Spain 2009Favorite discoveries or tips: We really enjoyed visiting La Oliva in Granada. Small store, sells wine, olive oil, ham, etc. The owner takes pride in his work, enjoys letting you do tastings of what he sells. We sat down and tried 8 different olive oils. Owner is Francisco Lillo, C/ Rosario, 9- 18009 Granada Donna in Charleston, SC USA 09/24/2008 Rick, I simply want to thank you for recommending Jose of Pepitotours for a tour guide in Barcelona. I contacted him and he offered a wonderful 4 hour tour of the city. It was well worth the money and much more enjoyable than the shore excursions our cruise ship offered. He is truly a great guide. Thanks for the tip. Marianne Niesen in Helena, MT USA 08/26/2008 Booking AVE tickets in advance on-line will get you big savings. A one-way ticket Barcelona to Madrid, regular price is 124.30 euro, bought 62 days in advance (maximum advance) cost 49.75 euro. Michelle Strub in Calgary, AB Canada 08/13/2008 Used Pricelines bidding options (Name Your Own Price)for hotels in Madrid and Sevilla. Placed in 4 star business hotels for under $100 (US) per room. Powerful AC and baths were the chief advantages of this option - especially in July at 104 F. Street festival in Triana (Sevilla) last week of July was awesome. Tents along the river run by varous restaurants with super selection of fresh seasfood tapas, vino verano, beer and an amatuer Flamenco contest for local children. Tim English in Atlanta, GA USA 08/12/2008 We took the ferry out of Tarifa to Tangiers. That was a fantastic experience, in part because of our excellent guide,Amhed Ghioue. His phone numbers are 039322449 or 063037566. He speaks excellent English and loves to educate his charges in the culture of his beloved Tangier. He also seems to know everyone and is obviously respected in his community. He was well worth his fee and he stayed with us all day long. The restaurant he took us to in the Kasbah served us the best meal we had on our entire trip. Patti Hine in Yucca Valley, CA USA 08/05/2008 El Corte Ingles' basement markets (both Madrid and Sevilla) were a great source for picnic dinners - - excellent selection, economical and avoiding the need to wait for a late dinner to be served. The rooftop terrance at Hotel Amadeus in Sevilla was a superb place for picnic dinners! Bob Lata in Paso Robles, CA USA 07/25/2008 in cordoba: Hotel Serrano Benito Perez Galdos, 6 telephone: 957-47-01-42 web: cordobahotelserrano.com about 2 or 3 blocks from train station, room includes breakfast, VERY clean, internet in lobby, elevator, air conditioning in rooms, in room bathroom/shower/tub. spainsh style hotel rooms, yet roomy (for spain;) our family stays there whenever we are in town and i highly recommend it. Lisa J. Rodriguez in New Kensington , PA USA 07/19/2008 Restaurants we enjoyed in Barcelona were Restaurante La Gloria, in Barri Gothic area and Cafe de l'Opera on the Ramblas. In Madrid we had early dinners at Restaurant Lope de Vega near the Prado. Benito was really kind and spoke to our daughter in Spanish. Nearby, we ate at Bar Roda. They had excellent tortilla espanola. Linda Cramb in Jaffrey, NH USA 07/08/2008 Yes. Chris Seger in Indianapolis, IN USA 07/07/2008 If anyone is planning to walk to Parc Guell in Barcelona I would advise against this. It is a very long walk, hilly, and there is road construction where you would begin the trek. Take the bus! The parc is awesome and should not be missed. Susan Jennings USA 06/30/2008 The public transport in Madrid, Barcelona and Toledo was very easy to use. I am including Buses, metros and even the taxies. As noted in the guide El Corte Ingles department store is your friend-cheap water, snacks, wine..etc. Mitch Heinemann in Frisco, TX USA 06/28/2008 Madrid: Laundry Onda Blu still there, free soap, but you don't put the coins in the machine, there is a central control at the back. Madrid Metro: Ticket vending machines have English! Easy to use, but watch out for gypsies - see my other comment. Madrid Hotel: Stayed at Hostel Cruz Sol, on Plaza Santa Cruz, steps from Plaza Mayor. $55 Euro, free internet, excellent value and location. Train: I got great deals on AVE fares by buying on the Internet 60 days ahead - "Web Fares" are 60% off, but are limited in number, so you have to buy very early, as soon as the tickets open up for sale. Water: Drank tap water everywhere we could - no problem. Driving: Big new roads great, old cities, hell! Car Rental: I used Malagacar.com, great rates, all insurance included, they don't care about scratches and dents - in fact they said "go ahead a put a few more on the car, we don't care!" Food: This country seems to live on ham and cheese sandwiches! David Truman in Langley, BC Canada 06/21/2008 From about June 5 onward sitting in parks during the daytime (from about 3pm-8pm) is unpleasant due to the constant shooting off of firecrackers by young boys. Apparently this is "early celebration" for Corpus Christi Day? Sadly, all of the fountains throughout the city have been off since March of 2007. They may be turned on sometime in June if more rain comes. This does impact the beauty of the many city squares, etc. Lack of flowers is also due to lack of rain. Sally Hirschheim in Baton Rouge, LA USA 06/13/2008 If you are driving in Spain, and plan to do so in large cities, buy road and street maps in the U. S. or your country of origin. It will be very helpful in navigating the streets since Spaniards are not always very precise in their directions. We loved the unusual types of food and dared to try them as much as possible. We particularly enjoyed gazpachos, rabo de toro, calamares, croquetas and octopus, for dessert, arroz con leche or cuajada, for snacks, mazapanes. Spaniards walk a lot, we loved it. Spaniards also smoke a lot, sometimes it was difficult to find a non smoking restaurant. Marcia, Jaime, and Two Children in Rochester, NY USA 06/07/2008 Granada: Hotel Puerta de las Granadas: Modern, efficient hotel with very friendly & helpful management. Free internet and hot drinks. On Cuesta Gomerez en route to Alhambra, 50 m from Plaza Nueva. URL: http://www.hotel-puertadelasgranadas.com Ashwin Honkan in Pune, India 06/05/2008 We are just back from Barcelona. In addition to the usual sights such as Casa Mila, Parc Guell is fantastic. Bocqueria Market is a must visit. Susan Jennings in Atlanta, Ga USA 05/31/2008 Lynda Wiseman lynda@rlwiseman.com 215.833.2440 Lynda Wiseman in Langhorne, PA USA 05/27/2008 For older travelers or those with mobility limitations, I recommend Barcelona or Sevilla for ease of travel. Some venues give discounts or free entry for those with proof of age over 65. The Alcazar in Seville was free for us oldsters. Passport or driver's license. Our RS tour enjoyed a thrilling traditional flamenco show in Seville. As a place to study/learn Spanish I would choose Seville. The accent there is closer to the Latin American accent than in other regions of Spain. Swan in Napa, CA USA 05/27/2008 In Tarifa, the FRS ferry to Tangier has a special tour promotion. For 56e/per person, you get round trip crossing on the ferry, plus a tour guide/bus transportation, a wonderful sit-down meal with music, plus plenty of time to shop. The round trip fare alone is about 55e, so this promotion is wonderful! Dan NJ USA 05/18/2008 While in Madrid, to download digital photos to a CD or DVD, try the Locutorio Sion Telcom at #14 Calle de la Cruz. This is between Plaza de la Puerta del Sol and Plaza de Santa Ana. Alex, the proprietor, was very helpful. Very reasonable prices for Internet access also. To contact Alex for further information, his e-mail address is alexnick17@hotmail.com. Thanks to your book, Mr. Steves, we had a great trip. Sean Dolan Sean Dolan in Long Beach, CA USA 05/15/2008 Don't hesitate to book your reservations at either the Santa Isabel in Toledo or the Los Pastores in Ronda. Two very nice places to stay. Both towns are clean and fun to visit. We took our 15 year old granddaughter over there just last week for her upcoming 16th birthday, and we all had a blast. The people of Spain were so considerate and very helpful at all times. Dale Peterson in Stillwater, MN USA 05/10/2008 Loved Tangier!! But Rick, please give better guidelines on how to pick a guide. We were virtually accosted by potential guides as we got off the boat, some claiming to be officials from the tourist office. Once we got someone who didn't seem to be quite so aggressive, I didn't really know the appropriate questions to ask. We told our guide we weren't interested in the snake charmers or camel rides, and wanted to see how the people live and the culture. He still took us to a carpet shop and souvenir shop and tried to push us to go to a restaurant you said was extremely touristy. He also gave an initial price of 50 Euros at first; I told him you said it would cost 15, we compromised at 20 (for 2-3 hours) but I still wonder if we got ripped off? His English seemed good but he didn't answer a lot of our questions - not sure if this was a language issue, a cultural difference or he didn't know the answers but didn't want to say so. If I had it to do over again I would arrange ahead of time with the guide Rick recommends. BUT, it is good we didn't do that because the ferry got cancelled due to bad weather on the day we had originally planned to go. Still, despite feeling out of our element with the guide situation, Tangier was the highlight of our trip. The Saveur de la Medeterranee restaurant was FABULOUS! Ellen Canada 05/09/2008 Dear Rick Steves, We just returned from two weeks in Spain, which we were visiting for the first time. We greatly enjoyed and benefited from your guidebook Spain 2008, as we did a few years ago from your guidebook to Eastern Europe. We went to Barcelona, Cuenca, Madrid, Córdoba, Grenada, and Sevilla. We also have many observations that might be added. Instead of filling out a questionnaire, it is simpler to provide them in two sections: survival Spanish, and cities. We hope some of these remarks may be useful to other travelers. We realize that we may at times be repeating material that we missed in your book, although it was in there somewhere. Survival Spanish (supplement): Entrance fees. Although discounts are nearly always reserved for citizens of states in the European Union, Americans 65 or over (“jubilados”) can occasionally get a discount, or even get in free. You must show your passport or driver’s license to qualify, in any event. For trains, you need a Senior Card, which has to be applied for and obtained in advance at a special office, etc. (passport-sized photo required). Professors (including secondary school teachers), if they have an official employee ID, may also sometimes qualify, but normally, under similar restrictions. For brief visits, it’s not worth the trouble. Food. Unless you’ve lived in Spain for months, spend several weeks in advance studying up on Spanish foods, or always ask for a menu in English. You can’t imagine some of the things they eat; on some menus we saw, all but one or two of the meat dishes were organ meats, bones, cheeks, testicles, and the like. There are many false cognates. Lists of foods in Spanish phrasebooks (including Rick Steeves) are completely inadequate for such situations, and many of the dishes are very heavy and greasy. Maps. The city maps that are graciously distributed free by hotels and TI (Tourist Information Centers) are very helpful, but smaller streets may be omitted; the angles at which the streets join may not be shown accurately; and, most important, the superimposed icons indicating major monuments, museums, and churches are often printed backward, or a block or two out of place, or both. Don’t rely on those icons to find your way. Boulevards and green spaces may not be shown. Also, some streets may change their name every block or two (“Las Ramblas” in Barcelona, with at least six different names, are a prime example). Money: making payments. Credit card (tarjeta [de crédito]) sales are a nuisance for merchants, who also lose money on the fees charged by the card companies. Although merchants are very gracious about accepting payment by card (Visa is most commonly taken), some hotels or museums will insist on payment in cash, and some merchants will not accept credit card payments for smaller amounts (in our experience, ranging from 16 to 60 euros). Carry enough cash just in case. If you don’t see a credit card icon for your card type outside an establishment, always ask before ordering or purchasing: “¿Se puede pagar con tarjeta?” Money: thieves. A money belt is essential, but you don’t want to have to rummage inside your clothes all the time (revealing the presence and the location of your money belt). Because any pocket can easily be picked, try keeping smaller sums for the day’s activity inside a deep, inner jacket pocket, preferably zipped or buttoned—and zip up the jacket at least partway. The disadvantage: it’s hot. Money: tips. One euro ($1.60 at the time we write this) is often too much for cabbies or for waiters who’ve just served you a snack, or who clear your table after a continental breakfast. Keep a collection of 50 cent pieces with you, as well as one-euro coins for the subways (although a discount ticket that gives you ten rides is better). Politeness. I think that a one- or two-page section devoted to this topic should added, indexed, highlighted, and included in the initial table of contents of Rick Steeves’s book. Some examples: use the courtesy title (explain the concept); use “Señorita” for women you don’t know; if they want to be called “Señora,” it’s o.k., and they’ll tell you. “La chica” (“girl,” maid, waitress, etc.) is o.k. for one Hispanic person to use to refer to another, but I wouldn’t use it myself in direct address. Permiso (“could you please let me by?”) is often useful, and should of course be distinguished from the other “excuse me,” perdone (“I’m sorry I bumped into you”, etc.) Quisiera (“I would like”) is a nice touch to introduce formal requests, and it’s worth learning the conditional form of a few other verbs to make polite requests (“could you tell me,” for example). Putting the object pronoun “me” before a verb makes the request more polite, as in “Me da” instead of “Da me” for “Give me”—although por favor (also used to attract attention before making a request) is always indispensable, and to be on the safe side, put that phrase first. For passive recognition, at least, travelers should know Prego (literally, “I beg of you,” or an imploring “Please,” often used as a polite way of saying “Don’t mention it; it was nothing”). Greetings vary depending on the time of day: roughly, “Buenos días” until 3 p.m. or the end of the siesta; “buenas tardes” from about 3 to 6 p.m. or till the end of the working day; “buenas noches” for evening hours. When saying goodbye to a friend, it is polite to use a formula that wishes them well in the next thing they are going to do—continuing a task, eating, traveling, sleeping—I’d suggest that Rick Steeves include a handful of such expressions. Toilets, public. The new and almost universal word for toilets is “aseos” (and not “sanitarios, WC, baños, toilettes, or lavabos”); they’re usually clean, but they seldom have soap dispensers in working order, and at times, lack toilet paper: carry both with you. Don’t count on hot water. Don’t wipe yourself with Kleenex; it clogs toilets. C stands for Caballeros (Men), and D for Damas (Women). Look at the little icons very carefully before entering a restroom: in fancy restaurants the cutouts of men on the bathroom doors can make them look like women, because they often include big hats, longish hair, frilly vests, and long coattails that can look like skirts. Travel. It would be useful to have supplementary vocabulary indicating the places that modes of ground transport leave from: vía (train track), andén (bus or train platform), dársena (bus platform or boat dock). Also, for the distinction between tickets for admission to events (taquillos) and tickets for transport (billetes). Traveler’s Aid. In big train stations and airports, the prominent Atención al cliente offices, meaning “traveler’s aid,” can help you out of a jam, such as the one we found ourselves in when our train was canceled (“sup” = “suprimido”) owing to a Mayday flash strike. They can rebook you in such situations, and provide you with an official stamp and written explanation that will entitle you to an (eventual) refund. They’re often next to the ticket windows and the tourist information (TI) booth. Vocabulary: A few more useful words: sin (“without” for features of a room, ingredients of a dish of food or beverage), con (“with” a feature or an ingredient, as in “café con leche”), la cola (the queue, the line you have to stand in to wait), sup / suprimido (cancelled, as in scheduled trains or planes), ahora mismo (right now), venta de (sale of), por atrás (back the way you came), la parada (the stop that a train, bus, or metro will make, as in “próxima parada”). Water. Three important survival items: you can actually get tap water for free in nearly all restaurants and cafés if you ask for “agua del grifo” or for “una jarra de agua” (the Spanish sun dries you out fast; always carry a canteen—except that you must empty it before going through airport security). Some cities: Barcelona: April 24 is the Feast of Sant Jiordi (the Saint George who killed the dragon), and on that day, it is traditional for a woman to give the man she loves a book, and for the man to give the woman a rose. The streets are lined with florist’s and booksellers’ stalls. Famous Hispanic authors fly in from all over the world to autograph their latest creations (Isabel Allende came by private jet in 2008). A Barcelonan author set a record for the day’s sales of his novel: 85,000! Carmen La Foret’s prize-winning novel Nada all takes place in Barcelona, with many recognizable street names. Sights: the Picasso Museum is somewhat disappointing, except for the earliest works, and for the nearly 50 fabulous variations on figures from Velásquez’s “Las Meninas.” (The great Italian painter Tintoretto also lived in Spain for much of his adult life.) Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia, despite additions of three side wings, and constant construction, doesn’t look too much different from its state in 1937, but the Gaudi residential buildings are uniformly superb. Córdoba: The Festival of the Patios has started charging admission this year (2008), and you have to purchase a punch card at a central location. The places whose patios are on display all have prominent plaques. Having seen a few of the floral displays, I don’t think it’s worth it, now, but lots of Spanish people do. Cuenca: To get there from Barcelona, you have to transfer to a different rail line in Valencia. You take a subway from the Bailén stop, which has an obscure entrance just outside the back right hand corner of the main Valencia station. You go four stops in the direction of “Torrent.” There’s one subway every fifteen minutes. When you surface, you have to walk a few hundred yards to an elevated railway station, take an elevator up to the near side, and walk far to your right along the train platform for Via 2 until you get to Via 1, which starts in the middle of the Via 2 platform, but on a separate track further to the right. At the Cuenca station, there is no taxi stand, and no cabs waiting. You have to call for a cab from the phone to the right of the ticket booths, or else ask a café or restaurant to call for you. In addition to the Museum of Abstract Art, the Fondation Museum in the old city is truly excellent. Madrid: It’s easy to get from the railway station to the [Plaza del] Sol stop—only four stops intervene. The Zarzuela theater is just four blocks away. They’re closed Sunday and Monday, and the Zarzuela season doesn’t start till May 25. Allow two days for the Prado, giving yourself a break to look at something else each day. Sevilla: The Cathedral has magnificent treasures and many good paintings. The Flamenco performance we saw was disappointing and expensive (33 euros each), with toneless bellowing or wailing from the singers, and monotonous foot-stamping from the dancers, as well as virtuosic but hammering accompaniments on the guitars—altogether, heavy, like Spanish food. Try the Spanish Cultural Center, with nightly performances of flamenco at 9, for 14 euros. Despite Rick Steeves’ opinion, the Castle of King Pedro the Cruel, the central wing of the Alcázar, is worth three stars. Magnificent Moorish architecture. The novel El Embrujo de Sevilla features the town, but the Spanish is too difficult for even some college Spanish majors to read. Larry and Marjorie Porter (porter@msu.edu)
Larry and Marjorie Porter in East Lansing, MI USA 05/09/2008 The Hotel Plaza Mayor, in Madrid, also has two apartments, located about a block from the hotel. We stayed in the larger, one-bedroom unit. The other is a studio. We had a decent-sized br with a comfortable bed, a good bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen which included a washing machine, and a good-sized living room with a dining area. The sofa makes up into another double bed. Our friends, who shared the apartment with us, reported that it was perfectly comfortable. The rent was 100 euros/night, split in half, the cheapest accommodation we had during our 24 day trip. There are two Corte Ingles department stores nearby with supermarkets in their basements, making it easy to pick up fixings for meals, which, again, helps with the budget. Note that the price may vary some with the season as well as with the number of people and length of stay. The people who run the hotel are extremely helpful. Another good hotel deal that we found is the Macia Real de La Alhambra in Granada. It's a modern 4* hotel, very close to the Alhambra and good if you arrive by car. It has its own underground garage. We rode a bus (1 euro) into the center of town in about 10 minutes. We paid just 80 euros and had lots of amenities. Breakfast is extra, but quite good and well worth the price (9 euros?). Be careful not too get one of the other Macia Real hotels, as they are not nearly so highly rated. Rosalyn Haberkern in Berkeley, CA USA 05/07/2008 Restaurant OVNI in Barcelona at Via Laietana 32 Great price and food and everything included. Much much better than others like it - for eg. Fresc Co. F. & C. Weiss in Victoria, BC Canada 05/03/2008 A few Sundays ago, we found a nice little family restaurant in Sitges. Els Arcs (C/ de les Parellades, 50; 93-811-20-26) is not far from the beach. For lunch I had a large piece of melon w/ several slices of jamon serrano, delicious grilled lamb chops with vegetables and fries, and flan for 10.95 euros. I also had a glass of red wine, but I can't remember if that was included. You can also walk up and purchase ice cream to go. Linda Durfee in Morgantown, WV USA and Barcelona SPAIN 04/28/2008 I just wanted to say that this is the first time I've ever bought and traveled with a guidebook, Spain 2008. It's the best pre-travel purchase I've ever made. Thank you, Rick! Robert in Arlington, VA USA 04/18/2008 I am not organized today so may submit again. I saw an article in the SF Chronicle "Europe Spring Preview" The Euro exchange these last 4 weeks was terrible. We naturally did the things I read in this ariticle and it still hurt. Helpful to reevaluate discount city cards with the cost going up some of the ones not recommended may change? Sommer in Santa Rosa, CA USA 03/26/2008 I'd like to recommend another Accomodation not in Rick's Guides. It is Casa das Oliveiras just outside of Silves Portugal in the Algarve region. 8300-044 Monte de Vala / www.casas-das-oliveiras.com. Hosts Bill Reed and his wife were super nice. Bill loves to chat, and has plenty of travel tips too. They serve a nice breakfast and they have a large patio and pool also. This B&B is a bit inland, so we spent two nights at A Mare on the coast and two nights here and it was the perfect combo. Different vibe, but both very peaceful and quiet with great hosts. Nice spot for trips to hill towns like Monchique and Alte. I'd love for Rick to include this place in his guides. Off-season it was 40 euro a night, how can you beat that. Secondly, If Rick gives you a tip on buying tickets, avoiding long lines, etc. Take his advice and you'll be glad you did. Pablito in Minneapolis, MN USA 03/26/2008 Seville tapas: Levies San Jose Cafe and Bar in Barrio Santa Cruz. Great food, great English speaking staff, and an English translation of their menu. Gregg Maxwell in Grapevine, TX USA 03/21/2008 Comment: I always used Fodors for my trips but this time brought both Rick's Spain and Fodors Spain. I ended up using Rick's exclusively since he simplifies the self-guided tours and the waling tours - his hand drawn tour maps of cathedrl=als and neighborhoods were great! From now on it will be Rick's books only! Granada experience for tickets: We bought tickets for Alhambra right at the Alhambra ticket window on March 15. We arrived via bus from Seville and called for tickets from the bus station but all tickets were gone. So we went staight to the place via cab (about 15 euros) and they had many ticketd still available and we got four of them for the same day - heard someone there on line get annoyed because they could NOT buy tickets that day for a future date, so be aware -! Then we walked down the hill and got a room at Hostal Britz at the bootm of the hill (Gomez - Plaza Nueva intersection, as in the book)! Bob in Dallas, TX USA 03/20/2008 Toledo - the cheesy train - it costs 4 euros now (March 17, 2008 ). Four of us took it and it went too fast to get good pictures and never slowed down. We felt the 16 euros total might have been better used to hire a cab to take us on the same route, stopping on the overlook across the gorge so we could get out and take good pictures and admire the view a little longer. So, for groups of three or four, a cab might be a better bet than the train. The cathedral in Seville was rated 2 'triangles', but it seemed to warrant three. The Giraldi tower view was breathtaking (and it was included in the price of admission), the treasury includes that magnificent crown and the world's largest pearl, AND we get to stand next to the remains of Christopher Columbus! AND the best is they let us take photos - while the 3-triangle cathedral in Toledo did not allow any photos - bummer!) Bob in Dallas, TX USA 03/20/2008 Leganes- A small suburban town south of Madrid( about 7 miles) has a cheap, wonderful hotel called Tryp Leganes hotel. 