Spain 🇪🇸

shellyvix
Mar 3
7 min read

10 Days: Madrid, Salamanca, Sevilla, Granada & Valencia

HOTEL (4 nights)

Hotel Indigo Madrid - Princesa 19,500/night (took advantage of IHG's 4th night free). A boutique hotel set in downtown Madrid in the Moncloa Argüelles area, a 10 minute walk of Torre de Madrid and Plaza de Espana. The hotel is ideally situated within 2km of other top attractions that Madrid has to offer such as Plaza Mayor and Royal Palace.

DAY 1: MADRID

We started the day with breakfast at Billy Brunch in the Chueca neighborhood, popular with the LGBTQ+ community and great for shopping. Afterwards, we walked to Retiro Park which traces back to the 17th century when it was a private space for the Spanish monarchy - and later opened to the public. From there, we headed to the Prado Museum to view famous works by Goya, El Greco, Velasquez and one by Picasso. For dinner, we stopped at Wimi Sushi for Sienna's favorite, all-you-can-eat sushi. This place was packed and we learned why!

DAY 2: MADRID

We are in Spain to visit universities, so we started out the day with an excellent breakfast at Santa Gloria Coffee and Bakery, a block from out hotel and then walked to nearby Universidad Complutense Madrid. This university traces its origins back to the 13th century when King Sancho IV of Castilla founded a school on the banks of the river 'Compluto.' We hopped in a Cabify and headed to the Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (Getafe Campus).

After the campus visits, we explored my favorite street in Madrid, Calle Cava Baja, located in La Latina neighborhood and an excellent place for tapa hopping. Add La Perejila Vinos y Tapas to your list! We arrived just before the rush and were soon packed in and enjoying all the action.

Botín, founded in 1725, is the oldest restaurant in the world according to the Guinness World Records and a benchmark of the finest traditional cuisine in Madrid.

Their cast-iron, wood-fired stove has been continuously in use for 300 years!

To eat here, make a reservation months in advance. It was August and they were booked through the first week in October.

We walked 17,000+ steps in 100° heat, exploring Plaza Mayor, Mercado de San Miguel (for more tapas), Puerta del Sol and finally, Museo de Reina Sofia where we took in many of Picasso's works, including Guernica, some Salvador Dali, and a few Diego Rivera.

DAY 3: MADRID

Our last day in Madrid involved more walking. We started with breakfast at The Fix, headed to the Temple of Debod, walked to the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral and cooled off inside a pub to escape the 103° temps. In the afternoon, we explored the thrift stores in the Malasaña neighborhood.

DAY 4 & 5: SALAMANCA

We took the high-speed train from Madrid to Salamanca (1.5 hours for €26). Salamanca is approximately 2,700 years old, with its origins tracing back to the first Iron Age. The city's history began with settlers near the San Vicente area, on the banks of the Tormes River.

The main attraction is the University of Salamanca, one of the oldest in Europe, founded in 1218 by Alfonso IX of León. The facade of the Escuelas Mayores and the incredible history of the buildings and occupants are well worth the visit. While Columbus was lobbying the King and Queen for a contract to seek out a western route to the Indies, he made his case to a council of geographers at the University of Salamanca.

Salamanca is very easy to navigate. Aside from the university, some of the top sites are: Plaza Mayor, Old Town, Frog of Salamanca, Casa de las Conchas, Clerecía, Salamanca Cathedral and the Roman Bridge.

HOTEL (2 nights)

Sercotel Las Torres $75/night for a balcony room overlooking the Plaza Mayor, and steps away from absolutely everything.

DAY 6 & 7: SEVILLA

We took the high speed Ave train south to Sevilla (5 hours for €78) and continue to be impressed by the transportation system throughout Spain. It's very easy to navigate, efficient, effective and so well-connected! It was Sienna's 17th birthday, so we celebrated with rooftop drinks at sunset, followed by La Bartola for excellent tapas and sangria. We couldn't have chosen a better place to celebrate than the stunning city of Sevilla, which has already stolen both our hearts!

The following day, we had breakfast at Jester Coffee & Juices and headed to all the main sites:

Plaza de España - a massive and iconic semicircular complex representing Spanish provinces located in Maria Luisa Park
Catedral de Sevilla - the largest Gothic cathedral in the world which houses the tombs of Christopher Columbus and his son Diego
La Giralda - the bell tower
Alcazar Palace Complex - historic royal palace and one of the official residences of the Spanish royal family
Plaza de Toros - largest and most important arena for bullfighting
Toro de Oro - built on the Río Guadalquivir, the second-longest river in Spain

In exploring the Universidad de Sevilla, we determined it is our first choice, as Sevilla is culturally rich (tapa bars, flamenco, Moorish and Roman architecture, bull fights, wine, olives, cathedrals, Semana Santa), perfectly located (close to beaches, Portugal and a short speed train to Madrid) and very walkable - not to mention full of friendly and helpful people.

