Spain - Sep-2025

Sep 12

The flight was surprisingly quick - only 6.5 hours - and we got into Madrid ahead of schedule. Quick taxi ride and we were at our Gran Hotel Ingles around 8:45 am. The hotel staff were all incredibly nice and welcoming, and let us check in early with a free upgrade to a superior room. We tried to take a nap but couldn’t fall asleep. So after a quick shower we headed out.

First we stopped by St Jeronimo church. Then we went to Museo Prado to see paintings by Goya, Velasquez, Rubens, and other famous artists. Afterwards we had a light lunch of salad and brisket at a restaurant in the back of Prado called Brisket. Then we took a brief stroll through Retiro Park and walked back to our hotel. Feeling somewhat refreshed after a 3 hour nap, we went out again to explore Gran Via and Puerta del Sol. Dinner was at Taberna La Bola - traditional stew with chickpeas and variety of meats, and roast lamb.

Sep 13

Woke up feeling an acute need for coffee. Went to Brown Bear bakery for breakfast, then took an Uber to Toledo, about an 1 hour drive, because trains were sold out since yesterday afternoon.

We started with Toledo Alcázar castle and military historic museum with various types of weapons and armor. Then we went to Plaza de Zocodover with amazing enormous main Toledo Cathedral. We had lunch with Iberico ham and manchego cheese, venison croquettes and potatoes.

Then we went to Jesuit Church and climbed the bell tower for panoramic views of Toledo. Following that we visited Iglesia del Salvador and Iglesia Santo Tome, the latter housing El Greco’s famous painting “The Burial of the Count of Orgaz”.

Then we walked to the Jewish Quarter and visited El Greco museum, Synagogue El Transito and Sephardi Museum, and Synagogue of Santa Maria La Blanca. The latter was built in 1190 and is the oldest standing synagogue in Europe, although not the oldest active - that one is in Prague.

We finished our day in Toledo with San Juan de Los Reyes monastery with impressive columns around courtyard, followed by San Martin Bridge, where we caught a taxi back to Toledo.

Excellent dinner at La Bien Aparecida to finish up this wonderful day.

Sep 14

After a breakfast of eggs Benedict and yogurt at Cafe Bucolico, we headed to Thyssen Bornemisa museum and spent 3 hours there. Very nice extensive private collection with art ranging from Italian primitivists to Canaletto and El Greco to impressionists to modern. Then we grabbed a quick lunch of Iberico ham and salad at Museo del Jamon.

Afterwards we walked over to the Royal Palace which was very grand and opulent. Then we explored palace galleries featuring art from royal collections and providing a good overview of Spanish royal dynasty from Ferdinand and Isabella through Habsburgs and Bourbons.

Then we strolled back towards Puerta del Sol, bought some t-shirts, and made our way back to hotel through streets closed due to bike race and protests.

For dinner we went to Vinitus restaurant on Gran Via and had various tapas and cava sangria; and then went for drinks to Bestial by Rosi la Loca.

Sep 15

Early taxi ride to Chamartin train station - we used local Freenow app to call taxi and it was cheaper. Took a train to Segovia Guiomar station - quick 27 minute ride. Segovia Alcázar was a very well preserved or restored fairytale castle, with expansive views of hills and a big deep moat. It had an impressive collection of armor and medieval weapons, as well as an artillery museum.

Segovia cathedral - very impressive and tall just like other Spanish cathedrals we saw, with stained glass windows on multiple levels, nice collection of tapestries and ceremonial silver.

For lunch we went to a place near by called Meson Don Jimeno, where we had suckling pig, chorizo, chanterelle mushrooms.

Then we walked through the old Jewish quarter which was mostly abandoned in 1400s. Old synagogue has been converted to church and then monastery and burned so many times, it’s impossible to find, especially since it was closed. Other Jewish quarter sights were closed as well. Then we did some lazy shopping, bought more ducks and a purse and made our way to huge Roman Aqueduct.

Back in Madrid, we went for a walk to Plaza Mayor and then back to hotel to pack for tomorrow’s early departure. Dinner at Salino restaurant on the other side of Retiro Park was good, but they were out of several dishes on the menu.

Sep 16

Early start today to catch our 8:00 am AVE train to Seville. The train was very comfortable, with nice seats and free WiFi. Took a taxi to our hotel Gravina 51, dropped off luggage and went out to explore Seville historical quarter. First, we visited grand and beautiful Seville cathedral and even caught live organ music there. Climbed Giralda bell tower for a great panoramic view. There’s lots of repairs and construction going on both on the exterior and interior, but it’s carried out fairly discreetly.