10 minute walk to Renfe train with Metro connections at Atocha. ( 20 minutes) Universidad Avenida 7, Leganes Mary Spangenberg in PHOENIX, Ar USA 03/19/2008 For visiting the Prado in Madrid, get a reservation/ticket in advance. You can go to their website and buy a ticket with a time and then just walk in the line for individuals with reservations. Otherwise you wait in a long line for tickets and then another line for getting in. Just go to any internet cafe - they are all over -- an print your ticket. Best thing we discovered. Bill Jackson in Elk Grove, CA USA 03/13/2008 1. In the "Near Ronda" section (p431 in the 2006 book), you mention a place outside Ronda which makes a good base. We found another one: Hotel Bandolero, in Juzcar, about 20km south. Juzcar is one of a string of tiny white towns on a very scenic road which makes a loop around a big mountain massif south of Ronda. The hotel is in a scenic spot, with trails and birdwatching opportunities beginning right at the hotel. The partners who run the hotel include an American (David) who makes a good contact about local culture, and Ivan, a Spaniard who is an extremely accomplished chef and who also speaks good English. The food is fabulous - big breakfasts, fine dinners, and they will pack a snack lunch on request. Free internet, and good services in the hotel. We think 'back door' travelers would have a fine stay there. http://www.hotelbandolero.com/ 2. The small road around the Serrania de Ronda is very scenic, and Ivan recommended a visit to a charming white hamlet named Genilguacil. It's about an hour drive from either Juzcar/Bandolero or from Ronda. The special thing about this town is that it is FULL of public art. Artists are invited every year, apparently, and they leave a piece of art behind for the town. It is entrancing to walk around Genalguacil. In addition, the streets and the one plaza space in front of the church are beautifully paved. The whole place is an integral work of art. Wonderful! http://www.visitcostadelsol.com/content/view/388/205/ http://www.seralgenal.com/Genalguacil.html Dick and Marjy in Fiddler, WA USA 03/08/2008 Benasque - beautiful 14th century town touristed by Spanish and French. Cobbled streets and squares with multiple good and inexpensive dining and accommodation options. Easy to challenging hikes through and above a restricted access valley (park buses only) with the highest peak in Pyrennees (the Aneto). Benasque is half way between the Basque region and Barcelona and was a definite highlight of our trip to Spain. DM in Denver, CO USA 02/24/2008 The wonderful and diverse designs of the buildings in Barcelona. I spent a whole day going in and out of some great places. Barcelona is a vibrant, creative city, giving more that Madrid in my opinion. Tan Milang in Nashville, TN USA 02/22/2008 I spent 6 super weeks in Spain & Portugal last May-June. Before departing, I was skeptical- really didn't think I would enjoy it. I was bowled over at every turn. I loved the history. It's a trip that keeps on giving long after it has ended. This has never happened to me before. I'm a Sr., travel alone, Rick Steves style. Liz in Boerne, TX USA 02/19/2008 Bilbao had only the Guggenheim and some places to sleep, mentioned in Spain 2007. There were no particular places to eat mentioned in the book. It might help to plan for a trip there. Josh Hanz in Frisco, TX USA 01/26/2008 Robert Perry & Kathleen Pickard: After clicking on "Rick's Guidebooks" ,go to "Read Rick's guidebook updates"-Spain-Valencia. Let me know if you have any questions. Regards Tooraj in Valencia, Spain 01/21/2008 We really enjoyed the guided tour of Hospital de La Santa Creu i Sant Pau in Barcelona; a great example of modernisme architecture, and only a few blocks from La Sagrada Famila. Kathy Koegel in Madison, WI USA 01/16/2008 As a college student studying abroad and wanting to travel cheaply, these books were amazing! They are the best travel books out there! Not only are they completely accurate, but the self guided tours were a great way to get to see the sights without having to pay anything extra. I used not only the Spain book, for Morocco as well, but also the book on Italy and Europe Through the Backdoor. I will not use any other guid book out there! Thanks Rick Steve's for helping make my travel through Europe go smoothly and be able to see everything I wanted to see without going broke!! Mary in Willow, AK USA 01/13/2008 We really enjoyed Adventurous Appetities tapas tour in Madrid. Our expat guide Heather was so informative and helpful! She knew exactly what the speciality of each bar was, which allowed us to try things we never would have thought to order. Highly recommended!! http://www.adventurousappetites.com/ Karis in Cross Plains, WI USA 01/04/2008 We found a terrific spot to stay in Parauta, Spain-- one of the White Villages located about 12km south of Ronda. The place is called Casas de la Parauta and it consists of several renovated homes or apartments. The renovations were done in 2007 so everything is new and freshly painted. Parauta is a great refuge from the tourist rush of Ronda but you must have a car to get there, and you must like the charm and quiet nature of a small town. There is just one bar and one restaurant but both offer good food at very reasonable prices. Richard Bendix in Newcastle , WA USA 01/03/2008 My husband and I just returned from a two week trip to Spain and Portugal and Rick's guide was invaluable. In Seville, we stayed at the Samay Sevilla hostel (Av. Menendez pelayo 13, 41004 Sevilla, Spain, +34 955 100 160) near the Barrio Santa Cruz. The double room with bath cost USD 35 per person. Bright hostel with very clean rooms. Also Habanita (Callejon Golfo 3, 41004 Sevilla, Spain, +34 954 220 202)was a nice bar-restaurant with great veggie options. In Granada, we stayed at El Clandestino (Mirador de Rolando street nº16) close to Jardines del Triunfo square. While it is a a 15 min walk from Plaza Neuva, this hostel is clean, inexpensive (USD 25 per person for a double room with bath) and has great terrace views. Uma Murthy in Blacksburg, VA USA 01/03/2008 Valencia! You hardly mention it in the guidebook and it is a jewel of a city. We were fortunate to have local friends as guides but it has an old city, great paella and other restaurants, the fabulous Palau de la Music and great beaches. I'm surprised you don't write about it more. Robert Perry in Hingham, MA USA 01/01/2008 I am trying to locate your information as mentioned in the Spain 2008 book. We are going in April 2008 as our daughter is going to Art School in Valencia this year. Kathleen Pickard in Victoria, BC Canada 12/31/2007 El Sabor nightclub in Salamanca where Olga-a beautiful and friendly Salsa dancer--teaches nightly one hour Salsa lessons for 8 euros. Hotel Rector in Salamanca had beautiful rooms, free internet service. Great breakfast and friendly staff. Marie Lavendier in Unionville, Ct USA 12/14/2007 A unique English-language wine school in Madrid! Planeta Vino offers English-language wine tastings in our charming wine classroom in central Madrid. We offer our customers a fun, informative and interactive introduction to the amazing wines of Spain. We also offer wine and food matchings and day trips to premium wineries near Madrid. Web: www.planetavino.net Email: maryoconnor@planetavino.net Tel: 34 91 310 2955 Adress: Calle MOnte Esquinza 24, 5C, Madrid 28010 Mary O'Connor in Madrid, Spain 11/20/2007 We liked the Barcelona restaurant recommended by EasyJet's magazine. Can Culleretes at Carrer d'En Quintana 5. We liked their Zarzuela and lunch set menu. It's filled with local customers in lunch time. In Madrid, we tried the restaurant recommended by our hotel's clerk and liked it so much that we went there two nights in a row. It's called El Pajar, Luna, 3, Estrella, 4, 28004 Madrid. Waiters don't speak much English but are very friendly and helpful. The front windows are actually their refrigerator. Ping Wang in Lausanne, Switzerland 11/11/2007 We had an unexpected flight problem (Air France on strike didn't help) and had to stay 2 extra nights in Madrid. With no real idea, we stopped at the information both in the airport. Obviously we're not experienced or well prepared travelers. The woman was helpful and got us rooms at the Neptuno, a small hotel near Puerta del sol. We paid 90 Euro a night. Free breakfast was included. The hotel had been renovated recently and was clean and up to date. The room was small but it was a great location. I can't compare it to other accomodations in the area, but we were satisfied to say the least. The staff spoke very passable english (mainly students) and were very nice and helpful. We ended up having the time to do the Tapas crawl and it was a lot of fun. larry in richmond, va USA 11/05/2007 My wife and I just returned from a 13 day trip through Andalusia. We spent 2 1/2 days each in Seville and Granada. In retrospect, I think that you only need 1 1/2 days in each of these cities. In Granada, we got up early and visited the Alhambra, ate lunch and had a short siesta, visited the cathedral and Royal Chapel when it opened again at 4:00, walked up to the San Nicolas Viewpoint, wandered some of the streets in the Albayzin and had a nice dinner in one of the plazas. We had a hard time finding much of interest the following day and wished we had checked left earlier. for Seville, if you arrive around noon I think you can easily visit the cathedral and Alcazar, get lost in the Barrio Santa Cruz, go to a flamenco show, and even throw in a city tour by Concepcion Delgado in 1/12 days. I think the extra 2 days could be better spent visiting other places in Andalusia. Peter Oliver in Salem, OR USA 11/01/2007 In Barcelona, we stayed at Studios Pelayo Guest House which is only 2 blocks from Plaza and very close to all the metro stops and supermarket. Room included mini-kitchen (refrigerator, microwave, stove-top) and was in the $$ range for our party of 3. Owner extremely helpful and speaks excellent English. Highly recommend. www.studiospelayo.com, info@studiospelayo.com c/o Carrer Pelai Also known as Apartaments Tasmania Renee Jones in Clinton, Wa USA 10/18/2007 I am a Rick Steves fan and have used his books for many years and for all our travels. We just returned from 2 1/2 weeks in Spain and your guidebook on Spain was an indispensible asset. I have a marvelous addition however. While in Barcelona we thoroughly enjoyed a full day wine tour of the Pinedes region. We utilized Elmolitours - the owner and guide is Paddy. Here is the website Carol Cohen in Rockville, MD USA 10/16/2007 Over the years, we have found that maps, especially in Spain, to be out of date re highway/road numbering. So, we've missed many a turn while searching for the number - and not the NAME of the next town. When in doubt, we go for the name of the (next) town on the sign, not the number. Don Karpen in Talent, OR USA 10/16/2007 We spent 4 days in Gijon to attend a wedding. Although there is not a lot to see there as far as historical places, there is a very nice beach with a long promenade the length of it. We were there Oct. 4-Oct. 7th and surfers were out every day. The ride south to Madrid from Gijon was very beautiful--like driving through the Alps almost. We stayed at the ABBA Playa Gijon, which is new and 100 Euros a day. We also took a day trip north of Segovia, having a fabulous lunch in Sepulveda--baby lamb. Can't remember the name of it, but if you enter the Plaza Mayor, go to the right top corner where there is a diagonal street off it. The restaurant is just a few steps off the square, and it has columns in front of it. We were treated to a generous pitcher of an excellent liqueur, courtesy of the house! Rebecca W. Sheppard in Fort Worth, Tx USA 10/15/2007 The CAVES in Nerja were spectacular! Would definitely give them 2 stars (instead of 1) and if the concerts were more frequent/available, I would go with 3 stars!
Also, your travel expert told me I didn't need a reservation on the train from Bilbao -> Salamanca. The Eurail Pass people said the same thing, so I didn't confirm in Spain. As it turns out, I almost missed the train because it was FULL! After that, I was getting a reservation for EVERY TRAIN in Spain!!!
All of our economy hotels were willing to hold a quart of milk for us in their refrigerator. This enabled us to buy breakfast food and have a significant breakfast in our room before heading out each morning! I also brought protein powder (light!), which was very helpful in managing nutritional needs. Robert Turner in San Francisco, CA USA 10/13/2007 Sunotel Central in Barcelona - newly built, clean and centrally located. Gran Via De las Cortes Catalanas 570, 08011 Barcelona, telf: 34 93 452 73 74
Restaurant Guito in Barcelona right outside metro Urgell on Gran Via De las Cortes Catalanas. Great food and service. Dmitry USA 10/12/2007 Many things in Spain seemed to be under construction or being renovated. This was frustrating. We did not get to see some of the art we had planned on but did see other stuff. Stay patient! PATRICIA in KINGSTON, MA USA 10/10/2007 The Prado is still free on Sundays, but go early or you will have to deal with about a million tour groups. Also, you need more than half a day to see El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen. We thought it would be plenty of time and were rushing around trying to see it all. Definitely worth the trip if you are around Madrid. Bethany USA 10/02/2007 Los Gallos Flamenco in Seville was excellent. Very talented dancers and musicians. It was very entertaining and was recommended by the locals as a more authentic Flameco! Tiffany Harris in Birmingham, MI USA 09/25/2007 I would urge readers to go to Murillo entrance to the Prado as the entrance of first resort (it is sort of the backdoor). We went in the Goya entrance, but had to leave around 11:30. We returned aroun 12:30 and the lines were huge. We went to the "backdoor" and there were about 15 people in line. I would urge everyone to go there first. Also we thought Mijas in the mountains overlooking the Costa del Sol was well worth the visit. We also thought that the Sinagoga de Santa Maria la Blanca deserved a "try hard to see." We all thought that was the second best site in Toledo. Neil Worden in Alexandria, VA USA 09/05/2007 Re Madrid Metro. There is now a One Euro surcharge for coming to or leaving from the airport on the Metro.. Perry King in Denver, CO USA 08/31/2007 A couple items. First, I agree with the most recent person who posted - our laptop was stolen right when we were taking our bags into our apartment in Madrid. Be sure to have someone watch the bags at all times until they are in your apartment and the door is closed!
