Spain

Posted: Sep 2016
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Did you know that Spain was one of the most visited countries in the world? In 2017, it recorded 80+ million visitors which marked the
fifth consecutive year of record-beating numbers. After spending 2+ weeks on this self-drive itinerary, I understood why – the sights were amazing, food
was great, weather was super, people were lovely!

Chapters

At-A-Glance

It was the perfect weather to do a self-drive around Spain and we covered the big cities like Barcelona and Madrid, to the little towns like Segovia and Rondo. With two little Beans in our arms, the locals greeted us with smiles and chatter – we couldn’t make out what they were saying most of the times, but it was undoubtedly full of love. Can’t wait to re-visit Spain with our smallest Bean this time.

Main Highlights

Segovia: Still getting over jet lag, we took a drive in the early morning to check out Segovia – the typical highlights were its Alcázar and we were amazed by the town’s architectural marvel, Acueducto Romano.

Madrid: One of two bustling cities of Spain, we embarked on a walking tour – started at Puerta del Sol (the very centre of Madrid) and covered all of the city highlights!

Toledo: High on a hill and surrounded on three sides by the deep gorge of the Tagus River, Toledo is a beautiful sight as we drove towards it from the bottom. This old city’s narrow streets throws us back in history and it is no wonder it has been listed by UNESCO as one of its cultural wonders.

Cordoba: Slight detour into Cordoba to visit the Mesquita – this site was originally a Roman temple, then a Visigothic church, before the Umayyad Moors built the Mezquita. It stands as one of the principal mosque of western Islam and is one of the largest in the world!

Seville: We stayed at Hotel Alfonso XIII – a highlight in itself! Seville was a beautiful city and the walking tour took us around to appreciate the culture and history that it offers. One of the beautiful spots was Plaza de España which was casted as the backdrop in Game of Thrones

Ronda: Sitting above a deep ravine and around it is lush greenery and flowing waters, we were mesmerized by Ronda and its sights. Adding to its colour was a weekend festival (bullfights and all) that we soaked in when we got there.

Valencia: Valencia is one of the most beautiful old Spanish cities – we visited its Old Town that is full of narrow streets to its new Oceanarium that is located on a modern looking site called the City of Arts and Sciences!

Montserrat: Montserrat is atop a tranquil mountain and is unbelievably beautiful. Home to Benedictine Monks, we spotted beautiful interior decorations and the train up the mountain (we parked at the bottom of the hill) provided great views of the Monastery

Barcelona: Of course we couldn’t miss the city’s highlights like La Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Las Ramblas and the Gothic Quarter – but what was the most memorable thing for us was the wait at a tapas and cava bar El Xampanyet for a meal we can’t forget (with two little Beans in tow!)

Photo Reel

Barcelona Cordoba Madrid Montserrat Ronda Segova Seville Toledo Valencai
Barcelona Cordoba Madrid Montserrat Ronda Segova Seville Toledo Valencai
Beggar pants:

Father’s influence on their pants

Pull your hair:

Cheeky rainbow in front of the Alcázar of
Segovia

Family:

Big sister Bean looks scared of her little brother

Early in the morning:

Jet lagged at the Roman
aqueduct of Segovia

Yummy:

Chocolate churros at San Gines

Like a rockstar:

Full after her churros

Westin:

Breakfast under the perfect dome

Streets of Madrid:

Walking tour under the summer sun

River crossing:

Deep gorge of the Tagus River in the
backdrop

Streets of Toledo:

Plenty of quiet alleys

Beautiful view:

The alcázar of Toledo

Beautiful arches:

Arriving at the Mezquita

Unreal moment as the mid-sun hit the windows:

Alone in the Mezquita and hundreds of years of history

Pretty please:

Wasn’t sure whether the ice cream or
the little Bean looked sweeter

Plop:

Wasn’t long before the ice cream fell on the floor
and all she had left was the cone

Family:

Arriving at the Seville – standing in front
of the set of Starwars

Music and dance:

Captivated by the flamenco

Alcázar of Seville:

I remember this beautiful site from
the set of Game of Thrones

Overnight:

After a long day roaming the streets, little
Beans collapsed in bed at the Hotel Alfonso XIII

Colours:

In the sky, on the dress

Sizzling hot:

Blessed to be the photographer

Breathtaking:

Beautiful Ronda sits on the edge of the
cliff

Mad crowd:

Just before the bull-fighting champions
come along

Flowers in her hair:

Red blossoming flowers by the streets of Valencia

Oceanarium:

Seated at a modern looking site called the
City of Arts and Sciences

Alone:

Little Bean alone with a fleeting shark

Hillary vs Trump

Off the beaten path, we went to find
waterfalls in a small quaint town Bejís

Parked at the bottom:

… with a “cable car” to take us up Sant Joan

Bunny ears:

Hopping down the stairs after a long “cable
car” ride up

Climbing upslope:

Perfectly maintained pathway in the
cool mountain air

Family on the mountaintop:

There’s something
interesting in every direction

Strange sight of Sagrada Familia:

Little Bean is fixated at what is behind and above

La Rambla:

Did you know that this street was once coined the most dangerous tourist trap because of the pickpockets (we didn’t see any – and no, we didn’t lose anything either)

Street markets:

Colours everywhere!

The conqueror Bean:

Perched on top of the square
monument

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