Then we went for a delicious lunch to Maestro Marcelino - a cured ham bar. After lunch we visited the church of San Salvador nearby, did some lazy window shopping, and went back to the room for a nap. Slowly woke up and made our way to the Los Setas - a modern installation that looks like giant mushrooms. Then we walked through old streets, visited a few churches, and made it to our dinner at Espacio Eslava, which was amazing.

Sep 17

After an excellent breakfast at Santa Gloria bakery around the corner, we took a quick taxi ride to Plaza de España. This grand plaza was built for 1929 Iberoamerican Expo and has beautiful tile work of all Spanish provinces. Then we took a leisurely stroll through Maria Luisa Park, grabbed a coffee, and headed to historic Santa Cruz quarter. Walking through old narrow streets, we visited Casa Salinas - an old private house open for visits - which was very nice. Then we went for lunch to the same place as yesterday - Maestro Marcelino, where we had creamy tomato soup called salmorejo (not to be confused with gazpacho), jamon Iberico, chorizo, and smoked sardines.

After lunch we proceeded to Seville Alcázar, starting with visit of upper royal chambers which was very strictly regimented. Then we spent quite a long time exploring the palace and gardens and admiring beautiful Moorish architecture and tile work. In the garden there were peacocks including little chicks, and a cat stalking them.

Leaving Alcázar, we stopped for iced coffee and to take a break from the heat. Then we headed to Casa de Pilatos - a large and beautiful private residence built in Moorish style, with medieval and renaissance elements.

Afterwards we strolled back towards our hotel doing some casual shoe shopping on the way. Rested a bit in the room and headed out for excellent dinner at El Disparata - seabass ceviche, magret duck, and tuna.

Sep 18

Early start for our day trip to Cordoba. Caught a quick breakfast at Santa Gloria again, and taxi to Seville Santa Justa train station. Train actually goes to Barcelona, but Cordoba is the first stop.

Got off the train and walked to Mezquita - a huge Cordoba cathedral which used to be a Visigoth early Christian church, then a mosque, and finally a Christian cathedral. It’s a truly unique place combining different architectural styles from different time periods. Then we climbed the bell tower for views of the city.

Afterwards we recharged with tiny cups of Arabic coffee, and wandered through narrow streets of the Jewish quarter. We saw Maimónides monument, synagogue, museum of Sephardic history, and restored Moorish house Casa Andalus. Then we went for lunch to Bodegas Mezquita Cespedes where we had salmorejo, salad, eggplant and meatballs. After lunch we walked over to the Roman bridge and then Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, which was unfortunately closed for renovation. It was here that Christopher Columbus had his first audience with King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella. We took a quick stroll through the gardens, but it was way too hot - close to 100F. So we caught a taxi back to the train station. Got back to Seville, rested a bit and packed, and went for a walk. Then went for dinner at La Casapuerta - excellent steak and lamb chops.

Sep 19

Very early start today to catch our 7:42 am train to Granada. We got to the station with plenty of time to spare for coffee and yogurt. This train is not as nice as the one from Madrid to Seville.

Got to our Seda Club Hotel, stored luggage and headed out to explore. Grabbed a quick lunch of tasty empanadas at La Luisita on a square around the corner from our hotel. Then we went to Granada Cathedral and Royal Chapel where King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were buried. Afterwards we walked through Plaza Nuevo and Carrera del Darro street and up to Mirador de San Nicolas to enjoy amazing views of Alhambra. Then we walked downhill and explored historic Albacin quarter with its narrow streets and old houses.

We slowly made our way back to hotel and took a nap. Then we headed out again and walked towards the river and Roman bridge. The neighborhood we walked through was a lot less touristy and there were lots of local families and couples out enjoying nice Friday evening. On the way back we passed by a monument of Queen Isabella.

For dinner we went to El Mercador restaurant - the food was delicious and thoughtfully presented and composed, and we killed a bottle of local Tempranillo blend.

Sep 20

Very nice breakfast at our hotel and then a quick taxi ride to Alhambra. We had a 9:00 am entry tickets for Nasrid Palace and were there just on time. The interiors were beautiful with amazing lacy sculpted masonry work throughout all galleries and great attention to details. Then we visited Alcazaba fortress and Carlos V palace and museum. We finished our exploration of Alhambra with Generalife Gardens which were amazing, with flowers and fountains and hidden levels of galleries and views of the palaces, town, and mountains. Throughout Alhambra we saw several cats of different colors and sizes - apparently there’s a resident cat colony and staff takes care of them.