HOTEL (2 nights)

Ocean Drive Sevilla 13,750 points/night for a deluxe balcony that overlooks Las Setas, constructed with 3,500 pieces of Finnish spruce glulam, a material chosen not only for its unique aesthetic design, but also sustainability. Las Setas is the largest wooden structure in the world. If you are in Sevilla, I highly recommend this property, located in the center of all the major sites.

DAY 8: GRANADA

We woke up early for our 8am train from Sevilla to Granada (3 hours for €113) with a transfer in Cordóba. We've been using Uber and Cabify throughout our trip and this was the first time we had a 20 minute wait for pickup, likely because it was only 7am, but yikes, we blew into the station with only 12 minutes to takeoff.

Taxi Tip: in Granada, I asked the hotel reception to call a cab when Uber wanted $260 for a 5:30 am pickup to the train station, only 10 minutes away. The cab arrived immediately and the fare was $9. Local cabs use meters, so the price is often better than Uber - and you can pay with a credit card. We haven't used cash for anything on this entire trip.

Upon arrival, we walked to trendy Massay Cafeteria for breakfast near the Granada train station before checking into our hotel and admiring the view from our rooftop. After getting acquainted, we headed to el centro for tapas. We love tapas culture and in Granada there's an added bonus - when you order a drink, you get a free tapa. We enjoyed people watching at Vinoteca with free albóndigas (meatballs) and ordered a few more items that arrived on one plate to share.

After eating, we walked 30 minutes uphill to Sacromonte, a cute village settled by the Romani after the Christian conquest in 1492 with whitewashed cave houses and views of the Alhambra. The Romani are known for flamenco dancing and were famously portrayed by poet Federico García Lorca in his book of poems, Romancero. One of the six neighborhoods that make up Albayzín, located on the hillside and in the valley of Valparaíso, Sacromonte occupies both banks of the Darro River.

DAY 9: GRANADA

We spent the morning exploring the Alhambra, one of the most famous monuments of Islamic architecture and one of the best-preserved palaces of the historic Islamic world. You will need to purchase tickets for this attraction prior to arriving because they sell out.

ALHAMBRA FACTS

Begun in 1238 by Muhammad I Ibn al-Ahmar, it features palaces, courtyards, gardens, and the Alcazaba
Built on the Sabika hill, an outcrop of the Sierra Nevada
Most significant construction took place in the 14th century during the reigns of Yusuf I and Muhammad V
After the Christian Reconquista in 1492, the site became the Royal Court of Ferdinand and Isabella (where Christopher Columbus received royal endorsement for his expedition)
Washington Irving's Tales of the Alhambra (1832) brought international attention

From the Alhambra, we walked to The Royal Chapel of Granada, the burial place of the Spanish monarchs, Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand, the Catholic Monarchs. Like many other cathedrals in Andalusia, it was built on top of the city's main mosque after the reconquest of Granada. It took 181 years to build and it is massive!

We spent our last sunset over the Sierra Nevadas on our hotel rooftop listening to live music and admiring the views and the vibe.

HOTEL (3 nights)

Barceló Carmen Granada $106/night for a double room with a gorgeous rooftop with a small pool, restaurant, views of the Alhambra, and live music for sunset over the Sierra Nevadas. The location is excellent - walkable to all the sites, surrounded by shops, restaurants and a grocery store for travel snacks and delicious $3 Spanish wine.

DAY 10 & 11: VALENCIA

Our train departed Granada just after 6 am (transfer in Madrid) and arrived in Valencia at 1:30 pm (5 hours for €85). We walked 20 minutes in the blazing heat to our hotel, did laundry nearby and, when it cooled off, explored Old Town and enjoyed paella and sangria for dinner. The main plaza is gorgeous at night!

The following morning, we had breakfast at Charlotte and headed to the City of Arts and Sciences, a modern cultural and entertainment centre designed by the renowned architect Santiago Calatrava. We took a Cabify to Malvarosa Beach and had a drink and a snack at Casa Zaragoza, a beachfront eatery. It has been so hot, we've spent the afternoons relaxing in our air-conditioned accommodations and preferred exploring at night. Valencia is very walkable and there are great neighborhoods with restaurants and plazas full of families enjoying life.

We are sad to leave Spain tomorrow morning. What an incredible country of awesome people, gorgeous cities, incredible sites, delicious food, and low prices! We are off to France to meet up with Toy and Lexi for our next adventure!

HOTEL (2 nights)

Casual del Cine Valencia $99/night for a double room on Convento San Francisco 7.

GETTING THERE

We start all trips off with a visit to the Priority Pass MSP Lounge where we receive $15 vouchers per person to be used on food and drink. Sign up for the Venture X card for free access.

We booked the following one-way tickets using Chase Points that we transferred to Virgin Atlantic to arrive Madrid and depart Amsterdam: