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SimplySpainAndBeyond.com – new resort blog and new advertising package for owners and agents
Sandra Dean of www.SimplySpainAndBeyond.com  is pleased to announce a great many new additions to her services – ready to take Holiday Villa and Apartment bookings for Spain for 2009/2010!
2008 was a great year for the website business, with lot’s of great feedback from the holidaymakers who booked with them, thus proving the ‘Simply’ in www.simplyspainandbeyond.com  as being how easy it is to find available holiday rental accommodation in Spain and book through them.
The new services are:
• A Resort blog, giving you information on where to go and when.
• A new advertising package for owners and agents
Everyone knows how frustrating it can be to trawl holiday rental websites, sending numerous, time consuming enquiries, only to find that they do not have the availability or type of accommodation that they require. Sandra and her colleague work closely with well known and trusted holiday rental agents across Spain, the Balearics and Canary Islands, who provide holidaymakers with a no fuss, excellently priced booking service for their superb properties – finding them the perfect holiday villa they require when they need it! The agents are on location, ensuring at all times the comfort of their guests. They will also book additional services such as car hire or airport transfers, leaving the customers more time for relaxing and enjoying the holiday experience.
2008 brought the launch of the new two tiered website which now features over 200 properties and all the information required to help choose where to go in Spain and its beautiful Islands, together with useful links to tailor-making the perfect holiday! Early 2009 will see the addition of a ‘holiday tips’ section http://simplyspainandbeyond.com/hola  , where viewers can see detailed information on resorts, restaurants and specific tours and prices.
And from January 2009, a new service to owners was a great addition. Owners can advertise their properties on the website and deal directly with the enquirers, meaning the holidaymaker will be in direct contact with the owner from the first enquiry right through to booking. http://simplyspainandbeyond.com/spain/advertise-with-us The new site is http://www.beyondsimplyspain.co.uk  as it provides access to the login/registration for the owner and properties, but the properties will be shown on the main site as all the others are.
Sandra Dean, from Benfleet, Essex, who set up the service, has travelled extensively around Spain and has been in the Spanish Holiday Rental market for the last 5 years. She concentrates on sourcing properties and the marketing and development of the business. Her background in customer service management helps her to understand the need to make the service as easy to use as possible, with an informative, but not over fussy website. She says confidently, ‘I have very much enjoyed working with fantastic agents, owners and holidaymakers in 2008, and am very confident that the new services for 2009 will even further improve the experience for everyone involved!’

Simplyspainandbeyond.com are always looking to add to their portfolio and welcome quality properties from Agents across Spain, the Canaries and the Balearic Islands. Applications are made by email to: info@simplyspainandbeyond.com

lanzarote view from mirador del rio

My second visit to Lanzarote – July 2008

 

(You can also see more details about this trip, including restaurants and photos, or book accommodation for Lanzarote on my blog for Spain HERE – www.simplyspainandbeyond.com/hola )

We were so impressed with our first trip to Lanzarote in April, we went back in July for another week – this time a more relaxing week than the last time. We did all our touring and photographing then, so we could now just relax and go back to places and restaurants that we really liked.We stayed in the same villa in Faro Park, Playa Blanca, as we loved it and the pool and Jacuzzi were going to be used more this time!

We had another fantastic meal at the salt cellar (‘Almacen de la Sal’) in Playa Blanca. We had to have the Paella again, as it is so good there, but it was even better the second time round. It was topped with Lobster, Prawns, mussels, large red prawns (really sweet) langoustine, and pieces of squid – all juicy and well cooked. We had the same wine as last time (Marques de Vargas Rioja) and it was very relaxing. We finished off with profiteroles with white and dark chocolate sauces and the flambed strawberries in liqueur and ice cream. Yum!

