a few of his sculptures and a large collection of his pottery which was donated to the museum by his widow. The pottery was quite interesting, but the room in which it is housed was the showstopper, as they feature beautiful murals and gilded ceilings. Absolutely stunning. Of note, the museum also features some pretty interesting temporary exhibits from time to time. Last time I was there, the Dennis Hopper photography exhibit was on offer, and this time they were featuring Louise Bourgeois’ I’ve Been to Hell and Back .
The museum also houses an archaeological dig in the basement, discovered while the home was being restored, displaying remains from the Roman wall which at one time surrounded the city. Though the display itself is quite small, it’s well worth a visit.
Our next stop was the Alcazaba, a palace cum fortress constructed in the early 11th century to house the Muslim emperors who ruled the region at that time. If you plan on visiting this place, be sure to set aside at least a couple of hours and make the hike up the hillside to the Castillo de Gibralfaro as well for some stunning views of the city. Both are amazing examples of Moorish architecture and an absolute must. We also took advantage of the small cafe on site and took a much deserved sangria break under the shade of the trees and overlooking the city below. Delightful!
After a full day of sightseeing, what better way to cap of the day then drinks on the roof of the Marriott hotel followed by dinner at one of the oldest restaurants in the city. Our hosts had recommended the rooftop at the Marriott and it did not disappoint. We were treated to 360 degree sweeping views of the city below while we sipped our sangrias and watched dusk turn into night.
Views from atop the AC Marriott in Malaga, simply breathtaking
Later, we made our way to El Chinitas, one of the oldest restaurants in Malaga. The restaurant specializes in seafood and has an extensive wine list. Prices are what you would expect to pay in the touristy part of the city, but the food was good and we were treated to a delicious meal on the terrace. We shared a mixed tapas appetizer plate featuring fish, meat, beans and sausages and each had a fish plate. I ordered the sole meuniere and Emma ordered their deep fried seafood platter. I wish I could say the food was amazing, but sadly it was not. My fish was average at best and the appetizer selection was less than stellar, though Emma appeared to enjoy her seafood plate.
Sole a la meuniere – El ChinitasFried fish platter, a must try in Malaga
Following dinner, we walked through its cobblestone streets, exploring the many bars and terraces where locals and tourists alike commiserate over sangria and the music from the clubs spills out into the streets. The perfect end to our last day in this beautiful place.
This beautiful 2000 year old city was definitely one of the many highlights of this trip. Once considered to be a major fishing and much desired trade hub, Sevilla was conquered by both the Cartagenas and the Romans, colonized and named by Julius Caesar, then Muslim occupied for more than 500 years. As expected this rich and storied past has influenced its architecture, traditions, food, culture and its people.
Seville at night, there is no place more beautiful.
We arrived in Seville by train in the early afternoon and quickly made our way to Pension Vergara, a former convent now converted into a two story pension, and our home for the next few days. The pension was located on the most famous neighbourhoods of Seville – though we didn’t know it at the time. More on that later.
After checking in to our room, we unloaded our bags and made quick work of finding a nearby restaurant for a bite to eat and a glass of wine, of course. Let me say that this did not prove to be very difficult as the winding cobblestone streets outside our pension were lined with restaurants, tabernas, terraces and bodegas. We had hit pay dirt!
Our first food stop on this leg of the trip was Cerverceria Giraldi, A small restaurant with a stunning sidewalk view of the cathedral. We ordered small tapas plates of Iberico ham, grilled lamb chops, grilled mushrooms, and manchego cheese along with a crisp bottle of perfectly chilled vinho verde.
We lingered over our tapas and wine planning out our last few days in Spain while watching tourists and locals alike going about their business in the shadow of the cathedral and later that evening we walked through the city snapping pictures and taking in the beauty of this wonderful place. Sevilla at night is absolutely stunning. I must have taken over a thousand pictures while visiting this city alone. Just incredible. After a few hours of taking in the magnificence of this place at night, and witnessing quite possibly, one of the most beautiful city sunsets I’ve ever seen, we headed back to our pension for a solid night’s rest. There was a lot to see here and we didn’t want to miss a second of it!