Then we headed back to town center for lunch, navigating to Maquila Jamoneria restaurant to get our Iberico ham fix. It was located in a very lively noisy food hall / market. We were enticed by the view of grilled pulpo and ended up sitting down at Materia Primo for a great seafood lunch. We had tomatoes with anchovies, grilled octopus, fried seafood platter, and mixed olives.

Then we took a cab to Sacromonte area where Gypsies used to live in caves. There are still quite a few caves now offering drinks and flamenco shows. There are also houses precariously perched on the side of the mountain that looked a bit like favelas. We went pretty high up on foot for more views of Alhambra, but decided not to go to Sacromonte museum and walked back. It was hot but breezy and overall pleasant. We walked back towards town center and tried to visit Basilica de San Juan de Dios, but it was closed. So instead we relaxed in our hotel bar drinking red wine with sparkling water.

For dinner we went to Poetas Andaluces restaurant which had a display of meats they could grill. We got a nice mixed salad, duck foie with raspberry preserves, and jamon Iberico for appetizers, and a T-bone steak to share as a main course - all were outstanding.

Sep 21

Early start again to catch our 9:20 am Vueling flight to Barcelona. Hotel breakfast and checkout were super streamlined and we were on our way. Flight was on time and we landed in Barcelona around 10:30 am. Quick taxi ride to our H10 Madison hotel, which let us check in early and had a room available for us.

Then we went for lunch to Enrique Tomas - zucchini soup, salad, Iberico ham, and local cheese variety. After lunch we walked to Plaza Catalunya and then along La Rambla. Lots of beautiful buildings but a bit of a mishmash of styles and lots of construction along the street. We saw a few nice small plazas and stopped for a visit at Guell Palace - a very nice Gaudi designed townhome. Unfortunately, the rooftop was closed due to rain, but we got to see the rest of the building.

Then we went to Barcelona Cathedral which was very beautiful and airy, and got to the rooftop to enjoy the views - rain stopped at this point. Then we walked the other way on La Rambla to find Uno de 50 jewelry store that Sofia wanted to visit and did some very successful shopping there.

Dinner was at Contraban - a very modern restaurant with creative menu. Food and service were excellent, although they didn’t have magret duck that Sofia was really looking forward to.

Sep 22

This morning, we brought our own yogurt and bananas to Cappuccino coffee shop across the street. Leon had a multigrain integral croissant. Then we took a cab to Sagrada Familia cathedral - Gaudi’s famous masterpiece which is still partially under construction. We admired the exterior and interior of this beautiful cathedral and climbed the Nativity tower.

Then we grabbed coffee and shared an empanada, and took a nice long walk to Casa Battlo, also built by Gaudi. Afterwards we walked to yet another Gaudi building called La Pedrera where the interior looked like an apartment from our grandmas times. The building had balconies with fancy ironwork visible from the outside.

From there we went to Mercado de la Boqueria for lively food market and lunch. Stopped by the room. Took a cab from there to go to Park Guell where we saw Gaudi house museum and other structures.

For dinner we went to Arcano restaurant per our hotel recommendations. The food was good but service slow and a bit overpriced for what you get.

Sep 23

Early breakfast at Cappuccino across the street from our hotel, again with our own yogurt and bananas, but I finally got an almond croissant. Then a quick taxi ride to Plaza España to catch R5 train at 8:36 am to Montserrat. Then we switched to a local mountain rack railway, which took about 20 minutes to get to Montserrat. The monastery was founded in 1025 - a thousand years ago! The building has been destroyed and rebuilt a few times, but is still one of the most significant religious sites in Spain. And mountain scenery is amazing.

We went to art museum, which had a nice collection ranging from orthodox icons to modern art, including Picasso and Dali. Then we went to see the famous Black Madonna, and waited in the basilica for boys choir performance.

Afterwards we went to the farmers market and bought some cheese and nuts for a snack, and walked up the mountain to Cross of St Michael for more beautiful mountain scenery. Caught 3:15 pm mountain rail train back to Barcelona and went to Mercado de la Boqueria again for some jamon Iberico, olives, and fruits. Back to hotel for a glass of cava on the roof with a view of Barcelona Cathedral.

Then we went for a walk to the waterfront park and marina where there was a lively fair. Great dinner at Carballeira Restaurant - tomatoes with anchovies, pulpo, and seafood paella.