We had a relax down at Playa Blanca, at Natura Beach, and a good walk, and we went for dinner in our favourite restaurant in El Golfo in the evening – the ‘Restaurante El Golfo’. Grilled sardines and calamari in batter to start made a perfect starter. A bottle of white wine (Torres Fransola) was recommended by the waiter, and it was lovely. We followed this with grilled white fish (must try to find the name of it), shell on prawns, Canarian potatoes and salad, accompanied by green and red Mojo sauce (Mojo verde y Mojo Rojo) The chocolate mousse dessert was not very good, but everything else was lovely.

The next day, we took a walk the other side of Playa Blanca, and found some really nice beaches that we had never seen before. They were fairly busy and had some restaurants and bars, so we were pleased to find it for next time, if we fancy the beach.

We then went back to Puerto del Carmen to see the beaches in the daytime and had lunch overlooking the Playa Grande at the ‘Terraza El Mirador’. We had a lovely tuna sandwich and tuna salad.

The restaurant chain in Puerto del Carmen, Lani’s have a general restaurant there that does a huge range of ice cream dishes, so we had two really yummy ice-cream sundaes in there, with fruits, bananas, nuts and sauces.

We also tried the Italian at Natura Beach, and it was not bad, I would say. They are very friendly and the kitchen is open, and there is a lovely terrace overlooking the sea and the promenade, if you prefer to sit outside. We ate there twice. We had Tomato soup, minestone soup, prawn cocktail and parmagiana starters which were ok. The minestrone soup was the best one, as the prawn cocktail had far too much mayonnaise. The ham pizza and spicy prawn spaghetti were pretty good though and the tiramisu delicious so we would go back again.

The Tapas bar at Natura beach is really good. We had not been in before as it didn’t look much from the outside, and the menu does not make it look that good, but inside it is really comfortable and rustic, with views over the sea. We had a gorgeous plate of shell on grilled prawns, a tapas consisting of a mini fried egg (????), with tuna and courguette on toast, and a prawn, tomato and pepper tapas on toast. They are only small, but really tasty. Then we had their scrambled egg with prawns, which is traditional apparently, but so much nicer than it sounds. It is more like a scrambled omelette, with big juicy prawns, courguette, onion and mushroom. Delicious! Their ice-cream was lovely too and they had one of our favourite Spanish red wines – Protos.

We tried out a different restaurant in Playa Blanca – ‘Terraza Restaurante Brisas Marina’. We had a bottle of ‘El Grifo’ Lanzarote white wine – very nice. Mussels to start, and a grilled Halibut fish for main, which was huge, juicy and delicious. The Canarian potatoes were really good, as were the Mojo sauces. Good service and a lovely position right on the seafront, with indoor and outdoor seating.

We also went back to ‘Restaurante El Golfo’ for a Paella and tried the Red Rioja as recommended by the waiter – ‘Heras Cordon Reserva 2001 Rioja’ – absolutely beautiful flavour! The Paella was as good as ever, but had the bonus of having red prawns as well, so it was fabulous. Mussels, prawns, lobster and other shellfish I cannot remember!

We finished our holiday this time with a last day in Arrecife, before heading back to the airport. This City is big and bustling, with lots of shops, a good promenade and seafront, and lots of restaurants. We had a good look round, and then had lunch at one of the restaurants there. We had a salad with green olives and a prawn spaghetti which was pretty good. It is a smart restaurant with good service but nothing to write home about.

Local arts and crafts include pottery, leather and clothes.

Popular foods of the Canaries are:

• Churros – fried donut style dessert dipped in hot chocolate
• Paella – a rich rice dish with the addition of either chorizo, chicken or a range of seafood
• Canarian potatoes – Small new waxy potatoes cooked in a huge amount of salt, in their skins, so they are coated in salt.
• Seafood – shelled and shell on range of seafood such as fish, prawns, lobster, clams, mussels and much more
• Mixed salad – generally this has tuna, egg, olives, tomatoes, onion, carrot and green salad – virtually a meal in itself
• Green Olives – absolutely delicious!
• Olive oil

• Sangria – although popular and available all over Spain, this wonderful wine and fruit based drink is delicious.

