Today I finally propose the itinerary of my trip to Spain on the road between Catalonia and Andalusia to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia crossing the Aragonese Pyrenees following the Atlantic coast of Basque Country, Cantabria, and Asturias.
Basically, it was not really clear to us until just before the trip where we wanted to go for a long time. There was too much to do and my mind was buzzing so that I could not really prepare for the trip. And I actually love travel planning. For me, there is nothing better than to be inspired by travel blogs, get tips and plan my route.
Most of the travel planning is then thrown back during the trip or changed. Not because you did everything wrong or the tips were just whitewashing, but much more, because you just can not plan everything and on the ground, other ideas and opportunities arise. Because we did not plan much before, our route was relatively spontaneous and well done.
We started from Riax Baixas where we arrived by plane and where we rented the car. Renting a car in Spain in itself is not very expensive but if you want to return it in a different city from the rental you must consider the payment of the drop off from 90 to 130 euros depending on the chosen company.
Day 1: Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park
The Atlantic Islands of Galicia National Park is one of the best points of the Riax Baixas. It is closer to the original natural state and is located at the southern end of the A Illa de Arousa. It is a wooded peninsula about 60 km away from Santiago de Compostela. It is, therefore, worth to drive an hour to walk along its paths between isolated beaches, moors, and brackish lagoons.
There are two possible routes that make the tour of the promontory marked by a board near the free parking. The longest counts 3.6 km while the second that cuts through the center of the park shortens to 2.5 km. We chose to follow the longest route, passing through the wood that follows the southern shore of the Enseada de Brava.
There are some scenic spots to take note of. From Punta da Cruz, we can admire a wonderful view of the ocean. Turning towards the south-west we can see the town of O Grove and the island connected to it, A Toxa. We see yachts and fishing boats roam the smaller islets. Further on there is the small strip of sand between the rocks Praia das Margaritas, where the paths meet.
Continuing on the longest route we reach Praia Lontreira, behind which there is a brackish lagoon where water birds gather. Finally, we go back to the east, where the stretches of the beach are longer and sandy as the Praia de Salinas, where we can swim in complete safety. In the evening we finally arrived in Santiago de Compostela where we had dinner in the excellent restaurant.
Day 2: Santiago de Compostela
The day was entirely dedicated to the visit of Santiago de Compostela. It is known and reached by pilgrims from all over Europe for more than a thousand years. The main attraction is the cathedral dedicated to St. James. It was built in the ninth century along with the related infrastructure aimed at welcoming pilgrims. Pilgrims trek along pre-established routes equipped with hostels, sanctuaries, and churches.
Even today the most widespread is the medieval route called Camino Frances. It starts from Le Puy in France and crosses the Pyrenees and whose most famous stops are Pamplona, Leon, Astorga, and Ponferrada. In addition to the cathedral and the historic center in general, seized by churches, museums, and historic buildings, the Mercado de Abastos also deserves a visit. On busy days such as Tuesdays and Saturdays, dozens of women from neighboring countries sit behind with baskets full of local agricultural products.
The Parque Alameda is also very nice and relaxing where we walk on the various paths among oaks, poplars and eucalyptus trees. It is far from the chaos of the city crowded with tourists and pilgrims. This merges with another park. It is the Carballeira de Santa Susana, populated by centenarian oak trees, where is located the church of Santa Susana, also the patron saint of the city. From the Belvedere we have a wonderful view of the historic center and the cathedral from above.
Day 3: Las Medulas
Just before reaching Ponferrada we took the turning for Orellan towards Las Medulas. This immense archaeological site, declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1997, takes our breath away. The grandeur and beauty of its canyons that may erroneously seem natural, but whose true history is even more incredible. The green mountain, covered with brooms and colossal and gnarled walnut trees, seems to have been cut cleanly. They draw a bare landscape reminiscent of the Far West, but it is anything but natural.
It is a colossal gold mine built by the Roman Empire in the 1st century AD and which produced five tons of gold in 200 years. From the Mirador de Orellan viewpoint, which can be reached either on foot or by driveway you can admire a spectacular view of the red ocher cliffs from above.
We have chosen to leave the car in the parking below, from where the guided tours also leave and go along one of the dirt paths that cross the woods. There are several and of varying difficulty and length, whose map is affixed to a sign near the parking lot and indicated by colored arrows along the route.
About one o'clock in the afternoon, we took the Senda de las Valinas. It is the shortest and the steepest, but which also gives the greatest satisfaction. Arriving at the Mirador de Orellan at about 3:30 pm, after the usual panoramic photos, we waited until 4:00 pm. We enter the visitor center where, through the narrow underground tunnels of impalpable red earth, it is possible to understand the life of the Roman miners.
