Category: Spain – 2024

We’ve enjoyed many sunny Spanish days so we were due for a rainy one. It gave us an excuse to rest up a bit – especially since many shops and grocery stores are closed on Sundays. There is a nice cafe on the corner where we’ve been having breakfast. We began our day with a delicious yogurt and fruit bowl.

Yesterday we finally made it to the castle (Castello de Santa Barbara) on the hill. It was hard to find it but there is an underground tunnel that leads to an elevator that goes to the top.

The oldest parts of the castle are from the 9th to 13th centuries. Once at the top, the views are spectacular. We could see the Mediterranean Sea, the city of Alicante, beaches below, and mountains in the distance.

We tried to imagine what it would be like to face one of these guys! We decided that it was time to exit the castle and walked downhill to return to the city center.

There is a tapas bar on every corner and last night we went to one called Boca de Vin with a pretty interior and good food.

The rain today made it a good day to visit the Fine Arts Museum. It was a very nice museum with many large scale works of art and a special exhibition of etchings by Spanish artist Salvador Dalí. In front of some of paintings, actors dressed as subjects in the painting performed a short skit. It was a clever idea!

The weather has been cooler than we expected so we shortened the number of days that we’ll spend in seaside towns and added another city, Tarragona. We will pick up a rental car tomorrow (Monday) and drive north for a three-night stay in the small seaside town of Peñíscola.

We’ve had a good time discovering cities in Spain that are new to us! More adventure awaits!

We’re staying at the Eurostars Centrum located out of the city center but within easy walking distance to everything we want to see.

Alicante is a port city and this walkway called Esplanada, is lined with beautiful date palm trees. The city is just what you’d expect from a Mediterranean city – mild temperatures, sea breezes, and lots of tourists. There are sidewalk restaurants and cafes all along the path. Today there are two large cruise ships in the port .

There is a castle on a hill (the rock in the photo below) but our legs aren’t quite ready to tackle the climb to the top. We’ve heard rumors that there’s an elevator to the top. We’re going to look for it tomorrow.

and an interesting tower.

The city isn’t as grand or as elegant as Valencia but it has lots of charm. There is a huge Central Market with beautiful fruits, veggies, meats and more. The tomatoes are colorful!

There is plenty to do here to keep us busy…and we still have to climb the hill to the castle!

We’ve had a great five night stay here.  The skies are blue, the piazzas bustling and the locals friendly.

Larry found a pleasant coffee shop for our morning pastry. 🥐 This morning we’ve had a big coffee and will be ready to head for the train station soon. Our next stop is Alicante – a two hour ride away.

Yesterday we visited the Cathedral;

and the Botanical Garden filled with more types of succulents than we could imagine.

Spain is known for wines and Vermouth (Vermut in Spain.) This red vermouth with soda became our new favorite Aperitivo.

We are looking forward to checking out a new city…on to Alicante we go!

Valencia has lots of sights to keep us busy…even for 5 days. Monday we walked to the Museum of Arts and Sciences, a huge complex with a science museum, an aquarium, an IMAX Theater and a performance hall.

We spent most of the afternoon in the science museum – it’s a huge museum filled with many interesting exhibits.

We learned what life on Mars might be like if we earthlings were to live there some day (hint: not easy.)

Larry had an enlightening conversation with these Neanderthals, who we learned existed for at least 200,000 years in Europe and Western Asia. He explained some of the recent  changes in baseball rules, but I’m not sure they understood it all.

Tuesday we visited the Mercat Central de València – filled with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, and prepared foods. A bocadilla and salad made for a cheap and easy lunch.

Valencia is bustling during the day but things quiet down on  weekday evenings. It’s an elegant and beautiful city. Tonight there is a full moon over Plaza del Ayuntamiento. We have one more full day here before we take the train to our next spot – Alicante.

 

 

A quick one hour train ride brought us from low-key Cuenca to vibrant Valencia. The hotel was close enough to the rail station so that even with luggage it was easily walkable. We parked our belongings in our room at RH Hotel Centro Sorolla and went out to check the local scene. We arrived on a Saturday evening, so things were lively and the streets crowded with locals and tourists. At first glance Valencia looked to us like a grand city!

We strolled around the area to get our bearings, had a light dinner of empanadas, and were ready to turn in for an early evening…though partying went on until the early morning hours (not us).

Sunday morning was bright and sunny so we mapped a plan to become more oriented – the city center is compact and easily walkable. Our first stop was in front of the grand La Lonja de la Seda de Valencia – a UNESCO World Heritage site. The building was formerly the Silk Exchange and its always been a center for commerce.  We were fascinated by the two young cellists playing a Mr. Brightside (2004) by The Killers.