Aloe Vera – taken from the plant, this can be used in cosmetic products, but also drunk for vitality and health

barcelona

Barcelona – March 2008

(You can also see more details about this trip, including restaurants and photos, or book accommodation for Barcelona on my blog for Spain HERE - www.simplyspainandbeyond.com/hola )

We managed to get a last minute booking for an apartment which was fine, but outside of the Town Centre (we were ‘newbies’ to Barcelona at the time as it was before I marketed properties there), but we got taxis into Town and walked during the day when we had an hour of two to spare on the stroll. Plus, the rail system is very easy to use in Barcelona so we could move around well on the underground as an alternative.

The first night we decided to stay close to the apartment to dine, so we took a wander and came across a Uraguay Restaurant. The guys were very friendly, and the atmosphere very cosy, and it was quite unique. It was really big, with a red brick interior, a whole wall lined with wine bottles, and sparkly lighting warmly lighting the large array of pictures and wooden features lining the walls. The menu was extensive to say the least, with around forty or so starters alone to choose from, however the mains were very much based on grilled meats of all kinds and cuts.

We had a starter which, when it came was basically mozzarella and ham on toast, which was not quite what we expected. Secondly, Michael had the belly of pork which was ok, and my Solomillo (fillet steak) had to be sent back as it was not cooked enough and was covered in rich sauce as I forgot to ask for it on the side, but it was ok, without being great. I would say the atmosphere was great except that it was enclosed and everyone was smoking. It was quiet enough not to bother us at the time, but if it was busy, that could be a problem, as I don’t really like to inhale smoke whilst eating. The prices were also pretty high for an average meal.

I would say that, overall, you need to choose wisely when eating in Barcelona. There is a lot of choice, but some of the restaurants nearer the tourist streets and attractions, such as the Las Ramblas. They can be overpriced and not the greatest quality, yet others are good.

The next evening we ate at Elx restaurant on the waterfront, in Maremagnum on the Barcelona Port, and we had a lovely time. This is a sophisticated restaurant, with comfy seating and attentive professional service. The views are really nice across the water and you can sit inside or out. We had a mixed salad, Moules Marinere and a plate of roasted pepper, aubergine and beans to start, followed by a mixed seafood Paella, washed down with a bottle of Chablis (not Spanish I know, but very good all the same) It was all lovely, and followed by a caribean pineapple and chocolate mousse with pear coulis with a glass of Muscadet. A very lovely restaurant I would recommend!

Next day, we had lunch on the Ramblas at Casa Joan. One great thing about this place is that you can sit outside (weather permitting of course!) and soak up the atmosphere and bustle of this very busy street. The bad thing is that the food is not the best, although certainly not the worst either and the prices are high.

Shopping is wonderful in Barcelona, with clothes, shoes, food shops and chocolate shops galore. It really is just fun wandering around and seeing the many street entertainers in the Ramblas – from statues, to jugglers to miming, they really are first class and dare I say it, beat anything I have ever seen in London’s Covent Garden.

For dinner, we treated ourselves to the Restaurant L’Olive, which was recommended in our travel guide. It was really busy, and very good within a comfortable and stylish setting. We had Catalonian tomato toasted bread, a salad and bread with tapenade to start, followed by Paella, which was a bit too salty and rich for us, but with quality seafood. The desserts were very good – framboise (baby strawberries) in liquer, with chocolate ice cream and a berry cheesecake.

Next day, we enjoyed a tapas lunch at Café Lirica on the Ramblas. Garlic prawns, Catalonian tomato bread, tortilla and Russian salad, washed down with a nice cold beer. Very enjoyable!

Maoz falafel’s are our favourite fast food place in Barcelona – we are not fans of fast food, but falafels with salad are fast and healthy, so if you fancy something quick, I would recommend them.