On the way back, we reached two other points of interest consisting of two huge caverns dug into the mountain. In La Cuevona and La Encantada, a sign illustrated the technique used by the Romans to extract the precious mineral. We make a final stop at Pico del Aguila and then return to the parking lot.
Day 4: Luarca, Playa de las Catedrales and Santiago de Compostela
Continuing our travel trip, in the morning we stopped in Luarca. It is a charming village of fishermen whose fishing port is formed by a bay bordered with sidreria in which flows the sinuous Rio Negro stream. The old city stands on a steep slope on the hill at the end of the port.
Along the Atlantic coast, along the Carretera Cantabria, we took the exit marked for Las Catedrales, immediately after Ribadeo. Here are the famous Playa de las Catedrales beach characterized by particular rock formations dug by the tide with natural arches up to 10 meters high that can be walked at low tide.
In the months of greater public attendance, to preserve the natural beauty of the place, the entrance is reserved for a limited number of people staggered throughout the day. It is, therefore, necessary to book in advance the visit.
Day 5: Comillas, Gijon
The first stop is the town of Comillas, a small town that houses three unmissable architectural treasures. On the top of a hill, surrounded by a well-kept public park, stands the wonderful neo-Gothic Palace of Sobrellano. It is designed by the modernist architect Joan Martorell.
Next, to it, there is the Marquis chapel and, continuing along the downhill boulevard, we find the Capricho of Gaudi. There is an original and colorful building also known as El Capricho. It is mostly covered with exposed brick and ceramic-ceramic tiles in the shape of leaves and flowers of sunflower. It is one of the first relevant works of the famous architect.
After devouring a good bocadillo (stuffed sandwich) with chorizo and cheese comfortably seated on a park bench, we left for Gijon. We walk towards the old historic fishing district, Cimadevilla, which separates the coastline into two. We enter the Cerro (hill) of Santa Catalina, an ancient military fortress now transformed into a public park.
Climbing one of the many paths through the well-kept lawns we reach the Elogio del Horizonte. It is a modern sculpture in reinforced concrete placed on the highest point of the hill facing the sea. From which we can enjoy a breathtaking view of the ocean.
At dinner, I choose a Sidreria. Gijon, in fact, is considered the Spanish capital of cider production or Sidra, in Spanish. In addition to being free of additives and chemicals and therefore healthy, it is also very cheap, as a half-liter bottle costs less than 3 euros. Even having a low alcohol content it is easy to consume more than one bottle at dinner, but be careful not to drive later!
But the real peculiarity is that the waiters pour on the sidra holding the bottle raised high on the head. While the glass is kept down and filled only one culin at a time. It is equivalent to a pair of fingers, and tradition requires that you should drink to the drop. At dinner, we went to a Sidreria where we tasted a pan with octopus, shrimp, and seafood that was almost out of the world.
Day 6: Ponferrada, Astorga, Leon, Haro
The next morning we went to visit the historic center of Ponferrada. Its quiet streets wind through the beautiful old buildings among which stands the Torre del Reloj, the clock tower built by Charles V in the sixteenth century. From here the Via del Reloj leads to the Castillo de Ponferrada, built by the Templars in the 13th century to protect the pilgrims.
Unfortunately, we could not walk on the ramparts since the entrance would have been open only at 10:00. We left at 9:00 am to Astorga, another stop of the so-called Camino Frances, which still leads pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela.
The most impressive building of worship in the city is undoubtedly the Cathedral. It is elegant and grandiose, built around 1069 in Romanesque style and modified several times in the following centuries, to which were added various styles. It ranges from Gothic to Baroque until it gets the current version dating back to the end of the 1400s, but further refined until 1700.
Not far away is the Palacio Episcopal, although the building has never been an Episcopal seat, and today houses the Museo de Los Caminos. Designed by the modernist master Antonio Gaudi at the end of the nineteenth century and finished in 1913, it is in neo-gothic style with a Greek cross plan and is spread over four floors.
After having rested in the wide Plaza Mayor, admiring the sumptuous main facade of the Casa Consistorial of Astorga and drinking from the fountain, we left for Leon.
Much of the historic walled center in Leon is pedestrian and the recent restorations have made it truly beautiful. The main pedestrian artery, Calle Ancha, leads to the imposing Leon Cathedral. Its high Spiers have guided the pilgrims for centuries. Also along Calle Ancha, we reach the Casa de Botines. It is another Gaudi masterpiece, similar to a medieval-inspired castle in the neo-Gothic style.
It is imposing, almost austere, which is well suited to the sober beauty of Leon. Built to house the offices of important businessmen of Leon in 1892, today it is home to a bank and exhibition space for temporary exhibitions. The best place to admire it is the bench on which a statue of the same Gaudi is seated, drawing the sketches of the project.
To the south of Calle Ancha, a maze of narrow streets forms the lively Barrio Humedo. Here we tasted a delicious bocadillo stuffed with Cecina, a typical cured meat made from dried and smoked meat, and sweet and sour tomato sauce.
In the evening we finally arrived at Haro, famous for being home to the most prestigious bodegas of Rojani Crianza wines. After checking into the hotel we went for dinner in the historic pedestrian center, crowded with tapas bars overflowing with tourists and locals.
Day 7: Bilbao, Laredo, Santander
We left early in the morning to Bilbo. To reach the center, we cross a huge bridge whose futuristic architecture amazes. From here we can already glimpse the anti-conformist structure of the Guggenheim Museum of Modern Art.
From here starts the avenue of sculptures along 3 km that ends with a pedestrian bridge over the Estuary of Bilbao with the glass bottom. Crossing the modern city we get to the old city leaning against the cathedral. We take a short walk to the Plaza Nueva with cafes and shops.
After lunch, we went to Laredo, a populated seaside resort on the Cantabrian coast that stretches over a coast of over 5 km. Here we relaxed a couple of hours comfortably lying in the immense beach of fine white sand and equipped with free showers.
In the evening we arrived in Santander and having had dinner, we made a romantic walk along the seafront in the light of a splendid full moon. Walking along the promenade we cannot help but notice the illuminated Belle-epoque Casino at day and overlook the famous Playa Sardinero which stretches northwards.
Among the sumptuous villas that can be admired stand out that of Emilio Botin, president of Banco Santander, the largest Spanish bank, and the post office building: the Correos. Heading towards the center we find the cathedral, dating back to the twelfth century. It has two superimposed buildings connected by an imposing external side stairway.
Day 8: San Sebastian: beach and around the town
We dedicated this day to a little well-deserved rest. If not for us at least for the bike that did not move from the parking lot. The 12 km long seafront, dotted with sculptures, surrounds three huge beaches of fine sand, equipped with showers, first aid stations and where you can rent deckchairs and umbrellas.
We enjoyed a nice cooling bath, as the temperature exceeds 40 degrees in the central hours of the day. The heat did not stop us from eating lunch with a bocadillo with potato tortilla in a pretty little place in one of the streets more internal.
In the evening we dedicated ourselves to visiting the city. Walking along the river Urumea, we pass the beautiful bridge dedicated to Queen Maria Cristina. We then found ourselves in the old quarter, in Paseo del Muelle. Entering the maze of narrow streets we found ourselves in front of the heavy baroque facade of the church of Santa Maria. Continuing along this same road we find another historical site. It is the Dominican convent of San Telmo.
Remaining in the same district we cannot help but cross Plaza de la Construction. It is a large porticoed square where the numbered balconies of the buildings were once reserved for spectators of the bullfights that took place inside.
Day 9: Pamplona, Hondarribia, San Sebastian (Donostia)
Pamplona is a quiet modern town, famous for the bullfights. The Encierro takes place every year from 6 to 14 July on the occasion of the feast of San Firmino. After a hearty meal of tortillas (omelets) of potatoes stuffed with ham, cheese, and grilled vegetables, we headed to Hondarribia. It is a pretty coastal town very close to the border with France. Its strategic position justifies the massive fortification of the old town.
In the evening we reached the apartment in San Sebastian (Donostia). We had dinner in a lovely little bar, with Lomo (a cured meat similar to cooked ham) with a side dish of salad accompanied by inevitable cerveza.
Day 10: Tudela and Zaragoza
We depart to Zaragoza with a single stop in Tudela, where an unexpected stroke of luck caught us unawares. There was the festival of Santa Ana, the town patron. All the inhabitants of the place, rigorously dressed in white and red, formed two "Indian" rows on the sides of the road. They accompany the statues of Sant'Anna and San Gioacchino in procession to the cathedral.
In particular, they hit the men, dressed in white shirts and trousers, a red scarf tied at the waist and a red scarf, with the emblem and the inscription "Tudela" or "Sant'Ana" embroidered with gold thread, knotted at the neck with the triangular part on the back. Not only that even small children, even those in wheelchairs, were no exception.
And not even the dogs. They also accessorize with appropriate red foulard like a collar. It was a real party, culminating with the opening of all the bars and restaurants. Here people poured once the procession was over to toast and eat in a hugely popular festival including every single street in the center.
In mid-afternoon, we arrived in Zaragoza. We dedicated ourselves to the visit of this great city which, despite being an industrialized regional capital, boasts several splendid monuments. Entering the pedestrian streets of the center, all recently renovated and full of shops and luxury boutiques, we reach the huge and beautiful Plaza del Pilar. It is between the old city and the river, on which both cathedrals stand.
The oldest of the two, Salvador de La Seo, exhibits a melange of incomparable styles. Among it stand out the original Gothic of the twelfth century, the subsequent Mudejar to end in Spanish Baroque. The immense building has been thoroughly restored. It is particularly striking for the contrast between the bricks with geometric ceramic inserts that cover the roof and the north facade and the eighteenth-century baroque of the main facade.