The following morning we headed to the meeting spot for the free walking tour. Our guide Lupee was born in Seville and has a degree in Art History, so she was the perfect person to lead our tour through this historic city. Our tour focused on the the many monuments of Seville, as well as the area near the cathedral, the India Archives and the Real Alcazar. The tour lasted about 3 hours with stops at the oldest bullfighting ring in Sevilla, the Gold Tower, the Royal Tobacco Factory, now converted into a public university, the grounds of the Ibero-American Exposition World’s Fair which took place in Seville in 1929, and the Plaza de Espana . While we saw many things on this tour, my favourite stop was by far, the Plaza de Espanya, also built as part of the Ibero-American Export to highlight Spain’s industry and technology exhibits. Currently it houses Seville’s City Hall along with various government departments. Fun Fact: the building was also used in the filming of Lawrence of Arabia.
Plaza de Espanya
While on our walking tour, our guide mentioned a Flamenco evening event which was also offered by the same tour company. We signed up on the spot and we certainly did not regret it. For 28 euros, we were treated to a brief, one-hour history lesson on Flamenco in Sevilla from the rooftop of the Hotel Dona Maria in Old Sevilla. The views and wine alone were worth the price of the tour. As the sun set over the cathedral and we sipped our wine, Lupee provided us with a detailed overview of the various branches of the art, its costumes, and its folklore. Once the sun had set the history lesson was complete and it was time to make our way to the famed Casa de la Guitarra for the Flamenco show. The venue was quite small, with a maximum seating of probably 50 people. The lines of the small room are lined with the largest collection of Spanish Flamenco guitars in the world. The privately owned collection is said to be one of the most important in Spain with guitars dating back to the 16th century.
Now, it is said that the art of Flamenco should be enjoyed in a small, intimate space where you can see the sweat on the dancer’s brow and feel the music of the guitar and the vibrato of the singer’s voice and the stomping of the performers’ feet. The venue delivered on all fronts. We were seated very close to the front, second row, and thoroughly enjoyed the performance. It was an absolute treat and the highlight of our time in Seville. As our tour guide said it best “you don’t go the opera for steak”, so why would you sign up for a flamenco dinner show in a large theatre. She was right. This is the only way to enjoy the art of Flamenco. I cannot recommend this show enough.
The food in Seville is beyond compare, we enjoyed many delicious meals in this city and we even found a favourite hangout, the Bodega Santa Cruz. We had heard a lot about the Santa Cruz neighbourhood and how it was an absolutely must while in Seville. On our final day in Seville, we decided to look up some restaurants in that neighbourhood and make our way there for dinner. Well, we didn’t have to go very far, as it turned out that after 4 days of talking about how we must visit this neighbourhood, the restaurant we were planning to go to was literally outside the front door of our pensione. We had been in the bloody neighbourhood for our entire trip and didn’t even realize it! You would think that the bodega we visited every night, the Bodega Santa Cruz, would have tipped us off? Idiots! Highly embarrassing! Needless to say we loved Santa Cruz, it’s winding cobblestone streets, historic sights and delicious food!
Metropol Parasol, The Second Room and their ridiculously potent dry martinis.
We stopped into the Second Room after visiting the Metropol Parasol, a wooden structure designed by noted German architect Jurgen Mayer-Hermann. The admission for entrance is 3 euros and it includes a free cocktail at one of 3 restaurants located at the base of the structure. We, of course, took full advantage of this incredible freebie and enjoyed a chilled glass of vinho verde under the Parasol.
This glass of vinho verde was followed by an order of deep fried calamari and onions with hot chili peppers and a bottle of wine – they were offering a promotion on wine after all – who can say no to that? Well, certainly not Emma and I. So, we ate the calamari and polished off the bottle of wine. As we made our way back to our hotel, we happened to notice a sign outside the Second Room, a popular cocktail bar, promoting their dry martini. It was ridiculously priced at 14 euros, but how could we say no to the only decent martini we’d seen on a menu in over a month. We sat down and ordered the martini, as you do – ‘Very dry with 3 olives, please and thank you!’ It was delicious! It was so delicious in fact, that we ordered a second martini…with 5 olives this time! Let me just say in our defence, that we had already consumed a half bottle of wine each and a martini, so we clearly were not thinking straight. Fast forward to the next afternoon when we woke up in our beds at the pension, fully clothed – I was still wearing my sandals – with absolutely no recollection of when or how we got there. After checking our bags to make sure we still had our wallets and cash, we checked our cameras to see if we had taken any photos following our martini throw down. The last photo on my phone was a picture of the 5 olive martini, it was time stamped 6:57PM. It was now past noon! Yikes! Thus, I would recommend that you do try the martini, but for the love of all that is holy, don’t be an idiot. Don’t drink a bottle of wine before hand and no matter what you do…do not, under any circumstances, order a second one!