There are fantastic food markets undercover, selling a beautiful array of fruits, fresh fruit juices, vegetables, seafood, meats and accompaniments. They are well worth a visit and you can have a fresh juice to increase your vitality or shopping energy!

Dinner was had at the oldest restaurant in Barcelona, the Casa Cullerettes (since 1786). This is a very traditional style restaurant and very busy, but relaxing at the same time, with old pictures of the restaurant on the walls. I had tomato soup with giant croutons, which was ok. I had a steak with mushrooms, and Michael had the duck, but it was unfortunately very greasy and sickly. The peas with pancetta were really nice and the chips average. Overall, the meal was disappointing, as we had seen very good reviews for this restaurant.

The parks up the hill (Parc de Montjuic) are big and beautiful – the views from up there over Barcelona and spectacular and it is really pretty and relaxing. You can get the funicular up there or down which is good fun and the cable car up or down which is expensive for such as short trip, but well worth it.

The architecture of Barcelona is fantastic and the Gaudi buildings are stunning, like La Sagrada Familia and Gaudi house.

This is a great place for a long weekend away, with enough to do for everyone – shops, museums, architecture, shopping, food and beaches – well worth a visit!

Conil de la Fontera beach copyright Sandra M Dean

Taking in Costa del Sol and Costa de la Luz – Marbella, Puerto Banus, Nerja, Benahavis, Tarifa, Sanlucar de Barrameda, and much more! 

Andalucia – October/November 2007

We had a wonderful trip touring the delights of Andalucia for two and half weeks in October/November 2007. Call it luck, but we had some fantastic weather and were able to sunbathe on the beaches, sit outside for our meals and enjoy mostly sunshine and warmth.

We got a flight into Malaga, picked up our hire car and headed straight to Marbella for our first few nights at the Fuerte Hotel.

Marbella & Puerto Banus (Costa del Sol)

The Fuerte Hotel in Marbella is a fantastic Hotel chain, with great rooms, entertainment, bar and swimming pool, set right on the seafront, with its own private beach – complete with a beach restaurant grill.

We had a sea view and benefited from being on a high floor, so our views from the room and balcony were stunning.

Our first night, we arrived late, so we had little choice for restaurants, and ended up at a fast food place, with outside seating. It was much better than we expected, with a very tasty kebab and accompaniments – our kebabs in Essex cannot touch these!

Our first morning, after a relax on the balcony, we wandered round the local streets, finding a small park with water feature, pretty houses and flowers and we came across the famous Orange Square – the home of some great restaurants, with indoor and outdoor seating in the lovely square with its orange trees, bird of paradise and other plants and flowers. We had lunch at the Restaurant Gran Plaza and it was delightful. Pil Pil prawns, fresh bread, olives, calamari and a mixed salad (tuna, eggs, asparagus, carrot, lettuce, tomato and onions, all washed down with nice cold beer.

That night, we ate late, at the ‘Restaurante Santiago’, as it had such good reviews in the guide books and on the internet, and we could see why! It is based on the promenade of Marbella with comfortable and stylish indoor and outdoor seating, and excellent service. We had a bottle of Marques de Riscal reserva 2001, which was a delightful Rioja, and went straight for a mixed seafood Paella as it was late (11pm, although it is not a problem eating late in Spain generally). We were asked to try the Paella first to ensure it was good, and it was well worth waiting for – just perfect Lots of prawns, shell on and shelled, mussels and Langostines. For dessert, we shared a baked apple with vanilla ice-cream and they gave us a ‘gratis’ Spanish crème caramel as well. Altogether great place to eat, drink and chill out.

The next day, we took the lovely boat trip from Marbella to Puerto Banus for the day. We had a quick beer in McGumbos, which was relaxing and went straight for lunch along the front for a delicious Paella. All very good and the bread and olives were also super.