Even the Basilica of Nuestra Senora del Pilar is a jumble of styles and materials. It was built around the column on which legend has it that the Madonna appeared to St. James. On the south side of the square is the Fontana de la Hispanidad whose huge pool is shaped like South America, a tribute to Hispanic culture in the world. At dinner, we ate very well in the tapas bar, where we enjoyed various tapas of the highest quality both aesthetic and qualitative.
Day 11: Castillo de Loarre, Los Mallos, Riglos, Royal Monastery of San Juan de la Pena, Jaca
On day 2 we dedicated ourselves to visit the Castillo de Loarre. It is a splendid manor perched on a rocky spur dating back to the eleventh century and presumably the oldest Spanish castle. Then we headed to Riglos. It is a tiny village located at the foot of the enchanting rose cliffs called Los Mallos, on whose slopes are the magnificent eagle's nest.
From here there are various paths, some of which are equipped with railways leading up to the tops of the Mallos. We limited ourselves to visit the village and have lunch with sandwiches stuffed with chorizo, the typical salami, and local cheese.
From Riglos, we again mounted in the car for the long and winding path leading to the Royal Monastery of San Juan de la Peña in, which is not actually a monastery but two. The older one date back to the tenth century and a newer one built in the eighteenth century. Next to which there is a ticket office and in front of a park, with free parking, picnic tables, and a small bar.
Continuing for another 40 minutes we arrive at Jaca. It is an important Aragonese ski destination that boasts an imposing citadel, the only surviving Ciudadela in Spain. It dates back to the late 16th century with walls and moat still intact where a herd of deer grazes disturbed only by tourists armed with the camera.
Unfortunately, having arrived after 7 pm we could not visit it. We then returned to Huesca by taking a more direct route, taking the Autovia and then the National that brought us back to the city in about an hour.
Day 12: Leiden and Huesca
We immediately headed to Huesca, stopping roughly halfway into the town of Lleida. Here, after parking in the nineteenth-century Rambla de Ferran - Estacio under the trees, we made a quick tour of the Palacio de la Paeria. The next stop was to visit the Seu Vella (old cathedral) which dominates the center from the top of a hill, reachable via a suitable free public elevator.
After the quick visit of Lleida, we headed to Huesca. Here we stayed two nights taking advantage of the fact that in addition to being an important Aragonese crossroads, it is the last resort on the plains before the slopes of the Pyrenees. The historic center is located on a hill and is the heart of the city with pedestrian streets, shops, restaurants and the most important monuments.
Among which stand out the Ayuntamiento, or the town hall, the cathedral that towers over the same square. Even more impressive is the church of San Pedro El Viejo. Thanks to the reviews on the web we have identified a very nice place to go for dinner. The menu offers, in addition to various sandwiches, appetizers and many tapas, a wide selection of dishes that can be ordered either in the whole portion or as the tapa, the half portion. We savor various tapas, sweet and cerveza.
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Day 13: Berga on the edge of the Pyrenees
Since we had landed late in the afternoon in Barcelona, we looked for a campsite relatively close to the rental station, so as not to be in the dark for long. Unfortunately, the plan did not work out that way. When we arrived in Berga, about 40 km away from the rental station in Manresa, it was already dark. Berga is on the edge of the Pyrenees. The route is very nice and above all easy to drive. We drive towards the mountains until we arrive at the foot of the Catalan Pyrenees.
The Berga resort town is absolutely not the camping standard. At about 700 meters is this luxury campsite on the mountainside with pitches on terraces. Some have a nice view of the valley and the surrounding mountains.
Day 14: Girona in Catalonia
The next day we left for Girona. As a small stopover to the beaches of Catalonia. Since we had spent the afternoon with a friend from Peru, we could not get to know much of the old town of Girona in the short time. But it is good to have friends around the world, so you can come back anytime and discover more.
Almost a year ago I received a gift with several boxes. Among them, were hotel stays in cities of Spain, which included a date night with dinner and breakfast. A couple of years ago I traveled to the Costa Brava for the first time. I did not even think about going through Girona, the Catalan city. But after the last season of Game of Thrones, and knowing that we were going back to the Costa Brava, how could I not visit Girona?
If you have not spent the last few years in a cave, you have already heard about the Game of Thrones series. Since the American channel HBO has adapted for television, the saga of the writer Georges RR Martin has become a phenomenon. 7 seasons have already been broadcast, and the wait for the 8th is getting longer and longer, while speculation is going on with the next events.
If you are thinking about traveling in the next holidays to the area, and you are a big fan of the series do not stop reading! And even if you are not or have not even seen a single chapter, Girona is worth it. With a few weeks in advance, I contacted the hotel, and they did not have any problems to make the reservation, so this was the beginning to plan our weekend.
