Sensational Spain
Islands, fortresses and flamenco make for a memorable visit
If you read my travel blog from the first half of our recent trip to Spain, you may remember we began in Barcelona, took a day trip to Montserrat Monastery an hour northwest, then headed south by train to Valencia. Now, we’re off to the Balearic Islands off Spain’s east coast to visit Ibiza for a few days.
This is the party mecca of the world with summer high season bringing the rich and famous by yacht and the young in droves to Ibiza’s famous all-night dance clubs. While we missed the chance to join in one of the huge dance parties, visiting in March gave us a chance to enjoy Ibiza in quiet mode while pretty much having the place all to ourselves.
Temperatures hovered in the lower 60s under sunny skies as our short 30-minute flight from Valencia landed. A quick taxi ride to Ibiza Town revealed pretty, white buildings along the marina and mountains in the background. This is just one town on the island with several other villages dotting the east, north and west sides.
We took a nice walk up the mountainside to the Castle of Ibiza, which offered sweeping views of the Balearic Sea, ships, sailboats and ferries from the mainland. On the way back down, be sure to stop for some tapas and a beverage at one of the cafes in the mountainside village. Even in the quiet season, you can still find a few clubs keeping the party going into the wee hours, and we did our best to start late (as is the Spanish way) and keep up with the twenty-somethings. Ibiza Town is very walkable, and we found several delicious restaurants featuring fresh seafood and Spanish favorites.
On to Alicante
Next, back to the mainland with another brief flight to Alicante, a city that’s smaller in size than Barcelona and Valencia but just as big in personality.
This gem on the Costa Blanca is a popular tourist destination for those who love the calm waters of the Mediterranean and the many surrounding golf courses. Towering above the city is the beautiful Castle of Santa Barbara, which can be reached by taking the very long but enjoyable walk up one of several paths or by simply taking the elevator that’s actually built inside the mountain.
We started off the day with a visit to the Mercat Central filled with stalls offering fresh meat, seafood, produce and tapas. Exit out the back door and grab a table at the café to enjoy a breakfast bocadillo (sandwich) and café con leche (coffee with milk) in the bright sunshine.
Then we started the hike up to the castle and wound through the Old Quarter, a neighborhood of cozy homes built into the side of the mountain. Finally, we reached the summit, and were rewarded with unmatched vistas of the city, beach and sea. After our trek, we were hungry and headed down the elevator and through the Old Quarter to the Explanada de España, a favorite place for a stroll with its tall palm trees and tiled walkway that runs along the waterfront. Stop for lunch at one of the dozens of cafes in these blocks, or stroll out along the marina and sip on a cava while watching the boats go by.
We fell in love with Alicante and found two days wasn’t nearly enough time to explore like we wanted to, but it was just enough for a wonderful first taste before we pushed on to our final destination: Madrid.
Majestic Madrid
Catching the train from Alicante to Madrid was nearly as easy as hopping on the T to head to downtown Pittsburgh. I bought tickets for that journey (and Barcelona to Valencia) online through RailEurope.com, which lets you book on Renfre, the Spanish national train operator along with other train companies like Ouigo. We rode Renfre out of Barcelona and Ouigo out of Alicante and both were excellent, affordable and very comfortable two- to three-hour rides.
Every time I discussed our upcoming trip to Spain with someone who had been there, I heard the same thing: “We liked Barcelona better than Madrid.” I can certainly see why because Barcelona’s architecture and art are unmatched, and we did, indeed, love it. However, I compare Barcelona’s packed, narrow sidewalks to the feeling of being in New York City while Madrid’s wide-open boulevards let you breathe – feeling more like Chicago or Washington, D.C. This is, after all, the nation’s capital, complete with Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque, and Neoclassical style architecture, including the Teatro Real (theater) and the Royal Palace of Madrid.
We stayed in the Teatro Real area just a few blocks from the Puerta Del Sol, a public square and one of the best-known spots in the city and the site of the famous Oso y el Madrono (bear and the strawberry tree) statue along with the beloved neon Tio Pepe sign (a brand of sherry). Stroll through this area and keep going a few more blocks to reach our favorite place in Madrid, the Plaza Mayor. This is Madrid’s grand central square, which has hosted all kinds of events since the 16th century, including festivals, bullfights and even coronations. The upper two stories of the buildings are residential apartments with terraces looking down on the sunny square rimmed with cafes and restaurants. Pull up a chair at one of the establishments, sip on coffee or a cool drink and watch the locals and tourists alike enjoying this bustling neighborhood.
Not far from Plaza Mayor, the Gran Via hosts Madrid’s department stores, restaurants, theaters and some of the most beautiful buildings. Madrid is known for its theater and ranks only behind New York City and London for hosting the most musical theater in the world.
No visit to Spain would be complete without a dash of flamenco. While the birthplace of flamenco is Andalusia in the south, Madrid also hosts dozens of small tableos, the small theaters where flamenco is performed. We booked a wonderful evening at Corral de la Moreria, which began with a sumptuous dinner from their Michelin star chef and ended with a fantastic flamenco performance featuring two singers and a guitar player accompanying two dancers. Fantastico!
Our final day in Madrid and Spain ended with a tour of the Royal Palace of Madrid, which serves as the official residence of the Spanish royal family in Madrid but is now reserved for state ceremonies.
This sprawling complex boasts 1.4 million square feet of floor space and is the largest royal palace in Europe. Originally built in 860 and renovated several times, including after the Spanish Civil War, the palace is now open to the public and houses works by painters such as Francisco de Goya, marble staircases and sculptures and ceiling frescoes. Its massive rooms and gorgeous artwork are something to behold and served as a wonderful way to wrap up our memorable time in sensational Spain.