Have you considered taking a cooking class while traveling in France? Paris is the place for cooking classes, but you’ll also find classes in other French cities such as Lyon.
Several years ago, guest poster Liz Reding moved with her husband Michael to France and settled in the charming city of Lyon. Every few months, she and Michael take trips to explore different areas in Europe.
One of the things Liz likes to do when she travels around Europe from her new French home is to take cooking classes.
Here’s what Liz has to say about taking cooking classes in Paris and Lyon.
Cooking in France by Liz Reding
Is cooking art? If you’ve ever seen a great chef at work or eaten a beautifully plated meal, I think you’ll agree that cooking is an art form.
Maybe you love to cook, maybe you don’t … but you have to eat, right? So, doesn’t it make sense to spend time perfecting your cooking skills?
Some might say, YES… but not while I’m on vacation. I say, YES, especially while I’m on vacation!
The quality of the local produce, cheese, seafood, and meat in French markets is outstanding. When you take a class taught by a local chef at a cooking school, you learn how to use local ingredients to prepare regional favorites.
Cooking Classes in Paris
Thanks to the ongoing popularity of French cuisine and French cooking, several culinary schools offer short-duration classes designed for travelers.
Paris is the undisputed center for cooking classes in France. Consider spending a morning or an evening taking a class. You’ll meet interesting people and learn new skills and cooking methods.
Several kinds of cooking classes are available in Paris. In some classes, you focus on how to make specific dishes, such as macarons or baguettes, while in others, you cook several dishes which you then enjoy along with a glass or two of wine.
The Market Class
My favorite type of cooking class is the Market Class.
Choose a market class that starts early in the morning and includes lunch or one that starts later in the afternoon and includes dinner.
You’ll start a market class by meeting up with the chef at a local outdoor market. With the help of the chef, you’ll choose whatever is seasonally available and then return to the kitchen to start cooking.
Several hours later, you’ll sit down to the wonderful three-course lunch or dinner that you and your classmates prepared. A glass or two of wine is often included, along with wine-tasting tips.
In some market classes, the chef decides ahead of time what you’ll make. You pick up the ingredients and then head to the cooking school to start learning and cooking. No surprises!
Seafood in a Paris market; photo credit: Liz Reding
Other classes take more of a let’s see what we can find approach. You go to the market with the chef and see what’s fresh.
Will it be crayfish or lamb? New asparagus or an oozing camembert? Fresh tomatoes from Provence or foie gras from the Dordogne?
The chef accompanies you around the stalls and helps you make the selections.
Either type of class is a wonderful experience, but the laissez-faire version is more exciting and a test of the chef’s ability to create a yummy menu on the fly.
If you have a food allergy or other dietary restrictions, let the chef know. He or she will either tell you how to modify the recipe or will provide an alternative.
Recommendations in Paris & Lyon
I’ve taken four cooking classes in Paris (a baguette-making class and three market classes) as well as in Lyon, France, where I live. All the classes were conducted in English.
In the French baguette class, I learned an important lesson—read the reviews of the cooking class before you sign up! Two of the three ovens weren’t working which made the experience less enjoyable than it could have been.
Fresh baguettes made in the baguette class; Photo credit: Liz Reding
Nevertheless, I did learn how to make baguettes the old-fashioned way by smacking the dough against a granite surface. In my kitchen at home, I was able to adapt the baguette recipe and make it in my mixer with a dough hook. The results were fabulous!
Some of the cooking techniques I learned in cooking classes were fun but not useful. For example, I learned how to strain potatoes through a screen, but why would I want to?
No matter what type of class you take or where you take it, you’ll always learn new techniques and new recipes. And at the end of the class, you can relax and enjoy the meal you helped make, often with people from around the world.
Paris Cooking Classes
Here are the three cooking schools I attended in Paris. Typically, a cooking class that includes a meal costs between €150 and €200 per person. Some cooking schools offer group rates. If you’re traveling with a group, you may be able to save money by booking a private class.
I highly recommend adding a cooking class to your itinerary.
If you’re really into cooking classes, consider going on a cooking retreat. Plenty of options are available in places such as Tuscany and Provence.
About Liz Reding
Liz Reding is a retired computer textbook author who lives in Lyon, France. Born in Manhattan and having lived in Boston and New Mexico (Santa Fe and Albuquerque), she and her husband are discovering the joys of traveling and exploring the world. She enjoys learning French, cycling, and cooking nutritious meals.
Conclusion
Have you taken a cooking class while traveling? You can find them all over the world! I took a cooking class in Rome that I write about in Cooking in Roma with InRome Cooking.
Share your experiences in the comments below.
And here’s some more inspiration for cooking classes in Japan, Morocco, and Madrid.
I don’t think we’ve ever stayed in a bad place in Portugal. Hotels and apartments have been comfortable, reasonably priced, and well located.
In Portugal, you can choose to stay in a palace such as the Palace Hotel do Bussaco located north of Coimbra and pictured above. I haven’t stayed there, but if you have, please share your experience in the Comments section. The Palace Hotel do Bussaco is a 5-star hotel housed in the hunting palace of the last Portuguese kings. It looks amazing!
In this post, I provide general tips about accommodations in Portugal and then list hotels I recommend.
Choosing a Room
To Book or Not to Book?
I book almost my hotels before I leave home so I know I have somewhere to stay in every location on my itinerary. Then, while traveling, I sometimes change bookings to follow a new route or in response to hearing about a cool location I hadn’t known about.
TIP: Stay flexible when you travel. You never know when you might meet someone who recommends a festival or event or exhibition. More than once, I’ve altered an itinerary to attend a special exhibition or visit a new attraction.
Choose a hotel booking site that allows you to book, change, or cancel hotel reservations if your itinerary changes. Most sites offer a no-cancellation option at a lower price. I never choose the no-cancellation price unless I’m 100% sure I’ll be staying at the hotel. For example, I will select the no-cancellation price for hotels I’m staying at in the cities I fly into and depart from, because I know those locations won’t change.
But overall, stay flexible. I’ve learned that sticking to a rigid itinerary with no-cancellation accommodations can end up costing more money than you save.
Breakfasts
In addition to the usual fruits, cereals, and eggs, hotel breakfasts in Portugal pretty much always include the wonderfully creamy Portuguese egg tarts called Pastéis de Nata. Save money by picking up some tarts at the local bakery or going out to a café to enjoy a few with your morning coffee.
Pastéis de nata (custard tarts), traditional Portuguese pastry
Pousadas
Consider spending a few nights at one of Portugal’s historical pousadas. Similar to the paradors in Spain, the Portuguese pousadas are government-run properties selected for their historical and artistic merit or their location in a beautiful landscape.
Some pousadas are converted castles or palaces. The pousada experience can be pricey but worthwhile and interesting. You can book pousadas on booking.com.
Below is a picture of the Pousada Castelo de Alvito in Portugal, a 15th- century castle in the village of Alvito east of Lisbon. It looks awesome. I haven’t stayed there. Have you? Let me know in the Comments section!
Pousada Castelo de Alvito in Portugal
Star Rating
I favor three- or four-star properties because I appreciate amenities such as elevators, air conditioning, parking, bathtubs, and in-room WIFI.
I also like larger rooms. Check the square meterage of the room. Anything under 15 square meters will be small, with a child-sized shower stall and barely enough room to wedge your suitcase against the wall.
Reviews – Should You Care?
Yes, I pay attention to reviews. If a property’s aggregate score is under 8.0 out of a possible 10, I usually pass. Sometimes the difference between a property with a 9.6 review and one with an 8.2 review is only a few euros, and yet the quality of the higher-rated property makes the extra money worth spending.
You have to take reviews with a grain of salt, however. Just because a property has a score of 9.8 doesn’t meant it’s five-star luxury. Check the star rating, keep in mind that a 9.8 score for a two-star hotel is not the same as a 9.8 for a four-star, and proceed accordingly.
TIP: Read reviews on a few sites, such as booking.com and TripAdvisor. I take my time when booking accommodations in Portugal and elsewhere to make sure I’m getting the best value for my travel dollar.
To help you plan your travels in Portugal, here are my recommendations. For each destination, I describe properties I’ve stayed in and provide a map to help you choose additional properties.
Click the link to the hotel to make a reservation with booking.com.
Lisbon
Downtown Lisbon is expensive. On our most recent trip in 2019, we stayed in the Vincci Baixa, close to the Praça do Comércio. The location was perfect. We could walk everywhere in downtown Portugal and were only about two blocks from the plaza and its many outdoor cafés. The room was small but with four-star appointments befitting the price. The Vincci chain offers reliable premium accommodation. I’d stay there again.
On our extended stay in Lisbon when Gregg had an exhibition there, we rented an apartment in the Alfama district. The interior of the apartment had been beautifully renovated and included a tiny terrace with a view over Lisbon. On another trip, we rented an apartment in the Bairro Alto area. The apartment was huge and well-appointed, but the neighborhood was rough.
In Lisbon, splurge on a place in the super-central Baixa-Chiado area. You want to be able to walk as much as possible in this very walkable city.
Check the map below for other accommodation options in Lisbon.
In Porto, we chose the Douro Apartments Rivertop and were thoroughly satisfied. The gorgeously renovated studio apartment on the fourth floor of an old, narrow building overlooked a panoramic view of the Douro River. A carafe of port was left for us on the table, and every morning, a basket filled with breakfast items, including my favorite pastéis de nata (custard tarts), was delivered to our door.
If you’re driving into Porto, do not try to drive to the office where you pick up the keys for the Douro Apartments Rivertop.
Park the car in the large car park on Rua do Infante d. Henrique (the main drag as you drive into lower Porto). The car park is called Parque estacionamento SABA – Infante.
View from the window of the Douro Apartments Rivertop
Have a look at the map below for additional accommodation suggestions in Porto. I recommend staying by the river. You’ll have to walk uphill to reach some of the sites in Porto, but you’ll be close to the restaurants lining the riverside and just across the river from Gaia where you can go for a spot of port-tasting.
We stayed at the Vila Gale Coimbra, a modern property overlooking the Mondego River in Coimbra. The location was convenient for drivers and the rooms comfortable.
We splashed out for the Eurostars Oasis Plaza Hotel, a brand new modern hotel dubbed “The Titanic” by the locals. At least, that’s what the friends we visited in Figueira da Foz told us. The rooms are spacious and the view over the Atlantic stunning. The location right across the street from one of the main beaches is excellent.
Algarve
Tavira
In Tavira, we stayed in the hills at a gorgeous country house called Herdade da Corte Lodging. The place is perfect for drivers because it’s 15 kilometers from Tavira. The large room had rustic décor and a sloped, wooden ceiling. When we stayed, dinner was served, which was great, because there weren’t any restaurants nearby, and we didn’t have a car.
Luz
The Aparthotel Vila Luz was a great find just outside the village of Luz. The large suite included a terrace overlooking the ocean. We did our share of lazing by the pool and enjoying the buffet breakfast. The village of Luz was a scenic ten-minute walk along the top of the cliff.
Alentejo
Évora
The 4-star Albergaria Do Calvario, just inside the city walls in Évora, was a worthwhile splurge. Housed in a 16th-century olive oil mill, the hotel featured bright, airy guest rooms and suites, decorated with local art. We loved this place!