Our visit was on the same day, something quick since we were staying somewhere else, but we were able to see the main locations. I understood why HBO chose this city to embody, from the sixth season, certain districts of King's Landing and Braavos. I loved to walk there, trying to find the scenes involving Maisie Williams, aka Arya Stark or Jaime Lannister.
The day starts like any other day with work, lunch, work and back home. That's when the routine changes. Once at home, a giant backpack awaits me to fill with clothes, footwear, toiletries, first aid kit and everything necessary to travel through Girona. In these moments I realize that leaving everything for the last day is not the most ideal.
We remove everything from the cupboards and drawers and fill the backpacks (as always, with more things than necessary). Time passes and the time to catch the bus approaches. At the end, with the backpacks prepared and all the documents, we left the house.
We arrive at the airport around 10 o'clock at night, and our flight is at 6:30 in the morning. It's a very long night. We take a dinner at an airport station and at 11:30 we go to the place where we will spend the night. We woke up about 4, since the airport opens at 5 o'clock. We set out to check-in and check in the giant backpack, which, from now on, I'll call suitcase.
Everything is perfect. We passed the security check and, once inside, we had breakfast at a restaurant, and around 6 am we embarked on the plane. I take the opportunity to start the book that I plan to read on this trip. It is A Game of Thrones from the saga A Song of Ice and Fire. I'm a fan of Game of Thrones. I do not have a chapter when I notice that I am not learning anything and that my eyelids fall, so I decide to try to get some sleep.
When we land and leave the plane, the first thing we do is look in the panels where our next flight is and go to the indicated area. Once settled, I turn on the phone and call my parents! I spend hours reading until the boarding begins. We boarded the plane and spent the whole flight watching movies and trying to sleep, until we arrived in Barcelona.
At the airport we have to pass immigration. We go for our bags and leave the airport. The first thing we do is look for an ATM and get enough money, since we will have to pay the hostel and other expenses such as transportation, food. We leave the airport and look for the signs that indicate the way to catch the train, and we head towards there.
We arrived at the Sants station in Barcelona approximately 30 minutes before our train left. We had enough time to find everything without problems, and we waited a little while for the time. Well, the journey was very fast and comfortable. At 9:45 we take the Barcelona train, and before 10:30 we are already in Girona.
We left the station, and before doing anything else, we decided to go locate our hotel. Once located we went for a walk, since we would not have the room until 12 o'clock. Well, at the moment we did not reach the old town, although to start the weekend well we went to the bakery to buy some Xuixos, since in Girona they have a lot of fame. We were treated wonderfully, and the xuixos were very good.
As 12 is already approaching, we return to the hotel and they give us a room. The hotel is not very central. The room is very nice and everything is great. Now it's time to start the tourist route. Now with less weight on top we go to the center. At the hotel they gave us a map, although we also had one printed just in case.
We walked quietly, and we arrived first of all to Placa de Catalunya, our starting point for the visit in the old town of Girona. We cross the bridge and we get closer to the area that we are most interested in visiting. There we have a tourist information point nearby. A very nice girl takes care of us, and gives us a map and marks the points of interest.
With the map, I walk through what looks like the old town. There are many restaurants and bars, and some stops of typical products. We continue walking more or less straight, and well, we see that there is a bridge, and we look out, because in Girona the Casas del Onar are very famous. We saw them from bridges and different points of view. It is very beautiful to see.
Well, we continue walking and we arrive at a big building, will it be the Cathedral? Well, no, it was the Esglesia de Sant Feliu. We continue through that area, and we reach a square, and it starts to rain.
Do you remember Sam? Surely the most achuchable of the series? He undertook a long way to the Ancient Library to become a master. As it turns out, the old library is none other than the Monasterio de Sant Pere de Galligants, the now Museum of Architecture of Catalonia. This is the first location we could not enter. We go on the other side, and we arrive at the Cathedral.
Shame, shame, shame! It is to arrive at the cathedral of Girona and not be able to stop saying the phrase with which Cersei made her particular walk of fame. The Cathedral is in most part as we have seen it in the series, has a great stairway and the building is quite impressive. In the series the location was used as part of King's Landing and is a main part of the plot of the fifth season and part of the sixth. I was going to make a spoiler on the cathedral, but I better keep it to myself in case you have not seen the season.
It coincided that right there we found the temporary exhibition Girona Plato, which was a tour of all the films that chose the city as setting for the plot. Obviously Game of Thrones occupied an important part of the exhibition. Among the things that we could see was a costume of the night guard (a replica, I suppose) and photos of several of the locations of the series.
