San Sebastián

As I said in my last post, I made a spur of the moment decision to book a solo trip to a warm destination. I landed on San Sebastián (or Donostia to the locals) for a few reasons: 1) The RyanAir flight to nearby Biarritz, France was cheap, 2) It's a gorgeous beach town, and 3) SS was a place I've never heard about until living in Europe, but I've heard nothing but glowing recommendations since being here from foodies and surfers alike. Some call it the world's best food city, as it is home to a number of Michelin star restaurants, as well as world-renowned bar snacks called pintxos.

After flying into Biarritz and taking the train to SS, I arrived in the late afternoon, got settled and acquainted with my Airbnb host.... who did not speak a word of English. Talk about a crash review of my college Minor Spanish! 5 years of not speaking the language meant I had to shake off some serious rust. I was able to do that immediately when my host, Ana, invited me to get Chocolate y Churros (very rich, but yummy!) with her and her cousin. Afterwards we strolled around the city at dusk and Ana pointed out places for me to check out in the coming days.

The next morning, I awoke bright and early, went on a run along La Playa de la Concha at sunrise, then got cleaned up, shared a coffee with Ana, and set out for a day of sightseeing. I hiked up to the top of Monte Urgull to see Castillo de La Mota and Cristo de la Mota, a 12th century castle and statue of Christ atop the hill. From here, you also get panoramic views of the city and the bay, Bahía de la Concha.

Cristo de la Mota (same statue lit up on top of the hill in the first pic)

I also spent my fair share of time (the first day and every day!) wandering around La Parte Vieja, the old town area of SS. It's made up of narrow, pedestrian streets, filled with little Tabernas, or Pintxos bars. There are also a couple beautiful cathedrals, including one, Basílica de Nuestra Señora del Coro, that faces the gothic cathedral, Catedral del Buen Pastor in the more modern part of town (below).

Plaza de la Constitución

In the evening, I commenced what became my nightly routine: reading in Plaza de la Constitución over a glass of wine, then a traditional Pintxos Crawl, where you make your way from through various Pintxos bars, sampling wines and tasty morsels that are not only delicious, but super cheap! I'd follow this with a stroll along the boardwalk at sunset, and an early retreat for some conversation with my host and Skyping with family. Pretty much my idea of heaven.

PINTXOS... get in my belly!

The next day brought exploration of the other side of the bay, Monte Igueldo. I checked out Los Peines del Viento (wind combs), then hiked up to the top of the Mt. for one of the most breathtaking views I've ever seen. I spent the afternoon getting lost in the streets and watching surfers over at Zurriola Beach before retiring to Old Town.

Los Peines del Viento

View from Monte Igueldo... see what I mean?

SS is small, so after the first couple days, I had seen all the sites. I ventured out on a day trip to Hondarribia, Spain (a town on the border of Spain & France - I'll cover another time!), then spent the remaining days laying on the beach, reading, eating pintxos, and enjoying the ocean and the sunshine. Rough life! 

I enjoyed my time there so much that I extended my stay an extra day, but I still can't wait to go back some day with my husband and share in the amazing experience that is San Sebastián.

Next up, I spent a couple days in Biarritz...

Ridin' Solo

One of the things I mentioned I'd do differently with 9 months off again was travel more. I know what you're thinking. More? We've traveled so much already! However, if I had the time again, I'd take more solo trips, because... why not? Once I traveled by myself one time, I realised (just realized I typed the alternate spelling!) that I could do it. And not only that -- I really enjoyed it. It was liberating!

After 4 months of Irish weather, I got tired of waiting around in the rain for my permit and decided it was time to take a break from Dublin and the non-existent summer. So, I booked a spur of the moment trip to San Sebastián, Spain & Biarritz, France, a couple beach towns in Basque country, to recharge with some much needed sunshine.

