2.5 weeks in Seville, Granada, Madrid and Morocco
Dec 3rd, 2021, 01:21 PM
#21
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Speaking of turrón, very near your Madrid hotel, at Paseo del Prado 10, you'll find the largest turrón store in the world--TORRONS VICENS from Agramunt (Lleida), 650 square meters of turrón heaven. This company, in business since 1775, also has shops in Málaga and Granada.
https://www.vicens.com/en/shops
Here are some of their new flavors, designed by Albert Adriŕ--
https://www.vicens.com/en/vicens-by-alberta-adria-en
And a new flavor this season, created by Adriŕ and José Andrés, "Cherry Times"
https://www.foodswinesfromspain.com/...errytimes.html
Some century-old, venerable, lovely-to-look-at Madrid shops, within walking distance of your hotel, for Christmas treats:
Casa Mira at Carrera San Jerónimo 30
https://casamira.es/en/
Lhardy also on Carrera San Jerónimo at number 10 (downstairs gourmet deli & upstairs super elegant restaurant from 1839, recently reinvented)
https://lhardy.com
El Riojano at Calle Mayor 10
https://pasteleriaelriojano.com
https://blog.esmadrid.com/blog/en/20...ristmas-treat/
https://www.vicens.com/en/shops
Here are some of their new flavors, designed by Albert Adriŕ--
https://www.vicens.com/en/vicens-by-alberta-adria-en
And a new flavor this season, created by Adriŕ and José Andrés, "Cherry Times"
https://www.foodswinesfromspain.com/...errytimes.html
Some century-old, venerable, lovely-to-look-at Madrid shops, within walking distance of your hotel, for Christmas treats:
Casa Mira at Carrera San Jerónimo 30
https://casamira.es/en/
Lhardy also on Carrera San Jerónimo at number 10 (downstairs gourmet deli & upstairs super elegant restaurant from 1839, recently reinvented)
https://lhardy.com
El Riojano at Calle Mayor 10
https://pasteleriaelriojano.com
https://blog.esmadrid.com/blog/en/20...ristmas-treat/
Dec 7th, 2021, 02:00 PM
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For anyone headed to Málaga for the holidays, there is a new, ongoing light and musical spectacle in the English-style Botanical Gardens, "Luces del Botánico", similar to the ones that have been in Kew Gardens and in Berlin.
It's a 2-kilometer circular route through the Gardens illuminated by over 2 million lights, music and a visual narrative of people who have formed part of the history of these gardens.
The visit takes about an hour, 10 minutes to enjoy. It will be going on until Jan. 9. One can reach the gardens via public bus 2 or the "Christmas Lights" tourist bus line 91. One can (and should) purchase tickets online.
More info here-
https://laslucesdelbotanicomalaga.com/en/
It's a 2-kilometer circular route through the Gardens illuminated by over 2 million lights, music and a visual narrative of people who have formed part of the history of these gardens.
The visit takes about an hour, 10 minutes to enjoy. It will be going on until Jan. 9. One can reach the gardens via public bus 2 or the "Christmas Lights" tourist bus line 91. One can (and should) purchase tickets online.
More info here-
https://laslucesdelbotanicomalaga.com/en/
Dec 9th, 2021, 06:48 AM
#24
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Thank you, Maribel! Will will definitely check out the holiday specialties in Madrid and the Christmas lights in Malaga.
Susan: we love Madrid and I’m sure it’ll be even more enjoyable with the holiday spirit in the air. Just noticed that Salmon Guru, a bar around the corner from hotel Catalonia Las Cortes, was voted as one of the best bars in the world. Their cocktails look avant-garde, but should be fun!
Susan: we love Madrid and I’m sure it’ll be even more enjoyable with the holiday spirit in the air. Just noticed that Salmon Guru, a bar around the corner from hotel Catalonia Las Cortes, was voted as one of the best bars in the world. Their cocktails look avant-garde, but should be fun!
