by Wendy
This is part 3 of my series on one week itineraries (nine days counting both weekends) in Spain. The third Spain trip took place in 2013 and was very special, since my parents were going with us! They had never been before, so we designed an itinerary with them in mind. This evolved over several conversations as we researched logistics and available hotels. We debated including Cadaques, or exploring Rioja, but thought we’d have to skip the Andalusia region as a result. A week itinerary does require some very tough choices! So we ultimately decided to include Madrid (again, easy to fly into and all-around all-star city), keep Andalusia but visit Cordoba (a new city for me and Jack), Valencia (must-see Spanish coast and another new city for me and Jack), Barcelona (Gaudi of course), then back to Madrid for the weekend.

Madrid – Cordoba – Valencia – Barcelona – Madrid

We rented a car right after we landed in Madrid and drove a couple hours south to Cordoba. This works OK – but note that you’ll need some stamina not to fall asleep during the drive. Be kind to those navigating and buy them caffeine. We all collapsed into naps when we got to the hotel.

There was a minute when we first arrived in Cordoba when I worried if Spain was going to feel as magical as our first and second visits. We had talked it up so much to my parents, and I knew expectations were high. Would they be able to see why we loved traveling here so much?

Again, I worried about that for about a minute.

We happened to arrive in Cordoba during a big festival. You’ve heard of Christmas in July? This was Easter Holy Week style parades in September. Semana Santa festivals are very popular throughout Spain and from what we could understand, the odd timing was an effort to attract tourism in the off-season. It was pretty intense. Crowds of people gathering in the narrow streets to catch glimpses of the religious scenes on floats supported by what looked like 8-10 men underneath. Loud brass bands, solemn young adults in uniforms walking with five foot tall candles or passing out holy cards, priests and altar boys praying at designated stops, spectators reaching out to touch the gilded floats. As the night wore on, the revelers stayed up late in outdoor cafes having tapas and drinks. The whole event was unexpected for us – and the perfect beginning to an amazing trip.

The next day we hit some of the popular spots in Cordoba: the Mezquita cathedral, the ancient Roman bridge, the Alcazar fortress with lush, gorgeous gardens. We walked through narrow streets and charming courtyards. We had tapas dinners with one delicious plate after another.

We woke early the next day to drive about 6 hours to Valencia. This was a little longer of a trip than preferred, but it went fine. Spain has great scenery and we were all impressed by the gas stations equipped with clean bathrooms, sundry store and snack bar with fresh food options.

We stayed at the best hotel of the trip in Valencia – on the beach, with pools, where we could catch our breath a little before hitting the two big cities of Barcelona and Madrid. The day we arrived, we went straight to the shore after checking into our rooms. A bright blue sky, warm sand and salty ocean are very restorative. The following morning, we took a short taxi ride downtown to see the Valencia Cathedral and what many people claim is the Holy Grail! The cathedral building and artwork has a lot historical significance – things I would have overlooked just walking around – so I recommend the audio guide. We had a nice morning and afternoon of wandering the busy streets before going back to the beach for a lazy evening.

As we drove to Barcelona the next day, we made one detour to Montserrat – a monastery, church, and museum way up in the mountains. It is really beautiful. The drive up is a bit harrowing, with tons of switchback roads and steep drops to one side of the road. Even though there’s a guard rail, it still feels scary! What’s funny is that as the car began to climb up the mountain road, we suddenly heard saintly sounding music from the radio – the signal must have automatically picked up the local choir boys concert. The views at the top were stunning, and we walked around enjoying the fresh air. The place was way more crowded than we expected, with a barely moving line of people waiting for a close look at the famous statue of the Virgin Mary of Montserrat. We could see it from the ground level of the church, so we were content to sit quietly in prayer for a few minutes before driving on to Barcelona, where we finally said adios to the rental car.

We had to include Barcelona in the itinerary with my parents, because of the genuis architecture of Antoni Gaudi. My parents were as awed as we were by the Sagrada Familia Basilica (I describe this in more detail in the itinerary #2 post). Jack and I were grateful for another opportunity to visit this remarkable structure. In fact, we really want to go back once the construction is finally completed. We sprung for a tower tour this time, taking an elevator up for brand new views and then walking down hundreds of winding steps to the ground floor.

Barcelona has several houses designed by Gaudi that you can tour, or just marvel at the facade (they are unique). We checked out Casa Batllo, located blocks north of the vibrant Las Ramblas. Originally the residence of a wealthy textile merchant, it is now a museum open to the public. Loved it. All the typical Gaudi color and weird designs and imaginative architecture – if I had the choice between living in a palace and this place, I’d choose Casa Batllo.