Playa de la Concha - San Sebastián

I had never traveled alone before. Sure, I've taken flights around the U.S. on my own, but that's peanuts compared to a week-long solo trip in foreign countries where I don't speak the language. Needless to say, I was nervous about it (and chose not to mention it to my parents until I arrived, because I knew they would worry and make me more nervous!). What is great about traveling solo is that it forces you to get over these nerves and out of your comfort zone. You have only yourself to rely on for directions, what to do, etc.

My first day was an excellent ice breaker for the rest of the trip. I flew to Biarritz, France, then figured out the bus to take from the airport to the train station, booked a ticket to Hendaye (a little French town on the border of Spain), transferred to a separate train station, booked a ticket to San Sebastián, then walked about a mile with my little suitcase (pretty sure this is where it broke) to the Airbnb apartment I reserved, to stay with a woman who didn't speak a word of English. I definitely had trouble reading train and bus schedules (not to mention that trains in France are often not on time!), and stumbled through communication, awkwardly blurting out 2-word sentences like, "Train... Hendaye?" 

 Once you get over the hiccups and feeling uncomfortable, the rest is amazing. I had intermittent lonely moments where I missed my husband, felt silly taking even a few pics of myself, or wanted to share my experience with someone (at least the beauty of modern technology means being able to share pictures, FB updates, Skype, etc. to make you feel more connected). Otherwise, it's great being on your own schedule -- you do what you want, where you want, when you want. You have total control over your vacation.

View of San Sebastián from Monte Urgull

I brought a few great books and spent my days running on the beach at sunrise, exploring the towns, people watching at cafes, chatting with my hosts and interesting fellow travelers, practicing Spanish, strolling the boardwalks and lounging in the sunshine. Just writing all that makes me want to do it all over again!

Cidra & White Asparagus - Basque cuisine

Sitting in Spain, looking across the harbor at France (right)

Best book to bring with you on a solo trip!

Evening routine - watching sunset at Playa de la Concha

I would absolutely recommend to anyone to challenge yourself to "ride solo" on a trip if the opportunity presents itself. It's an unforgettable experience and you'll be proud of yourself for it. I'll write a separate post with tips for women traveling solo (being a young woman, I know I certainly did a little research before taking off on my own). Next up though: I'll post about the San Sebastián and Biarritz trips themselves... stay tuned!!

Barcelona Itinerary

Itinerary #2: Barcelona...

There's plenty to see here, and this is only written from time spent during a long weekend. We do try to see as much as possible, so here's a guide for 2-3 days in Barcelona... 

Where to stay:

We stayed at the HCC Regente (there are other HCC hotels throughout the city as well), in the neighborhood of Eixample. It was a great location -- walking distance to Las Ramblas, and around the corner from Cervesería Catalana, the restaurant I raved about in my post about our trip. Anything around that area would be great, Gràcia is similar, or I'd suggest Ciutat Vella to be closer to the Gothic Quarter and nightlife... depends on what you're looking for!

Hop On / Hop Off

Would definitely recommend using the Hop On/Hop Off bus to tour the city. You can walk most places in the city, but there are a couple areas that are a little far, unless you're looking for a hike! The rail system is great too, but the bus provides transportation AND audio commentary. There are a couple different lines to take: red and blue are the best; green is just OK, but is good transportation to Port Olímpic. About €20 for a two-day pass, pick it up in Plaza Catalunya.

What to see:

Las Ramblas -  pedestrian street, filled with street vendors - very cool place to walk through - watch for pickpockets, as it is a touristy area!

Mercat de la Boquería - huge open-air market off La Rambla - explore and grab a bite to eat!

Gaudí works: Casa Milà, Caso Batlló, Sagrada Familia, Park Güell, Colònia Güell... MUST sees! Park Güell was probably my favorite of our trip. The architecture is so interesting, the park is beautiful, and there are great views of the city from the top.

Port Vella: Las Ramblas ends in Monumento a Colón and Port Vella. Pretty area, has the Museu D'Història De Catalunya.

Barceloneta: neighborhood in Ciutat Vella district - next to the beach, also has a market to check out - good place to stop for lunch or dinner

Barri Gòtic: neighborhood with medieval architecture, narrow pedestrian streets, opening up to little plazas

Montjuïc / Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC): art museum - we actually didn't go in the museum, but the building is gorgeous and the steps of Palau Nacional provide one of the best views of the city

Also, Fuente mágica de Montjuic, "magic fountains," with an impressive lights display at night, and the Olympic village (from 1992 Olympics) are nearby...

Cable car to Montjuïc: We didn't do this and I want to next time!! Take a cable car up to Montjüic to see Castle Montjüic and 360 views of Barcelona

Port Olímpic / Poblenou: redone for the '92 Olympics, now very modern area along the beach with trendy restaurants and clubs 

FC Barcelona: Lastly, I would recommend seeing a Barça game at Camp Nou - they weren't in town while we were there, but it's definitely on the list for next time!

Of course, mix in stops for food to try tapas (huevos fritos, jamón iberico, patatas bravas.. to name a few favorites), black paella, mojitos, sangría, good house wines, etc.... suggestions from the locals are always the best! 

Easter in Barcelona

We returned from our mini moon on a Tuesday, Brandon went in to work on Wednesday and Thursday, then we left for another trip on Friday. Our first trip outside of Ireland... to Barcelona for Semana Santa, or "Holy Week" (last week of lent before Easter). We really hadn't had time to settle down in those 2 days between traveling, but there was a Monday Bank Holiday to be seized. There are 4 or 5 bank holidays throughout the year in Ireland, and we try to take advantage of each and every one of these long weekends to start checking off our extensive "hit list" of travel destinations. With no particular order in mind, we chose Barcelona first...

Panoramic view from Museo Nacional d'Art de Catalunya

We arrived on a Friday evening and, by the time we got to the hotel and freshened up, it was already close to 11pm. Conveniently, people don't eat dinner in Spain until 9 pm or later anyway! We went to Cervecería Catalana, a restaurant recommended by our concierge and put our name in to wait (yes, there was still a wait at 11pm... nuts!) Well, it was worth it! We stayed until 1 am, drinking house Rioja (house wines are actually very good in Spain) and eating a delectable variety of tapas. The meal was so enjoyable that we veered from our typical routine and dined there twice during our trip!

Over the next couple days, we took a Hop on/Hop off bus all around the city to see the various sites. We walked down Las Ramblas, the main promenade inundated with street vendors and crowds passing through.

Las Ramblas

On a side street off La Rambla is Mercat de la Boqueria, an enormous public market filled with fresh meats, fish, cheeses, fruits, spices... you name it! Very cool place to walk around and grab a bite to eat.

Mercat de la Boquería

La Rambla ends at the Monumento a Colón, the tallest Christopher Columbus Monument, located at the site where Columbus returned after his first voyage to the Americas.

Monumento a Colón

We then strolled through Barri Gòtic, the gothic quarter with stunning architecture and a labyrinth of narrow streets opening up to little plazas. 

La Seu Cathedral

 Barri Gòtic

... And into La Barceloneta, an adjacent neighborhood that meets the beach boardwalk.

La Barceloneta

Of course, you can't go to Barcelona without hearing about Gaudí, a famous Spanish Catalan architect. His well-known works consist of Casa Milà, Casa Batlló, Sagrada Família, and Park Güell. All are amazingly creative and awe-inspiring.

  

 Casa Milà - or La Pedrera

Casa Batlló

Sagrada Família

Park Güell views

Park Güell

Finally, we visited the modern beach strip near Port Oliímpic. What I love about Barcelona is the juxtaposition of architectural style throughout the city. You can go from the Gothic Quarter with all the historic and intricately designed buildings, to the Catalan Modernism of Gaudí, to the "Miami Beach" type clubs (mojitos are a must).

Port Olímpic

Combine that style with sunny weather and tasty cuisine, and I'm sold! It's just an awesome city, and still one of my favorites of all we've seen. I wouldn't mind living in Barcelona for a while :) Without doubt, I'll be back to visit again!