The Second Room’s DEADLY DRY MARTINI – stop at one if you know what’s good for you!
On our last full day in Seville and we couldn’t possibly leave the city without visiting the famous Real Alcazar. To be completely honest, it’s the one thing I absolutely had to visit, especially knowing that episodes of Game of Thrones have been filmed there. The grounds and palace defy description and the photos alone do not do it justice. Suffice it to say that it was well worth the price of admission and the 2 hours we spent there were not nearly enough. The surrounding gardens are equally beautiful and one could spend 2 hours alone enjoying the quiet sanctuary they offer.
Real Alcazar, SevillaInside the Real Alcazar, Sevilla
Though tourists now flock to this marvelous city in droves, it’s currently ranked 11th on the list of most visited cities in the world (according to Forbes), this was not always the case. It is also currently the 5th most visited city in Europe (according to Conde Nast Readers’ Choice Award for 2014). The city was not really viewed as a destination until after it hosted the Olympics in 1992. Prior to the ’92 Olympics Barcelona was very different from what it is now. For one thing, there were no beaches in Barcelona, however, once they secured the games, they began working in earnest to transform their city from a mostly industrial backwater into the sun, sand and sangria destination it is today. The city spent over $11 billion dollars to not only construct the many sporting venues, stadiums, and accommodations for the athletes, but to add much needed infrastructure and green spaces and beaches. They demolished the industrial waterfront, added a modern marina and imported enough sand from Egypt to create a 2 mile long beach (they continue to import sand from Egypt every year in order to maintain the beaches). Interestingly enough, the sand was not the only thing they imported. We discovered on our tour of the city that even their palm trees were imported, since palm trees are not native to the area, and that the bulk of their palm trees were imported from as far away as Miami.
You can bet that I was stoked to be in this fabulous place and despite feeling like death warmed over, I couldn’t wait to get out and explore.
We arrived at our hostel, Holidaysbcn Hostel around 11am. Since I had been ill the entire morning, all I wanted to do was get some sleep and recover as soon as possible. After a very long nap, I was feeling well enough to venture out and grab a small meal of paella and sangria. Before leaving our hostel, we had checked out nearby restaurants on Yelp and though there weren’t really any near us, we did notice that Yelp was hosting an event that evening and that all were invited. We made our way to the event, and it just so happened that we arrived in Barcelona during their Dias De Gracias street festival and the Yelp event we attended was in conjunction with the festival.
Scenes from Dias de Gracias 2015 – Barcelona
This festival is something else. As we meandered through the small streets of the neighbourhood we couldn’t help but marvel at the impressive decorations and installations throughout. Each installation was based on a specific theme and the themes were as varied as they were vibrant; The 4 Seasons, Moulin Rouge, Japanese Garden and Amusement Park to name a few. We saw belly dancers, musical performances and a whole lot more. There were countless food stands selling mouthwatering dishes. As we sat down by one of the fountains sipping our 1€ draft beers eating porchetta sandwiches we could hardly believe our luck at happening upon this wonderful festival. Our first night in Barcelona and we were in food and drink heaven. After drinking our fill of beer and gorging on food we made our way through the crowds and back to our hostel for the night.
The next morning, we were up bright and early’ish – okay we rolled out of bed at 10am – we’re on vacation, don’t judge us! We made our way to the Gothic Quarter for the free walking tour. There are several companies offering walking tours, including Sandeman, however, we chose the tour offered by Travel Bar because they were rated number one on TripAdvisor. Our guide, Chrissy, a transplant from Athens who visited Barcelona 4 years ago who fell in love with the city and never looked back, would walk us through the Gothic quarter for the next 2 1/2 hours. We learned quite a bit about Barcelona’s history, legends and lore. Once the tour was over she even sat with us for a drink and gave us some pointers on additional things to see and do during our stay.