Sep 24

Breakfast at our friendly Cappuccino across the street, and a fairly quick taxi ride to Barcelona airport. Vueling is truly self-service - not an agent in sight to help with luggage tags, nor any notices of flight status. Anyway, we dropped off bags and spent about an hour in a lounge waiting for our flight which was delayed by about 30 minutes. While walking to our gate we noticed a Geox store, which had a new model of Snake shoes - amazingly they are back! I quickly bought a pair of lace ups.

Flight felt long and seats didn’t recline - I guess that’s a special Vueling feature. At least the luggage came out pretty quickly upon arrival to Tenerife North Airport. We got our rental car from Cicar - a hybrid Jeep Renegade - and drove south to Adeje. The drive took about an hour plus, and we had to stop for gas because Cicar rents out cars with almost empty tank and discharged battery.

Our hotel Iberostar Joia El Mirador is very luxurious in the old style, and we have an ocean view suite. The hotel has a distinct White Lotus vibe, and a couple of guests will get injured or maybe killed over next few days. All the staff are extremely nice, welcoming, and beyond helpful.

We took a walk along the black sand beach and then along the promenade. Dinner at Torre del Mirador restaurant was highly unremarkable - I don’t know how seafood on an island can taste so dead.

Sep 25

After excellent breakfast in our hotel we drove about 1 hour 15 min to Cruz del Carmen in Anaga Rural Park, where we had to wait about 30 minutes for a parking spot to free up. Then we hiked a few short but pretty forest trails - Sendero los Sentidos, Hija Cambada, Los Enigmas. After that we drove to La Laguna, strolled through the food market, and then walked a bit around town. Caught lunch at Tasca 61 that advertised itself as a healthy food place. Had a very nice fresh salad, truffle eggs with roasted potatoes, and a cheese plate. Then we drove back south to our hotel.

I went for a swim in the ocean, then we had drinks and relaxed by the pool. Then a walk along waterfront to Costa Adeje, and excellent grilled fish dinner at Restaurant Santorini. The waterfront was hopping with live music in bars and crowds of tourists.

Sep 26

Another excellent breakfast, and then we spent a nice lazy morning walking on the beach, and swimming in the ocean and pool. Then we walked to Fanabe Beach area for lunch of burgers and chicken strips at Mustang Sally’s which claimed to have best burgers in Tenerife. The spicy burger I got was good, but beef patties were too thin for my taste.

Then we drove to Teide National Park and hiked Roques de Garcia trail which took about 1.5 hours. Mountain scenery was beautiful, and the trail had interesting rock formations of different colors. We wanted to also take a cable car to the top of Mt. Teide, but it wasn’t operating. So, we drove back a different way, through more winding mountain roads and the village of Villaflor, stopping in a few places to enjoy breathtaking views.

Spent some time by the pool after getting back, and then amazing grilled fish and seafood dinner at El Olivo restaurant in Fanabe.

Sep 27

Breakfast and another lazy morning on the beach.

Then we drove up to Playa Americas 15 minutes away and walked around so-called Golden Mile shopping area. This area seems to have been developed earlier than where we are staying - the hotels and condo buildings are older, and the stores are not as upscale. There’s a huge Hard Rock Cafe and hotel with a fake Roman portico, evoking Caesar’s Palace vibes. We checked out a few stores and the Las Americas beach, which is rocky and not great for swimming. It does have a small consistent wave, and many surfing schools are taking advantage of it. Alas, none of them had SUP.

Then we went for lunch at Los Dedos, which also claimed to have best burgers in Tenerife and one of top 15 in Spain. This burger was really, really good, and the place was fun. Afterwards, we walked around a bit more along the waterfront, had excellent gelato, and drove back to Adeje to return our car. Then walked back to the hotel and spent some more time swimming and enjoying the beach.

Outstanding dinner at Almar restaurant a bit further north from Fanabe - we took a taxi there. We had sashimi appetizer, steak, lobster ravioli, and crème brûlée - all while watching the sun set into the ocean. Then we walked back to our hotel along the waterfront through partying crowds.

Sep 28

Very early wake up - 4 am to catch our 6:15 am flight to Madrid. Iberia check-in is chaos - long line, only 2 people working, and multiple malfunctions requiring one of them to help another. Miraculously we made our flight and even more miraculously it actually departed almost on time and arrived to Madrid slightly ahead of schedule. As far as comfort goes, Iberia is no better than Vueling - paper thin seats that don’t recline and not even water served during 2.5 hour flight. On more positive note, our bags came out relatively quickly, and we took a shuttle from T4 to T1, which took more than 10 minutes. Checked in our bags with Delta, mailed out WiFi device, went through security, and even had time for coffee and empanadas before boarding.

Bye Spain, until next time!