Spain

Spain is a fantastic place to visit. Delicious food, fantastic wine, and beautiful coastlines are just a few of the attractions the country has to offer, and in general it is quite affordable. In particular, from the Straight of Gibraltar to the Costa Brava there are countless coastal towns that have plenty to offer.

When you get to Spain, you should waste no time getting to the infamous Jamón. If you can afford it, the best you can find is Jamón Iberico de Belota. This is a product from a highly controlled region, where the pigs are raised eating only acorns, and only the finest acorn at that. It is available all throughout the country, but can even be found quite plentifully in the airport.

If your trip to Spain consists of nothing more than a layover in Madrid or Barcelona international airports, you’d be foolish to pass up on the opportunity. With no preservatives other than the salt used to cure, the finest of this dark meat will melt in your mouth. It certainly pairs well with a glass of cava, or a staple beer such as Estrella – if, of course, this is up your alley.

There are many towns along the coast worth seeing. The major places of interest are Seville, Valencia, and Barcelona, each offering a unique subculture. There are also smaller sea towns interspersed between these major cities, such as Cordoba, Javea, and Alicante, or the island destinations such as Ibiza, Formentura, and Palma. It is hard to go wrong with any of these options.

The island of Ibiza in particular, while prominently known for parties and late night DJ concerts in the numerous nightclubs, is also a wonderful place for swimming, relaxing, and enjoying life. In Ibiza Puebla, the downtown area, there is a marvelous castle and medieval area. If you are indeed in search of eternal nightlife, the place to be is Playa d’en Bossa, which is like Las Vegas for nightclubs, without any rules (and there are very few rules in Las Vegas, if this helps to put the scene in perspective. Between these two towns is the beautiful town of Figueridos. Here you will find nice sand beaches, beautifully calm and warm seas, and if you look in the right places you will also find some excellent food. Worth noting is the French restaurant Soleada, which offers not only a gorgeous view of the sea, but also some of the best cuisine on the island. If you are in the are you will not want to miss it, but make sure to secure a reservation if you are going during the busy times as it can be quite popular.

If you are seeking a taste of Spanish culture, but you also want to relax and enjoy beaches in style then the Spanish Mediterranean coast is an excellent choice. With a wide variety of options you really cannot go wrong. Start making plans for your next vacation today!

It’s getting to be that time again. Soon enough I’ll be off and on my way to Spain to see a number of new cities in such a beautiful country. I’ve only been once before, and did a quick stint in Barcelona and a longer stay in a more remote town in the Costa Brava. This time I’ll be seeing a much larger variety of cities, and I’m eager like a child on his first vacation. In addition to sorting out last-minute logistics and planning my packing, I sat down for one of my favorite pre-travel rituals – watching some informational footage by Rick Steves.

Rick does an excellent job on his travel shows, and they served as formational videos for my childhood. I even crossed paths with him once in Athens – I didn’t have the opportunity to introduce myself unfortunately, but just being in his presence made my spine tingle and filled me with joy. It brought me back to my early childhood.

I particularly like this video, as it is a bit of a shift from the normal travel videos and, I find, a bit more candid. It’s pretty cool to think about the history of the country, and how much influence the Moors had in forming the country. Naturally, they have a bit of a bad reputation in terms of the history books, but their impression on the country’s culture brought a unique flare. This comes through particularly in the architecture of the south of the country, and hopefully I’ll be seeing some of that along the way.

I will be spending some time along the south eastern coast, seeing a few of spots that are high on my list for relaxation purposes. However, I’m really looking forward to seeing some of the other cities – Madrid in particular. I have only been to the Catalonian region of Spain before, yet I don’t speak any Catalan. My background, like most people who learn Spanish language in high school in the US, is in the Castilian language. Castilian is spoken in Madrid, and basically anywhere that more to the north and/or west of the country. I always enjoy a city more when I am able to immerse myself at a deeper level so I’m quite excited.

So, what’s on the schedule for me?

Well, I’ll be staying a nights in Valencia, just to get a quick feel for the place. Then I’ll be off to Alicante, which is a beautiful seacoast town. I’ll be there for a while so perhaps I’ll be making some day trips when I have a chance. Then I’ll be off to Seville, passing through Madrid as the train system necessitates. This has been on my bucket list since learning about it over a decade ago, and I am very excited to see what this quaint and romantic village has in store. Finally, I’ll post up in Madrid for a while before my trip comes to a close – it will be a sad day indeed, but unfortunately it is inevitable.

Well, back to travel prep for me. I’ll make sure to stay up to date!