Nov 25th, 2022, 08:40 PM
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Hi MDN,
Wondering how this trip turned out for you? I am planning yet another trip -- this one for Christmas Week 2023 -- and I'm on the hunt for "decent" weather. I am thinking Madrid and Sevilla would make two good bases for 5 days each. Would love to hear about your trip!
Wondering how this trip turned out for you? I am planning yet another trip -- this one for Christmas Week 2023 -- and I'm on the hunt for "decent" weather. I am thinking Madrid and Sevilla would make two good bases for 5 days each. Would love to hear about your trip!
Nov 26th, 2022, 08:55 AM
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Hi Irice,
I’m so glad you asked about my trip from Dec 2021– it was one of the most amazing trips we’ve ever taken, despite the omicron variant playing havoc with schedules and parts of Spain going into lockdown!! It was so good that we almost booked an identical trip for this Dec, but alas had too many scheduling conflicts to allow it. Andalucia in December is at the top of our list for winter destinations as the weather was great.
I’ll quickly summarize the highlights.
SEVILLE: Absolutely stunning where streets were lined with orange trees heavy with fruit. Easy train to/from Madrid. We were enchanted simply meandering through the streets and taking in the sights.
Mercer hotel was a dream and we had it to ourselves for a couple of days as a large family had just checked out.
Restaurants: La Azotea (went several times, including their bar across the street), Bar Eslava, La Cochera de La Abuela (try the niscalo mushrooms), Ceńabota,
JEREZ DE FRONTERA AND CÁDIZ
Sherry tastings in Jerez were fun and El Faro restaurant in Cadiz was absolutely worth it!
GRANADA: Rented an Enterprise car and drove from Jerez to Granada and dropped car at Enterprise in Gradana, just outside the city center. Note: one cannot return cars at the Enterprise location at the Granada airport and we were redirected to the location in town.
The whole Alhambra experience is so magical and mere words won’t do it any justice.
Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula did a superlative job for the Christmas Eve dinner. Los Diamantes and Saint Germain were our favorites for traditional tapas and Granada is one of the few remaining towns where each drink comes with a free tapas plate. The restaurant that’s not been mentioned on these forums is Puerta del Carmen, a few doors away from Ristorante Alameda. Both restaurants are great, but our lunch at Puerta del Carmen (plaza del Carmen) was very good! Need reservations and be careful in this part of town as there are a lot of tourist traps.
MALAGA: This was a last minute addition to our itinerary and was a sleeper hit. The Picaso museum, the Ataranzanas Mercado with its small seafood stalls selling great tapas, the various bars and the beach were all refreshingly wonderful.
Gran Hotel Miramar and their brilliant concierge were tremendous. For lunch on Christmas Day, the concierge sent us to La Mar de Verum, an excellent new seafood restaurant, when almost every other restaurant in town was closed. He also got on a special concierge WhatsApp group with top concierges from around Spain and found various NYE recommendations for our Madrid portion of the trip as Omicron was causing several hotels to cancel the festivities. Don’t miss Anyway Bar—likely the best jamon Iberico de bellota I’ve ever had!
MADRID: there’s a lot of Madrid info on these forums, so I won’t spend time on that, other than to say it’s become one of our favorite European cities. On New Years Day we went to Doli Indian Restaurant. It was one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve ever been to. Don’t miss the tandoori gambas! 🦐 🥂
I’m so glad you asked about my trip from Dec 2021– it was one of the most amazing trips we’ve ever taken, despite the omicron variant playing havoc with schedules and parts of Spain going into lockdown!! It was so good that we almost booked an identical trip for this Dec, but alas had too many scheduling conflicts to allow it. Andalucia in December is at the top of our list for winter destinations as the weather was great.
I’ll quickly summarize the highlights.
SEVILLE: Absolutely stunning where streets were lined with orange trees heavy with fruit. Easy train to/from Madrid. We were enchanted simply meandering through the streets and taking in the sights.
Mercer hotel was a dream and we had it to ourselves for a couple of days as a large family had just checked out.
Restaurants: La Azotea (went several times, including their bar across the street), Bar Eslava, La Cochera de La Abuela (try the niscalo mushrooms), Ceńabota,
JEREZ DE FRONTERA AND CÁDIZ
Sherry tastings in Jerez were fun and El Faro restaurant in Cadiz was absolutely worth it!
GRANADA: Rented an Enterprise car and drove from Jerez to Granada and dropped car at Enterprise in Gradana, just outside the city center. Note: one cannot return cars at the Enterprise location at the Granada airport and we were redirected to the location in town.
The whole Alhambra experience is so magical and mere words won’t do it any justice.
Hotel Palacio de Santa Paula did a superlative job for the Christmas Eve dinner. Los Diamantes and Saint Germain were our favorites for traditional tapas and Granada is one of the few remaining towns where each drink comes with a free tapas plate. The restaurant that’s not been mentioned on these forums is Puerta del Carmen, a few doors away from Ristorante Alameda. Both restaurants are great, but our lunch at Puerta del Carmen (plaza del Carmen) was very good! Need reservations and be careful in this part of town as there are a lot of tourist traps.
MALAGA: This was a last minute addition to our itinerary and was a sleeper hit. The Picaso museum, the Ataranzanas Mercado with its small seafood stalls selling great tapas, the various bars and the beach were all refreshingly wonderful.
Gran Hotel Miramar and their brilliant concierge were tremendous. For lunch on Christmas Day, the concierge sent us to La Mar de Verum, an excellent new seafood restaurant, when almost every other restaurant in town was closed. He also got on a special concierge WhatsApp group with top concierges from around Spain and found various NYE recommendations for our Madrid portion of the trip as Omicron was causing several hotels to cancel the festivities. Don’t miss Anyway Bar—likely the best jamon Iberico de bellota I’ve ever had!
MADRID: there’s a lot of Madrid info on these forums, so I won’t spend time on that, other than to say it’s become one of our favorite European cities. On New Years Day we went to Doli Indian Restaurant. It was one of the best Indian restaurants I’ve ever been to. Don’t miss the tandoori gambas! 🦐 🥂
Nov 27th, 2022, 03:42 AM
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So glad I found this thread, as we are starting to plan a trip for October 2023 and are trying decide between spending the whole time (roughly 2.5 weeks) in Andalucia or add in some time in Morocco. We don't want to shortchange either location, but it is so tempting to combine as they're in close proximity.
Dec 3rd, 2022, 09:14 AM
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Wow! What a great thread!! I've not been keeping up with Fodor's enough, mainly because we did not travel at all since COVID. (But the year before, we didi have two fantastic trips--to Japan and to Botswana/Zimbabwe (the latter was a somewhat sleeper-ish hit and I cannot wait to return there).
But getting back to Spain, I hope to go solo in early March..fly to Jerez, (change in MAD) an inn outside Vejer, and Sanlucar. As usual, I am torn about the issue of renting a car vs hiring drivers/taxis to take me place to place. Taxis are pricey, as I know from last time..the trip from Cadiz to the in outside Vejer was, if I remember right, 80 euro, each way!
While at the inn near Vejer, I plan to relax and to go for daily lunches at:
Bar Antonio (situated for long walks on the beach) El Campero, and hopefully, La Castillera.
Will start another thread soon about all this but for now, is there any other place I ought to include in this plan?? (I spent about a week in Cadiz a few years ago so might not return on this trip).
But getting back to Spain, I hope to go solo in early March..fly to Jerez, (change in MAD) an inn outside Vejer, and Sanlucar. As usual, I am torn about the issue of renting a car vs hiring drivers/taxis to take me place to place. Taxis are pricey, as I know from last time..the trip from Cadiz to the in outside Vejer was, if I remember right, 80 euro, each way!
While at the inn near Vejer, I plan to relax and to go for daily lunches at:
Bar Antonio (situated for long walks on the beach) El Campero, and hopefully, La Castillera.
Will start another thread soon about all this but for now, is there any other place I ought to include in this plan?? (I spent about a week in Cadiz a few years ago so might not return on this trip).
Dec 3rd, 2022, 09:35 AM
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Hi ekscruncy!
Hope to see you on this upcoming early March trip! I'll be in Vejer and Jerez and could meet up with you there or even in Sanlúcar or Zahara de los Atunes for lunch on the Bajo de Guía. Antonio, El Campero and La Castilería are musts!
Hope to see you on this upcoming early March trip! I'll be in Vejer and Jerez and could meet up with you there or even in Sanlúcar or Zahara de los Atunes for lunch on the Bajo de Guía. Antonio, El Campero and La Castilería are musts!
Dec 3rd, 2022, 10:55 AM
#31
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Maribel, I would love to have lunch!!! I will return to this thread, or maybe begin a new thread about my upcomiing trip. Then I will give you my dates and total itinerary!!
I've been away from here so long..it makes me so happy to hear from you!
I've been away from here so long..it makes me so happy to hear from you!
Dec 3rd, 2022, 01:17 PM
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MDN, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed Malaga! We spent 2 nights there and wished we had an extra night. The old city center is beautiful and there is so much to see and do in Malaga. Several people were shocked when I told them we were including g Malaga on our trip. We loved it so much more than we expected to, and I always encourage people to visit. Malaga is, indeed, a sleeper hit!
Dec 4th, 2022, 02:26 AM
#34
Karen - I agree about Malaga. I too have only spent very little time there [one night!] but I want to spend more. It seems to me to be the sort of place which would reward a long stay which I hope to do one day.
Dec 4th, 2022, 11:33 AM
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KarenWoo and annhig,
I have a week-long stay, a re-visit, coming up this winter in Málaga, seeking those 300+ days of sun per year, and know I won't run out of things to do, now with the city's 37 museums!
And 2023 in the city is the Picasso year-- they'll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death (Málaga was his birthplace) with special exhibits at the Picasso Museum and his House-Museum, the Casa Natal.
https://www.surinenglish.com/lifesty...2800-ntvo.html
It's just a lovely, highly pedestrianized city to relax and unwind in. I highly recommend it!
I have a week-long stay, a re-visit, coming up this winter in Málaga, seeking those 300+ days of sun per year, and know I won't run out of things to do, now with the city's 37 museums!
And 2023 in the city is the Picasso year-- they'll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death (Málaga was his birthplace) with special exhibits at the Picasso Museum and his House-Museum, the Casa Natal.
https://www.surinenglish.com/lifesty...2800-ntvo.html
It's just a lovely, highly pedestrianized city to relax and unwind in. I highly recommend it!
Dec 4th, 2022, 11:50 AM
#36
<<I have a week-long stay, a re-visit, coming up this winter in Málaga, seeking those 300+ days of sun per year, and know I won't run out of things to do, now with the city's 37 museums!
And 2023 in the city is the Picasso year-- they'll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death (Málaga was his birthplace) with special exhibits at the Picasso Museum and his House-Museum, the Casa Natal.>>
Thanks, Maribel. I am very keen to go, but not sure how I will find the time at the moment. But it is definitely towards the top of my list!
And 2023 in the city is the Picasso year-- they'll be commemorating the 50th anniversary of Picasso's death (Málaga was his birthplace) with special exhibits at the Picasso Museum and his House-Museum, the Casa Natal.>>
Thanks, Maribel. I am very keen to go, but not sure how I will find the time at the moment. But it is definitely towards the top of my list!
Dec 4th, 2022, 10:27 PM
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I am happy to hear from fans of Malaga! I am also on the Rick Steves forum and many posters there claim there is nothing to do in Malaga and they advise people not to visit. Rick himself treats Malaga as if it’s nothing more than a transportation hub and I Strongly disagree with him.
when I was planning our 2017 trip, there was a poster on Fodors who loved Malaga and encouraged people to visit. I forgot his name. He is one of the reasons I included Malaga in our itinerary.
when I was planning our 2017 trip, there was a poster on Fodors who loved Malaga and encouraged people to visit. I forgot his name. He is one of the reasons I included Malaga in our itinerary.
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