Next day, after a gorgeous breakfast on the terrace, (fruits, pastries, toast, bacon, sausage, eggs, ham, meats, cheeses, yoghurt and other delights) we went to Fuengirola Zoo. This is a brilliant Zoo, with great enclosures and a healthy and happy looking array of animals, from Gorillas and Orang-utans to flamingos and wolves. A truly lovely day out if you like animals!

That evening, we chose a restaurant in Orange Square (Mena) but were disappointed. The seating and ambience was lovely, but we had an expensive bottle of gran reserve wine that I could only say tasted ‘old’, and the food was nothing to write home about. Michael had fish fillets, but there wasn’t much fish involved. The salad came covered in kiwi fruit, which, although it would be nice with some things, it wasn’t with ours. I had a steak and jacket potato, which was as basic as it sounds. All pretty expensive and we wouldn’t go back personally.

Next day we went up to Mijas – a very pretty Town up in the hills with stunning views. They have donkeys with colourful coats on, shops to wander around and some lovely restaurants. We chose to eat in one of the restaurants with beautiful views, but it was a very average meal.

And then back to the Hotel for the entertainment and cocktails. We had to check out in the morning, but spent the morning on the beach (a nice massage for Michael and I!), and lunch in the hotel’s restaurant which is located right on the beach. It was very tasty – we had grilled Rosada fish, mixed salad with tuna and egg, and clams in garlic, with cold beers. Very relaxing, with the Mediterranean sea lapping up just a few feet away and their huge bar be que sizzling in the background.

We then had to say farewell to Marbella and headed off in the car to Tarifa, taking in the gorgeous scenery along the way, across the sea and mountains. There is a clear view across to Africa (Morroco) too, which is where we went the next day.

Tarifa & Tangier (Morocco)

We stayed at the Hotel Hurricane in Tarifa as it is the port for the ferry to Tangier in Morroco, but we were impressed. It is by the sea and a rocky and sandy beach, which you can get to down the steps and surrounded by gardens and flora/fauna – which seemed to attract quite an array of birds and geckos and suchlike. The restaurant was lovely, with good service and very cosy. We had our first bottle of Protos (a fabulous red wine) as recommended by our waiter, and it turned out to the be the first of many on this trip and others to follow. The steaks and chips were good, vegetables mediocre and the alioli super. We followed with a bomb of amaretto, coffee ice cream and cream with a dessert wine – Manzilla. Very good.

Up early, we took the FRS ferry over to Tangier for the day. We booked a guide tour because it was such a short time to explore, and although it was quite a big group, it wasn’t too bad. At least you don’t get lost that way!

We started our coach journey through the City, taking in the sights while the guide chattered away. First stop was a chance to take a 2 minute camel ride and take some photos. Michael had a go for a laugh. We then wandered through the City, taking in the colourful architecture and people bustling though the streets, about their day. This route took us to a viewpoint, right over the water, which was stunning but beware the edge as there are no safety bars and it is a very high ledge!

Next we saw a supposed snake charmer, but really he just got a couple of snakes out of a box while his friends played a tune, but it was amusing in its own way. They were looking for tips of course, and we had the opportunity to have one of the snakes round our necks for a photo is we wished. “not poisonous” they were saying. ‘Well, that’s good’ though Michael and I.

Lunch was already organised too, at a Morrocon style restaurant, and we had kind of band playing loudly as we walked in, which was pretty good. It was comfy, and the food plain but edible, and we got to chat to some of the other guys, so it was a pleasant stop. The afternoon was spent viewing more about the way of life of the people and a demonstration in a herbal medicine shops, telling us all about foodstuffs, herbs and creams that do wonderful things. We had the chance to buy some of these products and then had some free shopping time on our own, before meeting up to go home. We did pick up a couple of things at this point, as the shops held a range of colourful and interesting pieces, but we missed out on a painting, as the guys were harassing us so much, Michael had to patience left to deal with them.

Back at the port of Tarifa, we went straight for dinner at the ‘La Capriosca’ in Town, as it had been recommended as the best Italian. The owner is a keen cyclist, and as such, his restaurant’s walls are covered in pictures of him cycling in many different places, and medals adorn one wall. The pizzas were really rather good and the spaghetti was tasty too, with a great mixed salad, all washed down with a nice Faustino V Rioga and huge sanbuca’s as we were fancying a drink that night! If you like Tiramisu this is good, but it is a large portion, so you might like to share.

In the morning, we explored the grounds of the Hotel a little, with it’s pretty swimming pool and flowers. Further down, access to the beach via steps brought us first to a rocky part, with interesting erosion on unusual rocks, but this then led to a fairly wide sandy beach – virtually deserted. I would like to come back to this Hotel in the Spring or Autumn, to take advantage of the relaxation that could be had in seclusion. We decided to have lunch at their other restaurant, which is perched above the sea, with lovely views over the Atlantic to Africa and a cool breeze. They have seafood, cooked chicken and a buffet of various salads to choose from and it is quite delicious. We opted for a plate of un-peeled prawns and a salad plate of couscous, green salad, tomatoes, asparagus, pasta salad, spinach and potato salad, with a cold beer – very good indeed. They have indoor and outdoor seating.

Conil de la Frontera – Costa de la Luz

We took the coastal road from Tarifa, heading North, and decided that we would stay wherever we found along the way that looked good. A short stop at Zahara was very nice, with its huge empty sandy beaches and small town appeal, and there is a Hotel (Hotel Gran Sol) right on the front overlooking the beach, but we decided it was a little quiet for us, so we set off in the car, to check out some more places. The drive is really very good, with some of the quiet roads lined with large healthy cacti, over six foot tall. In the end, the decision was made to travel up to Conil de la Frontera, as we knew there were a couple of Fuerte Hotels there. The Marbella Fuerte was so good, these should be good too. One of them was closed, as they regard late October as ‘out of season’ so we stayed in their other Hotel next door, which only had two weeks before closing for the Winter too. In fact, it was really nice. A lovely room with views over the Atlantic Ocean and golden beach and a spacious balcony to relax on. The pools were lovely, and the lounger/sunbathing areas were spread across the pool area and gardens, offering a good choice of busy or quiet spots. The pools were a little cold, but refreshing at least and the weather was just so good for that time of year, we spent the day chilling out round the Hotel, having a spot of lunch at their café. We then had a nice relax in their poolside Jacuzzi.

We ate Italian again in the evening, in Town – a pizza with prawns, tomato, garlic and mozzarella. A nice mixed salad. Spaghetti Mare Monti – garlic, parsley, clams, tomato, mushrooms and prawns. Also, a bottle of Chianti – Nippozano Reserva 2002. All very good.

I had a cold and sore throat, and we found the Farmacia to be very well equipped with helpful staff, so I managed to get some medicines OK. Another beautiful day led us to walking the huge expanse of sandy beach, taking dips in the cool Atlantic along the way. We met just a few people along the way, but they were all friendly.

We had lunch at a beach restaurant – Bar A’Ola. It has a beautiful outlook across the beach and Atlantic Ocean and it is very comfortable. We had tapas – garlic carrots, olives, breads, cooked peppers with onion and tuna, Calamari and tortilla. They were all really delicious and satisfying portions.

For dinner, we went back to the seafront to the ‘Restaurante Fontanilla’, but were unfortunately disappointed with our experience and meal there. A complimentary amuse la bouche arrived – two huge cold mussels covered in chopped onion, green pepper and tomato. We had a bottle of our favourite red wine ‘Protos’ Reserva 2002. We ordered shrimp fritters, which were OK, and rather a lot of them, and calamari. The alioli was green with avocado, and really quite nice. This was a rather large starter, as we had ordered Paella too, but we did eat most of it. The Paella had clams, mussels and large prawns on it and it was OK without.