Behind the cathedral, in Carrer del Bisbe Josep Cartana is where Arya begged while she was blind. Going down the pedestrian streets that are to the left of the cathedral are the Arab baths, which are actually Romanesque in style. It is the second location to which we could not enter. This location appears with two different aspects like a bath and like the place where Arya embalms the corpses with her little friend, the Abandoned Girl.
Further down is the square where the theater scene of Braavos was filmed. Here Arya sees the death of her father and her sister's wedding with Joeffrey, which in reality is called the Placa dels Jurats.
As we walk towards the other side, crossing the Puja del Rei Marti, we get immersed in Braavos, the locations that appear at the beginning of the sixth season. It is also where the trepidante pursuit of Arya by the abandoned girl, parkour included (Pujada de Sant Domenec).
Leaving behind these stages and crossing the river towards the other part of the city is the ice cream shop. The queue is long because there is a lot of demand in summer. We were also able to park less than a kilometer from the cathedral. There is an air of Venice around the canals, an air of Latin quarter at the turn of the streets, a resemblance to Rome, every time we take small cobbled streets.
And the walk along the intact ramparts, overlooking the city and overlooking the Pyrenees, is really nice. Well, once seen, we entered new through some of the streets of the old town. We went into a little shop, and well, in the end we decided to cross the bridge and see what was on the other side. We went to the Plaza del Mileni and toured that area a bit.
The weather did not improve. We were already getting tired, and decided to head towards the hotel. We would still have to walk for a while. We showered quietly, and well as I said at the beginning we had the dinner included in the hotel, so at about 9 we went down to dinner.
In the half board, the romantic candlelight dinner consisted of a menu where we could choose first salad with salmon or cream of vegetables, then llobarro or port-style pork, and tiramisu dessert or lemon sorbet.
First we both chose the vegetable soup, and we did not like it too much and then the fish and the meat. Both dishes were very good. Of desserts we also chose one of each, and well, they were good, although they had too much decoration for our taste. Of course, the drink did not have to pay part, and we entered the price.
Day 15
The day dawned gray but it was not cold. We got up at 8 o'clock and went to breakfast. The truth is that if dinner did not convince us at all, breakfast was very good. There was a section of hot food, also bread, sausages, cereals, sweets (also xuixos) and a large variety of juices. The breakfast was great.
Well, we go back to the room and prepare the bags. We go to Plaza Catalunya. First we go to the Arab baths that close at 2 pm, and the cathedral closes later. The site is small, and the most beautiful is the first site that we visited, so the visit is short. Even so, the visit was good.
Now we go to the cathedral, and visit La Nave, Los Tesoros and the Clause. It was worth entering. I took out my Canon and shoot as I was seeing some of the floral decorations. We had already visited the basic sites we had planned. so with this sunny day, we decided to go back to see the Cases del Onyar, and make some more pictures of the bridges.
Noon was approaching, and we decided to go to eat. We searched Tripadvisor ideas for dinner since we still did not know the city. In the end we opted for tapas, and the truth is that we ate very well. We ate some very tender steamed mussels and a mellow black rice. The dessert recommended by the waiter (chocolate trilogy) also very good.
It was almost time to leave. It was only a weekend but it is always a shame to leave. Our train left at 17.10. We decided to go to the station early. Then we went down to the high-speed zone and we went to wait for our train. At the scheduled time our train arrived. Our journey was only to Barcelona, but I must also note that the journey is very short and is very comfortable.
We arrived in Sants, and well, now we had to wait an hour for our bus to arrive at the hotel in Barcelona. This weekend was ending.
Day 16: Platja d'Aro on the Costa Brava
The same day we drove on to Platja d'Aro, where we wanted to spend the night waking up in the morning on the beach. In storm and thunderstorm, we arrived (again) in the dark and stayed in a parking lot in front of a campsite, which had already closed due to low season. The next morning we drove further to the sea.
The tip for Platja d'Aro came from our friend from Peru, who often drives there from Girona over the weekend. It was not my taste and too typical for me was the Costa Brava sight of the beach and huge bed castles. After cooking in the camper with sea view and seeing the weather forecast for the next days, we leave.
Day 17: Barcelona
And finally, here we are at Barcelona. As you can easily guess, a day and a half is not enough to visit this huge and fascinating city that offers so much to see. We have therefore necessarily had to make choices. On the afternoon of our arrival, we leave the car in the parking lot that we had strategically booked 100 meters from our hotel. We then dedicate ourselves to visit the neighborhood where we stayed: Sants-Montjuic.
The neighborhood is one of the most crowded with bars, restaurants, and clubs of all kinds. We have chosen to dine at a very small place where it offers various local and Indian dishes. We have 3 large portions of fish and chips, 2 cervezas, 2 Gazpacho and 2 desserts.
The next day, as the first destination almost obliged, we chose the Sagrada Familia. It is the huge and unconventional cathedral, Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece. Not having booked in advance we would have to wait hours in line to enter. Since the time was tight, we decided to visit the neighborhood where the cathedral stands and which is full of modernist buildings, many of which always of Gaudi: the Eixample.