Lucky for us, many museums are free on Sundays so we made our to the Museo de Bellas Artes (Museum of Fine Arts).  We liked this painting by Francisco Pons Arnau (1886-1953) titled “Valenciana.”

There are many grand works in this collection!

We navigated to a neighborhood spot called Restaurante Tapia for lunch. The highlight tapas was the Russian Salad. This version was made with potato, mayonnaise, hard boiled egg, canned tuna, and carrots, though many other versions exist. It’s delicious!

That’s Valencia so far! We’re looking forward to a visit to the market, the Cathedral and more adventures tomorrow!

Cuenca  is a good place for relaxing with fun things to see too. We went inside the Cathedral this morning. We were surprised by the contemporary stained glass windows.

The walking trails are great for seeing the city from different vantage points.  This one:

And this:

It’s night time in Cuenca and busy on a Friday evening in Plaza Mayor. The bus is waiting to take people down the hill to the newer city. We’ve had tapas and drinks and all is well. Tomorrow we’ll take a one hour train ride to Valencia – the third largest city in Spain.

We’re settling in and learning our way around the city. It’s pleasant here and the people we meet are very kind. Our hotel housed in a 17th Century former choir school may not have been the best pick with its slow internet and sloping floors but it’s clean and fine for us.

The hotel is located near the top of the Old Town just above the Main Square, Plaza Mayor. The Old Town is set on a narrow ridge between two deep gorges,  and it’s just a few streets wide. When we walk out the front door and turn left this is our street view…it’s all downhill from here.

Near the center of the square is The Catedral of Santa Maria de Gracia.

The Cathedral is located on the spot where an ancient Moslem mosque was built.  Construction began at the end of the 12th century and was completed and consecrated in 1271. The square just below the Cathedral is lined with shops and cafes.

The city is surrounded by hiking trails. The weather is lovely and this morning we walked to a lower vantage point for a view of houses perched on the cliff.

We visited the Museo de Arte Abstracto Espanol (Museum of Abstract Art) located in one of the Hanging Houses. In 1966, wealthy artist Fernando Zobel brought his personal collection of Spanish abstract art here. The works are beautifully displayed in wide open spaces. We enjoyed this museum!

When we’re really hungry in Spain, we opt for lunch at a restaurant with a Menu del Dia (Menu of the Day) that includes an appetizer, first course, second course, bread, wine, and dessert – all for 14 €. Today we tried the no-frills restaurant El Bodegon. It was a hearty meal that included homey Spanish comfort foods. The appetizer was topped with a tiny quail egg.

Cuenca has a lot to offer…historical sites, spectacular views, hiking trails, good restaurants and a lively art scene.  It’s a great place to begin a visit to eastern Spain.

The flight from Atlanta to Madrid is a direct and easy eight hour flight, and it arrived right on time. We had three hours to get to the Chamartin Train station from the airport to catch the train to Cuenca.  But a lack of careful planning on our part, and a series of missteps caused us to nearly miss the train. We made it with 3 minutes to spare! The train station in Cuenca is sleek, welcoming and beautiful.

The terrain here is rugged and rocky. For a small city, there is quite a lot to explore. We’re staying at Posada de San Jose in the older section of town. The Old Town, where we’re staying is high above the newer part of the city, and quite a climb, unless you take the bus.

The hotel is quirky and the Internet weak, so we won’t be able to add many photos until we get better bandwidth.  We’re happy here and all is well.

Sending best wishes from sunny Spain!

 

 

 

Away we go to the eastern coast of Spain!

We last visited Spain in 2021. That was our first post-Covid trip, and we were excited to be back on the road again.

This trip will be our sixth time visiting Spain. On the last trip, we spent our time south of Madrid, extending to Granada. This time we will explore areas that are new to us, mainly, the Mediterranean coast centering around Valencia.

When we arrive in Madrid around 8:45 a.m. (2:45 a.m. Atlanta time) on Wednesday, April 17, we’ll head directly to the Chamartin train station to travel from Madrid to Cuenca. The travel time is just a little over 1 hour. We’re happy that we don’t have to  rush to make a connecting flight and with a little luck, we’ll be in Cuenca by early afternoon.

We’ll spend 3 nights there to rest up from the trip and then head out. Here’s our plan:

• Cuenca – 3 nights
• Valencia – 5 nights
• Alicante – 4 nights  (then pick up a rental car and travel to…)
• Denia – 4 nights
• Peniscola – 3 nights
• TBA – 4 nights
• Teruel – 2 nights (return rental car and train to Madrid)
• Madrid – 4 nights

It might be a little chilly at the beginning of the trip, but we’re looking forward to sunny skies, seafood and wine!

If you’d like to follow along, we’ll post some photos every few days – come back to the link to check in.

We’re looking forward to a relaxed time in Spain!