All Spain, All the Time

The Iberian jewel shines as bright as ever.  My recent trip of old and new Spanish discoveries was universally welcoming.  Yes the tourists were already out but so was genuine hospitality and helpfulness.  I was eager to explore and to immerse myself in Spain. I planned seven stops around the Emotions Travel Conference in Madrid.  From north to south I was never bored and always delighted with all that Spain revealed to me.  Everyone I encountered

was friendly and helpful.

I started in Barcelona with a few days there and necessary advance bookings because the city is thriving. They were for a private Gothic Quarter tour and Sagrada Familia Church designed by Gaudi.  Without advance reservations, a church visit would not have been possible.  The church is still under construction, but so much of this amazing building is now finished.  Do not miss this essential Barcelona landmark.  I then flew down to famous Granada and spent a couple of days exploring the city, including the famous Alhambra.  This is another essential prebook activity. I booked a private guide so I could get the best of each palace at my own pace.  It did not disappoint.    Then it was about a three-hour train ride to the evocative city of Seville.  Here, as well as all the other stops, I found the old parts of the cities and towns the most fascinating.  It was the architecture, dining options, and narrow streets that appealed the most to me.  In Seville, it was no exception with the old town opening up to the Cathedral where Columbus is supposed to be buried.

Then it was about a three-hour train ride on the AVE to Madrid.  I had limited time at this point, so I did a small, 90-minute group tour of the Royal Palace, but it was totally worth it.  It is not as famous as Versailles, but still breathtaking.

One trend I found here, as well as most other stops, was that many areas are now pedestrianized.  Some streets in the city or town centers are now free of vehicles which makes it so much more pleasant as a tourist.  The car is not king here and that is a good thing for those of us exploring.  Walking is the best way to really explore an urban area. It is supremely easy to stop when you see something of interest and flexible in routes and diversions.  You don’t miss a thing.  I walked more than 265,000 steps in the two weeks I was away. This even included the fours days of my travel conference when I weas mostly inside.

After this brief stop in Madrid, I had wanted to include the Northern reaches of the Basque country. That meant a swing to Bilbao, Guernica and San Sebastian.  Bilbao has turned itself around in the last 15 years with the bold experiment of commissioning a new landmark. The Guggenheim Bilbao, designed by Frank Gehry, has been the catalyst for a downtown renewal that is still going on. Beautiful parks, a light rail system and new hotel openings have all made a difference. As in many cases with me, I liked the building more than the art inside it.  My hotel room overlooked the structure, which I loved.   The Basque cheesecake served in the upstairs restaurant was worth a return the next evening.

Food in the Basque region is different.  Yes they still have the famous Iberico acorn fed ham but other items are different too.  Here the tapas are called pintxos which are still small individual snacks . They are a bit smaller and more focused with some different combinations.  A bit more seafood is involved but not always.  In San Sebastian I did a small group, high-end evening food tour with a commanding guide who knew all the local chefs. She made sure we had exactly what we wanted and the pintxos were made fresh just for us.  We also had a choice of local beverages.  Local beers and wines were ones not

 usually exported but excellent.

Since the train from Bilbao to San Sebastian was long and not convenient, I did a car and driver there with a stop at the revered Basque town of Guernica in between the two cities.  I was there for about an hour and the local driver took me around.  The town is significant for several reasons.  One is that on April 26, 1937 the Nazi Germany bombed the town killing hundreds.  The attack inspired Pablo Picasso’s painting Guernica. The second reason was that before and after is has been a traditional meeting place where the ancient oak tree is a symbol of freedom the Basque people.  It still is a traditional meeting place today.

When I arrived in San Sebastian, I discovered a beautiful town with sweeping beach areas and an innovative vehicle storage system.  I noticed no parking other than some street parking.  There were also no parking garages or parking lots.  Where do the cars go?  All the major parking is underground.  You see the entrances and exits but that is it.  It makes the town so much more beautiful.  The old town was s charming as the rest of the ones on the trip.

Then it was back to Madrid for four days of meeting and conferences all relating to travel. After the conference it was a short flight to Palma de Majorca for three nights at the end of the trip.  Majorca is a huge island with lots of upscale resorts. For me, I wanted to explore another old town and Palma was special.  The amazing architecture of Palma Cathedral(La Seu) and Bellver Castle were stunning and as impressive an any structure  I have seen in Europe.   This island has so many choices but I wanted more than just a beautiful resort.  I wanted history and culture.  Here and throughout Spain I found it.  For the details and all what we can do, contact me at TravelStore. We have been making holidays complete for almost 50 years. Contact us for your next exciting trip to Sapin or wherever your wanderlust wants to take you.