After such an epic two months, I think it’s only right to make a review of our experiences and the places we visited. We have been through famous cities, visited picturesque villages, driven over mountains, found breathtaking beaches, walked through historical buildings, had some excellent food, and stayed in nine very different places. This is our summing up of our time on the road.
Best City
1. Seville
By far the most exciting and impressive
city on our route, it had everything needed for both visitor and resident. The
24-hour lifestyle is what makes this place such an exciting city to be in. The
mix of excellent gastronomy, popular culture, old and new architecture, good
public transport and mobility, as well as an exciting atmosphere, make this the
ideal city trip destination.
2. Cartagena
A city embossed with its ancient history.
Everywhere you look there is something two millennia old. And yet it has a
surprisingly modern feel. I enjoyed walking along some of the quiet backstreets
where there were lots of hidden taverns, restaurants and shops. They organise
some street theatre every autumn – I think we might be back soon…
3. Coimbra
A splendid city with a lively inner core,
bursting with culture and great architecture. The city’s atmosphere and
pleasantly designed layout are lovely, but there isn’t enough to keep you here
for more than a weekend, but its proximity to a great deal of other locations
makes this a splendid place to use as a base. Obidos, Porto, Braga, the beaches
at Figueira da Foz, the hills and river valleys in the interior, and even
Lisbon, are all within a reasonable drive.
4. Mérida
Hidden in the middle of Extremadura, packed
full of Roman remains and delightful streets and squares, Mérida is the capital
of its region, and once was an important city in the Roman Empire. This has not
been forgotten.
1. San Vicente de la Barquera
The loveliest place in the most beautiful
setting, San Vicente had restaurants, beaches with calm waters and a tranquil
atmosphere. But it was the outstanding beach that brought this to the top of
the list.
2. Burela/San Cibrao/Viveiro
These three towns all next to each other
provide excellent facilities for everyone. The beaches, the bars and
restaurants, the child-friendly centres and the lively atmosphere make these
places ideal to stay in for a decent period.
3. Braga
A picturesque town with a lot of history,
this place provides a positive experience for the day visitor.
Bottom of the pile:
Torrevieja
Behind the tacky tourist tat shops on the
seafront, many owned by the same company, this place is full of dismal grid
streets, followed by soulless expat ghettos. The council has done its best to
make the most of its murky beaches by adding a few features, like round
breakers, diving boards, benches and extra leisure areas, but it just seems
like somewhere the authorities had made the most out of a bad situation. This
doesn’t mean I wouldn’t come back though: the bars and restaurants are good,
and there is a buzz even at 2 in the morning.
Best Smaller Settlement
1. Fisterra
The end of the Old World, there are many
reasons to appreciate this place – boat trips, coves, great gastronomy, lovely
people.
2. Obidos
A colourful, pretty little town in the Portuguese
countryside, well worth a day trip.
3. Antequera
A colourful little town in the foothills of
the Andalucian mountains, it is an ideal place to stop for food and a good
walk.
1. Os Árbores, O Vicedo, Galicia
The setting under the trees, the family
ambience, the simplicity of the dishes, the friendliness of the owner and
staff; everything was right about this place.
2. Mesón Juan Manuel, Antequera
The best greeting, a typically Andalucian
menu, and food that has been made with love and passion.
3. El Canton, Cartagena
Having a kind owner is key. The food is
made with passion and pride, and brought to the table by hard-working staff.
4. Restaurante Guichot 7, Seville
The menu looked fairly bland but once it
had reached our table, it was anything but. A total surprise.
5. Taberna O Lidador, Obidos
Well-presented wholesome food, lovely
location, provided good vibes.
1. Batidor Pasteleria, Fisterra
Run by a Hungarian family that moved here
only last year, this place has already gained a local reputation for its grand
café-style pâtisserie. But the informal atmosphere and the kindness of the
staff make this a much cosier place. I could have eaten everything.
2. Sunset Gastronomia, San Vicente de la
Barquera
It was like having a drink inside a
painting. The view onto the inlet, the incredible homemade cakes, and the fun
atmosphere was only surpassed by the loveliness of the bartender.
3. Salero Bar, Carnota, Galicia
Almost perfect preparation for a visit to
Carnota Beach, this bar sits under some lovely shady trees. The drinks on offer
and the snacks provided were just what we required at the right moment.
4. Alviento Terraza Club, Cartagena
The great views over the harbour and the
city, the lack of exterior walls, the tables and water features give you the
impression you are part of the surroundings, not separated from them.
5. AquaBeach,
Praia da Fonte da Telha, Portugal
The view of the amazing sunsets, the
greatest juices, excellent finger food and very well thought-out décor was a
very special experience. It would have been higher on this list, but the total
disorganisation of the staff showed there were a few underlying issues in their
place.
Best Accommodation
1. Retiro do Viajante, Penacova, Portugal
The owner has thought of nearly everything
– soft beds, a very efficient kitchen with dishwasher and induction cooker,
simple but elegant décor, games for kids, and a lovely terrace with views over
the river valley. We could have happily stayed here for longer. In fact, three
days after we returned, I asked the children what place they liked the most,
and they remembered this one. Unanimous decision of the jury!
2. El Faro 5, San Vicente de la Barquera
The upstairs bedroom with its views over
the inlet from a huge bay window was a marvellous place for inspiration to
write. I gladly sat there for hours typing on my laptop, and every now and
again glancing out of the window.
3. Rio Covo, San Cibrao
We can forgive the dodgy cooker and the non-operational
lift. The rest was fine – and when there was a problem, it was dealt with at
the earliest moment. Everyone had their own bedroom and there was nobody else
around, so the kids could make a fair amount of noise. Designated parking right
outside.
Best Beach
1. Praia de Xilloi, O Vicedo, Galicia
Forget Ko Samui, this is just a spectacular
location. Right opposite the best restaurant, this was no ordinary beach: it
was a high temple of nature. Crescent in shape with rock formations at both
ends, low waves and fine, powdery sand, there is no finer place to go for a
swim. With showers and a toilet in a proper building near the ample car park,
it was the most excellent experience of all beaches.
2. Playa de Carnota, Galicia
A wide-open expanse of sand accessed along
a wooden walkway from the parking area, this was such a pleasure to spend a
glorious afternoon on. The waves were high, but fun for some light surfing.
3. Playa del
Puntal, San Vicente de la Barquera
A real delight. A small but lightly
frequented beach in an inlet, it’s more like being on a lake. Perfect for
paddle boarding and kayaking. The water was not that warm, but the location
made up for it. With beautiful views across the inlet to the town, and the
frequent passing boats, this place is more like Cornwall or Lake Garda than the
Atlantic Ocean.
4. Praia Fonte da Telha, Portugal
With its superb backdrop of cliffs and the
pools left behind at low tide, there is so much to take in here. The beach’s
crescent shape gives the visitor the impression that it is endless. The high
waves break further out in the sea, meaning they roll in quite tamely to the
shore. Credit to the lifeguards on this coast – really friendly, motivated,
great for a chat, always vigilant.
5. Playa de Estorde and Playa de
Sardiñeiro, Galicia
With incredibly calm waters, despite being
on the Atlantic Coast, these two beaches provided perfect conditions for safe
swimming. The rock pools allow for exploration and the facilities nearby mean
you are never far from a drink, some food, or a place to relieve yourself.
6. Playa de las Catedrales, Galicia
With its numerous caves, inlets, pools,
hanging rocks and constantly changing shoreline, this was an unforgettable
experience, spoiled by the expensive café and need to give your ID to access
it.
1. The Alcazar of Seville
The entry fee is very reasonable for what
you get to see. This is an exquisite complex of buildings and gardens hidden in
the very centre of Seville. And it’s huge. To conceal such an immense place in
the middle of a city is its greatest asset, because it keeps the Big Building
Mafia away. You know, the ones who spoil trips to more visible and more
marketed monuments like the Alhambra.
2. Roman ruins of Mérida
As soon as the ruins of the Temple of Diana
come into view, you know you’re in a special place. The rest of the building
has been converted into a small museum and at 2 euro entry, I was happy to
contribute to its upkeep.
3. Obidos
A really special place to visit, with some
incredibly beautiful buildings, adorned with flowers and other objects, but I
really wouldn’t want to live there. I would go crazy with all the daytime
visitors, the convoy of buses and coaches offloading visitors for a few hours
before the place goes back to being empty at night. Saying that, I think it is
definitely worth a few hours.
4. The Alhambra, Granada
A giant Moorish royal domain perched on the
side of a mountain, there are serene gardens with cooling fountains full of
trees, bushes and plants, and palaces built by various rulers over the years.
It was recently named Europe’s best attraction, but considering the place is
crawling with visitors, sitting on all the ledges, wandering in front of you as
you try to take a photo, hanging around archways, obstructing the views from
the balconies, and pointing their smartphones at everything that doesn’t move, I
don’t even consider this the best attraction in Spain. In fact, not even in
Andalucia.
5. Moinhos de Gavinhos, near Penacova
These ancient windmills are free to visit,
although you need transport to get there. But the views once you are there are
spectacular. A great place to stop for a short walk, or a picnic, if you’re
travelling through. And there’s no entrance fee.
Most Remarkable Experience
1. The boat trip in Galicia with Cruceros Fisterra
At 90 minutes, a perfect length of time for
children before they get out of control, the friendly staff of this boat took
us out into the deeper waters around the lighthouse at the end of the Old
World. With the chance of seeing dolphins enhanced by the boat’s generous
amount of exterior decking, this was the pinnacle of pleasure.
2. The old road from Penacova to Coimbra
The N110 between these two towns is narrow,
precarious, difficult to locate, with more hairpins than a beauty pageant. A
spectacular drive with the most surprising of endings when you suddenly emerge
out of the wilderness onto an urban roundabout in a suburb or Coimbra itself.
3. Straddling the hilltops of the Sierra de
Urbasa
Up among the heather you can find cows,
horses, goats and some rare birds roaming wherever they choose. In this
environment, the animals are not encroaching on our roads; we are driving
across their territory. Pure nature and some breathtaking views.
4. Exploring the characteristics of
different Iberian cities
Santiago de Compostela and Vigo, Granada
and Almeria, San Sebastian and Gijón, Coimbra
and Braga: cities in the same or similar regions, yet completely different.
There are so many diverse and valuable places to visit that these two months
have not been nearly enough to properly understand these special places. This
is without taking Mérida, Penacova, Setúbal, Sesimbra, Cartagena and Seville into account.
1. Sierra Nevada
It wasn’t just the poky room we were given
(which was an upgrade from the original one), it was almost everything else. I
have never spent so much money in such a rural backwater. For example, a visit
to the supermarket for a bagful of necessities was about 50 euro. On checking
out, we had a couple of waffles and pancakes for breakfast for nearly 40 euro. With
one road in and out, the place is one massive captive market with parking
facilities, a ski lift and a huge number of tiny places for people to sleep.
2. Glamping in the Sierra de Urbasa
Not quite the experience I expected. I
loved being greeted by farm animals first thing in the morning, and I thought
the cafeteria was excellent. But it closed so early, and with EURO2024 on the
TV, we all prayed there wasn’t extra time or penalties because we would miss
the vital part. And the number of bugs we found in the tent, both dead and
alive, just made us all reluctant to go to sleep. Shudder.
3. Crossing into another time zone over
land
Going from Spain to Portugal on the
motorway was the first time I had instantly gone from one time zone to another.
I have crossed from the UK to France numerous times, but there is either the
sea or the tunnel, so it feels like a real journey to get there. I thought
going from GMT+2 to GMT+1 would be a thrill, but it caused more problems than
excitement.
Places We Are Most (And Least) Likely To
Return To
MOST LIKELY:
1. Galicia
This glorious part of the world was a true
revelation. With its relatively empty beaches, coves, bays and river mouths, we
could have spent all summer here. The clement temperatures, serene waters in
the bays, dramatic coastlines, fantastic food, kind people, safe towns and
cities, it is the perfect place to detoxify.
2. San Vicente de la Barquera
The sound of horns from the ships, the
gentle chugging of fishing boats making their way along the inlet, the town
centre buzzing with locals talking over lunch, families having fun on the beach,
this town is a real panacea to the stressful pace of city life.
3. Penacova
Although the town itself is very quiet and
spread out in a way that there isn’t really much opportunity for community
life, it is in a beautiful setting. The river beach is a lovely place to hang
out in the evening sunshine. It’s only 25 minutes to Coimbra and another 20
minutes to the beach, there are plenty of places in the area to make this the
perfect base to explore.
4. Seville
Being fourth on this list is not that I
regard it as being fourth priority. But the three above were pleasant
surprises. Seville is the city with everything – excellent food, energising
atmosphere, splendid architecture, cosmopolitan feel and clean, well-kept
public spaces. And is the place on this list we will most likely return to
first.
5. Almeria
We really liked the feel of this city.
Similar to Granada but without the weight of expectation, as well as being
close to the sea, I would love to visit this place in the off-season. There was
a certain cheerfulness and enthusiasm in the people there.
LEAST LIKELY:
1. Sierra Nevada
No need to say why this place came top.
2. Torrevieja
Of all the places we have visited, this
should have been the place we had a real holiday after the two-month exile. But
it’s actually quite an ugly, impersonal town with rather dirty beaches and
muddy waters. The gaudy seafront has sold its soul to tourist tat shops and
generic cafés all selling variations of the same thing. Last year, we spent
this week in Peñiscola, and I would swap that place over Torrevieja any day of
the year.
3. Setúbal
Probably not going to rule it out totally,
as it was quite a pleasant place, and I liked the sedate pace here. The
potential to reach Lisbon, Sintra, Cascais, Estoril and the lovely beaches of
the Atlantic coast make this quite a good base, but I think we arrived in the
wrong frame of mind with low energy after such a strenuous July.
4. The Alhambra
Sorry, we tried this place 21 years ago, and nothing has changed. Maybe we should try this place in mid-January…
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