Regarding a discovery - we had a wonderful bike tour with Bravobike. Highly recommended. Website: www.bravobike.com Arnie Greenfield in Boston, MA USA 08/26/2007 Someone said they thought the guidebooks overplayed the crime. I disagree. My 19-year-old son, who was studying in Spain, was pickpocketed in Madrid and then robbed in Bennicassim. A classmate had her laptop stolen in the Madrid airport. They were trying to be careful but it goes to show you can't let your guard down.
Restaurant tip: If you tired of tapas, try The Wok in Madrid which specialized in Asian/Thai food. They brought a full pitcher of ice water and didn't charge for it. Food was excellent and reasonable (8 euro for Pad Thai). It was two blocks from Puerta del Sol and steps from Seville metro. Lynn R in Morgantown, WV USA 08/12/2007 In Barcelona: The Museu d'Historia de Catalunya. If you like history, this museum gives you insight into the reasons why Catalonians are Spanish. Exhibits had English, Spanish and Catalonian markers so it was easy to follow. I see that Rick is doing a Barcelona show this fall--I hope he includes this. http://www.en.mhcat.net/
I wish I had made copies of the maps as suggested by another poster. Next time I may even laminate them. I didn't like fumbling for maps all the time.
Lynn R in Morgantown , WV USA 08/12/2007 Please add the El Soplao Caves in Cantanbria; Excellent! http://www.elsoplao.es/ In Barcelona: Add the restuarant next to Les Quinze Nits - I think it was better; Taxidermiste on Placa Reial AUSTURIAS is wonderfull - visit La Franca beach & town of Panes, Hotel Covadonga, add more on Oviedo -very nice city. Madrid restaurants; Las Carianas downstairs! LYNN BURGIN in DALLAS, TX USA 08/05/2007 In Santiago de Compostela: San Francisco Hotel Monumento. A bit of a splurge at 110 Euros/ night (double), but a lovely restored convent with adjacent church, museum, and peeks at the archeological foundation. Monks still live in parts of the building. Very friendly, accomodating staff.Lovely, modern rooms and baths. In Madrid: Adventurous Appetites. A fun-filled, entertaining, and delicious evening tour of tapas bars. Madrid history, key sites, cultural info, and introduction to unique and tasty foods and drinks. Run by two young British guys who made the four of us feel like we were out with a local friend. Great fun; good value. www.adventurousappetites.com Marcy Nicklas in Frederick, MD USA 07/23/2007 In Toledo there is a great Damasquinado shop run by a husband and wife. He makes the jewelry in the front of the shop. They are wonderfully friendly and helpful. The shop is ATAUJIA on Calle Alfonso X, El Sabio. James in Baton Rouge, LA USA 07/16/2007 the new Barajas airport!Amazing architecture and it's so quiet inside! Just make sure you allow enough time to walk to your gate-it's a big airport ANDREW FORSTER in CORAL GABLES, FL USA 07/16/2007 In the town of Alhama de Granada, great restaurant called Seguirea, run by Paco, a retired Flamenco singer. Fantastic food, great atmosphere, patio overlooking a floodlit gorge. Paco is delightful. Debra Iles in Boston, Ma USA 07/08/2007 Before you leave on your trip, make photo copies of the self-guided tours RS gives so you don't have to carry around the whole book while you are touring a building/site.
Aziz is a wonderful tourguide in Tangers, Morocco, but I recommend contacting him well in advance of your trip. He does take a while to respond to your requests for a tour. I HIGHLY recommend him though! Lindsey in Arlington, VA USA 06/29/2007 BEST BEACH I lived six months in Granada and the best beach I found was San Jose, near Almeria and Cabo de Gata. Long stretches of white sand and clear water beaches (yes, keep walking and you will find more) against the dry desert. Breathtaking. In June the water is plenty warm (though the locals may disagree) and even the first beach nearly empty. I understand it fills up come July/August, but locals mentioned other beaches nearby that would remain less populated even in the height of the season. I'm told the best time to visit is September: the weather and water are still very warm, but with school back in session and the tourist season ending, not nearly as many people go. The nearby town is perfect for picking up groceries for the day. Unfortunately, buses from Almeria are few; it is best to rent a car. With a good map (usually provided by the rental car agency) and the existing signs, finding it is not a problem.
CAR RENTALS A tip: one- and two-day rentals will charge you per day and for mileage. This is reasonable for small amounts of driving, but will add up for long-distance daytrips. Renting for three or more days is more economically efficient is this situation.
BUS SCHEDULES & INFORMATION To reserve bus tickets online, www.continental-auto.es is helpful. Travel within Spain is, in my experience, relatively inexpensive and easiest by bus. Purchasing tickets online is usually a Euro or two more, but worth it during high season. In off months, you should be able to get tickets at the station without a problem. Katie Gallagher in St. Paul, MN USA 06/25/2007 Yerba Buena. Amazing vegetarian restaurant in Madrid! It's not easy being vegetarian in Madrid but I came across a gourmet Spanish vegetarian place. The best meal I had in Spain. It felt so good to be able to choose from an entire menu instead of having to settle for a combination of side dishes, etc. Address: Bordadores, 3. tel.915 480 811. www.yerbabuena.com. Located just up the street from Iglesia Gines. Jessica in Rome, IT USA 06/22/2007 Restaurant "Gobolem". A little out of the tourist path (which one kay consider a blessing), but a short cab drive from the center. Fantastic roasted lamb. Julian Romea 5 Phone: 91 553 98 51 John Petrovic in Portage, MI USA 06/20/2007 Cadiz! I just returned from a trip to Cadiz and am surpised your book did not include it. It is a charming town. Much like many of the others (Cinque Terre, Collioure, and others you cover.) Great beach, tons of lovely shops and good places to eat. Please consider adding it. Carol Fink in Tampa , Fl USA 06/17/2007 We found a great guide in Seville. A real find - friendly and extremely knowledgeable. Antonio Doblas - Seville Official Tour Guide Phone: 34-954909741 - Cell: 34-616253798 http://es.geocities.com/guiassevilla Met us at our hotel with smile. Well trained and we had a great time with him Bernard Nash in Dix Hills, NY USA 06/12/2007 Seville: Stayed in Murillo aparments, Reinoso 6 Barrio de Santa Cruz. Paid 121 EUR/night for a 2 bedroom apartment. Fantastic location, plus much more comfortable than a hotel. Tel: 954 21 09 59 / 93 Fax: 954 21 96 16 apartamentos@hotelmurillo.com John Petrovic in Portage, MI USA 06/06/2007 The Alpujarra region of southern Spain is in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and provides excellent walking and hiking opportunities. We used Jonathan Lord of All Ways Spain to arrange our accomodations, hikes, and transportation in the Alpujarra region. He is based in Granada and is very professional and knowledgeable. His phone number is 31 958 223 766. His website is www.allwayspain.com. If you have two or three extra days in Spain and want a break from urban crowds and noise, check out the Alpujarra region. Valerie Stahl in Austin, Tx USA 06/05/2007 Mallorca! I was disapointed that this location wasn't in your book! Just got back from there and thought it was awesome! Linda in Healdsburg, ca USA 05/25/2007 Madrid - The book was great for maximizing my short time in Madrid. Would not recommend the Julia Tours night time tour, the guide was incredibly rude and unhelpful. The best part of my trip was running into a nighttime segway tour with MadSegs - Antony and Marta were fabulous tour guides with small groups, personal attention and sites you would never get to on the tour bus, plus they present everyone with a cd-rom filled with photos from the tour. Highly recommend their tour www.madsegs.com. Yvette in Silver Spring, MD USA 05/22/2007 Great Hotel to consider for Barcelona - Hotel Antibes, 394 C/ Disputacio
We stayed here for 2 nights in April, 2007. This hotel was a phenomenal find--a true 3-star experience in a 2-star hotel. The front desk staff was helpful and spoke excellent English.
The hotel is on a quiet side street just a 5-minute walk from either the Sagrada Familia or the nearest metro stop, Monumental. There are also many cafes and restaurants within walking distance.
Three us of (myself, my wife, and our adult daughter) were travelling together and had a lovely triple room which was spotlessly clean. The beds, furnishings, TV, and furniture were all new, including lovely hardwood floors and air conditioning.
For convenience, we chose to take our breakfast at the hotel and enjoyed it very much--especially the freshly-squeezed orange juice.
This was one of the most economically-priced places I could find in Barcelona and it did not disappoint. I would most definitely stay here again. Henry DeVries in Grand Rapids, MI USA 05/20/2007 I wonder why Barcelona isn't included in your DVDs? Or have I overlooked it somehow?
Sometimes I feel the warnings about pick-pocketing, etc. could be a little intimidating to an inexperienced traveler. I use common sense, your suggestions, and just don't worry about it (I am a single female and travel alone.) What works best for me is to use a diaper pin to pin those travel wallet things to the inside of my jeans or jacket (sewing them in is even better). I keep my passport and credit cards with me all the time. I keep a few dollars where I can easily access them, but this system works so well. [Editor's Note: Good news: Rick is filming a brand new episode of this TV show in Barcelona this week. Look for it on public television this fall.] Judith Beck in Perkasie, PA USA 05/07/2007 For those trying to find bus schedules, they should check on the website for movelia.com and that provides all the bus schedules for all the different lines. L. Chen in Pacific Palisades, CA USA 05/06/2007 We experienced difficulty making reservations by phone at Hotel Macia Plaza in Granada, Spain. When we called, an English speaking man took the reservation information, issued confirmation #11, but did not want a credit card. We called a second time to confirm the 5 nights reservation. When we arrived at the hotel we were told we had a 3 night reservation and that they were full for the weekend. When they discovered that (prior to calling them) we had made and then cancelled a reservation online at their hotel, they informed us that we could stay over the weekend so long as we paid the higher rate charged by the online service. They refused to give us the Rick Steves discount. Sue McCauley in Portland, OR USA 05/04/2007 Barcelona Spain - I thought it was an extremely tourist-friendly city. Very helpful tourist kiosks in several central locations. The city-recommended hop-on/off busses were excellent. Covered three different routes, never a long wait at pick up spots. Reasonably priced. A great walking city. None of the Gaudi sites should be missed! Judith Beck in Perkasie, PA USA 05/04/2007 For cat lovers, you've got to check out the cats in Retiro Park, in Madrid. They live around the lake, and local women take food to them daily. They attracted quite a bit of attention from people when I was there--the whole scene was absolutely charming! Melissa in Hart, OR USA 05/01/2007 For Granada, buy Bono-Turistico city passes in advance online. I tried buying Alhambra tickets online but was told that they were sold out for the days we were in Granada. Accidentally I came across a website that sells the Bono-Turistico city passes. This pass covers not only the Alhambra but many other Granada sights and includes nine bus transfers. I tried it and got my first choice of times for visiting the Alhambra. The web site is http://caja.caja-granada.es/Apli/bononuevo/main.htm. Joe Recer in Hartland, WI USA 04/25/2007 We had a wonderful experience buying train tickets at the ticket office in Antocha Station in Madrid. First of all take a "numerical order" ticket like in a bakery (now serving #69) Sensibly, ahead of walking up to the ticket counter, I wrote the prefered dates of travel, destinations and times. Then I asked the lady if she spoke English. She said no and I said I didn't speak Spanish. However she couldn't be nicer. Within 5 minutes we purchased roundtrip tickets from Madrid to Toledo and then our one-way tickets from Madrid to Barcelona with a 1 hour layover in Madrid. It couldn't have been a more wonderful experinece. She was very kind, gracious and generous. I wish I knew how to thank her better for her kindness and help. So, Thank you "blonde, middle-aged lady in Madrid train station ticket office" for helping a coulpe of confused tourists and making it so easy for us. Your kindness made our trip to Spain so wonderful. Dan Stoddard in San Diego, CA USA 04/23/2007 We stayed 8 nights in an apartment in Grazalema which is a wonderful center for hiking. Note that there is a spiffy, new, well laid-out botanical garden in El Bosque which is another pueblo blanco. The views are magnificent from the garden. El Bosque is worth visiting. As is Benaocaz. Note too that there is inexpensive bus service between Grazalema and surrounding villages (about a euro one way). Paul Alper in St. Paul, MN USA 04/19/2007 As with all foreign speaking countries, do yourself a favor and learn a bit of the language before leaving on your trip (looking at a phrasebook on the plane doesn't count). My girlfriend and I had an absolutely fantastic time, which I'm sure was partly due to the fact that we always tried to speak Spanish, even when the locals would respond to us in English (for our benefit). The same cannot be said for the endless number of American/English/German tourists we spotted in restaurants/bars who never bothered to learn or speak a word of the language, and as a result, had a clumsy (read: not fun) time and were treated very poorly by the staff. It is probably safe to say that those who have a poor time on a vacation are generally those who expect the country to adapt to themselves, not the other way around. CH in Tampa, FL USA 04/16/2007 Just returned from two weeks in Spain, spent mostly in the northern Galician and Basque Country areas. After arriving in Madrid I checked into the La Perle Asturiana hostel located within in a stone's throw from the Plaza Mayor in the Plaza Santa Cruz. Pretty spartan accomodations, but considering the price and location there is no major complaint.