On our last night in Barcelona, we had an unforgettable time at Monvinic, the coolest wine restaurant we’d ever been to and a place that really deserves a post of its own. Very stylish without being pretentious. The servers are really knowledgeable and accommodating. The food is exceptional, beautifully prepared and presented. The wine list is vast – you are given an iPad to browse and read about the many choices. If you are into wine, you will flip over this place. We’re so appreciative to my parents for treating us to this phenomenal dinner!

We had a lovely breakfast of churros and spent a little time checking out stores on Las Ramblas (me and Mom) and wandering around Barri Gotic, or gothic quarter (Jack and Dad) before taking a high speed train back to Madrid early Friday afternoon. If you’ve read earlier Spain posts, you know Madrid is one of my favorite cities. We wanted my parents to love it too, so over the weekend we spotlighted some of our city favorites – the Mercado de San Miguel, El Chaparrito Mexican restaurant, the Plaza Mayor, the Reina Sofia, the old barrio Catholic Church where I’ve gone to weekend Mass during previous trips to Madrid. We did enjoy a new gem: Restaurant Botin, known as the oldest restaurant in the world! This historic and busy spot (make reservations) is famous for its suckling pig dish. If that’s not your thing, the gazpacho soup was delicious too.

Wonderful trip, in wonderful company. I wish all of my family had been there with us. I had been through a bit of a challenge over the summer and the whole trip felt therapeutic. Travel has this effect on me – especially travel with my husband and family!

A week-long trip to Spain. Such a small time period but such a big impact! Of course, visiting Spain for three weeks does not make me an expert. Far from it, but that’s not the point of these posts. Of course I wish I could visit for longer. But I think the important thing is to make time for travel – and find your inspiration where/when/how it makes sense to you. A great trip means different things for everyone. A week in Europe, weekend camping in the woods, a cruise, a summer beach house, taking photos of the most touristy of the tourist sites, backpacking through Asia, a day trip to the country, a safari, staying at the Four Seasons in a big city, or taking an afternoon to explore a new neighborhood. If you have some fun, if it makes you appreciative, if it results in good stories, if you can kick back with your family, if it teaches you, if it makes you feel alive, if it makes you feel like you’re where you’re supposed to be – Well Done!

Special thanks to Dad and Jack for taking the awesome photos I’ve used in the various Spain posts!

Hotel info
Eurostars Patios – Cordoba, Spain
Great hotel – would love to stay here again. More charm than you can shake a stick at. Picturesque street, perfect location. Helpful, friendly staff. This hotel has actual Roman ruins on the property, so be sure to explore the courtyards and downstairs level (there is a glass floor where you can view the ruins beneath your feet). The Clandestine Bar next door is cool. Walking distance to many sites and great restaurants. Comfortable, clean rooms with decent sized bathrooms. Check out the cute “Hollywood” theme pillow menu. Breakfast buffet was a deal and totally delicious (breads, ham, eggs, fruit, cheese, coffee, juice, pastries). Good assortment of toiletries.

Las Arenas Balneario – Valencia, Spain
We had initial doubts about staying at this place as opposed to downtown Valencia. However, we LOVED this hotel. This is a 5 star hotel that lives up to the ranking. Beautiful, glamorous, Grecian-style design. There was some kind of mild vapor you see in discreet corners lightly perfuming the lobby. Pretty terrace, cool blue pools, comfortable places to sunbathe and order a refreshing mojito. Our room had that annoying twin beds-pushed together to make one double bed thing – but they were so comfortable we did not care. Luxurious bathroom with great toiletries. The oasis that is this hotel makes up for the neighborhood being kind of a dud – not too many restaurants nearby and kind of desolate, but maybe it’s hopping during summer. Luckily the on-site Brasserie Sorolla was delicious, with friendly staff and outdoor seating. You can also grab a taxi for a short ride into the city. A brief walk down a sandy stretch leads to the Mediterranean sea. We noticed eccentric drum circles playing near the beach boardwalks at night – not scary or anything, just strange for duration and the fact that there were two (one kind of hippy looking, and one more traditional brass band sound). Don’t know what that was about!

NH Barcelona Calderon – Barcelona, Spain
Nothing wrong with this place. It was a decently priced, comfortable room with slightly outdated decor and friendly staff. Awesome location. We really liked the rooftop pool area with amazing views of the city (and the spires of Sagrada Familia).

Hotel Vincci Soho – Madrid, Spain
Nothing wrong with this place either. Small but perfectly serviceable room. Chic lobby and courtyard area where we were given a complimentary drink. GREAT location. You can walk to the main plazas and you’re surrounded by cool bars and restaurants. It is close to one of my husband’s favorite bars: “Fin de siglo” or End of the century. It is a proper hole in the wall spot with dim lighting, sparse furniture but generous pours. Jack imagines it to be a spot Orwell or Hemingway might have visited- and I can see it too.