15 days in... Spain!
- Joana Ribeiro Sabino
- Sep 21, 2018
- 10 min read
Hola amigos! How have you been? I hope everything it's going fine and that your travels are going absolutely wonderful. This week we are going to travel in Spain. For me its just the country next door! Let's resume a bit this country; It's located in southern Europe, in the Iberian Peninsula. Its main territory is bounded to the south and to the east by the Mediterranean Sea, except for a small border with the British overseas territory of Gibraltar, to the north by France, Andorra and the Bay of Biscay and to the north-west and west by the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal. Spanish territory also includes the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean, the Canary Islands at the Atlantic Ocean near the African coast and two autonomous cities in North Africa, Ceuta and Melilla, bordering Morocco. With an area of 504,030 km², Spain is, after France, the second largest country in Western Europe and the European Union. Due to its location, the territory of Spain was subjected to many external influences, often simultaneously, from prehistoric times until when Spain became a country. On the other hand, the country itself was an important source of influence for other regions, especially during the Modern Era, when it became a world empire that left a legacy of more than 400 million Spanish speakers around the world. Spain is a democracy organized in the form of a parliamentary government under a constitutional monarchy. It is a developed country with the ninth highest nominal GDP in the world and high standard of living. It is a member of the United Nations, the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and the World Trade Organization. For this trip I chose 3 cities where we going to spend 5 days in each; Barcelona, Madrid and Seville.
Barcelona
Barcelona, the cosmopolitan capital of Catalonian region in Spain, is known for its art and architecture. The history of the city, features several Roman archaeological sites. The medieval roots of Barcelona are seen in the Gothic Quarter, which looks like a real labyrinth. The bustling central promenade, La Rambla, is filled with cafes. To the north of La Barceloneta, a beach neighborhood and seafood restaurants, the Parc de la Ciutadella is home to the Barcelona Zoo. The Parc Guell is a garden on a hilltop with colourful mosaics by Gaudí and panoramic views. From the funicular you go to the top of Montjuïc, where the Magic Fountain is the scene of music and light shows. The culinary scene, in which stands the La Boqueria market, offers elegant dining options to tapas bars. The vibrant nightlife is seen in El Born and Eixample.
Accommodation
The average price of an Arbnb in this island is around 100 euros but you can find prices from 16 euros per night.
Transportation
The best thing to do in this city is walking. In fact, this week post about Spain all the cities that I chose are good for just walking. However, you will need from times to time a help of some kind of transportation. Hola Barcelona Travel Card. Like most of the European cities, Barcelona as its combined tickets. They have for 2 (15 euros), 3 (22 euros), 4 (28.50 euros) and 5 days (35 euros). You can use your Hola Barcelona Travel Card at any time of day and get unlimited journeys from the first validation. The card is also valid for metro journeys from Barcelona Airport to the city centre and vice versa. Or you can just buy the single ticket, Integrated tickets and multi-journey tickets and bus tours and cable car. You can also get a Taxi or call an Uber. Renting a medium size car in Barcelona is around 20 euros for 5 days.
Attractions
This is my list for 5 days in Barcelona if you can go to all this places. I will start from the most important ones in case you don't have time to do them all.
1 - Sagrada Familia (Tickets 22 euros each).
2 - Park Güell (Tickets 7,30 euros each).
3 - Casa Milà (Tickets 34 euros each).
4 - Casa Batlló (Tickets 29,50 euros each).
5 - Catalunha Plaza
6 - La Boqueria
7 - Camp Nou
8 - Picasso Museum (Tickets 14 euros each).
9 - Montjuic Magic Fountain
10 - Parc de la Ciutadella
11 - Barcelona Cathedral
12 - Plaça d'Espanya
13 - Catalã Music Palace (Tickets 20 euros each).
14 - Palau Nacional (Tickets 14,20 euros each).
15 - Tibidabo Park (Tickets 28,50 euros each).
16 - Poble Espanyol (Tickets 16,10 euros each).
17 - Güell Palace (Tickets 12 euros each).
18 - Montjuïc Castle (Tickets 5 euros each).
19 - Monument to Colón (Tickets 8 euros each).
20 - Arc de Triomf
21 - Barcelona Aquarium (Tickets 20 euros each).
22 - Gaudí House Museum (Tickets 5,50 euros each).
23 - Port Vell
24 - Joan Miró Fundacion (Tickets 12 euros each).
25 - Santa Maria del Mar Church (Tickets 10 euros each).
26 - Barcelona Zoo (Tickets 21,40 euros each).
27 - Casa Vicens (Tickets 12 euros each).
28 - Liceu Theater (Tickets 16 euros each).
29 - Parc del Laberint d'Horta
30 - Temple Expiatori del Sagrat Cor
Photos of the Attractions
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Video by; Around The World 4K
Food
Pa Amb Tomàquet
You will not need to go after the famous "bread with tomatoes", it is very likely that he will show up again and again at the restaurants table where you will have lunch and dinner. The Pa Amb Tomàquet is nothing more than a slice loaf of bread, Italian type, toasted, in which a red tomato is rubbed and its smaller than the one used in the salads. You can also receive some type of inline as a complement.
Photo by; David Berkowitz
Escalivada
The Escalivada is a very healthy and typically Catalan delight. It is made with red pepper, aubergine and onion, pre-roasted in the ember and seasoned with olive oil and garlic. It can be served on a good piece of toasted bread, smeared with olive oil, or as accompaniment to a main course of meats or fish. It's usually served as a kind of appetizer before the meal.
Photo by; Emi Yañez
Coca de Recapte
The Cocas product its very typical of the Catalan cuisine. They are a kind of thinly sliced pie, almost like a pizza dough. Coca de Recapte is one of our favourites: on the dough, still raw, tomato sauce, onion, aubergine, roasted red and green peppers in the oven, and some salty fish (herrings or anchovies) are placed. Look for the Coca de Recapte in a good bakery.
Photo by; Slastic
Madrid
Madrid, the capital of Spain, located in the center of the country, is a city of elegant avenues and large and well-kept parks. It is famous for the rich collections of European art, among which are the works of Goya, Velázquez and other Spanish masters. In the 1970s, Madrid became the epicenter of La Movida, an energetic movement of artistic expression. El Rastro, a Sunday flea market, is in the medieval neighbourhood of La Latina, famous for its nightlife, theatre and tapas bars. Real Madrid, the city's main soccer team.
Accommodation
The average price of an Arbnb in this island is around 90 euros but you can find prices from 15 euros per night.
Transportation
You have 3 options of travel in a public transportation from Barcelona to Madrid. The first options is in a train, and the cheapest one takes 9h04m and the tickets for 2 adults is 84 euros. Second option is the cheapest one which is travelling on a bus. A ticket for 2 adults is 65 euros and it takes 7h35m. The third option and last one, also the fastest one, it's going in a plan, takes 1h25m, and the tickets for 2 adults is 84 euros. The public transportation in Madrid, which includes, metro, light rail/tram, buses and train, have a rechargeable card that was 6 options; single tickets and 10 trips by metro, single tickets, and 10 trips by light rail, 10 trips by urban bus of EMT, 10 trips of urban bus and other buses, 10 trips of suburban buses and tourism tickets. For this last one you can choose 1 day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 5 days, 6 days and 7 days. You can also get a Taxi or call an Uber. The rent a car for 5 days in a medium size car, costs from 20 euros.
Attractions
This is my list for 5 days in Madrid if you can go to all this places. I will start from the most important ones in case you don't have time to do them all.
1 - Madrid Royal Palace (Tickets 10 euros each).
2 - Prado Museum (Tickets 15 euros each).
3 - Parque de El Retiro
4 - Plaza Mayor
5 - Puerta del Sol
6 - Reina Sofía Nacional Museum Art Center (Tickets 8,90 euros each).
7 - Debod Temple
8 - São Miguel Market
9 - Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum (Tickets 12 euros each).
10 - Santa Maria a Real de Almudena Cathedral (Tickets 1 euro each).
11 - Santiago Bernabéu Stadium (Tickets from 18 euros each).
12 - Puerta de Alcalá
13 - Retiro Cristal Palace
14 - Rastro Market
15 - Las Ventas (Tickets 65 euros each).
16 - Plaza de España
17 - Plaza de Oriente
18 - Madrid Río
19 - National Archaeological Museum (Tickets 3 euros each).
20 - Casa de Campo
21 - Madrid Zoo (Tickets 23,55 euros each).
22 - Madrid Royal Botanic Garden
23 - Parque del Oeste
24 - Warner Park (Tickets 40,90 euros each).
25 - Sabatini Gardens
26 - Escorial Monastery (Tickets 10 euros each).
27 - Sorolla Museum (Tickets 3 euros each).
28 - Royal Theater (Tickets 7 euros each).
29 - Neptuno Fountain
30 - Campo del Moro
Photos of the Attractions
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Video by; esMADRIDtelevision
Food
Cocido Madrileño
The most famous typical dishes of Madrid is the stew. Being a very heavy dish, it goes well mainly for the cold days. Its main ingredients are meats (chicken, beef and pork - all mixed together), pasta, potatoes, chickpeas and other vegetables.
It can be served either as a single dish, or divided into three sub-dishes. In the latter case, the first part would be the soup, which is the broth resulting from the baking of all the ingredients. Then cooked vegetables are served, and finally the meats, which in traditional recipe takes the three types meat.
Photo by; Javier Lastras
Callos a la Madrileña
Another traditional dish of Madrid is the Callos a la Madrileña. The dish is prepared with guts, pork snout, onion, thyme, bay leaf, black pudding, chorizo, pieces of raw ham and pepper. It is very much served as "taking taste" in bars and restaurants, to serve with beer or wine.
Photo by; Javier Lastras
Caracoles a la Madrileña
The snails are also very traditional food in the city's cuisine. The dish is served mainly in the spring and is found in the bars, restaurant and tavernas.
Photo by; manuel m. v.
Seville
Seville is the capital region of Andalusia in the south of Spain. The city is famous for the flamenco dance, mainly in the district of Triana. Most of Seville's main monuments lie within the quiet old town. The medieval Jewish quarter of Santa Cruz features sinuous cobblestone alleys lined with orange groves. In the south, Los Remedios hosts the April Fair in Seville, a festival focused on gastronomy, sherry wine and flamenco dancing, held in colourful stalls alongside the Guadalquivir River.
Accommodation
The average price of an Arbnb in this island is around 80 euros but you can find prices from 16 euros per night.
Transportation
Once again to travel from Madrid to Seville you have the same options as you did in Barcelona to Madrid. Travelling by train, the cheapest one is 121 euros for 2 adults and it takes 2h38m. By bus which is again the cheapest method it takes 6h25m and the ticket for 2 adults its 50 euros. The fastest way is travelling on a plain. The ticket for 2 adults is 173 euros and it takes 1h05 minutes. In Seville, you have at your service, metro, bus and train as a public transportation. Its is possible to buy a ticket just for 1 journey, buy a rechargeable card with minimum 7 euros and max 50 euros, and the touristic cards for 1 day or 3 days. Or you can get a taxi or call an Uber. Renting a medium size car for 5 days its around 30 euros.
Attractions
This is my list for 5 days in Seville if you can go to all this places. I will start from the most important ones in case you don't have time to do them all.
1 - Real Alcazar de Sevilha (Tickets 11,50 euros each).
2 - Seville Cathedral (Tickets 9 euros each).
3 - Plaza de España
4 - Giralda
5 - Torre del Oro
6 - María Luisa Park
7 - Metropol Parasol
8 - Real Maestranza de Sevilha (Tickets 8 euros each).
9 - Indies General Archive
10 - Casa de Pilatos (Tickets 12 euros each).
11 - Isla Mágica (Tickets 35 euros each).
12 - Seville Fine Arts Museum (Tickets 1,50 each).
13 - Triana Bridge
14 - Flamenco Dance Museum (Tickets 10 euros each).
15 - La Alameda
16 - Santa Maria de las Cuevas Monastery (Tickets 3,01 euros each).
17 - Royal Tobacco Factory
18 - Lebrija Palace (Tickets 10 euros each).
19 - Plaza del Triunfo
20 - Iglesia del Salvador (Tickets 9 euros each).
21 - Seville Archaeological Museum (Tickets 1,50 each).
22 - Basílica de la Macarena
23 - Palácio de las Dueñas (Tickets 10 euros each).
24 - Hospital de los Venerables (Tickets 8 euros each).
25 - Jardin de Murillo
26 - Hospital de la Caridad (Tickets 8 euros each).
27 - Sevilla Arts and Traditions Museum (Tickets 1,50 euros each).
28 - Plaza Nueva
29 - Seville Aquarium (Tickets 15 euros each).
30 - Plaza de la Encarnación
Photos of the Attractions
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Video by; Condé Nast Traveler
Food
Gazpacho
A very typical dish of Seville in the summer months, consists of a cold soup made with various vegetables, usually tomatoes, red or green peppers, cucumber, garlic and bread. For its preparation all the ingredients are crushed, to which they are added, little by little, olive oil, vinegar and water. It is a dish that is served cold. It is usually placed in individual plates or bowls of clay, accompanied by some garnish of stumbles, or slices of toast.
Photo by; Boca Dorada
Pescaito Frito
Fried fish is one of the dishes that we can try in most bars and restaurants as in the freidurias that you can find in Seville where they usually serve them in a paper cone.
For this dish, small fish with little spines are used, such as anchovies, acedias, red mullet, chimney or mackerel. You can add some molluscs such as squid, cut choco chopped or several marinade fish.
It is a simple dish that consists of flouring the fish and frying it in very hot and abundant olive oil, adding only salt.
It is served freshly made, very hot, and is usually also taken as an appetizer.
Photo by; Javier Leiva
Cazón en Adobo
The adobe dogfish is one of the most classic dishes that can be found in many bars and restaurants in Seville and consists of a fried white meat fish, previously marinated with several species and then pass it through flour before frying it in plenty of oil.
The best way to have it is freshly fried and it is very typical to drink with a cold beer.
Photo by; Fernando Medina
And that's it for this week blog. I hope I could be any help if you're planing to travel in Spain! I hope you have very nice travels! :D
Joana Ribeiro Sabino
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