In all our travels, one of our favorite country hotels is the Monte da Fornalha, located a few kilometers outside Estremoz. Surrounded by cork trees and cows, the rural property has simple rooms, fabulous breakfasts, and a tiled pool that, even on the hottest days in July, was refreshing enough to raise goosebumps. If you’re in the Estremoz area, consider staying here for a few days to totally relax and soak up the Alentejo beauty.
Tours & Tickets in Portugal
Here are some options to explore through GetYourGuide and Tiqets.com, both companies I’ve booked with several times, and had good experiences.
Do you have accommodation recommendations to share? Please let me know in the Comments section. I’m always on the lookout for new places to stay in Portugal.
The Algarve gets a lot of attention as a primo travel destination, and it’s worth a visit, but for my money, the Alentejo region is more interesting from an artsy perspective.
I recommend you include both regions in your Portugal itinerary.
Visit the Algarve to explore spectacular scenery and bask on some of Europe’s best beaches.
In the Alentejo, experience the “Tuscany of Portugal” — hill towns, ancient megaliths, and amazing food.
Map of Portugal
Check the map below to get your bearings when planning your trip to the Algarve and Alentejo.
The Algarve—holiday central—stretches along the southern coast of Portugal from the Spanish border in the east to the Atlantic Ocean in the west.
If spectacular scenery and sun ‘n fun are your thing, then include two or three days in your itinerary for chillin’ on a beach in the Algarve.
I suggest dropping in to Tavira (#1) in the east and then scooting along the highway to the western Algarve (or the other way around). I’ve spent more time in the western Algarve than the eastern, because the scenery is more gorgeous the farther west you go.
Eastern Algarve
The charming town of Tavira is worth a stop during your exploration of the Algarve. The town straddles the Gilão River and is close to long, sandy beaches and salt pans that attract flamingos, spoonbills, and other wading birds.
The Roman bridge makes for a great photo op, and the cathedral is worth popping into. Although a holiday town, Tavira feels much calmer and laid-back than other parts of the Algarve.
View of Tavira in the eastern Algarve
Western Algarve
The western Algarve from the town of Lagos (#2) to the southwest tip of Portugal at Sagres is the least touristy and least crowded part of the Algarve. That said, it doesn’t feel particularly Portuguese. I think we were in the area for two days before we heard anyone speaking a language other than English, Dutch or German.
The big attraction in the Western Algarve is the scenery—rugged red rocks, secret coves, sea caves, and aqua ocean stretching south to Africa. We visited in July, and the weather was perfect, with a breeze always cooling us off.
Beach near Lagos – Algarve region in Portugal
Luz
Find a town west of Lagos to settle into. We chose Luz (#3), a pretty town with a sandy beach, an attractive boardwalk, and a few good restaurants. The town also has a couple of British pubs, a sweet little church, and fabulously rugged cliffs.
You won’t find a whole heck of a lot to do in Luz apart from going for walks and lying on the beach or by the pool. But that’s why you visit, so take a break from sightseeing and lather on the sunscreen.
The Aparthotel Villa Luz, about a ten-minute walk along the cliff top from Luz, is a good choice—a spacious, breezy holiday apartment complex with a bar, a pool, and good breakfasts.
Lagos
Make time on one of your ‘relaxing’ days for a boat trip to see the incredible cliffs that have made the Algarve famous.
Several options are available—from large cruisers to teeny
runabouts. We went for the teeny runabout.
Along with a couple from San Diego, we clambered into a small boat steered by a guide who was full of jokes and good humor. Once out of Lagos Harbor, he swung the boat to the right and headed for the cliffs.
The area buzzed with tour boats but didn’t feel crowded. Because we were in a small boat, we were able to enter many of the caves carved into the porous red rocks. The jade green water inside the caves is crystal clear and heavenly.
Gregg enjoying the cliffs and caves on a boat trip near Lagos
Ask at your hotel about local boat tours, check brochures, and look online for options. I recommend going with a small boat so that you can venture into the caves. We enjoyed every minute of our trip.
Sagres
The southwest tip of Portugal is stunning and, in recent years, has been well-discovered by visitors. If you’re looking for a change of scenery from wherever you’ve chosen to home-base in the western Algarve, consider spending an afternoon on one of Sagres’ windswept beaches.
This area of the western Algarve is popular with surfers. In fact, Sagres (#4) is widely known as a surfing town. I enjoyed watching the surfers kitted out in black wetsuits paddling out to the rolling swells then jumping up and riding back in before wiping out.
Dip your toes into the crashing waves and you’ll realize why the surfer dudes wear wetsuits. The water’s freezing!
You won’t find much in the way of artsy attractions in Sagres. Go for the beaches, the scenery, and the surfing (or at least to watch the surfing).
Here’s a 360-degree view of the scene on a beach at Sagres.
The dramatic Sagres Fortress (Fortaleza de Sagres) is worth a quick look. Stroll the 1.5 kilometer cliffside walk inside the fortress, then check out the lighthouse and Henry the Navigator’s large wind compass (rosados ventos).
Tours of the Algarve
Here are some tours of the Algarve with GetYourGuide.
Purchase tickets for Algarve attractions with Tiquets.com
Alentejo
Visit the Alentejo (#5) to enjoy the “Tuscany of Portugal”. Like its Italian cousin, the Alentejo is famous for great food, beautiful countryside, medieval hill towns, olive oil, and wine.
The Alentejo hill towns are whitewashed and dazzling under the hot, blue sky, and the Alentejo has something that Tuscany does not—hectares and hectares of cork forests.
Cork has to be one of nature’s most amazing substances. We went crazy for cork on our first visit to the region and bought several items made from it.
A plantation of cork oaks in Portugal
TIP: Buy cork items in places such as Évora rather than waiting to do your shopping in Lisbon. Prices are lower, and the selection is much greater. Good options are handbags and purses, glasses cases, toiletry bags, and hats made from cork. You can even buy a cork umbrella. Cork items are lightweight and easy to pack, perfect to take home as gifts.
The first time we visited Portugal, we bought a cork item for every person on our holiday gift list.
Évora
Home-base in Évora (#6), the largest town in the region with the most to see. The main square includes the remains of the Roman temple known as Templo de Diana. The temple is well preserved and extraordinarily evocative, particularly when photographed against the brilliant blue sky.
Don’t miss the Cathedral of Évora, the largest cathedral in Portugal. I wasn’t able to visit it nor the Chapel of Bones when we were in Évora, but both look interesting.
The Chapel of Bones is a 16th-century chapel decorated with the bones and skulls of over 5,000 corpses. Sounds cheerful.
If you’ve been to the cathedral or the chapel, please add a comment below and tell me about your experience.
Gastronomic Tourism
The Alentejo is famous for its excellent cuisine. Go on a wine-tasting tour, sample local olive oils, and eat at least one meal featuring the region’s famous black pork.
Évora boasts several excellent restaurants. Consider eating at Fialho Restaurant—one of Évora’s most historic and famous restaurants that put Alentejo cuisine on the map. We enjoyed one of our best meals ever at Fialho.
A few kilometers out of town is the Almendres Cromlech, the largest megalithic complex on the Iberian Peninsula. I describe it in more detail in the Artsy Sightseeing section of the Portugal page.
Spend an afternoon driving around the area to see evidence of a civilization that flourished millenia ago.
The Almendres megalithic enclosure is the largest megalithic monument in the Iberian Peninsula and one of the oldest in the world.
Estremoz
We have a soft spot for this beautiful Alentejo hill town, because Gregg had an exhibition there a few years ago. The town still feels authentic and not at all touristy.
Gregg and me at the opening of his exhibition in Estremoz
Visit the Museu Municipal Prof. Joaquim Vermelho to see a marvelous collection of local crafts dating from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Of note are the handcrafted clay figurines called the Bonecos de Estremoz.
The figurines are dressed in the regional outfits of the Alentejo and reflect the spirit, humor, work, and traditions of the region. The craftsmanship of these clay figures was recently added to UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Location of Gregg’s exhibition in Estremoz (#7): the poster is on the wall
There’s lots to see as you travel north from Lisbon along the Atlantic coast in central Portugal to Porto and the Spanish border.
Spend most of your time in Porto but spare a few days getting there via Óbidos, Nazaré, and Coimbra.
This post presents my best tips for touring central and northern Portugal.
Exploring the Atlantic Coast
Drive north from Lisbon or west from Évora in the Alentejo to the Atlantic coast. Drop by the cute little town of Óbidos and watch the massive waves pound the coast around Nazaré. Head north to Figueira da Foz and inland to Coimbra, then explore Porto and points beyond.
Óbidos
Stop first in enchanting little Óbidos, about an hour north of Lisbon. This fine example of a Portuguese walled town was presented by King Afonso II to the Queen of Portugal on their wedding day in 1210. Now, that’s a wedding present that beats a blender any day.
Lovely town of Óbidos in Portugal
The town is achingly sweet, with its cobbled streets, white-washed houses trimmed in bright yellow and blue, and a Moorish castle that is now a pousada. A Portuguese pousada is like a Spanish parador—a building of historical significance renovated for use as a hotel. You’ll find pousadas throughout Portugal.
Nazaré
This beautiful town scrambles up the hill above a long, sandy beach jam-packed with candy-striped bathing tents. Fishing traditions are strong here, and you’ll see female fishmongers wearing the traditional seven petticoats (although I didn’t ask to count them).
Striped tents on the beach at Nazaré
We got a kick out of watching ancient widows dressed in black, looking like they’d just stepped out of the 19th century, talking on cell phones.
A major attraction on the coast close to Nazaré is its
world-class surfing. The Nazaré Canyon is a submarine geomorphological
phenomenon that contributes to the formation of perfect giant waves. Champion
surfers ride waves up to 30 meters high at Praia do Norte.
Standing on the beach to watch the waves crash is a sobering
reminder of the power of nature.
I suggest staying the night in Nazaré so you can enjoy a
fish dinner in one of the restaurants facing the beach.
Figueira da Foz
This town is wonderfully far off the tourist track, but we’ve visited a few times because we have friends there. I like it because I’ve never run into a visitor from anywhere other than Portugal and, occasionally, France.
The beach is massive, sandy, and windy. In the old town, you’ll find authentic restaurants and a lively bar scene.
We visited the Museu Municipal Santos Rocha, a modern art complex consisting of several airy galleries. Highlights include a wonderful archeological collection featuring Roman coins as well as displays of objects from former Portuguese colonies in Africa.
Check the website for Figueira da Foz to see what’s on at the Museu Municipal Santos Rocha and elsewhere in the city.
Coimbra
In medieval times, Coimbra was the capital of Portugal. The historic center, with its old cobbled streets, dates from Moorish times.
The big attraction is the University of Coimbra, Portugal’s oldest and most prestigious university—the Oxford of Portugal. Originally founded in 1290 in Lisbon, the university is one of the oldest in the world. It was permanently relocated to Coimbra in 1537.
Entrance to the library at the University of Coimbra
Stand in the middle of the vast Pátio das Escolas to
appreciate the surrounding buildings, most dating from the 16th to
the 18th centuries.