A few pics from the Barrio Gothic, Barcelona
One of the tours she mentioned was the Paella cooking experience, an evening tour lead by a trained chef who would guide us through the famous Boqueria Merkat St. Josef where we would purchase all things required for a traditional Spanish meal of pinxtos, paella and sangria. Did someone say Sangria? I’m in!!
Fernando, our chef kicked off the tour by taking us to the Merkat St. Josef to select some of the ingredients (fresh seafood) required for our cooking class later that evening. The tour of the market was brief, but informative as he provided us with tips on selecting the best seafood for making paella.We then made our way to the cooking school where we would be making that evening’s dinner. Once we arrived at the school, we were greeted by the staff and immediately fed plates of iberico ham and cheeses and all of the ingredients needed to assemble some tasty pinxtos, which Fernando instructed us on. Did I mention the Sangria? So much Sangria and it was delicious.
Pinxtos, Paella and Sangria cooking experience
Touring the Boqueria St. Josef in advance of our cooking experience
After eating some pinxtos and drinking Sangria we were then brought to the kitchen area and walked through the process of cleaning the various seafoods, prepping the vegetables and cooking the paella…more Sangria was served, while we were all taught how to make Sangria…hell ya!
Once the paella was ready, we all received a very healthy serving – enough for seconds if you wanted it, along with more pinxtos and, of course, Sangria.
Following dinner, the staff collected our plates and served us more…Sangria!
Overall, a great night. We learned to cook a traditional Spanish meal complete with pinxtos, ate some delicious food all while sipping Sangria and making new friends.
Also, I should mention the price, it was 28 euros and well worth it. We’ve spent double that on meals with one pitcher of sangria! Cannot recommend this activity enough, Fernando and his team were amazing!
The next day, we joined another free walking tour, this one focusing on photography. To be completely honest, I wasn’t expecting it to be as good as it was. Our guide Andre spoke to us about the history of photography and taught us some of the basics of photo composition, lighting, and searching for the story in your photos. He showed us some easy ways to raise our picture taking to another level, beyond the usual ‘snapshot’ if you will. The tour lasted a little over 2 hours and it was excellent.
Practicing using my new photography skills during the photography tour in Barcelona…I think I’m getting better 🙂
The thing I loved most about Barcelona, and there were many, trust me, was pinxtos. I am obsessed with food so walking into a pinxtos and tapas bar was absolute heaven for me. The endless options, the interesting flavour combinations and all the bite sized portions you can shake a stick at had me grinning from ear to ear every single time we were out and about. A couple of my personal favourites spots to grab pinxtos and tapas were Orio and Lia d’en Vicius. They were lovely spots, with delicious offerings at reasonable prices.
Orio’s pinxtos selection, hundreds of delicious bite sized delights.
Lia d’en Vicius’ sangria and pinxtos offerings…one of our favourite meals in Barcelona.
Barcelona has so many wonderful things going for it, the nightlife, the wines, the food, the beautiful public spaces, Gaudi’s influences everywhere, its beaches, its cobblestone streets and most of all its people – all of which make me want to come back and explore many times over. I will be back, you can count on it!
We begrudgingly crawled out of bed on our final morning in Barcelona and made our way to the train station. Next stop, Valencia.
While in Valencia, we stayed at an airbnb property. The apartment itself was spacious and well appointed. We had our own rooms, a large bathroom with a normal sized shower and a modern kitchen. Yay!
You’d think we’d died and gone to heaven, however a couple of hours into our stay and the apartment started to smell like something had literally died in there! Ground zero for the smell seemed to be an old, rather imposing cabinet in the dining room. The smell can best be described as roach bomb meets garbage truck. So, though our surroundings were beautiful and appeared luxurious, the noxious smell rendered us blind to all of it. The smell became all consuming robbing us of our appetites and even our sleep. We tried everything to get rid of the stench from room deodorizers to bowls of vinegar. NOTHING WORKED.
