When I travel in Spain, and anywhere else in the world, I take a tour. Better yet if it’s a private guided tour. I delight in hearing details and quirky anecdotes about the place I’m in, which a good guide provides.While package tours are perfect for those with limited time, “Untours” are the ideal option for travelers staying in Spain for two weeks or more, who want a more in-depth experience in the country. An …
Author: Regina Winkle-Bryan
Heading out to see autumn’s arrival on the landscape is not a popular pastime in Catalonia, Spain, despite the fact that there is plenty to see on the trees come November. During the fall, seasonal tourism has more to do with searching out delectable mushrooms in northern forests and hunting than admiring the way the leaves turn. Low season in northern Catalonia, autumn is an ideal time to find a deal on hotels, avoid crowds, …
Famous Historic Trail : El Camino de Santiago-
Multi-day hike
This is by far Spain’s most famous trekking trail. There are many paths leading to Santiago’s famous cathedral, which is considered to be one of the most holy sites in Christendom. There’s the English Trail, which hugs the northern coastline, the Portuguese Trail from the south, and even a water route arriving by sea and river. The most famed of the Santiago trails is El …
What comes to mind when you hear the words organic wine? A dollar sign? A better quality product? Something exclusive? A new trend? More please? In my case I thought of the adjectives ‘sustainable’ and then quickly ‘expensive’, because many times organic is more pricey. Paying more, I expect a tastier, superior product, which then led me to wonder: Does wine from organic grapes taste better than other, ‘traditionally’ farmed grapes?
According to Alex …
While Spain is not quite up to Northern European standards when it comes to eco-savvy stays, the country does have some very hip, quirky, cool lodging options for those who want to go green.
First Choice: Cabanes als Arbres
Into the Treetops!
There are a multitude of tree-house hotels around the globe, but Cabanes als Arbres is the first ever on the Iberian Peninsula. The environmentally-friendly ‘hotel’ is fairly new, having opened up just a …
Giving back while getting away, or voluntourism, is becoming increasingly popular. During the last nine years I’ve spent abroad, I’ve had many chances to volunteer in schools, cities, and with regional wildlife, and have always had a richer experience because of it. There’s no shortage of organizations that need support, and choosing the right one can be overwhelming. If you’re after a hands-on experience in an exceptional destination, keep these voluntourism options in mind.…
Why Less is More on the Balearic Islands
At just eighteen kilometers total from tip to tip, Formentera looks like a boomerang being tossed off the south-eastern coast of Spain. It is nothing more than a croissant crumb on the world map, and though most people have heard of rockin’ Ibiza or artsy Mallorca, Formentera usually draws a ‘Where’s that?’ when mentioned. The answer to that telling question is nowhere. There’s not much going down …
Bike sharing has exploded all over Europe in the last ten years or so. Now more than ever, it’s easy to sightsee on two wheels in many Western European cities where infrastructure for cyclists has been much improved. Next time you’re in Copenhagen or Barcelona, forget the Segway and rent yourself a classic cycle to get around town.
Copenhagen, Denmark:
In central Copenhagen 55% of the population rides to work each day and 37% …
Maybe it’s the fact that I’m from the western United States. Or maybe it’s because of growing up in a throw-way generation of disposable everything and pre-fab houses, but here in Spain, and in Europe in general, I am impressed by what is ancient and still relevant. 1,000-year old buildings are no biggy for Europeans, but in my eyes they are wonders. How can they still be standing? And as is the case with many …
Barcelona is an expensive city where museum tickets, meals, tours, and taxi rides add up fast. Here are some local tips for saving big time on sightseeing in one of Europe’s most dazzling destinations.
1-Free Runner Bean Tours:
This is a new tour concept in the city offering up free tours of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter and Antoni Gaudí hot spots. Your guide, who gives the tour in English a couple times a day, is paid …
Northern Spain gets chilly from December to March. Sure, it’s not Berlin, but there is snow on the Pyrenees and the good people of Barcelona are wearing their most stylish winter coats. In northeastern Spain, Catalonia is gushing with hot spots where water, wine and relaxation promise to cure whatever ails you and warm up frosty fingers. Soaking it up in hot springs is nothing new in the region, and many current balnearis and spas …
In the morning for breakfast a café con leche and a croissant is the standard, after lunch a quick cortado, and maybe an espresso in the evening for a little something to tide the hungry over until dinner time. Café culture is an intricate part of Barcelona residents’ socializing and snacking routine and the city has limitless options for a caffeine fix. Standing at the bar or sitting at a smoky table is inevitably the …
Hidden in the Baztan Valley near the southwestern French border and a few miles away from the pristine shores of the Bay of Biscay, sits a little village with a big secret. Removed from the bustle of the Basque Country’s San Sebastian and the glitz of Biarritz, Zugarramurdi is a tranquil town where not too much has happened in the last four-hundred years.
This lush area of Navarra is an ideal blend of French, Spanish …