Buy tickets to explore the buildings, particularly the magnificent old library. You’ll likely be guided by students wearing the traditional black cloaks that look as though they’ve stepped out of a Harry Potter movie.
In the evening, attend a fado concert. The Cultural House àCapella – Fado Center features a nightly show starting at 9:30 pm. The center is housed in a 14th-century chapel and includes a bar and tapas service.
Porto
In recent years, Porto has become the place to visit in Portugal. People describe it as the cool and funky place that Lisbon used to be.
I get that. On our visit in 2019, Porto reminded me of Lisbon of ten years ago when it hadn’t yet been gussied up with souvenir shops and fresh coats of paint.
View of Porto from across the Douro River
However, Porto has been discovered, and its funkiness likely will be slowly gentrified. See it soon!
The city tumbles down a series of steep streets to the Douro River. We stayed a few steps from the river in the thick of the action, and it was marvelous!
Throngs of tourists crowd the walkway alongside the river while tour boats whisk sightseers upriver to the Douro Valley.
Exploring Porto
The attraction of Porto is the city itself–the narrow old houses, some covered in blue and white tiles, the relaxed atmosphere, and the many staircases!
Old houses in Porto
Trudge up to the Church of Sao Francisco to view the fabulous tilework. Then attend a fado concert at the Casa da Guitarra that features a spectacular female singer and includes a glass of port. Highly recommended!
Take the launch from Porto across the river to Gaia to visit the port warehouses. Old-fashioned port boats that transport the casks of port downriver from the vineyards are moored in front of the warehouses.
Sample a few glasses of port, admire the view of Porto, then walk back across the river via the Dom Luis Bridge.
Cork boats moored on the Douro River in Porto
Port wine shows up frequently in Porto. In addition to the glass of port included with our ticket to the fado concert, we received a glass of port at the Picasso exhibition and had a decanter of port left for us at our rental apartment. They’re nuts about port in Porto.
Find a place along the river for dinner. The quality of the restaurants varies, with some being excellent and others not so much. But the service at every restaurant we went to in the area was friendly and efficient, and the views were unbeatable.
North of Porto
Consider adding a few days to your trip to head north to the interesting town of Guimarães, regarded as the birthplace of Portugal and home to several historic buildings and an ancient castle. Also check out Braga, the third largest city in Portugal. Visit the Bom Jesus do Monte, a church famous for its stunning baroque staircase that depicts the ascent to heaven.
Bom Jesus do Monte staircase in Braga
Another option is to explore the beautiful Douro Valley to the east, with its vineyards and rolling hills.
Here are two tours to consider.
Keep going north and you’ll end up in Spain, where green and gorgeous Galicia awaits.
It’s a beautiful city that deserves a stay of at least two or three nights. You want to be able to enjoy Lisbon at night when the crowds dissipate and the sounds of Fado waft from cafes in the Alfama and Bairro Alto.
Ideally, stay three nights so you have one full day to explore Lisbon and another day for a trip out to magical Sintra.
In this post, I share my suggestions for enjoying Lisbon.
Take a tour out to fabulous Sintra and don’t miss the Moorish castle
Overview
Most of your Lisbon sightseeing will be concentrated in the three adjacent and historic Lisbon neighborhoods.
Imagine you’re facing downtown Lisbon with your back to the Tagus River (Rio Tejo).
The Bairro Alto is on the hill to your left; the Baixa-Chiado district (or just Baixa), with its orderly grid of streets is in the center; and the twisty lanes of the ancient Moorish district of the Alfama crawl up the hill to your right, crowned by the Castelo São Jorge.
By basing yourself in one of these three districts, you can walk almost everywhere. When you get tired of walking, hail a taxi (not expensive in Lisbon) or hop on one of the historic trams.
They clatter and shudder up the steep hills and, although packed with fellow tourists, are a lot of fun to ride at least once.
Take the metro or a bus out to the Gulbenkian and to the Belém district, and catch the train to Sintra from the Rossio train station at Praça Rossio.
Day 1: Arrive in Lisbon
If you’re arriving in Lisbon after a driving tour around Portugal, drop you car at the airport and take a taxi into Lisbon. Avoid driving in Lisbon. The streets are very narrow and the hills very steep.
I suggest booking a hotel in the central Baixa-Chiado district. I’ve stayed in all three districts, but I most enjoyed staying in the Baixa because it is the most central of the three districts. The Vincci Baixa where I stayed is only about a block from the massive Praça do Comércio with its breezy outdoor cafés and stunning views of the Tagus River.
Alfama
Walk to the Alfama district, tour the Fado Museum, then climb the narrow streets to the Castelo São Jorge. You’ll be rewarded with great views over Lisbon.
The streets and houses in the ancient Alfama have retained some of their old world charm, but the area feels cleaned up, and the atmosphere has changed over the ten years since we first visited Lisbon.
In 2010 when I stayed for a week at an apartment in the Alfama, a rooster was tethered to a leash a few meters from our front door, salted cod hung in the windows of tiny grocery stores, and I never saw a souvenir shop.
On my last visit post-COVID, the Alfama swarmed with tourists, the salted cod was a memory, and souvenir shops abounded.
Rooster in the street in the old Alfama
It wasn’t an improvement.
But go for a wander through the area anyway. If you visit towards the end of the day when the crowds have thinned, you’ll get a bit of the Moorish/Medieval vibe.
Lisboa Story Center
After spending time in the Alfama, walk into the Praça do Comércio, and check out the Lisboa Story Center. It’s open until 8 pm (last entry at 7 pm), making it a great early evening stop.
Buy tickets and an audio guide ahead of time to skip the lines. The Lisboa Story Center can get crowded.
Yes, it’s touristy, but I thoroughly enjoyed the interactive displays chronicling the history of Lisbon. You don an audio headset and take a 60-minute journey back in time. The displays are engaging and interesting.
For part of the journey, you enter a sensory theater to experience the 1755 earthquake that devastated Lisbon. I was also intrigued by the displays about the Carnation Revolution of 1974 and the making of modern-day Portugal.
Evening of Day 1
Enjoy dinner in one of the outdoor cafés in the Praça do Comércio, then stroll up the wide avenues of the Baixa to the Praça do Rossio, the central square with its wonderful wavy brickwork. Stop for a drink and watch Lisbon go by.
Looking toward Lisbon from the massive Praça do Comércio
Day 2: All Day in Lisbon
If you’re staying in the Baixa, skip the expensive hotel
breakfast and grab a coffee and a croissant at an outdoor café.
Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation
Head out early to enjoy a morning of fabulous art at the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation. This place blows me away! Take the metro (blue and red line) to S. Sebastião.
Get your tickets online in advance to avoid waiting in line.
The Gulbenkian features a spectacular collection of sculptures, paintings, jewelry, furniture, and other objets d’art from Egyptian times to the present.
Another attraction is the 7.5-hectare park surrounding the buildings that make up the foundation.
Belém
From downtown Lisbon, head to Belém on either the E15 tram or the 728 bus. It will drop you in front of the Mosteiro dos Jeronimos.
Several of Lisbon’s iconic tourist attractions, as well as great views of the Tejo Estuary, are located in the stylish Belém district in west Lisbon. This area has enough attractions to fill a day, but with only an afternoon, here’s what I suggest you see, in this order.
Mosteiro dos Jeronimos
Tour this ornate UNESCO World Heritage Site that’s one of the foremost examples of the Manueline architecture and one of Portugal’s most decorative churches.
See lots of spindly columns and fine stonework that remind me of icing sugar decorations on a wedding cake. The huge, two-level cloister is worth seeing. This place gets mobbed with tourists so buy your tickets in advance. Here’s an option that also includes a tour of Belém:
Located close to the Jeronimos Monastery, this new museum was touted as the most visited museum in Portugal, according to The Art Newspaper.
The Berardo Museum presents the most significant artistic movements from the 20th century to the present day. Artists include Picasso, Duchamp, Mondrian, Miró, Ernst, and Bacon.
Two Iconic Monuments
When you’re in Belém, you can’t miss the two monuments that
everyone comes to see: the iconic Belém Tower (Torre Belém) and the Monument to
the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos).
The Belém Tower is one of Lisbon’s most photographed sites. The Tower was built in the 16th century to protect the coast from attackers.
Stroll along the river to the Monument to the Discoveries (Padrão dos Descobrimentos), a striking, modern structure rebuilt in 1960 to celebrate 33 prominent figures in Portugal’s Age of Discoveries, including Henry the Navigator. A great photo op!
Belém Tower
Monument to the Discoveries
And, if you have time, sample the famous pastéis de nata at the Pastéis de Belém, reputed to be the best place in Lisbon to enjoy the creamy custard tarts in puff pastry.
If not, don’t worry; these tarts are on the menu of every café in Portugal (and I ate my fair share of them).
Fado Performance
In the evening, head to the Bairro Alto for dinner and fado. Showy tourist shows are available, but I prefer prowling the back streets of the area in search of small restaurants and less touristy shows.
My favorite place in Lisbon is Restaurante Canto do Camões on Travessa da Espera in the Bairro Alto. It’s low-key, with a friendly owner, good food, reasonable prices, and lots of fado.
When I was there, singers dropped in, performed a few songs designed to rip your heart out, collected a few euros from the proprietor, and then left, presumably to go sing in another place.
Restaurante Canto do Camões doesn’t appear to have a website, but you’ll find reviews on TripAdvisor. It’s not the flashiest place in Lisbon, but it feels authentic and I loved it.
You can also purchase tickets for one of the slick fado performances designed for tourists. Here’s one option:
Fill your last day in Portugal with the heady delights of Sintra. Even Byron mentioned it in his epic poem, Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage: Lo! Cintra’s glorious Eden intervenes, in variegated maze of mount and glen.
Old Byron did have a way with words.
Catch the direct train from Rossio station to Sintra. The round-trip costs €4,30. Another option is to take a day tour from Lisbon.
The town of Sintra, with its pastel-colored mansions, is delightful, but the two big draws are the Pena Palace, with its Romanesque-Revival architecture, and the Moorish Castle.
Pena Palace
Get tickets ahead of time for the Pena Palace, and be prepared for a crush as you tour it.
Bus 434 from the Sintra train station does a circular loop through the historic center, up to the Pena Palace and the Moorish Castle, then back to Sintra. Or you can visit the castle after seeing the palace and walk down along a 2- kilometer trail.
The place is a fairy tale on acid—so bizarre with its
turrets and bright colors that you can’t help smiling with disbelief and a
touch of awe. What kind of mind envisioned it?
Clock tower at Pena Palace
Pena Palace in Sintra
Carol at Pena Palace
Moorish Castle
After going through the palace, walk down to the Castelo dos Mouros—the Moorish Castle. It’s usually less crowded than the palace. The views from the castle’s 10th-century ramparts take your breath away.
Gregg at the ramparts at the Moorish Castle in Sintra
Other Sites in Sintra
You’ll find plenty more to see in Sintra, including the National Palace of Sintra and the wonderfully ornate Monserrate Palace. Consider staying in Sintra on your last night.
Lawrence’s Hotel, now a UNESCO World Heritage site, opened in 1764, making it the oldest functioning hotel on the Iberian Peninsula. All the rooms have names rather than numbers.
If you do stay longer in Sintra, catch the bus out to Cabo de Roca, the westernmost point of Europe. Enjoy incredible views from the rocky cliffs along with the feeling of standing on the edge of a continent, because you are.
Northern Spain stretches from the Atlantic to the Pyrenees, a distance of almost 700 kilometers. This area of Spain boasts extraordinary scenery and something else you won’t see much of in the rest of Spain: rain.
Galicia in the northwest corner of Spain is green and gorgeous, with a culture that owes more to its Celtic neighbors in Brittany and Cornwall than to the rest of Iberia.
You’ll find a lot to enjoy in northern Spain—historic Santiago de Compostela, the Picos de Europa mountains, pinchos (pintxos) in San Sebastian, and the Guggenheim Bilbao, one of Europe’s top modern art museums.
Devote at least a week to this area of Spain. To help you plan your tour of northern Spain, I’ve compiled a ten-day itinerary that starts in Santiago de Compostela and ends in San Sebastian.
Orientation to Northern Spain
The map below includes the places mentioned in this post. Click a number to find out more information.
My itinerary presumes you’re driving. It’s possible to visit this area by train, but if you rent a car you can explore more of this fascinating and beautiful region, particularly the Picos de Europa.
Consider flying to Santiago de Compostela and touring the city for a few days before picking up your car and heading east. Drop it off in Bilbao and take a train to San Sebastian, or drive all the way to France and drop the car off there. Bordeaux is a convenient choice.
I suggest spending two days and three nights in Santiago de Compostela, one night on the north coast, three nights in or near Llanes to explore the Picos de Europa, one night in Santillana del Mar, one night in Bilbao, and one night in San Sebastian.
That’s a lot of one-night stands, so if you prefer and have the time, add more two-night stays. There’s a great deal to see in northern Spain!
Days 1 to 3: Santiago de Compostela
We spent a week in Santiago de Compostela a few years ago when Gregg had a major exhibition at the Granell Museum. The city of 100,000 people is a compact and lovely place with wonderful restaurants and parks and an atmospheric old town.
One of my favorite things to do was hanging out in the Praza do Obradoiro in front of the cathedral to watch Camino pilgrims enter the plaza. Santiago de Compostela, while not the actual end of the Camino de Santiago, is commonly the place most pilgrims stop.
The Cathedral at Santiago as seen from the Praza do Obradoiro
It was moving to see the pilgrims enter the plaza. Some were limping after weeks on the road, and most carried their pilgrim’s staff topped with a distinctive scallop shell similar to the shells that mark the Camino route. I saw a lot of tears and hugs and selfies.
Catedral de Santiago de Compostela
Pilgrims crowd into the cathedral (#1) where the remains of Saint James are allegedly buried. The cathedral is a jumble of architectural styles— Romanesque, Gothic, and Baroque. A highlight inside the west entrance is the Pórtico de la Gloria, containing 200 Romanesque sculptures dating from the late 12th century.
Truth be told, I found the cathedral dark and overcrowded, but there’s no denying the atmosphere of piety, particularly from the pilgrims who walked the Camino for religious reasons.
The Old Town
Wander the granite streets of the old town of Santiago, enjoying the arches, squares, and monuments that contributed to the city’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1985. You’ll find plenty of good shopping, particularly for jewelry. The atmosphere is laid-back and friendly, with throngs of students, pilgrims, tourists, and locals.
A street in the Old Town in Santiago de Compostela
Parks and Museums
Alameda Park (#2) is a large green space, wonderful to chill out in away from the crowds in the Praza do Obradoiro. You also get a marvelous view of the cathedral from the park.
When Gregg was in Santiago on a solo trip, he came across a large group of people in traditional costumes playing instruments and dancing in San Domingos de Bonaval Park. Watch his video on YouTube. Notice how Celtic the music sounds with the drums and bagpipes—completely different from the flamenco rhythms in the south.
In Bonaval, you’ll also find the Galician Contemporary Art Centre and the Museum of the Galician People (Museo de Pobo Galego).
In Santiago de Compostela, you’ll notice that you’re in Galicia first, Spain second. Local people speak Galician and are proud of their heritage. You’ll be understood in Spanish, and likely in English, in restaurants and hotels.
On the Pazo de Bendaña, not far from the cathedral, is the Granell Museum, housed in a beautiful old Baroque building. If you’re a fan of Surrealism, check out this museum that includes an extensive collection of work by Eugenio Granell and other artists linked to Surrealism, including Marcel Duchamp, Max Ernst, Joan Miró, and Roberto Matta.
Dining in Santiago de Compostela
With so many students, tourists and pilgrims swelling its population
every year, Santiago de Compostela has become known for its excellent
restaurants. We enjoyed several memorable meals during our week-long visit.
Check restaurant apps and reviews and make reservations.
Day 4: North Coast
Head north from Santiago de Compostela to the coast then meander eastwards into Asturias, stopping at one of the many beachside towns. Magnificent rock formations are a draw at Playa Las Catedrales (#3), located near Ribadeo on the north coast.
Playa Las Catedrales beach near Ribadeo, Galicia of Lugo, Spai
Slow down and get off the main roads. Oviedo, the capital of Asturias, is a possible stopping place for the night. The Fine Arts Museum of Asturias looks intriguing.
Days 4 to 5: Llanes and the Picos de Europa
You’ll encounter rugged mountain vistas as you continue east toward the Picos de Europa. The jagged peaks of Picos de Europa (#4) National Park, Spain’s first national park, are nicknamed “Spain’s Dolomites.”
The mountains straddle southeast Asturias, southwest Cantabria, and northern Castilla y León. If you’re a hiker, you’ll want to spend a few days here.
One option is to home-base in the charming coastal town of Llanes (pronounced YAH-ness).
We discovered Llanes (#5) by accident on our drive across northern Spain. For once, I hadn’t booked a hotel, deciding that we’d just stop driving when we got tired and hope for the best. I don’t recommend that approach, particularly in the busy summer months, but sometimes it’s fun to live dangerously!
I saw the sign for Llanes, figured it was as good a place as any, and directed Gregg to the old town.
What a fortuitous decision! The little seaside town of Llanes turned out to be delightful, with beautiful buildings covered in fine woodwork and small windows. An inland waterway lined on both sides with cafés runs through the town center. Pull up a chair in one of the cafés to enjoy some tapas and beer, and watch the boats go by.
Traditional houses in Llanes, Asturias, Spain.
Take a walk out to the breakwater. An artist has painted the huge concrete blocks that protect the town from high tides with all sorts of crazy patterns.
Painted cement blocks on a jetty in Llanes, Spain
Watch the sun set over the Atlantic and prepare to be enchanted.
Eat dinner at an outdoor café in the network of tiny lanes in the old town. Two three-course meals and several glasses of red wine cost us just €10. Now, that’s a bargain!
The waiter insisted on giving us several of his cards so we could tell everyone we met about his restaurant. We wandered back through picturesque squares to our hotel, situated in a renovated convent.
In the middle of the night, I woke up, terrified that something—someone—was in the room. Perhaps a nun, long dead, was not happy to find me sleeping in a room that had once been her cell. I was so frightened that I had to wake up Gregg!
Is it likely that thousands of years of history—much of it violent—has produced its share of discontented ghosts?
Maybe.
Day 6: Santillana del
Mar
The Caves of Altamira are located close to Santillana del Mar (#6). Seventeen caves are decorated with art of the Paleolithic age dating from 35,000 to 11,000 BC. Because of their deep galleries, isolated from external climatic influences, these caves are particularly well preserved. You can visit the replica caves. Check out the official website.
Bilbao
The drive from Santillana del Mar along the coast to Bilbao (#7) is gorgeous. Get off the highway and explore some of the windswept, rock-choked coves. This part of northern Spain is spectacular.
Bilbao is a large port city with a tangle of highways leading to the Nervión River and the Guggenheim. Use your GPS to navigate into the city, and avoid hotels in the old town. We chose the Hotel Melià, a modern hotel on the river, which was easy to find and included a large parking garage.
The street signs written in the Euskara language are daunting and largely unpronounceable, at least for foreign tourists like us! Many of the streets have names consisting of 20 letters, most of which are X’s and Z’s. When you’re in Basque country, you may forget you’re still in Spain.
Fortunately, you’ll easily get by in Spanish and English.
The big attraction in Bilbao is the Guggenheim Museum (#8), one of the world’s top modern art museums. I love that the city of Bilbao decided to revitalize itself and attract tourist euros by building a world-class art museum. That choice showed vision along with a heartening belief in the importance of art and culture.
Exterior of Guggenheim museum in Bilbao, Basque, Spain
We chose one of the ultra-modern hotels in an ultra-modern area of Bilbao about a ten-minute stroll along the river from the Guggenheim. Read my suggestions for hotels in Bilbao in Where to Stay in Spain: My Best Picks.
Likely your first view of the
Guggenheim will be of Puppy, the colossal topiary of a West Highland
White Terrier that stands guard in front of the museum. With its variegated
coat of flowers that changes with the season, Puppy is remarkably
photogenic.
Puppy at night in front of the Guggenheim Bilbao
After you’ve satiated your thirst for Puppy pics, walk around the building to admire the silvery-gold slabs of hammered, stamped steel of Frank Gehry’s Guggenheim and to view more of the modern sculptures.
You’ll see Anish Kapoor’s astonishing sculpture of huge silver orbs stacked almost as high as the roof of the museum and facing the river. The piece is perfectly situated to catch the sun, turning the entire column of orbs into one pulsing, glistening beacon. Another marvelous sculpture is Maman by Louise Bourgeois—a massive spider and not recommended for arachnophobes.
Once you’ve had your fill of the
exterior, enter the Guggenheim and get your bearings. See what the special
exhibition is, study the maps or download the app, and plan your route.
A highlight is the enormous sculpture by Richard Serra on the ground floor. The work consists of six steel slabs bent and curled in various ways that invite you into their depths to wander until you feel dizzy. We went into two of the sculptures, and that was enough! The effect is startling, and a little goes a long way.
When we visited, we saw a stylishly
curated exhibition of new paintings and digital works by David Hockney.
Following your visit to the Guggenheim, stroll across the bridge to the old town to spend your evening enjoying tapas and drinks. On your way back, you’ll see the Guggenheim and Puppy evocatively floodlit.
San Sebastian
If you’re driving to San Sebastian—called Donostia (#9) by the Basques—your first view may be nondescript suburbs miles away from the famous sweep of beach. Persevere until you reach the water and the old town.
Our hotel was situated at the top of Mount Urgull, one of two mountains that flank San Sebastian. Here’s the stunning view of San Sebastian from near our hotel.
Overview of the Bay of San Sebastian, Spain
Traffic in
San Sebastian was remarkably sedate when we were there. Head for one of the big
parking lots in the commercial center and then explore San Sebastian on foot.
San Sebastian consists of three main areas – the long sweep of beach bristling with frolicking holiday-makers, the modern town built on an easy-to-navigate grid system, and the old town with its narrow streets and intriguing aromas.
Spend your evening in San Sebastian bar-hopping in the old town to sample as many pinchos (pintxos) as possible.
Squeeze
into a bar (they’re all crowded!), grab a plate, select a few cold pinchos from
the platters lined up on the bar (so many varieties to choose from!), grab a
glass of local wine, eat standing up amid the crowds, then saunter off to
another place.
Spanish tapas called pintxos of the Basque country served on a bar counter in a restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain
Each
pincho is a mini work of art. If you don’t see something you like on the cold
platters, order hot pinchos listed on chalkboards behind the bar.
The
incredibly efficient servers keep track of what you’ve eaten by the number of
toothpicks left on your plate. You also crumple up your used napkins and throw
them on the floor—a practice that takes some getting used to!
Go from bar to bar sampling two or three pinchos at each, along with a glass of wine. Prices are amazingly reasonable. Our evening of pincho-eating and wine-guzzling cost just €30, including two gelatos.
Everyone
seemed in great humor. Families with little kids filled the streets late into
the evening. The San Sebastian people know how to live!
Heading to Andalusia in southern Spain? You’re in for a treat!
I recommend allocating ten days to tour Andalusia by car. This amount of time allows you to comfortably sample this incredible region.
My suggested itinerary in Andalusia starts in Cordoba and ends in Seville, and takes in Ronda, the White Towns, Cadiz, and Granada, along with lovely Cadiz facing the Atlantic Ocean.
As an artsy traveler, you’ll find more than enough cultural sites and experiences to delight you when touring Andalusia with my suggested itinerary.
To me, Andalusia is Spain on steroids. It’s the Spain of my imagination with bone-white villages perched on rocky crags, the skull-pounding rhythms and olés of flamenco, and tranquil Moorish courtyards with fountains splashing.
I just have to say Andalusia and I feel romantic.
Me on the road leading to Grazalema, one of the Pueblos Blancos (white towns) in Andalusia
To get you in the mood for touring Andalusia, listen to this clip from Concerto for Aranjuez by Joaquín Rodrigo.
If your heart swells and your palms get a bit sweaty from an excess of romantic swooning, then you’ll know that touring Andalusia is for you!
Getting Around Andalusia
As one of the largest regions in Spain, Andalusia stretches from the Portuguese border in the west, south to the Mediterranean and the resorts on the Costa del Sol, and east almost as far as Cartagena.
One way to tour Andalusia is to connect the three principal cities—Cordoba (#1), Granada (#2), and Seville (#5)—by train. The distances are short, and train service is efficient and fast.
On my first trip to the area, I took trains and found the experience easy and relaxing.
If you’re keen on a road trip, add in Cadiz (#4), the White Towns (Pueblos Blancos), and Ronda (#3) (highly recommended).
One option is to take the high-speed train from Madrid to Cordoba, enjoy the city for one night, then rent a car at the airport in Madrid and drive east to Granada for two nights.
Then, circle around to the west to visit the White Towns, Ronda, and Cadiz by way of Arcos de la Frontera.
Drop off your rental car at the airport in Seville, grab a shuttle or a taxi to an apartment in the old town (where I don’t advise driving), and enjoy the final days of your trip in Andalusia.
Suggested Itinerary
For a southern Spain itinerary that combines driving and trains, I suggest:
One night in Cordoba
Two nights in Granada
Three nights in the countryside near Ronda to explore it and the White Towns
One night in Cadiz
Three nights in Seville.
Highlights of your week include visits to the Alhambra in Granada and the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba, touring gorgeous Ronda and the White Towns, basking on the beach at Cadiz, and, of course, enjoying flamenco pretty much everywhere, but particularly in Seville.
Best Time to Visit Andalusia
Summers are HOT in southern Spain so you may want to plan your trip for April, May, September or October.
I’ve visited the area during both those times and found the weather just about perfect. I also visited Seville in July and found it a bit stifling. If you travel during the summer, make sure you rent an air conditioned place, take the afternoons off for siesta, and do your touring in the mornings and evenings.
On one trip to the area, I took an early morning train from Madrid to Cordoba, and was glad I was on the train and not driving. The distance is quite vast and the landscape stark and beautiful, but not particularly varied. You’ll pass a lot of olive trees.
On another trip to Spain, I drove from Toledo (just south of Madrid) to Ronda (not far from Cordoba). As I discovered when watching the landscape from the train on my first trip, the vast distance doesn’t improve when seen from a car.
However, driving in Spain is not difficult. The roads are good and the traffic is generally light. But like anywhere in Europe, you want to avoid driving into medieval towns and villages. Park on the outskirts and walk or take a taxi.
Day 1: Cordoba
I arrived in Cordoba and moments later was careening through the historic Jewish Quarter in the back seat of a taxi driven by a guy who didn’t know where he was going.
As we had all morning, my husband and I continued to congratulate ourselves for not driving.
Finally, the driver found the lovely little hotel on a small square in the maze of tiny streets. I entered a cool courtyard where a fountain tinkled and the friendly proprietor offered me a cold glass of wine. Heaven after a long day of traveling!
Refreshed from our drink and a rest, we ventured out into this lovely old city. One can’t help but love Cordoba.
The old town is compact, with plenty of twisting medieval streets, and the Mosque-Cathedral and the Roman Bridge are world-class sites.
Touring the Mosque-Cathedral (Mezquita)
Visit the Mosque-Cathedral (a UNESCO World Heritage site) in the late afternoon or early morning. With any luck, the tour groups will have dissipated, leaving you space to enjoy this incredible place in relative solitude.
Wander around to soak up the history and then, if you can, hover at the edges of a guided tour to pick up some information about the history and architecture.
Moorish architecture of the praying hall in the Mosque-Cathedral
Around 900 AD, Cordoba under Moorish rule had 400,000 inhabitants and was one of the most sophisticated cities in Europe. In those days, the mosque was called the Mezquita and was a glorious forest of arches and columns.
In the 15th century, the King built a church in the center of the mosque – a terrible shame, from an architectural standpoint. However, be grateful that they didn’t pull down the mosque itself so we can still see what it looked like in its heyday. What’s left of the mosaics, and the lovely symmetry of the columns and arches, provides an interesting contrast to the overly ornate church bits.
Enjoying Flamenco in Cordoba
In the evening, enjoy tapas in the historic quarter and then catch a flamenco performance at the Tablao El Cardenal. We were entranced for over two hours.
Two guitar players, two male singers, five female dancers, and one male dancer made up the company. Unbelievable!
The male singers did things with their throats that I didn’t think humanly possible, and the flamenco guitarists were breathtaking. And then there were the dancers! Both soloists and ensembles performed what sometimes looked choreographed and at other times improvised, inspired by the singers and guitarists.
Strolling the Roman Bridge
After the show, wander out to view the Roman Bridge dating from the 1st century BC that spans the Guadalquivir River. Walk across and look back to see the floodlit Mosque-Cathedral.
Roman Bridge on Guadalquivir River and Mosque-Cathedral (La Mezquita) illuminated at dusk in the city of Cordoba, Andalusia, Spain.
Cordoba Tours
Here’s an option that includes the highlights of Cordoba:
Drive about two hours or catch a train to Granada. If you’re driving, take a detour to the las Sierras Subbéticas National Park to enjoy amazing views.
Granada is a thriving town with more going for it than just the Alhambra. Spend your first afternoon and evening walking around the backstreets and barrios of this lovely city. Stop by one of the lively plazas for a drink and tapas and watch the world go by. You might hear a band playing in a nearby park.
Also, stroll up to Sacromonte, the atmospheric gypsy quarter. Peer into cave houses and later in the evening enjoy more flamenco.
Visiting the Alhambra
Buy your tickets for the Alhambra within three months of your visit to Granada. Your ticket is valid all day. However, you need a special time-slot admission ticket to visit the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries) at the heart of the Alhambra. If possible, choose a time early in the day to have a fighting chance of beating the crowds.
A beautiful view of Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain
Take a taxi up to the Alhambra (taxis are not expensive).
The Alhambra complex is huge. You’ll walk a lot, but every few steps you’ll see another new and glorious vista or intriguing detail to admire.
One of the huge towers of the Alcazaba fortress inside the Alhambra
Touring the Nasrid Palaces
About thirty minutes before the time noted on your ticket for the Nasrid Palaces (Palacios Nazaries), line up at the entrance. The signs and the line-up are hard to miss!
Even in the morning, the crowds will be large, making the visit through the rooms of the palace a claustrophobic squeeze. Check out the drippy stonework on the ceilings, the incredible tilework, and the serene courtyards.
Ornate stonework in the Nasrid Palace
After visiting the palace, wander over to the Generalife Gardens which are usually not so crowded as the Alhambra and contain many more fountains. Apparently, the fountains are a 19th-century addition, since the Moors preferred standing water to fountains.
Water games and beautiful vegetation in the gardens of the Generalife on the hill of the Alhambra
Spend the rest of the day relaxing after the exertions of the Alhambra, do some shopping, eat more tapas, and chill. End the day with more flamenco!
Options for Touring the Alhambra
Here are some options for ways to tour the Alhambra:
In Granada, consider staying at the Suites Gran Via 44. You’re within walking distance of the old town and the rooms are large and comfortable and include a small kitchen.
Days 4 to 6: Ronda & the White Towns
Take your time enjoying this lovely and rugged region of Spain. The White Towns (Pueblos Blancos) get their name from the white-washing on the walls of most of the houses. Set amidst rocky gorges and jagged cliffs, they gleam in the heat under harsh blue skies.
Many of the towns are located within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
Relax during the heat of the day, and then tour the towns in the early morning or late afternoon.
Ronda is worth a day of your time. The famous gorge is, well, gorgeous, particularly at sunset. We enjoyed a dinner overlooking the gorge and the bridge spanning it, and then stood at the edge of the bridge to watch the sun set over Andalusia.
View over Ronda at sunset
Breathtaking! And so romantic!
Enjoying a sun-drenched view on the bridge at Ronda
Walk out onto the bridge and look down. It’s a long, long way down to the gorge.
Looking straight down from the bridge in Ronda
The tiny roads linking some of the White Towns, such as Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema, are extremely twisty. Slow down and take your time navigating the hairpin turns while gasping at the spectacular vistas.
Here’s a tour that goes from Seville and visits Ronda and some of the White Towns of Andalusia:
I craved a bit of beach time but wasn’t keen on making the scene in the coastal resorts of the Costa del Sol near Malaga.
So, I headed to Cadiz by way of Arcos de la Frontera—one of the larger but picturesque White Towns.
Instead of trying to navigate the narrow streets of old Cadiz, stay at a hotel along the main drag leading to the city and walk a block to the ocean. We stayed at the Hotel Monte Puertatierra.
The beach stretches for miles, and the swimming is fabulous. Just about everyone on the beach was a local. Cadiz isn’t on the tourist beat.
Enjoy the beach at Cadiz
Again, slow down and enjoy. In the evening, find a place alongside the sea front for a leisurely dinner and watch the sun sink below the horizon.
Days 8 to 10: Seville
And finally, to Seville—the jewel of Andalusia (in my opinion!). I adore Seville and after two visits, I am nowhere near done with it.