When Emma contacted the owner to let her know about the order the owner’s response was ‘it smells bad, but it’s not offensive.’ Um…Dude, we think this cabinet is literally killing us, that’s how bad the smell is! Emma dared open one of the drawers to this thing and released an odour so foul it could have only come from the 7th circle of hell. This malodorous buffet was in fact a portal to satan’s realm. I imagined that this is what demon farts must smell like. That stench will haunt my dreams.
Needless to say, we spent as little time there as possible. Returning only to sleep in the evenings.
The city itself is beautiful, with many lush parks and green spaces. Also very walkable.
We didn’t bother with the free walking tour in Valencia, since the free walking tour is only offered on certain days of the week, none of which coincided with our visit.
We knew we wanted to check out the Central Market and Oceanografic – the Santiago Calatrava designed Aquarium.
Valencia’s Central Market is absolutely beautiful!
The central market did not disappoint, I actually preferred it to Barcelona’s Bocario St. Josef. The building that houses the Central Market is massive while its high ceilings and stained glass panes give it an airy feel. There were many people visiting the market, but it never felt crowded because of the way the place is laid out. We tried many cheese and jamon samples that day my friend.
One of the unexpected surprises of Valencia was its many colourful murals. The street art in this city is spectacular, vibrant and highly imaginative. We wandered through many tiny streets discovering some stunning works along the way.
A sampling of some of the amazing and imaginative street art in Valencia
Oceanografic is a must when in Seville. Not just because it’s a fantastic aquarium and extremely well designed, but because it’s part of the larger Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias complex, designed by Santiago Calatrava. This place is stunning. We marvelled at the buildings for a good hour before even setting foot in any of them. The views, the angles, the creativity – all breathtaking. This place was designed by an artist and a dreamer.
Absolutely stunning architecture by Santiago Calatrava
After two days of kicking around Valencia it was up bright and early for the bus ride to Bunol for La Tomatina! What is La Tomatina? Well, it’s only the world’s largest food fight! For 70 years people have been making the yearly pilgrimage to this tiny town in the hills of Spain to throw over 140 tons of tomatoes at anyone crazy enough to take part!
Now, in case you’re wondering, yes there are actual rules to a tomato fight. You have to squash the tomato before launching it at someone so that the blows ‘don’t hurt as much’. You are allowed to throw tomatoes at anyone who is looking at you, not looking at you, standing, sitting, lying down or just within throwing distance. The fight starts as soon as someone retrieves a large ham from the top of a greased pole in the town square at which time the cannon is fired announcing the start of the fight. Once the cannon has been fired the tomatoes begin flying in earnest. The fight ends when the second cannon sounds an hour later.
There were 20,000 of us crammed into this tiny street stomping and throwing tomatoes, ankle deep in tomato guts. The streets running red with a soupy, smelly tomato mess. There was no escape. It was amazing and so much fun! We emerged an hour later exhausted from the fight, bits of tomato in places we’d never imagined. Our hair and clothes caked in this layer of pulp and seeds. It took no less than 4 street showers (basically hosed down by the locals who line the sidewalks) and 2 litres each of sangria before we felt half way human again.
Emma and I at La Tomatina! Photo credit Emma Peachey
Once we got back to our apartment in Valencia we showered again, this time finally able to wash the rest of that stinky red pulp off. The clothes we wore however, were not salvageable. It was two days later and I was still finding tomato bits in my ear!
While La Tomatina had provided us an unforgettable life experience, it also gave us something else completely unexpected – a rash! We woke up the next morning covered in hives, apparently from the acid of the tomatoes – a slight allergic reaction and completely normal apparently. Nothing a little Claritin couldn’t fix.
You will notice that I haven’t really mentioned anything about the food in Valencia, other than our trip to the market and sadly that’s because we didn’t really find the food scene in Valencia to be all that amazing. If I’m being completely honest, it was more than a bit disappointing. The meals we had were ‘meh’ and certainly not on par with our other food experiences in Barcelona and meals I’d enjoyed while visiting Madrid on a previous trip.
On our final day in Valencia, we headed to the beach to recuperate from our tomato battle and work on our tans. The beach was outside of the city and quite beautiful. We lay in the sun that afternoon sipping beer and reminiscing on our food fight to end all food fights.
carryonadventures 