We checked out of the Hotel and headed off the next day to Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Sanlucar de Barrameda

I market some villas in Sanlucar de Barrameda, so thought it best to go and take a look around. It is on an estuary, rather than the Ocean itself, and you can go for boat trips into the National Park, to see wildlife, flora and fauna, but we didn’t have time on this trip. Instead, we had a look around the Town and had lunch. Although a little on the expensive side, there are lots of horse and carts in the square, that will take you around the Town sightseeing, so that would be a lovely thing to do, as it is a pretty area. The beaches are nice too and it benefits from the fact that it isn’t a huge tourist area, so it remains very ‘Spanish’.

We ate at one of the many fish restaurants on the promenade of the Estuary – the ‘Restaurante Poma’. Sanluca de Barrameda is renowned here for seafood, so we had the fish stew. The house white wine is adorable, and the fish stew – although not quite what we expected – was absolutely delicious. It came with hand cut chips and bread, and had white fish, prawns and clams all in a wonderful creamy sauce.

Grazalema

We then took the challenging drive to Grazalema, to stay in our third Fuerte Hotel. Out of Town, on its own nestled in the hillside, it has a beautiful aspect and views across the countryside and Mountains to Grazalema, with a lovely poolside and terrace. We arrived in the evening, so the roads were dark. I would recommend doing the drive to here in the daytime, so that you can enjoy the views along the way, and see where you are going!

We had a walk around to appreciate the views and went into Town for some dinner as the buffet in the Hotel didn’t look very good. We ate at one of the better restaurants, but it was not all that nice. We had the Grazalema soup (soup with oil, bread, egg, chorizo and vegetables soaked in it) which was an awful combination of ingredients. We had chips, piccante chicken and garlic prawns. It was just OK but nothing special.

Next day, we had lunch in the very pretty square of Grazalema, at the tapas bar. We sat outside, and had a lovely meal. Tuna mixed salad, cooked pepper salad, chips, meatballs, croquettes and prawns in a creamy garlic sauce.

For dinner, we ate at a very atmospheric restaurant with deer heads, skulls, traps and suchlike on the walls. We had a bottle of 1994 Marques de Cacares Reserva. The asparagus soup was unusual. I guess I was expecting the creamy type, but it was a clear soup with bread, whole asparagus and egg in. Not my cup of tea. Michael had the croquettes which, for a starter, were a huge portion. The lamb chops were tiny but tasty, but they came with soggy sort of vegetables. Michael enjoyed his pork.

It would seem that the food in Grazalema and surrounding areas is far different to other parts of Andalucia, with the mainstay being meat and soggy vegetables – it reminded me a bit of Romanian or Bulgarian food that I had on my skiing holidays.

Nerja

We had a quick trip through Ronda on the way to Nerja, and Ronda is a place I would like to go back to. It is full of wonderful buildings and history and most probably good food. We got to Nerja and stayed in one of my agent’s villas for five nights. The first day we looked around and found an Indian, which is where we had our first meal in Nerja. The Haveli (since 1987). Run by and Indian man and English wife team, this is a very good Indian for Spain. OK, the UK has the best Indian restaurants as far as we are concerned, but this one is very good. We ate there twice so we liked it. The poppadoms and chutneys were good, and our huge prawn on puri starter was lovely – we ate it all, but were really glad that we only ordered one starter as it was so big. For our main, we shared the chicken dansak, cucumber raitha, pilau rice, chicken chilli masala and vegetable curry. It was lovely.

After our curry delights, we went to the white donkey ‘Bar El Burro Blanco’ to see the Flamenco. It is a small bar, but the flamenco was really entertaining and professional. It was a very enjoyable evening and I would recommend going there.

Nerja is a lovely Town with cobbled streets and everything you need – shops, restaurants, bars and good beaches. In fact, the restaurant choice is huge, and you can find lots of choice. It is a busy resort in the Summer, but at the time we were there, it was just nice for us – not too quiet and not too busy. It is very popular for villa and apartment holidays, and I have a few villa and apartment rentals there that get booked up very early, so if you would like to go to Nerja for the Summer holiday season, you will need to book well in advance.