A previous trip sent me to the Prado which is overwhelming in its presentation so I sought out other museums and found the gem to bew the Centro de Arte Reina Sofia. This art venue has the most outstanding collection of Miro, Dali and Picasso that I have ever seen in Europe. It is well worth a see.
This trip I squeezed in a day trip to Segovia which is worth the time if you have it to spare.
For cheap eats near the Puerto del Sol you cannot beat Fresc Co. For 10 Euro it simply cannot be beat.
From Madrid I caught a 7 Euro flight to Santiago where I stayed at the Hostal Mapoul, the best bargain for single in Spain at 25 Euro per night. When in Santiago definitely eat at Restaurante Casa Manola, which has to be the best value on the planet! Two course dinners for 7 Euro and the portions are huge! This price includes bread and drink (excluding alcohol). It is a convenient walk from anywhere in Santiago.
For a chance to speak English do visit the Cafe Terra NOva. While it is no longer owned by Matt, Troy and Scott it is owned by another American couple who are very gracious and accomodating to their American visitors.
After renting a car I made a bee line to Leon on the recommendation of someone. For the most part this is a town that could be excluded from anyone's initerary since there is not much there. The cathedral is awesome at night, all lit up, but its interior is not up to the standard of the typical Spanish cathedral.
My drive also took me to San Sebastian, which is a must see location in northern Spain. Good food and a cheap stay at Pension Anne put me in the right frame of mind to visit this beautiful city. Not much to see but for pure relaxation on your trip to northern Spain this city cannot be beat.
On my way back toward central Spain I stopped in Bilbao to visit the Guggenheim and stayed at the Vista Alegre, a very nice business hotel very near a subway stop. While disappointed in the exhibit space at the museum, the building itself is the main attraction and meant to be savored. Do take advantage of the free audio guide to get the most out of the tour.
My trip ended by spending a significant amount of time in Burgos, which used to be the capital of Castille y Leon and is significant as having the third largest cathedral in all of Spain. My reasons for visiting Burgos were personal but to get a true flavor of this part of the country you cannot beat the atmosphere, food and sights in and around the city. Tony Ambrose in Louisville, KY USA 04/07/2007 Upon arriving in Madrid 3/24/07 on a very warm afternoon, and dragging our roll-aboards behind us, we made it only 1/2 way up the cobblestoned streets until we saw the Hotel Santander (address - Echegaray 1; email -info@hotelsantandermadrid.com) and decided to go no farther. Very fortunately, it was wonderfully clean and comfortable, furnished in a Provencal manner, and Jose the desk clerk was an absolute fount of historical background info! Prices from 60-90 euros. On the same trip, we found Las Carboneras, a flamenco restaurant on Plaza del Conde de Miranda; email - www.tablaolascarboneras.com. The performance was fantastic, but the service was out of this world. So professional, attentive, friendly. BW in Federal Way, WA USA 03/31/2007 Even though I met many nice, courteous people, I also met as many rude, not helpful, and obnoxious people. No one seemed to know it is rude to cough in your face! I have thought people in US were bad but Spanish folk take the cake. No one I heard or saw even tried to cover a cough or sneeze. Needless to say,after two weeks of dodging peoples coughing, I came down with the worst cold I have had for years. Unfortunately this made my last four days, in Madrid no less, really difficult. LL in Levittown, pa USA 03/29/2007 Valencia, Not in Rick's book but it is worth adding. Is is a lot more manageable than Madrid or Barcelona and has a lot of quality sites. It is easily worth a couple of days. Jeff in Tempe, AZ USA 03/26/2007 Sevilla - Restaurant Horacio on Calle Antonia Diaz in the Plaza Nueva area was recommended by the staff at the Hotel Maestranza and was the best place we ate in Sevilla.
Michael McDaniel in Atlanta, GA USA 03/25/2007 Just returned from Spain (3/17/07). They are installing traffic radars throughout the country and if you are caught, the fines are hefty. Driving in Madrid is highly discouraged unless familiar with European driving laws/habits. Freddie J. Negron in Davie, FL USA 03/18/2007 Touring the Prado Art Museum in Madrid was especially enjoyable after reading the book titled I, Juan de Pareja by Elizabeth Barton de Trevino. This 180 page paperback is a New York Times Best Juvenile Book of the Year as well as a Newbery Medal Book. Even though I am well past the age of being a juvenile, I found the historical fiction delightful. Juan is a slave of the great Spanish painter Diego Velazquez. The book includes Velazquez's relationships with Rubens and Murillo. It reveals how Velazquez was knighted in 1658 by King Philip IV and thus the Cross of Santiago was painted in red on the Velazquez self portrait in one of the most famous paintings in the Prado, "Las Meninas". jw mo USA 02/23/2007 Rental Cars : Granada (February 2007) Ditto regarding another writers suggestion, "see the Alhambra (Palacious Nazaries) then move on" I regret that we didnt pick up our Hertz rental car before Hertz closed for siesta during the hours of 1pm and 4:30pm. Our Barcelona to Granada night train arrived at 8:40am. Our ticket time at the Alahambra was 10:30. We put our baggage in lockers at the train station and took a taxi for 5 euros to the Alahambra. We could have easily made a 10AM ticket time, allowing us enough time to see the Palacios Nazaries and taxi to the Hertz rental car location by 1pm. Take a taxi to Hertz car rental located in the Granada Hotel Center. We were blessed that they gave us a damaged small car. A small car is a must when traveling in the towns of Acros, Toledo, etc. as the streets are narrow. We took great pains to point out every ding on our rental car to the clerk when we got the car. He indicated all the damage on a sketch of a car that we submitted to a clerk when we returned the car at the Madrid airport. I think we probably added a scratch or two to the car, yet since the car already had considerable damage, we were not charged extra.Check American Express for free car insurance coverage. If you want the coverage and are not an American Express card holder, I believe it is still availabe, for a small fee - less than the fee charged by car rental companies. Salamanca Spain Tip: Read George Orwelläs 232 page paperback titled, Homage to Catalonia. It pertains to the Spanish civil war. You will likely enjoy the FREE, nothing in English, Spanish Civil War Museum in Salamanca. It is located on the same side of the street, just two doors or so down from the under rated Art Deco Museum. The Art Deco Museum contains a huge section dedicated to dolls. Be sure to pick up the English leaflet when you buy your ticket.
Salamanca Train to Fatima tip: The 4:51 am train from Salamanca to Lisbon stops at the Fatima train station around 9:30-10Am I donät recall exactly as we quickly ditched the Lisbon segment of our ticket, grabbed our bags and jumped off when we unexpectedly arrived in Fatima. The train station clerk at Fatima explained that it was 20km. from the station to the church consting 25 Euro taxi fare. We had no cash for a taxi and there are no ATM machines around the area of the train station.A taxi driver came in the train station looking for business. The train clerk translated to the taxi driver to take us to an ATM machine near the church. We arrived on Sunday morning in time for the outdoor mass. The February weather was beautiful. Even though we are Protestant, we found Fatimato be a profound experience, much more than what we had expected. The Fatima bus station is an easy 10 minute walk from the church. We took the 1:55pm bus to Nazare. The bus ticket was 4.55 Euros.This 1:55 bus also stopped at Batalha and Alcobaca which are also mentioned in the Rick Steves book. On our 17 town vacation of Spain and Portugal, our family of 3 all agree that the very best destination was Nazare, Portugal. Jan Wishau in Columbia, MO USA 02/23/2007 Be sure you know what you are ordering at outdoor cafes in Spain. Order a hamburger and that is exactly what you may get.... a HAMburger. Yes Ham LOL Joe DeVita in Surprise, AZ USA 02/13/2007 My husband and I spent three months in Salamanca for my sabbatical and we discovered two of the best places for tapas are Rua Mayor (on that same named street) and Meson Las Conchas. These are where the locals go, not university students as noted in your guidebook. This is where you can speak to locals, enjoy the best tapas and red wine in town. We became locals and visited both of these places, often speaking Spanish to the workers and becoming friends with them. Patricia Branson in Kodiak, AK USA 01/21/2007 Cafè Silenus in Barcelona (Angeles 8 tel. 933 02 26 80) a short walk from La Rambla, is small, quirky and has fabulous food elegantly presented. Opens at 9:00 PM. Mostly local crowd. Small, so make a reservation if possible. Stu Kinzler in Stamford, CT USA 01/14/2007 I would like to recommend: Ithaca Bed and Breakfast (www.villaithaca.com) as a great stop just outside of Grenada. Jeremy and Sophie were wonderful hosts, the rooms were spacious and the price very reasonable. He is British and she is French, so they have English, French and Spanish languages covered! Also, outside of Ronda, we found Hotel el Horcajo (www.elhorcajo.com) absolutely beautiful surroundings. It is between Ronda and Zahara and near Cuevas de la Pileta. Located in a valley, quiet and tranquil. We wish we could have stayed longer. Stephen in Lausanne, VD Switzerland 01/12/2007 Buying train tickets takes a little bit of know how and a LOT of time! We were traveling from Madrid to Toledo. Though we got to the station in Madrid 40 minutes before our train left, we missed it. First, we got in the wrong line. When we found the right one, we didn't understand the "Su Turno" system, but it's essential. Look around for an electronic box, about the size of a loaf of bread on a stand that is about waist high. It will have one button to push if you are buying a ticket for that day and another if you are buying for any other day. When you push the button, you'll get a slip with your number on it, like you might take at a deli counter in the States. Even knowing this, however, you are not home free. As everyone learns who travels in this beautiful, friendly country, the Spanish never hurry. I mean NEVER. This includes when selling tickets for trains that are about to leave. It took is 10 minutes to figure out how to get our number and another 30 for our turn to be reached. Our advice: always buy your train tickets a day or more ahead. The trains are immaculate and run right on time, but the ticket selling process, well, it would never fly in New York! Mary O'Connell in Hingham , Ma USA 12/31/2006 Santander is the most beautiful city in Spain and you have failed to merit it a night's stay in your book.
