Lena's Traveler's Talk

Espana 2024

Espana! In order for me to properly convey how extraordinary this trip was, I must give a bit of background. I studied in Madrid in 2003 for a quarter during the fall. I lived with a host mom, Maria Eugenia, and had my very first roommates since I lived at home during college. I returned to Spain again in 2005 when backpacking through Europe post college and have been dreaming of going back since then. I was thrilled to take George and the boys to show them why I love Spain so much.

Itinerary

Barcelona

Barcelona is often people’s favorite city in Spain. It was an incredible first stop and I loved it more than I remember loving it from the first time I visited 20 years ago. It is vibrant, beautiful, accessible and all around fun. We stayed a few blocks from Sagrada Familia. It is about 25 minute walk to Las Ramblas, so a bit off the “path” and much quieter area. We really enjoyed but also didn’t mind the walking around. While I am so glad we spent 4 night there to really soak in the city, I got my Barcelona fill and don’t feel a pull to return any time soon. Our trip just kept getting progressively better – more to come on that below!

Barcelona Sites:

  • Park Guell – Unlike 20 years ago, you know have to book tickets in advance. Yes, to go into a park, you need tickets. Also, there wasn’t somewhere to buy water inside so bring in water bottle on a hot day. Gorgeous, it’s a must see.
  • Gaudi Experiencia – Outside of Park Guell, we enjoyed a quick visit to this museum. The 3D video was super cool and was a love letter to Gaudi and Barcelona
  • Sagrada Familia – Another must see, a good one to get a tour guide for. I cannot say enough great things about how incredible the interior is. Seeing it from the outside is nothing like the inside – better than any church in Italy (in my opinion). And yes, get tickets in advance as well.
  • Casa Batllo – Tickets in advance, we did the VIP tour and received iPads that showed us what each room used to look like along with an audio guided tour. Made it much more interesting for the kids and us. Absolutely worth it and do not miss the rooftop.
  • Monstserrat – We booked a tour there through Airbnb experiences. Took a bus and had a guided tour. Cute little monastery town with the black madonna and a funicular to get to the top for a view. Was worth it because we had 4 days but otherwise I would not say it’s a must. Kids rank it a 5/10 but us adults rank it a 7/10 if you need a break from the city and because it’s relatively close.
  • El Rei De La Magia – Said to be the oldest magic shop in the world, if you or your kids love magic, its a super cool stop.
  • Poble Espanyol Barcelona – Think of this as a giant outdoor museum that replicates small towns from different regions of Spain. Again, we had the few hours to spend on this detour and had a great time. It was quieter and got us to explore a different part of the city. There was also a cool video about Spain in the theater.
  • Arc de Triomf – Who knew that Paris isn’t the only one with an Arc. Very gorgeous part of town and fairly central to explore.
  • Las Ramblas – The busiest and most touristy, shopping streets are the heart of the city but not an area we cared to spend too much time
  • Lego Store Las Ramblas – GIANT Sagrada Familia made of legos, super cool and you can make your own customized legos.

Barcelona Eats:

  • Ten’s Tapas – Michelin rated, offers a la carte and set course menu. We absolutely loved it and took the kids there for lunch. Got the set course for Niko and a la carte for Leo but still made him try a bite of every course. We all left there trying new flavors in a non stuffy, simple environment.
  • Honest Greens – OBSESSED. A fancy salad/bowls chain in Spain with just about every combination you can think of, accommodating all the dietary restriction with a fun, energetic vibe. I probably ate there 4 times between Barcelona and Madrid.
  • La Pepita – Our Spanish friends selected this spot as our first meal to introduce the kids to a real tapas spot. It was super crowded, absolutely delicious, and a great way to try an authentic local spot.
  • Xurreria Trebol – Next door to La Pepita is this well known Churro stand.
  • Ziryab Fusio Tapes Bar – YUM! mediterranean / middle easter tapas with tons of flavor. Also did a tasting menu, very affordable and kid friendly.
  • Turron – These are nougat style desserts that are sold in a lot of places, a bit of a Spanish delicacy and come in lots of different flavors.
  • La Boqueria is a a market in Las Ramblas that offers just about every type of food you can want. Not easy to get seats and can be overwhelming, but also fun to walk through and try a few different types of foods.

Madrid

Bias I am given I lived here in college, but WOWZA Madrid. I enjoyed it as an adult from such a different lens, especially because I have since seen so much more of the world. It is such an aesthetically pleasing city, clearly a lot of money is spent to maintain it. Between the parks, the paseos (roads), the architecture, the vibe is so comfortable and inviting. We stayed in Gran Via at an amazing high rise that we booked through Airbnb and loved that it had laundry, awesome view of the street/fun NYC TimesSquare sign vibes (much smaller) and a pool on roof. Madrid is very walkable, you can’t go wrong staying near the museums (Prado/Reina Sofia), near Plaza Mayor, Puerta de Sol, Gran Via or Chueca. It all comes down to the kind of accommodations you want. Our friends went without kids and raved about Gran Hotel Ingles.

Madrid Sites:

  • Temple of Debod – How I never knew of this while studying here is beyond me. What an incredible view of the city. Highly recommend visiting for sunset.
  • Plaza de Espana – One of the more beautiful plazas in the city
  • Puerta de Sol and the TioPepe sign – This is where we would meet up in 2003 to take on the night. It shaped like the sun, with a giant circle and sun rays (aka streets) that stem off.
  • Plaza Mayor
  • Parque Retiro – The largest park in the city, you could spend hours there. Make sure to walk towards the pond in the center.
  • Reina Sofia – My favorite museum in the city, it’s the modern one that is home to Picasso’s Geurnica. Free tickets are offered in advance on line if you go at twilight.
  • Museo de Prado – I went several times during college but we skipped it as a family. Just not my type of art – so look it up before going.
  • Palacio Real – The Royal palace, no tour needed in my opinion but tickets in advance are reccomended. It’s not a must see but not too long of a commitment and pretty interesting to see the extent of the wealth that the Spaniards accumulated and spent on an absurdly lavish palace

Madrid Eats:

  • Honest Greens – See above in Barcelona eats. YUM!
  • Ella Sky Bar – Rooftop bar with quite a view
  • El Social – Cool spot in Chueca with really tasty food
  • The King of Paella – Private or semi private cooking classes to make Paella. SO much fun and informative. Kids got really into all the steps
  • Museo De Jamon – A chain of restaurants where Jamon hangs from the ceiling. It’s quite a site even if you don’t eat there.

Sevilla

This city is so very special. Southern Spain, Andalucia as the region is called, captures the cultural blend of when the Jews, Muslims and Christians all coexisted during the Convivencia. From Cordoba to Sevilla to Granada, the cities are all so unique but of the 3, Sevilla is my favorite and I couldn’t wait to show the family. It is VERY hot there, even in June, so we really wanted a hotel with a pool to enjoy in the afternoons. Hotel Casa 1800 was perfect location and had the cool Moroccan courtyard style vibe. Can’t say enough great things about it.

Sevilla Sites:

  • Real Alcazar – The city’s jewel – a must see. We loved the tour guided version and our guide made it fun for the kids.
  • La Catedral de Sevilla – It’s a bit of walking up to the top but very manageable if there are no injuries.
  • Plaza de Espana – Yes, all the major cities in Spain have one. Really cool, has lots of colorful tile and often live music or enteratainment
  • Flamenco Show – We went to Teatro Flamenco Triana and loved it. Can’t go wrong with any of these spots.
  • Setas de Sevilla – aka the Mushroom – you need tickets in advance to go on top so make sure to book it for an entry time about 30-45 min before sunset so you can be at the top right as the sun sets. This is a super cool mushroom looking wooden structure with a unique history as the architect who designed it won a contest the city was holding. There is also tons of entertainment and a little playground at the base of the mushroom.
  • Jardines del Prado de san Sebastian – while the name is misleading, the park is in fact in Sevilla and has a really fun zipline style rope course thing in the park where you could spend lots of time in the shade while enjoying a cold one at the bar/cafe.

Sevilla Eats:

  • Alwadi – Moroccan restaurant. We went for lunch, made reservations in advance and it was the best meal in Sevilla. I will dream about all the dips.
  • El Disparate was on a top eats list but we were disappointed, wouldn’t recommend.

San Sebastian

Ever since I was studying in Madrid, I have heard about how San Sebastian is a unique and magical part of Spain with the best food. I didn’t prioritize a weekend there during college, nor on my Europe trip post college but I was set on incorporating it into this trip. It is not easy to get to and it required us to get on a plane from Sevilla but it was so worth it. In the end, it was a brief flight over to Bilbao and even the hour long taxi ride to San Sebastian was enjoyable because of how scenic Basque country is. The weather is tricky as it is almost always a bit rainy and unpredictable so you cannot count on a beach day. We got lucky on the first day with full sun and warmth but the rain hit us on the other days. Still a super worth it stop. We debated an Airbnb vs a hotel but ultimately decided that we enjoy the ease of a hotel at the end of our trip. Catalonia Danosti was a bit pricier but what made it so special is that it was at the top of a hill, with an amazing view and an elevator down to the street level to make the walk into the center fairly quick. The pool wasn’t warm enough for us to enjoy so I’d say that this is more worthwhile in August but other months, you’re probably better of skipping it and staying even closer to all the action.

San Sebastian Sites:

  • There is an amusement park that is very old, resembles the scene of a 1980’s creepy show. As long as expectations are tempered, it makes for a fun afternoon for the kids if it isn’t beach weather. Leo earned a stuffed shark at the remote controlled car race game – Sharky lives on with us in Chicago
  • The Aquarium was really cool and gave a great overview of San Sebastian as a port town.

San Sebastian Eats:

  • Bar Sport – Our first Pintxos experience did not disappoint. It is one of the most popular spots so try to go during an “off time”. Be prepared to wait a bit and potentially eat standing but it is worth it. Very seafood heavy, as is most of the city.
  • Bassk Cheesecake – This is where it all began and nothing will ever compare. The best cheesecake I have ever had.
  • The Gilda is the local pintxo with olives, pepper, and anchovy. Not for everyone but if you like those flavors, they knock it out of the park at just about every bar/restaurant there.
  • loco polo – it was a very delightful treat that was a popsicle where you can put any type of chocolate or nuts on top (this part written by Leo)
  • A local bartender suggested a few other of his favorites that we didn’t get to (Bordon Berri, Gorriti, Ordizia, Paco Bueno)
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