Here we have had the opportunity to appreciate, even if only from the outside, choosing to avoid the queues to be addressed without online booking: Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, Casa Calvet and finally Park Guell. The latter is actually just outside the district at the foot of Carmel Hill.
The Gaudi House-Museum also stands at the inside of the Park, where the great architect lived for 20 years, but cannot be visited on the same ticket. Later, we strolled along the most famous street in Barcelona. La Rambla is crowded among stalls and street artists. About halfway we could not resist plunging into the crowd that seizes the Boqueria market. Here, among fresh food of all shapes and sizes, we enjoyed a refreshing slice of watermelon and a refreshing fruit juicer.
Back in the Sants-Montjuic district, we stopped for a long time at the foot of the Magic Fountain. Its spectacle of water games can also be enjoyed from the top of the Palau National stairway, home to the Catalunya National Art Museum. Then we went shopping for souvenirs inside the futuristic Las Arenas shopping center, the former fully modernized bullring stadium. From its last floor, we can enjoy a breathtaking view of the entire neighborhood and Montjuic hill.
At dinner, we went to a charming inn of sailors, where we have removed the desire to Paella: 2 generous portions with the inevitable Cerveza and dessert.
Day 18: Playa de la Mora, Tarragona
We wanted to enjoy the sun, especially in view of the snow photos, which had already surfaced in my Facebook stream. The Playa de la Mora is a beautiful beach in a bay, surrounded by rocks, which reminded me a little of the Algarve in Portugal. In the main season, it is probably terrible here. In the offseason, however, it is wonderfully empty and relaxed. The water was still just warm enough to swim for the last time in the Mediterranean this year. Our pitch was again right on the sea, this time only in the second row.
Day 19: Playa de Oliva on the Costa Azahar
Further south, we encounter the area Playa de Oliva on the Costa Azahar. Looking back, the place that was most relaxing and beautiful for us on the journey. Here we find endless sandy beaches and natural dunes, hardly built (at least not on the part where we were) and blue-turquoise, clear water with crazy sunrises on the beach. Here we have just a few days to unwind. We played a lot on the beach. We cooked, ate fresh warm baguette bought from a small supermarket, drunk wine and fell asleep with the sound of the sea and woke up.
Day 20: Oriental bazaars and hippie flair in Granada
Another 450 km south we reach Granada, on the edge of the Sierra Nevada. Although I already know Granada from a previous trip, Granada inspires me again. This city has something special with its small streets and historic houses. Anyway, Andalusia is an absolutely great part of Spain. On one day wonderful sea and a few hours later a few thousand meters high with white peaks in the Sierra Nevada, this is really only in Andalusia.
In addition, the Moorish influence, partly Arab street signs, oriental tea girls with hookahs and small colorful bazaar streets remind here real Morocco as to Spain. Until you turn the corner again and see a typical Spanish flamenco show on the street. Granada somehow reminded me of Cusco, its street musicians, and hippie jewelry vendors. And it's definitely a place that I need to get to know in more detail.
If you are in Granada, then you should definitely plan time for the Alhambra, an old Moorish fortress. I already knew the Alhambra from a previous trip and unfortunately, the tickets were booked for the next 2 days. But that's a good reason to come back again.
Andalusia is a wonderful land. It is the warmest and most passionate region of Spain and there are born all the traditions most felt by the Spaniards, such as flamenco, bullfighting and tapas. Andalusia is the land of the magnificent Alhambra in Granada, the most famous building in Spain with Jannat al-'Arif, but also the mosques and Moorish palaces of Cordoba, the Picasso museum in Malaga, the beaches of the Costa del Sol and the Costa de la Luz. There are the Sierra Nevada mountains and its natural parks. In Andalusia there are the most characteristic and lively festivals in the country, such as the Semana Santa in Seville, the capital of the Region.Founded by the Romans under the name Illibris, Granada stands at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of two rivers: the Darro, a tributary of the Genil, and the Genil itself. We reach it by bus at a cost of 25 euros each way, which takes about 3 hours.
Immediately, as soon as we arrive we realize that we have underestimated the city. We only have 4 hours and 30 mins to visit it and the things to see seem endless! I tell you already that is a flaw and a very high cost and the city requires a lot of time for the visit because it is really beautiful. So the program chosen by us is not the best. If you go in the day you start early in the morning and you already plan to take the last bus of the evening. But the ideal is to sleep them one night.
Returning to us we do not get discouraged and start from the center of the city. We visit the Souk: a network of dense alleyways that meet with each other between squares and craft shops and spices, really lovely. Here I buy the Granada, which I will try at home, very good! It is not an Arab neighborhood but what remains of the ancient Arab "souk" of the city. Even today the streets of this quadrilateral are those of the ancient souk, only the buildings that have been built in Spanish-style stone rather than Arabic have changed over the centuries.
It is the only souk present on European soil. Zoco is pronounced in Spanish. There are a lot of souvenir shops but also shops and shops typical of the Maghreb souks. The cathedral is silhouetted around these streets. The Catholic Kings wanted the construction of a cathedral, on the site of the great Nasrid mosque in Granada.
Because of the lack of time we decide to have lunch take away in a small fry/deli where with 7 euros per person we enjoy a mixed frying cone, fish balls and calamari omelette. We also take the gazpacho another local specialty, paella and cous cous. The owner Tere shows us her mother's photo and explains that it is from her that she learned the trade. It's good to see how here on the contrary to many other places, people and shopkeepers are relaxed and never in a hurry. All explain, they help you (strictly in Spanish eh) the frenzy is not for them! Sometimes they are too slow and when you go into the store instead of serving you if I spoke to you or were talking on the phone! It would be unthinkable here!
After this refreshing lunch we also give ourselves a typical sweetie in a bakery: taste the famous piononos, the pope's sweets, famous in Santa Fe. Here all the desserts are rich in spices and honey, I love them! The Arab influences in the kitchen, in architecture and in craftsmanship are felt and seen!
Eating while walking we can take the C3 bus to the main attraction of the city to the al-hambra palatial complex. Etymologically, Alhambra in Arabic translates as al-Ḥamrā (the Red), since its full name was Qal'at al-ḥamrā' (Red Citadel). The Alhambra is a true walled city (medina) that occupies most of the Sabika hill. While for its part Granada benefited from another system of protective walls. Therefore the Alhambra could work independently of Granada. In the Alhambra there were all the proper services necessary for the inhabitants who lived there with mosques, schools, shops and more.
It was built in 1238 by Muḥammad ibn Naṣr called al-Ḥamar, The Red, because he had a reddish beard. He had the first nucleus of the building built. His son Muhammad II subsequently strengthened him.
In 1492, with the conquest of Granada by the Catholic Kings, the Alhambra became the royal palace of the Kings of Spain and this saved the complex from the destruction suffered by many other Islamic monuments following the Reconquista. Adjacent to the complex of Alhambra we find the palace and the gardens of Palacio de Generalife (Arabic: Jannat al-'Arif - Architect's Garden) which was the summer residence of the Nasrid sultans. Both monumental complexes were declared by the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Committee in 1984. We visit under a scorching sun the two attractions with a single ticket of only 14 euros. The view of the city, the mountains of Sierra Nevada and the Albaicin neighborhood (our next stop) from up there is beautiful.
Immediately after the Alhambra we go by bus C1 towards the Albaicin district. Unfortunately, time is short and for the visit there is less than half an hour. The Albaicín has preserved the narrow streets, the courtyards with trees and flowers, the terraces, the cisterns and the public fountains dating back to the past medieval dominion of the Moors. It stands on the hill in front of the Alhambra, from which it is separated from the river Darro.
During the long Arab-Berber and Jewish domination the moment of maximum splendor lived, reaching about 60 thousand inhabitants and 26 mosques. The district has a marked Arab imprint and owes its name to the Arabs of the city of Jaén (bayyasīn, i.e. those of Baeza) who moved en masse to Granada after surrendering to the Christian troops of Ferdinand III. Points of interest within the neighborhood include the remains of a complex of Arab baths in Granada, the archaeological museum of Granada, the church of San Salvador built on the ruins of a mosque and the Mirador of St. Nicolás, which allows a spectacular view of the Alhambra.
And that's where we leave the bus. Having little time is the best place to take some pictures and visit the church in the square, crowded with street artists and musicians. A truly unique place! Unfortunately, the time has expired. We agree that the Lac, the bus to the bus station, can not bring us in time so we stop a taxi and without even spending so much we reach the station. We did it. We leave again in to the direction of Seville.
Day 21: At 2750 meters above the clouds in the Sierra Nevada
Although the sky was cloudy, we decided to drive 50 km from Granada to the Pico del Veleta (3384 m). The A-395 road winds its way from Granada around the mountains, with a gradient of about 6%. Nevertheless, it is a really good and quite new road that you can easily boot up with a motorhome. While the weather was still gray and cloudy down in the valley, it became clearer with each altitude and the sky bluer.
At kilometer 23 there is a kind of information center where you can inquire about the flora and fauna of the Sierra Nevada. Here you can ask for caution again if there is already snow or if you want to go higher. There were still cuddly at 11 degrees up there and no trace of snow. From there, the path goes up again for about 30 kilometers, until we do not get even higher by car.
Here we are already at 2750 meters and has a beautiful view over the mountains of the Sierra Nevada and down into the valley. And this is where this wonderful trip ends in Spain.