For those with a car who are traveling through Galicia, we recommend staying outside of Santiago de Compostela at "La Almadraba Hotel" located in Milladoiro, 4km from Santiago. We had the best meal here we have eaten in all of Spain and the prices are reasonable. Contact Eduardo Ucha Romar at reserva@hralmadraba.com. Ladies, he's a hottie. Kitt and Cody Starnes in Charlotte, NC USA 12/26/2006 The festive evening atmosphere in the square of Segovia. Munching roasted chestnuts from a friendly peddler. Barak Gale in Index, WA USA 12/21/2006 We found Spain to be a wonderful country to vacation in. We use Rick's book extensively and all recomendations were fantastic. We spent 18 days in Spain and loved them all. If driving between Barcelona and Granada stop in Valencia to see the LLardo factory and spend the night. Quite an experiance. Plus it breaks up the long drive. Jack & Sieni Page in Phoenix, Az USA 12/06/2006 Please recommend this Tapas bar in Sevilla; Cerveceria100montditos.es 902 197 494; infofranquicias@gruporestalia.com; great tapas at a great price. Over 100 to select from. All are 1 Euro - cervas was also 1 Euro; Avda. de la Constitucion 9 Lynne Forbes in Mission Viejo, CA USA 11/24/2006 Check out Aranjuez, 45 minutes south of Madrid. The Royal Palace there is beautiful. The NH Principe de la Paz Hotel was 4 stars and our (double) room was only 80 Euro! Chincon is only 15 minutes away and has a very old Plaza Mayor with the medieval nobles' houses still intact surrounding the Plaza. The church just above the plaza houses a Goya painting. Julie Steinhafel in Milwaukee, WI USA 11/14/2006 We were surprised to find that in Spain they charge you for the bread they bring to your table if you eat it (in the US, it's free). Often we wouldn't eat it and they would still charge for it unless we corrected them. Also, in Granada we discovered a restaurant with great food near the Plaza Nueva called "Taberna Salinas." We saved over 30 euros in hotel charges just by using this book! Mark and Jill Caulfield in Chaska, MN USA 11/01/2006 Traveling by train was relaxing, and a great way to slow down and enjoy some quiet time--used a Eurail Pass, and then made seat reservations as necessary--no problems traveling the times and days we wanted. Michele Bell in Bellevue, WA USA 10/29/2006 Hotel Alminar: a new hotel to add that is excellent and an excellent locale with the most helpful staff in any of the cities we visited (we went to barcelona, sevilla, cordova, ronda, nerja, granada and madrid)---location is only 150 or so yards from the Cathedral and up the street from fantastic restaurant....right in the heart of tourist sites and very quiet---we were given the top floor room with a deck with a table and chairs to sit and read or eat breakfast (included in price)--a great value at 140 euros/night--everything is new and Francisco, the manager, is a great guy who went to Rutgers and speaks english and hotel is wi-fi wired downstairs and hotel has a laptop to loan to guests and provides excellent service, smiles and good advice and goodwill
you need to check out the hotel website--it is accurate and I strongly urge you to consider this hotel mike schoenfeld in gold river, ca USA 10/29/2006 hire Juan as your guide in the Prado......he is excellent and has passion for the art and tailors his tour to the interests and acumen of his tourists....go to Nerja: what a great small town which is very friendly to tourists and has excellent restaurants and shopping...very relaxing pace---the key find was the cafe that serves the Paza Cavana and makes the best sangria around...they are proud of this fact, advertise it only when asked and deliver...it is full of fruit and rich in flavor and wine mike schoenfeld in gold river, ca USA 10/29/2006 Restaurante Taller in Barcelona, between #4 and #6 Taller Street.
You absolutely must add this restaurant. For a 7.50€ menu, you get bread, 2 glasses of wine (the red was excellent), salad, first course, second course, and dessert. Terrific quality, excellent salads, beef stew and fish. Friendly service. Phenomenal value. Low price AND an extra course in the meal. Cash only. Dave Pomerantz in Marshfield, MA USA 10/29/2006 Hostal Bruna, Moratin 50, Madrid 28014, phone-34 914294701 (website-www.cvt.es/hostalbruna) is a must if staying near the 3 major museums in Madrid. It is at an unbeatable location, off an inviting, quiet plaza, 50 yards west of Paseo de Prado, across the road from the Murillo (south) entrance to the Museo del Prado. It is easy to get to from airport-metro line 8 to Nuevo Ministerios, bus 14 or 27 south along the major road that becomes Paseo del Prado--bus stop is 50 yards from hostal. No steps to climb at metro stops and bus transportation was easy. Hostal is run by a wonderful family who bend over backward to make your stay pleasant--Domingo speaks English and handles the business end, while his father, a friendly, pleasant man does the cleaning. Hostal Bruna is on the 2nd floor (US-3rd), has a modern elevator and the rooms are sparkling--flesh paint, modern flooring, good furnishings, TV, safe and hairdryer. Price for 2 was 48 Euros and they accept credit cards. Dining options in area are very good--La Plateria, La Taperia, La Cuatro Fuentes, as well as many others on Calles Huertas, Moratin and Atocha. Inexpensive internet/phone service up street at Moratin 33--not a cyber cafe--.025 Euros per minute for internet and .20 Euros/minute for calls to the US.
In Madrid, I would recommend the Metro Line 8 from the airport (T2) to Nuevo Ministerios, then exiting and taking bus 14 or 27 south on Paseo de Castellana for any one staying in the Huertas, Prado, Atocha area of Madrid. The metro stops have elevators and escalators. Taking 3 metro lines to those areas which most guide books recommend (2 metro stops have only steps)is very difficult for people carrying luggage. The metro/bus combination is much easier, simpler and faster. Earl Miller in Kutztown, PA USA 10/29/2006 Just returned from a 12 day trip to Spain and found Ricks book invaluable. All the tips for getting from point A to B were accurate. The Madrid airport is very user friendly with bilingual customer service reps in blue and green uniforms everywhere. Unfortuately the TSA approved Rick Steves luggage lock, purchased especially for this trip never made it to Spain. Either TSA cut it off or failed to replace it after removing it. Jackie Pflipsen in Sierra Vista, AZ USA 10/22/2006 Discover Galicia, Northwest Spain Joe in Eindhoven, Netherlands 10/14/2006 Traveling in September & October we found these great stays (criteria: price, then charm in some manner) & recommend that finding a place to stay last minute (by treking around town) is usually easy, and fun:
Madrid = Hostal Horizonte (Atocha 28, tel. 913 69 0996, E40/nite, great location in old part of town, across from a church and 1/2 blk to pl. Ana; incredible interior rm w/ bthrm or quite authentic small rms w/ balconies, share bthrm, cheap, a bit funky, Paris-like common area, very helpful owner)
Toledo = Hostal Maravilla (pl Barrio Rey 7, 925 22 8582 or 8317 or 3304, E45/nite, ask for balcony & view = #403,402,401; then 303,302,301; then 203,202,201; great location just off main pl in old part of town, authenic decor w/ btrms)
Cordoba = Mexquita Hotel (pl Santa Catalina 1)(95 747 5585)(E55/nite)(charming in old part of town, ask for view & balcony)
Granada = Hostal Lisboa (pl Carmen 27 or 29)(E30/nite)(authentic decor, old part of town, by the cathedral on pl. Carmen; very helpful owners; has website)
Sevilla: Hostal Goya (find on internet)(great location, close to everything, best street in the Barrio, 1.5 blks to Cathedral in the Barrio Santa Cruz) (common areas charming, rooms w/ balconies & bthrms,lack charm, but location & price worth it)(E50/nite)
Salamanca = Hosteria Casa Vallejo (c. San Juan de la Cruz 3)(923 28 04 21)(E60/nite)(newer hotel in old building, charming decor - ask for largest dbl, great location in old part of town, great attached cafe/restaurant)(wonderful owner)
Segovia = (c. Infanta Isabel 13)(92 146 0198) (E45/nite)(great location on cobblestone street, old part of town, sweet charming decor, sm balconies, ask for rm on same level as reception - left of desk area)
Nerja = more in old part of town instead of the Balcon de Europe part = Hotel Portofino (95 252 0150) or Hotel Puerto de Mar (ask for sea view & balcon)
Tarifa = think about staying in the old town (Hotel Sacrista (95 668 1759)(san Donato 8) for a splurge, or Hotel Misiana (C. Sancho IV el Bravo 18)(95 662 7083) for a totally hip, funky less expensive choice)(authentic, old bldg w/ hip cafe & bar at nite -bit noisy in club not in rm)(very helpful manager). Or do a complete beach thing, and stay out on strip of most beautiful beach = at hotel called, 100% Fun (Malaga km 76)(95 668-0330) there are many other places to stay in area, ranging from beautiful hacienda type beachfront hotels, to funky surfing hostel-type places. All are far enough apart to enjoy the scenery & relaxed beach environment. Martha Hughes in Soquel, CA USA 09/23/2006 Concepcion's walking tour in Seville was excellent. Your recommendation of Tarifa was perfect...loved the town. Dilly in SF, CA USA 08/20/2006 Tapas in Madrid, Plaza Santa Ana, in the Vinoteca Barbechera. If you are really tired of ham and/or sausage, this is the place for you. We had a Tosta (larger tapa with bread) of Salmon con Manzana (salmon with little stewed apples) that was wonderful. The salad is excellent as well. Add some tinto de casa and it's a great evening meal without waiting until so late.
Also, the Italian chain restaurante, Gino's, were a great place to eat and not so, um, ham-intensive. There was a nice one in Barcelona and another in the Arguelles neighborhood in Madrid.
When you are about to croak from the heat and need a Coke with ice for a fair price, swallow your pride and go to McDonald's.
And, finally, a warning to never leave bags unattended: Our backpack was stolen within 3 minutes in the lobby of our Barcelona hotel. The hotel was the Albinoni on Puerta de'l Angel (right near Plaza de Cataluna), which is a nice place, with a great location, and lovely breakfast area.
We're still not really sure what happened. The receptionist and bellman told us to put our bags on the cart and they would send them to the room when it was ready. No one else was in the reception area. We came out of the lobby restrooms 3 minutes later and the bags had been taken up to the room. Except a backpack was missing -- from a deserted lobby. The bellman said there was no backpack. We know it was there.
After a couple of hours at the police station -- since I speak Spanish, this was much better than I thought it would be -- we resumed our vacation, minus some things that were of value only to us. Even though there appears to be a security camera in the lobby, no one was sure it was operational. As we were leaving Monday morning for the airport, two police came to interview the manager of the hotel. We were, frankly, very impressed with the professionalism of the police, given the number of complaints they were dealing with that weekend. Joe and Kathie Myers in Sylvania, OH USA 07/31/2006 In Cordoba, the Casa de los Azulejos hotel is wonderful. Run by a young couple, nicely redecorated, very near the Plaza, the interior rooms are small but very quiet.
In Sevilla, the Hotel Amadeus has added a new facility called La Musica de Sevilla -- same staff, accomodations, etc., just a different building (about a half-block away). Free internet access! Russell A. Burgos in Thousand Oaks, CA USA 07/25/2006 There is so so much that I want to share because Rick held my hand and helped me throughout my entire stay but let's get to the very basics first. I know it sounds weird but the "highlights" about the restrooms are interesting and TRUE! I lived in Madrid (with Rick's guidance) last year for several months. It is a culture shock and I highly recommend Europe Through the Back Door prior to even planning your trip! Rick’s information is current and accurate! This book will help you to decide what level of comfort you want or can afford. The mental and emotional preparation will only be to your benefit which will allow you to adjust quicker then really be able to enjoy what you went there for!
One very interesting point that I found out about the restrooms in the non-touristy bars (which are on every corner and street!) are that electricity is at a premium. When you go into an establishments restroom you need to look for a little lite button, press slightly, and you generally have less than a minute before the LIGHTS GO OFF! Sometimes you have to figure a way to leave your throne to give you more light! The "better" establishments all have toilet paper but most have none! I soon learned that ALL WOMEN carry those small packets of tissue paper (which can be found in abundance in any little store for about a Euro for sizeable packet) and not so willing to share; not because they are not friendly, but simply because it is such a mobile country that you generally only carry what is NECESSARY for YOURSELF. "Sorry, can't spare a square” really is true! The tissue is in triplicate and much sturdier than our U.S. version. Self-sufficiency with the least amount of carry items is something you learn very quickly!