Although a substantial city, the core of Seville is easily walkable and oh-so-picturesque. Yes, it can get crowded, particularly around the massive Seville Cathedral, but walk a few blocks and you’ll have the streets to yourself.
The two major attractions are the Seville Cathedral and the Real Alcázar—the Alcázar Palace.
Visiting Seville Cathedral
The cathedral is decorated with much of the gold brought back by the Conquistadors and, although beautiful, is a little over-the-top. But do pop in for a look. A guided tour is a good idea.
Seville Cathedral, Spain.
Touring Real Alcázar
A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Real Alcázar is worth a visit. It’s a palace, still in use by the royal family, that was built by Christians on the site of a Moorish fortress. The Alcázar is considered a preeminent example of the Mudéjar style of architecture characterized by decorative motifs first developed by the Moors.
Line-ups are long, so make sure you get tickets in advance and wear good walking shoes. There’s a lot to see here!
Enjoying More Flamenco
Visit the Flamenco Museum and enjoy a show (or two) of flamenco in one of the many venues. We favor Los Gallos for its intimate setting. Get tickets in advance. Read Flamencofor my take on the flamenco experience in Seville.
Here’s an option for tickets through GetYourGuide:
The real charm of Seville is the city itself—the outdoor cafés, the views along the riverside, the palm-studded parks, the tiny streets often shaded by canopies to keep out the sweltering heat.
Yes, Seville is hot. On a trip there in July, the thermometer grazed 41 degrees C (over 100 degrees F). Make sure you book an apartment or a hotel room with air conditioning, even if the cost is higher.
Spend the mornings sightseeing, return to your cool apartment in the heat of the day for siesta (such a civilized custom!), then venture out around 7 to start your evening. In Seville, the action barely gets going until after 10 pm.
Options for Touring Seville
Exploring the Area
Here are some more GetYourGuide tours in Andalusia.
Have you visited Andalusia? If so, you’ll know that ten days isn’t long enough to see all there is to see. Culture, art, and landscape come together in Andalusia to deliver one of Europe’s best artsy travel experiences.
Here are more posts about Spain on Artsy Traveler:
Barcelona has much to offer the artsy traveler. You won’t see all of it in two days, but you will see the highlights and still have time to stroll Las Ramblas and eat great food.
In this post, I share my suggestions for how to spend two full days and three nights in Barcelona.
Presuming you arrive in Barcelona mid to late afternoon, give yourself time to get settled, then spend your evening exploring your neighborhood. I suggest staying in the Eixample area, where you’ll find good hotels, leafy treed streets, and lots of restaurants.
Aerial straight down on the Eixample Disctrict, Barcelona
On a solo trip to Barcelona a few years ago, I was amazed at the number of restaurants a short distance from the Cram Hotel in the Eixample district where I stayed. Yes, that’s my last name, and no, they didn’t give me a discount, but they did give me a free breakfast! Apparently, I was the first person named Cram to stay there.
Each restaurant I passed in a short walk around the ‘hood had similar high levels of décor, ambiance, and, presumably, food. I opted for steak at an Argentinian restaurant, where the efficient, friendly and English-speaking waiter served the various components of my meal—wine, bread, pepper dip, roasted vegetables, steak, and agua con gaz—with North-American velocity.
I could have lingered longer. A flute player and a guitarist played vaguely- South-American-sounding music in the background. The restaurant flickered with candles against a décor of deep reds and warm browns. It was a lovely restaurant–one of hundreds throughout the city.
It’s remarkable that so many restaurants can be sustained, but Barcelona is hopping.
After dinner, stroll to the Plaça de Catalunya, do some people-watching, then carry on down Los Ramblas, a 1.2-kilometer-long boulevard in the center of Barcelona. Join the throngs of locals and tourists in the pedestrian-only middle section, browse the souvenir stands and shops, get a drink, and watch a few street performers.
Safety in Barcelona
I’ve heard stories about pickpockets and other scams in Barcelona. If someone approaches you and is overly friendly, telling you that you have dirt on your back, or worse, walk smartly away. Forget being polite.
Wear your money belt and stay alert. Barcelona is a big city with a lot of tourists. Don’t be paranoid, but do be aware that thieves are on the lookout for easy marks. Don’t be one of them!
Suggested Itinerary for Barcelona
For your two full days in Barcelona, I suggest you devote Day 1 to Gaudí-related sites, attend a concert at the Palau de la Música in the evening of either Day 1 or Day 2, then spend Day 2 enjoying Barcelona’s art museums, particularly the Picasso Museum and the Miró Foundation.
Day 1: Gaudí Barcelona
Antoni Gaudí was a Catalan architect known for his highly individualized modernista style. You’ll find him everywhere in Barcelona—from the colorful Gaudí-styled mugs in the souvenir shops (and yes, I have one) to modernista apartment blocks to Parc Güell, one of Europe’s most appealing parks, to the soaringly magnificent Sagrada Familia.
The best way to visit the many Gaudí sites in Barcelona is to hop on one of the Hop-on, Hop-off bus tours that prowl the streets of the city.
We did just that at the Playa Catalunya, and although the price was steep, we appreciated being able to watch Barcelona go by from the top deck as we moved from site to site. The subway is another option, but taking either the tour bus or the regular bus is more fun.
Casa Milà
Start at Casa Milà, known locally as La Pedrera, Gaudí’s super-famous apartment block. Get your tickets ahead of time to avoid a long wait. The building is something to see, with its sweeping molded balconies that don’t look real and its ornate interiors. A highlight are the dozens of whimsical chimney pots on the roof, from which you get great views of the city.
The 4,500-square-meter building spread over five floors includes a museum, the reproduction of an early-20th-century apartment, an exhibition of Gaudí’s work, and the rooftop terrace.
Touring Casa Milà will take at least an hour.
Other Gaudí Buildings
Depending on your stamina and your interest in Gaudí, you may want to visit other notable Gaudí buildings. Here are two more.
Casa Batlló
Check out the colorful mosaics made of broken ceramic tiles that decorate the facade. Located at Passeig de Gràcia, 43.
Casa Vicens
Close-up of a strange window of Casa Batllò, a masterpiece by famous architect Antoni Gaudì.
Casa Vicens is one of Gaudí’s first buildings and considered one of the first modernist buildings in the world. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the building is a museum showcasing Gaudí’s work and includes temporary exhibitions. It’s located at Carrer de les Carolines, 20-26.
After all that Gaudí, you’ll be ready for lunch. Find a café and rest your weary feet for a while. Afterward, jump back on the bus and head to the Sagrada Familia.
Sagrada Familia
You must get tickets for the Sagrada Familia well in advance. This ticket lets you skip the line and includes a guided tour and tower visit.
Choose the time you want to go—say, 11 or noon, if you start your day at the Casa Milà.
Arrive at least thirty minutes early. You’ll still queue but not for as long as the people who didn’t plan ahead. In fact, if you don’t get advance tickets, you may end up waiting three hours or longer. When I visited at 3 pm, people were being told that the next entrance time was 6 pm.
Sagrada Familia Temple in Barcelona
I visited on a sweltering August day. While waiting for my appointed time, I jotted down a few notes:
Sticky hot, sweat pooling, most voices are Spanish. Hear the occasional Brit; a family of Italians at the bench across the way is having a spirited argument. Everyone’s face is red and slick. Flies land on scratched skin and settle in until flicked off.
Wearing black jeans with a polyester top in 35-degree heat and what feels like 80% humidity is a misguided fashion choice. The first taste of cold agua con gaz is raw and life-giving–a torrent of bubbles blazing down a desperate throat.
Inside the Sagrada Familia
At your scheduled time, if you’re not taking a tour, join the hordes trudging around the perimeter of the basilica to the entrance for ticket holders, and pick up an audio guide (included in the ticket price and very informative) as you enter.
Stop and gasp.
The interior of the Sagrada Familia, although heaving with tourists snapping photos, is breathtaking. I can’t think of a better word. I’ve visited my share of cathedrals and have a soft spot for stained glass, but I’ve never seen stained glass used with such joyous abandon.
Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain
Marvel at the abstract patterns in blues and golds and greens and reds that diffuse the Barcelona sun into fractured splashes of color across faces, walls, t-shirts, and floors. High above, star-shaped openings punch the roof to let the sun stream in like bolts of pure light.
Sink into a pew and just stare. The bustle of people surging around the area cordoned off for sitting and contemplating fades into hushed murmurs. Regardless of your religious convictions, you can’t help but appreciate the magnificence of the architecture as a fitting celebration of spirit. You may never want to leave.
The Sagrada Familia was started in the 1880s and is not yet finished. Cranes arch across the towers, and you’ll hear hammers pounding. After visiting the interior, take a leisurely walk around the building to admire the intricate sculptures encrusting the walls like artsy barnacles.
If you’re visiting Barcelona in the summer, consider returning to your hotel to cool off for a while before venturing out to the Parc Güell. The Cram Hotel featured a rooftop pool that I was grateful for after my Sagrada Familia visit.
In the late afternoon, emerge refreshed and hop back on the bus. The Parc Güell features Gaudí’s fabulous mosaics and awesome views. When I visited with Gregg on a Sunday afternoon, we were convinced that half of Europe was in the park. We heard a lot of French, Italian, and Spanish but hardly any English.
Don’t miss the iconic Gaudí salamander, although you’ll be hard-pressed to get a people-free photo of it. Other attractions include the Hypostyle Room, Guard Museum, Gardens of Austria, and Nature Square.
Parc Güell in Barcelona, Spain.
Get your tickets in advance to avoid line-ups and to guarantee entry.
Palau de la Música
Before you visit Barcelona, check the website to find out what’s on at the Palau de la Música. If tickets to a performance that interests you are available, get them. Sit up in the balcony to gape at the fabulous ceiling.
Interior of the Palau de la Música – take a guided tour
Another option is to visit the Palau de la Música on a guided tour. Whatever way you see this fabulous modernista building, make room for it in your Barcelona itinerary. Here’s a great option through GetYourGuide:
Head first to the Barrí Gothic (Gothic Quarter) and get lost in its medieval streets. I love this part of Barcelona in the morning, when crowds are thin and the air is moderately cool.
Picasso Museum
After poking around the area, navigate to the Picasso Museum (Museu Picasso). Skip the line with a ticket you pre-purchased online and enjoy this homage to Picasso. You’ll see lots of work from his early years and get an excellent sense of his progression, from realism to abstraction and just about every 20th century art style in between, over the course of a very long life.
The museum also features special exhibitions that highlight aspects of Picasso’s work and relationships with other artists.
Before you leave the Barrí Gothic, visit the Gothic-style cathedral, also known as La Seu. Notable is its 14th-century cloister full of palm trees and a Gothic portico where, apparently, 13 white geese wander. I didn’t count them.
The History Museum of Barcelona also looks intriguing although I haven’t yet visited.
Miró Foundation
The Fundació Joan Miró is fun to visit, whether or not you’re a Miró fan. The airy, light-filled building is part of its attraction. Designed by architect and city planner Josep Lluís Sert, the building is a leading example of avant-garde school of architecture in Catalonia.
If you’re new to Miró’s work, get the audio guide and learn what he was all about. His work makes me smile!
Where to Stay in Barcelona
I loved staying at the Cram Hotel in the Eixample district for obvious reasons! I told the attendant that my last name was Cram, but unfortunately, I didn’t get a discount! Apparently the name “Cram” comes from spelling the name of the owner’s son (Marc) backwards. This is a truly lovely hotel with a rooftop pool.
The Hotel Emilia is a bit farther from the center of the action, and the rooms are spacious.
I also recommend the Casp 74 Apartments near the Eixample district. The apartment hotel includes kitchens and an underground parking garage.
Barcelona Tour Options
Here are some other tour options in Barcelona with Tiqets.com:
Barcelona Walking Tours
GuruWalk lists pay-what-you-please walking tours that connect tourists with tour guides all around the world. Check out their tours of Barcelona!
Have you visited Barcelona? Share your recommendations in the Comments below.
Here are some more posts about destinations in Spain:
Traveling in central Spain is a commitment! Distances are vast and destinations spread out. You will drive and drive and drive–and not see a whole heck of a lot. The journey by car from Zaragoza in the east to Toledo just south of Madrid took us about six hours.
Fortunately, the long drives are rewarded with lots of see in the four cities described in this post: Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Salamanca.
You’re most likely to visit Zaragoza and Salamanca if you’re driving into or out of Spain from France (Zaragoza) or Portugal (Salamanca).
The fastest way to reach Madrid is to either fly or to take a high-speed train from Barcelona. Once in Madrid, visit Toledo on a day trip with either a tour or on public transit, or stop in on your way south if you’re driving.
I suggest allocating at least three nights for Madrid and one night for each of the other three cities en route to other parts of Spain.
Traveling in Spain: Madrid is the Heart
Madrid is monumental. Large avenues lined with massive buildings give the city a solid but not terribly intimate feel.
Panoramic aerial view over Madrid, Spain.
On one trip we happened to visit on September 29, the national day of protest against proposed government cuts. Thousands of demonstrators in the central Puerta del Sol wore red and chanted “No!”.
We’d heard that the whole city was shut down, but, as tourists, we didn’t experience any inconvenience beyond the taxis taking longer routes to get to the museums and tacking on a €2 surcharge. Considering the fares were around €5, we weren’t bothered!
If you’re an art lover, you’re likely visiting Madrid to tour the Prado, the Reina Sofia, and the Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum of Art—all located in Madrid’s “Golden Triangle of Art.”
The Prado
The Prado is simply wonderful. With over 7,000 paintings in its collection and around 1,500 on display, your artsy heart will be beating wildly. My favorite piece in the Prado is TheGarden of Earthly Delights by Hieronymus Bosch. It’s even more creepy and surreal in real life than in reproductions.
The Garden of Earthly Delights in the Museo del Prado in Madrid, by Hieronymus Bosch , c. 1495–1505.
Other notable works in the Prado include Velasquez’s Las Meninas and other fine works, particularly those of the Spanish royal family, and Goya’s 6th of May and Las pinturas negras (The Black Paintings). You’ll also find great works by El Greco, Rubens, Bruegel, Rembrandt, and van Dyck.
Spare some time for the art of Spanish masters, such as Bartolomé Esteban Murillo and José de Ribera, and the stark figures of Francisco de Zurbarán. I’ve become partial to Zurbarán after seeing a major exhibition of his work in New York a few years ago. His figures are incredibly compelling.
Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza
Visit the
Thyssen-Bornemisza to see a huge range of art styles and artists spanning the
centuries from the Middle Ages to the moderns.
It’s a veritable ‘who’s who’ of western art. Start on the second floor (the top floor) and work your way through the 13th and 14th centuries (my faves), check out the Portrait of King Henry VIII by Holbein the Younger, then stroll past Tintorettos, Titians, Caravaggios, et al.
The Thyssen-Bornemisza also includes masterpieces by van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, Degas, Goya, Gainsborough, and Gauguin, to name a few. And then there are the moderns—Kandinsky, Picasso, Braque, Dali, and Madrid’s own Juan Gris.
Take your
time and soak it all in!
Reina Sofia
You’ll probably want to spread your museum-going over two days. Seeing all three museums in the Golden Triangle in one day would be artsy suicide. Pace yourself!
Visit the Reina Sofia to view Picasso’s powerful Guernica, which he painted to protest the bombing of the Basque town of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War. The painting is displayed in a room of its own. Arrive early or late to view it without the crowds.
The rest of the museum houses an excellent collection of contemporary art, including works by Salvador Dalí and Joan Miró.
Botanical Gardens & Parque del Buen Retiro
I love European gardens, and these two parks adjacent to each other in Madrid are among the best. We spent a lot of time strolling through the botanical gardens to see a glorious display of dahlias (it was September) along with an outdoor exhibition of photographs documenting seminal moments in Spanish history from 1896 to the present.
Some of the shots were just amazing—dead bodies in the streets during the civil war, Franco riding in a car with Nixon, the Beatles wearing matador hats, and on and on—100 photographs. I wish I could have read the commentaries, but my Spanish is just about nil.
The Beatles visit Madrid!
From the botanical gardens, wander into the main gardens where you’ll come across an artificial lake, exhibition spaces, and monuments, including one to the 191 victims of the 11 March 2004 train bombings in Madrid. You’ll also find lots of trees and shady pathways. The park is a treat!
Plaza Mayor
The grand
central square of Madrid is an attractive open space that features imposing
architecture and Madrid’s central tourist office. I liked all the archways.
Old Madrid after Dark
Madrid after dark is cooking and intense. Grab a drink and some tapas in an outdoor café and watch the world go by, then wander farther to find another place for dinner. Be careful not to over-order in Madrid! Portions are massive, and much of the food is fried and wrapped in ham. It’s tasty but more than a bit on the stodgy side.
Madrid cuisine can be a bit heavy.
Gregg and
I often order one dish to share. The servers don’t mind.
Tour the Royal Palace (Palacio Real)
The Royal Palace in Madrid is the largest palace in western Europe. With 2,800 rooms, it’s almost twice the size of Versailles.
You can tour of the palace to view the only surviving example of a Stradivarius quartet, a portion of the permanent art collection, and the Royal Kitchens (only open to the public since 2017).
Traveling in Spain: Don’t Miss Toledo
Take a
day trip from Madrid to explore beautiful Toledo or drive there on your way
south.
If you’re driving, head straight for the massive car park at the base of the city. You can’t miss it. Just be sure to note where you parked your car and where you exited. Take pictures of your stall, the floor number, and your exit.
We did
not follow this advice and ended up walking miles out of our way late at night.
You can’t
help but like Toledo. It’s charming with a capital C.
Perched on a hill, Toledo, the city on a hill, is a World Heritage Site famous for its monuments, its awesome cathedral, and for being the “City of the Three Cultures”, thanks to the cultural influences of Christians, Muslims, and Jews. The city was also the capital of the Visigothic Kingdom from 542 to 725 CE, which is kind of cool.
Here’s Gregg in front of the classic view of Toledo made famous in a painting by El Greco.
Gregg Simpson in front of the classic view of Toledo, Spain
Toledo is a popular tour stop, so during the day, you’ll have to dodge busloads of tourists huffing and puffing through the narrow streets in the stifling heat. Scoot around them to get a look inside the stunning cathedral that lives up to the hype.
I was mesmerized by the choir stalls. The carving on each stall is different.
Toledo is
the place to buy items made from the famous Toledo steel. Display windows
bristle with swords and knives and other sharp things that would never make it
through airport security in your carry-on bag. I bought several pairs of sewing
scissors as gifts.
Store window display in Toledo
In the evening, once the tour busses have left, the streets fill with locals. Weave through the streets of the old town in search of tapas and wine. You’ll find plenty!
Traveling in Spain: Visit Off the Beaten Track Zaragoza
You’ll
likely visit Zaragoza en route to somewhere else. It makes a convenient
stopping point for drivers coming from France through the Pyrenees. You can
also break up the drive from Barcelona to Madrid in Zaragoza.
The city is the perfect one-night stop along a desolate stretch of a very large country. And you’ll have a chance to enjoy a virtually tourist-free Spanish city that has a great deal to offer the visitor.
Zaragoza Overview
As the capital of the province of Zaragoza and of the autonomous community of Aragon, Zaragoza is a good size, but the interesting part of the city is compact enough to stroll around with just one inexpensive taxi ride out to the Aljafería Palace.
Here’s a map of the city showing the sights mentioned in this post:
The streets and shops are prosperous-looking, clean, and thronged with locals. You’re unlikely to see many tourists, although you’ll find an air-conditioned and well-staffed tourist office on the main plaza, so obviously tourists do go there.
A friendly young man at the tourist office told us where to go for cut-price tapas that evening. Apparently, there’s a street where all the tapas joints charge just €2 for a tapa and a glass of vino. Count me in!
Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar
Zaragoza borders the Ebro River which you’ll probably drive across on your way into town and see again when you visit Zaragoza’s main sight—the Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar (#1 on the map).
Cathedral and Ebro river in Zaragoza. Aragon, Spain
Built between 1681 and 1872, this massive Baroque cathedral with its fabulously tile-topped cupolas and turrets is worth a look. Wander around the vast aisles and check out the highlight—a roomful of paintings by Goya.
Zaragoza is Goya’s hometown, so across from the cathedral is a museum (#2) dedicated to his work. We didn’t visit it on this trip, instead opting to grab a cab to the Aljafería Palace which reportedly dates from Moorish times.
Aljafería Palace
We were virtually alone as we ambled through the various rooms to admire interesting exhibits and take photos of the attractive—and empty—courtyard complete with reflecting pond, palm trees, and arches. The Aljafería Palace (#3) is no Alhambra, but it’s worth a quick look.
Palace built in Zaragoza in the 11th century.
In the evening, stroll through streets comfortably filled with locals to find tapas. We arrived at the place of the €2 tapas at 8 pm, only to find it and most others still closed. This is Spain, where things typically don’t get going until well past 9 or 10.
But persevere and you’ll find that even regular-priced tapas are not expensive. Zaragoza is a bargain for food and drink.
Visit Salamanca on your way to or from Portugal. If your accommodation budget extends to a splurge, book into the Parador de Salamanca, located about a fifteen-minute walk from the town.
Cathedral of Salamanca next to the river
Paradors in Spain are special hotels usually located in historic buildings, such as convents and palaces. They have a certain level of luxury with prices to match, although bargains can be had. Check the booking sites!
The
parador in Salamanca is one of the few modern paradors in Spain. Its main claim
to fame is its location overlooking the skyline of old Salamanca.
Here’s
the view from our room:
Salamanca is a great place to visit for its old town, fabulous central plaza, and Casa Lis, a marvelous art nouveau museum. Here’s a map of the highlights mentioned in this post.
Trip map created with Wanderlog, the best trip planner app on iOS and Android
Casa Lis Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum
If you love art deco, you’ll adore this museum. La Casa Lis itself is an extraordinary building in the art nouveau style with plenty of stained glass. Exhibits of over 2,500 pieces of art deco and art nouveau objets d’art include porcelain figures, gold and ivory statues, enamels, bronze items, toys, and even Fabergé eggs.
Casa Lis Art Nouveau and Art Deco Museum, in Salamanca, Spain
The display of Paris fashion dolls from the late 1800s was especially compelling. Spend a couple of hours strolling from room to room in the virtually empty museum.
Plaza Mayor
Wander uphill into Salamanca’s lovely old town. Very little car traffic is allowed, so the streets are clear and easy to walk in. As the sun begins to go down, people flood into the streets to enjoy the evening air.
We arrived in the Plaza Mayor to find it packed with thousands of people waving placards. Just as in Madrid, Spain’s austerity measures were not going over well with the citizens of Salamanca. However, the protest was one of the most good-humored I’ve seen. The crowd consisted mostly of families and middle-aged or older people smiling and laughing as they periodically brandished their signs. The gist of most signs was a large, red “NO”.
If you encounter a protest (unlikely!), wait until it moves off , then snag a table to gaze out over what must be one of the loveliest plazas in Spain.
Enjoying Plaza Mayor
The Plaza Mayor appears to be square, lined on all four sides by uniform facades that date from the 18th century. Bands of young men dressed in medieval garb played Mexican-sounding music. We wondered why the music sounded so Mexican and were told by our server that Salamanca has maintained ties with Mexico and Latin America. Apparently, many of the Spanish people who emigrated to Mexico came from Salamanca, and some of the wealthier ones have returned to make Salamanca so prosperous looking. It’s a beautifully maintained city.
Around 10:30, when the light still hadn’t faded much (it was early July), the lights were turned on, and everyone in the square gasped, much to the amusement of our server who just rolled his eyes. I guess he sees it every night.
Plaza Mayor in Salamanca, Spain at night.
Traveling in Spain: Where to Stay in Central Spain
I’ve had great luck finding marvelous places to stay in Spain. Hotel proprietors are friendly, and almost all of them speak English.
In this post, I provide general tips about accommodations in Spain and then list hotels that I’ve stayed in and can recommend.
Choosing a Room
To Book or Not to Book?
I book almost all the hotels on my itinerary before I leave home so I know I have somewhere to stay in every location. Then, while traveling, I sometimes change bookings to follow a new route or in response to hearing about a cool location I hadn’t known about.
TIP: Stay flexible when you travel. You never know when you might meet someone who recommends a festival or event or exhibition. More than once, I’ve altered an itinerary to attend a special exhibition or visit a new attraction.
Choose a hotel booking site that allows you to book, change, or cancel hotel reservations if your itinerary changes. Most sites offer a no-cancellation option at a lower price. I never choose the no-cancellation price unless I’m 100% sure I’ll be staying at the hotel. For example, I will select the no-cancellation price for hotels I’m staying at in the cities I fly into and depart from, because I know those locations won’t change.
But overall, stay flexible. I’ve learned that sticking to a rigid itinerary with no-cancellation accommodations can end up costing more money than you save.
Breakfasts in Spain
Breakfasts in Spain generally consist of pastries, fresh fruit, dry cereal, cold meats (lots of ham and salamis), cheeses, and coffee. I only eat the hotel breakfast if it’s included in the room rate or if I didn’t get a chance to buy food before checking in.
If hotel breakfasts cost extra (and the cost can be exorbitant), I buy yogurt and fruit at a local grocery store and then go to a bar or café for my morning cappuccino.
Location
In Spain in particular, I stay in the center of a town or city only if I’m not driving. As I’ve mentioned frequently, driving into medieval towns can be a nightmare, and driving into cities like Barcelona is not recommended!
The advantage of traveling in Spain by public transit is that you can choose to stay in picturesque and historic town centers. Grab a taxi from the train station and let your driver negotiate the tiny alleyways. In Cordoba, even our taxi driver had a hard time finding our hotel deep in the Jewish quarter.
Tips for Drivers in Spain
When driving in Spain, I book places on the outskirts of the town or city and then take busses or taxis into the townfor sightseeing. In rural areas, such as Andalusia and Asturias, I search out places located in the gorgeous countryside so I can take walks and, if it’s hot, enjoy a dip in the pool.
Paradors
Consider spending at least a few nights of your vacation at one of Spain’s gorgeous paradors (paradores). A parador is a government-run property selected for its historical and artistic merit or for its location in a beautiful landscape. Over 90 paradors are located throughout Spain.
Some of the paradors are converted palaces, medieval castles, or other historic buildings. The parador experience can be pricey, but it’s definitely worthwhile and interesting. Check the official website to view all the properties available. You can book paradors through the website or on booking.com
Parador de Cuenca in Cuenca, east of Madrid, is located in an ancient monastery.
Star Rating
I favor three- or four-star properties that offer amenities such as elevators, air conditioning, parking, bathtubs, and WIFI.
I also like larger rooms. Check the square meterage of the room. Anything under 15 square meters will be small, with a child-sized shower stall and barely enough room to wedge your suitcase against the wall.
Reviews – Should You Care?
Yes, I pay attention to reviews. If a property’s aggregate review is under 8.0 out of a possible 10, I usually pass. Sometimes the difference between a property with a 9.6 review and one with an 8.2 review is only a few euros, and yet the quality of the higher-rated property makes the extra money worth spending.
You have to take reviews with a grain of salt, however. Just because a property has a score of 9.8 doesn’t meant it’s five-star luxury. Check the star rating, remember that a 9.8 score for a two-star hotel is not the same as a 9.8 for a four-star, and proceed accordingly.
TIP: Read reviews on a few sites, such as booking.com and TripAdvisor. I take my time when booking accommodations in Spain and elsewhere to make sure I’m getting the best value for my travel dollar.
To help you plan your Spain getaway, here are my recommendations. For each destination, I describe properties I’ve stayed in and offer suggestions for alternate properties that look good.
Click the link to the hotel to make a reservation with booking.com.
Barcelona
Barcelona is not a budget town by any stretch. Be prepared to spend more than you might like to; fortunately, in my experience, the quality of the accommodations is high.
I recommend two excellent hotels in Barcelona. Both are centrally located and comfortable. The Hotel Emilia is a bit farther from the center of the action, and the rooms are spacious.
The Cram Hotel in the Eixample district has earned a soft spot in my heart, for obvious reasons. It was a splurge, but the rooftop pool, views over Barcelona, and the convenient location made the extra cost well worth it, particularly because I was traveling solo.
Check the map below for other accommodation options in Barcelona. I favor the upscale Eixample district, but you’ll also find good choices in the Barri Gòtic and other areas.
The Hotel Virxe da Cerca by Pousadas de Compostela was a marvelous find in Santiago de Compostela. We stayed almost a week when Gregg has his exhibition at the Granell Museum. The hotel is next to the Plaza de Abastos market and an easy walk to the cathedral in the old town. I loved hanging out on the terrace, sipping wine and enjoying the view. The rooms were traditional, with heavy furniture and lots of space. Highly recommended!
Santiago de Compostela attracts thousands of visitors every year, so you’ll find plenty of accommodation options. Santiago de Compostela also has a parador that looks amazing if you’re in the mood for a splurge.
Have a look at the map below for additional accommodation suggestions.
We stayed at the Don Paco Hotel, a three-star property set in a restored convent dating from the 17th century. The high-ceilinged dining room that had once been the convent chapel is magnificent! The hotel is within walking distance of central Llanes and includes free parking (always a bonus!).
Bilbao
We enjoyed staying for one night at the Hotel Meliá, a posh splurge but perfectly located for walking along the river to the Guggenheim Bilbao and easy to get to from the highway. The hotel includes an underground parking lot, stylish rooms with a great view over Bilbao, a soaring lobby, and a riverside terrace where we ate breakfast and lunch.
San Sebastian
The Hotel Mercure Monte Igueldo, high atop Mount Igueldo overlooking enchanting San Sebastian (Donostia), is well worth a few extra euros for the view alone. You’ll need a car to stay here and to go down into San Sebastian.
If you’re traveling without a car, here are other options:
Book a place in the Old Town, even if it means leaving your car in a carpark and walking. You’ll be steps from the Cathedral-Mosque and in the thick of history. We stayed in a boutique hotel with a tranquil inner courtyard.
Check the map below to find properties in the center of Cordoba.
I heartily recommend Suites Gran Via in Granada. The location is convenient to the center of Granada, and the rooms are large and comfortable. A small kitchen is included, which is handy for making breakfast.
The map below shows more options in and around Granada.
We’ve had great luck in Seville–once staying at a hotel in the old town and most recently staying in an apartment overlooking the river. I recommend you stay in the old town if you’re not driving. The Hotel Amadeus & La Musica is a wonderful choice right in the heart of Old Seville. There’s a rooftop terrace with a stunning view of Seville Cathedral. Gregg spent quite a bit of time up there drawing.
On our 2019 trip, we were driving, so we booked a hotel across the river from downtown Seville. What a great choice! We parked in a public parking lot about half a block from the apartment and enjoyed a spectacular view of the river and Seville Cathedral in the distance. Check out Betis 7 Luxury Apartments. The cost was surprisingly reasonable for an apartment that included a bedroom, kitchen and living room, a jacuzzi bath, and glorious air conditioning (a necessity in July).
One of the hippest places to stay in Ronda is the Parador de Ronda, pictured at the top of this page. Its spectacular location at the edge of the Ronda gorge comes at a price–but what a splurge!
On our recent trip in 2019, we opted to stay in the countryside about a 15-minute drive from Ronda, and we’re glad we did. The weather was hot, and we needed a place to chill in. The Hotel Cortijo-las-Piletas perfectly fit the bill. They even provided an excellent dinner served in the courtyard on one of the evenings we were there. The proprietor was exceedingly friendly and accommodating. I can’t recommend this place highly enough.
Following are suggestions for hotels in Madrid, Toledo, Zaragoza, and Salamanca.
Madrid
The Suites Viena are spacious and well located near the Plaza España that featured lots of cool booths filled with jewelry and other gift items.
I also highly recommend the ApartoSuites Jardines de Sabatini located just to the west of the center of Madrid and across the street from the Royal Palace.. It’s located just outside the Limited Access zone on a main road easily accessed from the motorway, and a short walk from the historical center of Madrid.
The Abad Toledo at the base of the hill and very convenient to a massive multi-level car park is a great choice for drivers. If you arrive by train, choose a place in the Old Town that you can get to by taxi.
On the map below, choose places on the city side of the river.
The NH Collection Gran Hotel Zaragoza is a comfortable business hotel in Sangallo Palace that includes balconies, views, and what looks like a lovely ambiance near Perugia.
Salamanca
Treat yourself to the Parador in Salamanca. The rooms are large, the pool inviting, and views over Salamanca breathtaking. The Parador is a great choice for drivers because it’s on the outskirts of the city. You can walk into Salamanca or take a bus or taxi.
Tours & Tickets in Spain
Here are some options to explore through GetYourGuide and Tiqets.com, both companies I’ve booked with several times, and had good experiences.
Do you have accommodation recommendations to share? Please let me know in the Comments section. I’m always on the lookout for new places to stay in Spain.