You do not want to waste your Euros to buy a drink at a bar so you can use the restroom with toilet paper when you can go to a local bar off the plaza, and get a free tapa with EVERY cheaper priced drink and then use the restroom with your own tissues! Plus, you can get a full belly and a buzz for the price of what 1 or 2 cañas will cost you in the plaza! Hortencia in Fullerton, CA USA 07/22/2006 There is a restaurant near Plaza Santa Ana called La Trucha. Actually there are two. But the lower cost one on the same street as the market Proxim with the plastic trout outside is the great one. Wonderful food, especially vegetable items. Best dinner in Madrid. In Segovia, we bought wonderful leather goods at C.B. Aljarfe, c/Daoiz, 23, 4006 Segovia, tel. 921 46 09 39. The owner/artist is right on site, and the goods are gorgeous and reasonably priced. Julie Davies in Sacramento , CA USA 07/14/2006 I recently Completed a 15 day Spain trip. I have been a big Rick Steves fan for years but the Spain guide is absolutely superb(and that might be an understatement!)The hotel recommendations were terrific. I traveled to 5 cities: 1) Madrid(Hotel Europa) 2) Toledo(Hotel las Conchas) 3)Sevilla(Hotel Alcantara) 4)Granada(Hotel Macia Plaza) 5)Barcelona(Nouvel Hotel). Every hotel was a great recommendation and I would stay at every one of these again. This alone is a tremendous service. Matt Dangel in Columbus, Oh USA 07/10/2006 Overall, the suggestions in the book were fantastic! I would recommend it to anyone travelling to Spain. The Cathedral de Almudena in Madrid is worth visiting, which was not recommended very highly in the guidebook. Jose Calderon in Coconut Creek, FL USA 07/09/2006 I have been writing a book about the city of Seville and the figure of "Don Juan" in the XVI century. I write you because I was help by a great tour guide called Antonio Doblas,. He is more than a tour guide, he is a time traveler, who allows you to see into the rich history of the city. He is unique among tour guides that I have had around the world in his dedication to learning everything that he can about the city that he loves. He does not just tell you dates and names, he paints a picture of life through the fascinating world of Sevilla. Antonio made the paintings three-dimensional and allowed us to see through walls into the private and lives of kings and commoners who have made Sevilla one of the richest and most romantic cities in Europe. Douglas Abrams in Santa Cruz, CA USA 06/28/2006 Ryanair from BVA Paris was a great timesaver vs. driving or train, and very cheap. We flew into Girona & out of Reus to see a little of the coast. If you fly into Girona from BVA, you might want to stay the first night at the Novotel Gironaas we did. The flight comes in at midnight, and Novotel Girona has a free shuttle car to pick you up and take you back to the airport in the morning to get your rental car or a bus to Barcelona City. Pool, restaurant, nice staff, wifi at small charge (about 5 E per hour). Much nicer than contending with a rental car late at night. You can book on line at Novotel.com Sherry Cavanaugh in Clearwater, FL USA 06/27/2006 Tarifa-Tangier: We have to disagree with Rick on this one.
Although it´s a more manageable and attractive town than Algeciras, Tarifa is pure and simple a windsurfer´s hangout, and probably wouldn´t justify stopping if it wasn´t a fast portal to Tangier. An overnight is more than enough. Unfortunately, getting to Tangier really requires 2 nights in Tarifa. The 9:00AM tour is the best. It the advantages of lunch being at the right time of day body-clock wise, getting back at around 5:00PM in time for a shower and nap before dinner, and being able to fill out your documents at you leisure the night before.
Expect the average age in Tarifa to be about 20 and the ambience to be Florida spring break.
Seville-Lisbon buses:
There's no such thing as a 5-hour connection. The shortest connections are 7:15 hours. Alsa (www.alsa.es) and Eurolines (www.Eurolines.es) both offer 10:30AM departures, arriving in Lisbon at 4:45.
Sevilla:
If you are staying in or around the Barrio Santa Cruz, walk to the Basilica de Macarena instead of taking the bus. It only takes 30 minutes, and you get a good look at the non-tourist zone. On your way back, wander towards the Las Armas bus station to get your tickets out if you´re heading West. Then wander back through the Triana or Rick´s shopping paseo streets. Expect to get temporarily lost - streets are not always marked on the buildings, and the layout is typical Medieval jumble. But we felt safe and never too lost. Shaun Simpkins in Beaverton, OR USA 06/26/2006 In Toledo I decided to wander up to the Alcazar late in the afternoon. I noticed an open door and a sign for the Biblioteca (library). Up the stairs (elevator works too) to the top and I was in a GREAT public library with access to the Internet, etc. I happened up there just as a TV camera operator and photographers were focused on a gentleman and I heard the word "poeta" and asked someone nearby if there was a poetry reading. There was and I was invited in. The poet was Jose Corredor-Matheos and I managed to understand about half his poems. BTW there is a nice cafe up there with stunning views! The place closed at 9:00pm. Matthew Murrey in Urbana, IL USA 06/23/2006 Madrid, June 2006:
There are several summer Metro closures in effect. Metro Line 3 is completely shut down for construction, which makes it a bit tricky to get to the bus station for El Escorial if you´re staying in the recommended central hotels. It´s now a 3-line, 3-station transfer instead of a straight shot on line 3.
Also, line 8 (the line from the airport to downtown} is closed for construction between two intermediate stations, which means that you have to take the bus around the closures.
Puerta del Sol is torn up for station reconstruction. Although the car traffic is minimized, the piledrivers in operation make for even more noise than is normal in Madrid. We took side streets to avoid it during work hours.
Wander up Huertas between Plaza Santa Ana and Mayor. You may be treated to a bagpipe band practicing in one of the apartments (!) overhead.
Barcelona:
Make sure that you ask for a Tranquilo room at the Hotel Gran Via. The Gran Via in its name means that it´s right on the busiest street in town, and the streetside rooms, though well insulated and nicely appointed, aren´t that quiet.
We walked from Catalunya to Sagrada Familia to Park Guell through some really interesting neighborhoods. The hike was easy, though a few miles long, and we would have missed a lot of the ambience of the city if we hadn´t hoofed it. The neat thing about Barcelona is the city itself, near the Ramblas and far from it. Get out in it. Shaun Simpkins in Beaverton, OR USA 06/22/2006 In Toledo we had a wonderful lunch and dinner at El Botero, Calle de la Ciudad, 5. The food was gourmet and the service very friendly. Their website is www.tabernaelbotera.com. Next door we discovered a taberna filled with locals which served traditional Spanish food for very reasonable prices: La Taberna. Marilyn McVicar in richmond, BC Canada 06/21/2006 My husband and I went to Spain in the beginning of May and really enjoyed the day tour we took with Paul. He took us on a ride through some small towns in Andalucia which we never would have otherwise experienced! Truly a worthwhile and unique experience. Jennifer in San Diego, CA USA 06/20/2006 I just came back from several months living in Santiago de Compostela. Here are a few hints:
1) Wireless junkies should head straight to Praza de Rodrigo del Padron, where three separate establishments offer free wireless access for your laptop: Cafe Terra Nova, Cafe 25 de Julio, and Moore's Irish Pub. Terra Nova also has two computers for public use, free of charge.
2) Santiago is a university town and has its own tuna band, playing weekend evenings starting around 22:00 at the city hall building (Concello) on Praza de Obradoiro. A charming, funny group of fellows who put on a great show.
3) Possible restaurant addition: Galeon Toural, at Canton do Toural, 4. Centrally located, very wide selection of cheap eats (platos combinados, bocadillos, ensaladas, hamburguesas...). Slightly touristy in feel, but enough locals around that you don't feel caught in a tourist trap. The maps on the back of their takeout menus are the finest street maps around -- better than the tourist office.
4) Possible cafe additions: Derby, Rua das Orfas, 29 kitty-corner from Praxa de Galicia. Elegant decor, smartly dressed wait staff. A classy alternative for your cafe con leche.
5) Cafe Jacobus, several locations. Great coffee, excellent selection of teas and chocolates, friendly wait staff wearing unnerving neon-colored shirts.
6) To hear Galician folk bands live, Cafe das Crechas (Via Sacra, 3) is the place to go. Joseph Sargent in San Francisco, CA USA 06/16/2006 I couldn't reserve a room in a Rick Steves recommended hotel or hostal in Granada or Sevilla so I used venere.com which led me to 3 excellent hotels at bargain prices. I was partcularly delighted with Hotel Saray in Granada which is very conveniently located and very modern with good service and a great breakfast. The other 2 are Hotel AC Santa Justa near the airport (with a pool) in Sevilla & Best Western Hotel Cervantes which is an easy walk from all the Sevilla attractions. John Wilde in Whitesboro , NY USA 06/16/2006 Rick is right about watching out for purse snatchers in Madrid. I was sitting in a Bodega and saw a woman set her purse on a chair next to her by an open window (it did have a small railing across the opening). I saw a woman just standing in front of the window and within five minutes she grabbed the purse and fled down the street. I yelled and my husband ran out the front door along with the bartender. The thief dropped the purse and went on. Don't leave your purse on tabletops, chairs, etc. Keep it hidden. The victim thanked me and said she had a problem a few years ago in Barcelona where the thieves were trying to still her gold necklace! I guess that experience didn't teach her. Thanks for providing all your advice. It makes me watch out at all times. J. Boerger in Coppel, Tx USA 06/12/2006 If you plan on taking public transportation to the airport to leave out of Terminal 4 (the new international terminal) give yourself an extra 45 minutes (in addition to the 45-60 minute subway ride)to actually get to Terminal 4. You arrive by Metro to Terminal 1, then must somehow find the bus to Terminal 4, wait for it to fill, then take the 15 minute bus ride to the Terminal. Then, you stand in line for check-in, and finally after going through security, have a 20 minute walk/moving walkway trip to your gate. It is very cool and modern, but extremely spread-out. Also, resist buying any meat products unless you plan to consume them on the plane. You will be fined and they will be confiscated! Connie in Czeschin, MO USA 06/10/2006 The tour given by Conceptione in Seville was wonderful. Anyone going there must consider this tour. Barcelona tour given by the TIs about the early years of Picasso is also a must do. Terri in Columbia, MD USA 06/06/2006 I would highly recommend the addition of the High Tech Hotel chain for accomodation in Madrid. We stayed at the Petit Palace Posada del Peine - very close to Plaza Mayor and Puerta del Sol. Access to computers downstairs in the restaurant, which made it handy to burn our pictures to disk and check email. The staff were friendly and helpful, but the best thing was the shower - 3 shower heads. Need I say more.
While in Barcelona, check out Taller de Tapas (Plaza Sant Joseph Oriol, 9). Great Cava, great food and friendly and helpful staff. We didn't repeat a restaurant until we ate at Taller de Tapas - too good not to eat there both nights in Barcelona!
For a reasonably good meal with a view, consider having lunch in Carmona at the Parador. We took our lunch on the terrace (limited menu), with sweeping views of the countryside. The food was overpriced, but it didn't really matter. The olives, however, were outstanding. Deirdre Logan in Vancouver, BC Canada 06/05/2006 I used the 2005 Spain guidebook, so you may have the below in 2006, but it doesn't turn up on a search from box above right on this site: Madrid: Lazaro Galdiano Foundation, actually a private collection of deceased art critic in his mansion. An interesting collection, with great works by El Greco, Goya, and especially the Bosch. see www.flg.es not far from P. Sol, but need to take Metro. Suzaan Boettger in NYC, NY USA 06/05/2006 Madrid - Madrid Segway Glides (www.madsegs.com) 659 82 4499 - three hours with training on a Segway. Tour covers Plaza de Espana, Temple of Diebold, Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor. English guide (Anthony)makes you feel like a friend, not just a commercial opportunity. Segways are a real kick. We're in our mid-60s with balance concerns, but my wife did great and we both loved it. You need it in your show. Peter McCray in Tucson, AZ USA 06/04/2006 Tickets to the Royal Andalusian horse show were sold out on the day we wanted to visit, so we booked a tour through viator.com (the tour comapany they used was Viejas Boreal). They were efficient and professional -- we got a winery (sherry) tour, tickets to the horse show, and a ferry ride and short tour of Cadiz . Our guide was good and there was no pressure to buy things at certain shops or to eat at certain restaurants. For a packaged tour, it was a very pleasant experience. John Govern in Towson, MD USA 06/04/2006 Thanks for a great guide for our trip to Spain! Two significant new discoveries on the trip, both brand new and both perfect 'Rick Steves' kind of places.
Tarifa, new tapas bar: Mezcla. It's run by a couple guys, an Irish guy with bar/restaurant background and a Spanish guy with design skills. The place is really cool with bar and intimate couch seating. The menu was perfect and very reasonable. It's very much in line with the transformation going on in Tarifa with the hotels La Sacristia and Misiani -- very hip place. It opened in April. It's just down the street from Sergio's great pizza place (thanks for that tip).
Mezcla 12, Calle San Francisco Tarifa 34.956.627.465 www.mezclateraifa.com
Sevilla, new Santa Cruz hotel: Hotel un Patio en Santa Cruz We couldn't get a room at any of Rick's hotels so we were forced to Google. We stumbled across this place and decided to gamble. It was one of the highlights of our trip! The hotel opened around Dec., 2005. It's in the heart of Santa Cruz and offers around 13 very modern, clean, comfortable rooms (rooms 12 and 12A are actuall on the rooftop patio; careful of rooms 1-2-3 that are actually off the lobby). We booked a double for just 72 Euros! This place is going to be booked solid once people find it! And finding it is easy -- they invested in a ton of the official lighted directional signs placed strategically around Santa Cruz.
Hotel un Patio en Santa Cruz C/Doncellas, 15 Sevilla34.954.53.94.13 www.patiosantacruz.com hotel@patiosantacruz.com Tom Kelly in Park City, UT USA 06/03/2006 Hostal La Princesa in Granada 18009. It's right next door to the prestigious Hotel Dauro and at half the price. San Matias 2, first floor tel. 958 48 62 90. www.hostallaprincesa.com
Also,Hostal-Restaurante Monreal calle Rodrigo Caro 8 in Sevilla 41004. tel 95 42 15166 The location simply cannot be beaten!
Lastly, I cannot say enough about Paul McGrath and his day tours from Seville. At first, I thought since he only had a 9 seat minivan that there wouldn't be a chance to get a seat at the last moment--but there was, and it worked out so well that we took 2 tours. He has started a second tour to the Arcena area NW of Seville on Wednesdays as well as the Pueblos Blancos tour on Mondays and Fridays. Both were highlights of our trip. Pat Fleury in Fort Worth, TX USA 05/19/2006 Do go to San Sebastian, it deserves MORE than a day's trip, it is darling, lots to do and see, and shopping is great! Kim in Alamo, CA USA 05/13/2006 I found a website that allows for the advance online registration to the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. The website is www.alhambratickets.com. There is also a phone number that can be used though I do not have it handy. It is listed on the website. This can allow visitors to register 1 year in advance and avoid lengthy lines. Maybe you know about it and wish not disclose it ;). Roberto Alfaro in New York, NY USA 05/03/2006 The Hotel Barcelona Universal (www.nnhotels.es) was a great business-class hotel ( 4-star, priced much less). Located near the bottom of the Ramblas with a metro stop (Paral-lel) literally at its front door. April Brady in Memphis, TN USA 05/02/2006 Just to note that we recently enjoyed a EXCELLENT private guided gourmet wine vacation organized by American Richard Harris and Daniel O'Beirne of MagicalSpain.com . We found them on the web and mentioned that you have the web listed under the Seville other tour section. You might want to mention that MagicalSpain does Custom Gourmet & Active trips all over Spain and Portugal + has a 6 night Andalucia walking adventure trip. Sean & Maria Healion + family in NYC, NY USA 05/01/2006 Seville-- Las Piletas rest. Marques De Prada 20. referred by the bell-hop. very good, simple food. lots of locals,and helpful staff. grilled sea bass with simple sauce. great. (754220404). Also, in Madrid, Botin restaurant, near Plaza Mayor. really old place, helpful staff (not always the case in spain) good food, and lots of charm. David Holbrook, New Haven , Ct. David Holbrook in New Haven, Ct USA 04/30/2006 We recently spent two nights in Cadaques at the hotel Playa Sol. It is a very nice, clean, well-run hotel,right on the waterfront. We recommend it highly. We also went out to the Nature Park at Cap Creus to the lighthouse and the restaurant above. The Park is beautiful, wild country with hiking trails and stunning views. The restaurant above the lighthouse was a fun place and we had a really good meal there. Worth going. I think these would be good sidebars to a stay in Cadaques. Liz and Bruce Robinson in Boulder, CO USA 04/27/2006 Restaurante Casa Juanillo in Sacromonte, Granada. Really nice waiter, service, and music. Very intimate and cozy dining room with incredible view of the Alhambra from all tables. Different and more interesting menu than most places we've found. Their Alpujarra-style grilled lamb is simply the best dish in Spain (besides fresh Paella). Chris McClure in San Francisco, CA USA 04/26/2006 Madrid Vision bus trip now only has two routes due to construction on Puerta del Sol. Only the red route (historic Madrid) goes to Puerta del Sol and gets very crowded. Get on a stop earlier at the bus stop at 37 Alcala (east of Puerta del Sol), or on Gran Via, to beat all the tourists waiting down the block.
Patrick Farrell in Baltimore, MD USA 04/21/2006 I've been to London and Paris several times and have travelled the New York Subway more times than I can count, and I have to say that Madrid's Metro is the best I've seen. You can get anywhere sooooo easily and it is clean and cheap. I wouldn't recommend any other way to travel around the city, except by foot. Brian Kozakowski in Cherry Hill, NJ USA 04/20/2006 While in Barcelona, we stumbled upon an absolutely wonderful restaurant: Cal Pep. It is located on Placa de les Olles 8, in the Barri Gotic. Tel: 933 107 961. The place specializes in seafood, consists of only a bar, with the main chef behind it. Most of the ingredients were on ice behind the chef, and the food was prepaired right in front of us. We did not speak a word of Spanish, so the chef prepaired us a meal that he thought we would like. It was magnificent, starting with the appertizers and ending with coffee and desert. The place opens at 8pm. We arrived at 8:05 and snagged the last 2 available seats. I think this restaurant should be a must see attraction in Barcelona. Yelena in Boston, MA USA 04/19/2006 The only hotels Rick Steves lists in his Spain book are near the Balcon de Europe. Hostal Miguel is in the heart of the old town, near many restaurants, bars, shops and beaches. Yet it´s quiet, a refuge. The English hosts, Matt & Natalie, offer high quality lodging and friendly, personal service. They´ve thought of everything, including refrigerators in the rooms.
Our double room (33 euros-night in April) was spacious, bright and well decorated. The rooftop terrace was lovely for breakfast, picnics and sunbathing. Chaise lounges, kitchenware and lots of helpful information were provided.
We enjoyed this hostal so much that we extended our stay from 2 to 4 days. And Rick is right: Nerja is wonderful, the best town on the Costa del Sol.
Contact information: Matt & Natalie, Hostal Miguel, Calle Almirante Ferrandiz, 31, Nerja, Spain, 00-34-95-252-1523, hostalmiguel@gmail.com. Jan Schwert in Seattle, WA USA 04/18/2006 The self-guided tours provided for Madrid and Sevilla were particularly helpful. Our tour of the walk from Puerto del Sol to the Royal Palace, as well as the Royal Palace itself, were interesting and allowed us to stay clear of the over crowded group tours. David and Juliana Matsumoto in Seattle, WA USA 04/01/2006 There is one thing that is not covered in Spain 2006: Culture Shock. I found that the Spaniards are not as friendly as Americans and I had a hard time dealing with their culture, especially when it came to customer service. For the most part, hotel staff was cordial, helpful, and accomodating but I was disappointed with restaurant service. The biggest suprise was at Tourist Information Kiosks. In general I felt like I was interrupting them and my questions were answered with minimum detail. I was not made to feel like I was welcome in their country. Michael Roberts in Vancouver, WA USA 03/26/2006 This book provided invaluable information before and during my travel to Spain. Madrid and Granada have internet cafes which charge reasonable fees to use telephones and computers. Gretchen Gallucci in Worthington, OH USA 03/26/2006 My husband and I bought several guidebooks for our trip to Spain, but this one had some of the best and most practical advice. We were especially grateful for it when we went to Gibraltar - the advice to park in Spain and walk across the border was invaluable! It let us spend more time enjoying ourselves and less time waiting to cross the border. For our next trip to Europe, this will be the first guidebook we buy. Jessica Eicher in Denver, CO USA 03/10/2006 I just wanted to relate that I used this Guide book, and found it a great companion, I did not know I was going to Barcelona until days before embarking, as a travel companion with someone who was having to work there for a week. I rushed into Barnes & Nobles, looked at the selection of Travel books, I had very little time and so instinctively plucked this book, and the accompanying phrase book, which I was able to read on the flight over to BCN. Basically with book in hand, I enjoyed locating the sights, and eating places, and even returning to several! I just want to warn others, like myself, who think they are vigilant, that we can all fall pray to being mugged, we nearly had this unpleasant experience, after a week of being in BCN, at 10 am, a block from the Sagrada Familia, we had a load of something (I think it was either chocolate or coffee grounds) thrown at us from behind. A man then engaged us, and offered to help clean it out of my hair, off my coat and trousers ...........thankfully we caught on, and ended up finding the Starbucks restroom nearby. Beware! I would still return to this great City, as there was so much more to view and enjoy!!! Thank you. ken in Concord, CA USA 03/08/2006 We enjoyed buying dulces from the cloistered nuns in Madrid. We had a great time trying to find the convent and the experience was bizarre, fun, and delicious! Felicia Bloom in Merion, PA USA 03/04/2006 If you are interested in meeting interesting people who want to learn English and you don't mind spending a week with them, I would recommend http://www.vaughanvillage.com/ and their Pueblo Ingles program pat in mcshane, ny USA 02/12/2006 Barcelona: Take a taxi to the center of town. The trains are under major construction. You now change trains before Sants Station and if you don't get off you go back to the airport like me and lots of others. taxi is only 15E. Stop penny pinching! alexander in san francisco, ca USA 01/26/2006 Tangier, Morocco: We took the high-speed ferry from Tarifa and found it to be much easier than we anticipated. Parked our car; bought tickets at the Marruecotur travel agency; hopped on the ferry; and quickly connected with a guide when we arrived in Tangier. As stated in Rick's book, you can get a bus tour for the same price as the ferry ticket alone. But, we do not like group tours and prefer to explore on our own.
Sure, the guides aggressively sell their services when you arrive, but at the same time are friendly and professional. The guide offers were for 30 euros per day, but when I showed them Rick's estimate of 18 per day, we got the lower rate.
We passed on the first two guides we spoke with and selected a friendly, softspoken, registered guide named Korich Driss. He was perfect for us. Took us where we wanted to go, answered our questions, and casually conversed with us throughout the day. If we ever return, we would use him again. He worked very hard to make our visit enjoyable. His mobile phone is 062-19-71-66. In the end we paid 30 euros for the day, even though he agreed to 18 euros when we initially negotiated.
We went with the intention of making a few purchases and were not disappointed. Purchased a beautiful hand-made carpet. Original price quote was $1,200 and we paid $600, which is probably about what we would pay in the U.S. but now we have a story to go with it. Also, there are amazing, quaint gold jewelry stores. Less opporunity for negotiations, as the jewelry is sold by weight.
Next time we're off to Fei for an even greater adventure!
Tony Melone in Seattle, WA USA 01/24/2006 Sevilla Hotel: We called two of Rick's recommendations but they were filled. We then found the Hotel Alminar (3*)in a perfect location immediately next to the Cathedral. Restored in 2005 with 12 spacious rooms. Very friendly staff. Our off-season rate was 90 euros for a double. www.hotelalminar.com Tony Melone in Seattle, WA USA 01/24/2006 I've got to chime in with my fellow travelers. I too love your books Rick, and bought the Spain book without every looking to see if Palma de Mallorca was included. Imagine my disappointment to see it was not. So, please include it and/or give some references in your book and your website about good sources of info on Mallorca. Joe Edgell in Takoma Park, MD/Tacoma, WA, MD USA 01/18/2006 We took an unexpected detour to Ronda and stayed at a hotel and ate in a restaurant not featured in the guidebook. They were both OUT OF THIS WORLD and I think should be included in the 2007 edition. The hotel was Hotel Jardin de la Muralla (www.jardindelamuralla.com), located in the walled old city. The hosts were gracious, the facilities excellent and the gardens beautiful. We stayed in their most expensive room, which was huge with great views, during high season, and it was still only 100 Euros. The restaurant was called Casa Maria, locaed at Ruedo Alameda, 27. Our hoteliers sent us there and it was the best meal we had in Spain. There is no menu - they simply offer what is best at the market each day and everything is very reasonably priced. We ate and drank like kings and the bill was less than 70 Euros for two people. Jody Brian in Ottawa, ON Canada 01/17/2006 I really liked La Strada in Barcelona´s Borne district. Small and cute, it has a 4-course tasting menu at lunch that changes every day for 10€. Very tasty and much higher quality than most of the menu del dia that I´ve tried. Also open for dinner, it´s my favorite place to eat in Barcelona.
La Strada Pescateria 6 del Born 08003 Barcelona 93 268 27 11 Bob in San Francisco, CA USA 01/13/2006 |