The next day we met up with one of my agents, and went to view some of the properties that I market for them. We are staying in one of their villas, but they are all really different. Nerja is the perfect place for a villa or private apartment holiday actually, as you can have the privacy of your own space, yet go into Town and enjoy the restaurants and bars that are abound, so no need to cook.

In the evening, we went to a Chinese restaurant near to where we are staying, on Burriana beach. It is called Global Experience Oriental Restaurant and Bar, and King is the owner. He seemed a bit pushy to start with and admittedly we nearly walked out, as he was trying to tell us what to eat, and how to eat it! However, once we got used to him and told him to stop, he did and he was quite a nice guy after all! The food was wonderful and we had a set meal that was such good value for money, it was ridiculous. The food was fresh and the open kitchen allows you to see the chef in action – we watched him cooking pancakes with ease. You can sit inside or out, and we chose out, as it was a nice evening. To start with, we had prawn crackers, spring roll, samosa, dumplings/dim sums with four dips (King Dong, sweet chilli, soy and sweet/sour) and spicy soup. After, we had duck with pancakes – very nice too! They had lovely chilly Tsingtao beer to wash it all down with. The main’s were just as good.

The next day we wandered along Burriana Beach and ate at one of the cafes there. Being English run, we were not expecting it to be as good as it was. We had a tuna toasted sandwich, a prawn cocktail and minestrone soup – our version of English style tapas! It was very nice. Big prawns, lovely sauce and plenty of salad on the cocktail, the minestrone was full of flavour and

In the evening, we ventured to the El Cietto Lindo Mexican restauarant near the seafront. On arrival, we were donned with huge Mexican hats and the staff were nice and friendly. We had some hot dips to start, with nachos, followed by spicy wedges, chilli con carne and chicken/beef mixed fajitas, all with guacamole, sour cream, jalapenos and salsa. Very good actually and a nice comfortable, brightly coloured, Mexican themed restaurant.
We went to the Sunday market the next day; quite a big market, with plenty to look at. The weather was lovely and with the mountains, palm trees and white washed houses as a background, it really was a super place for a market – not quite Pitsea market in Essex on a dreary day!

We then took a long winding, hilly car ride to a naturist beach, which is basically just into Costa Tropical. La Herradura. It has a restaurant (Restaurante La Barraca), and a main beach, with a short walk to the second, more secluded beach. We found it a little unnerving, as we hadn’t been to a naturist beach before, but it was fine. The beach had fine golden sand and the sea was clear and pretty with a backdrop of hills and rocks. It was such a lovely place, we stayed to eat at the Restaurante la Barraca. Nice cold San Miguel and a huge fish and pepper kebab with chips and salad and a fish, prawn and mussel casserole with rice. Really nice and the views from this restaurant are superb, across the beach to the sea, surrounded by rocky hills as a backdrop. We stayed and watched the sun go down across the sea, as the beach became deserted – very nice too!

The end

This was the end of our holiday and we went home having had one of the best holidays of both our lives – now this is partly as we were together, but Andalucia has so much to offer the discerning traveller, it really should not be missed, for fear of prowls or package holiday groups, or too much English influence. Andalucia has it all – rugged coastlines, sandy beaches, the weather all year round (over 300 days per year of sunshine) temperate winter weather, good food, sleepy villages, markets, shops, Towns, Cities, and a friendly atmosphere – what more could you want?

beach view lanzarote

My first visit to Lanzarote

 

(You can also see more details about this trip, including restaurants and photos, or book accommodation for Lanzarote on my blog for Spain HERE –  www.simplyspainandbeyond.com/hola)

We decided to stay in Playa Blanca, as we prefer quieter places and good restaurants and Playa Blanca did not disappoint. 

Playa Blanca is a relatively new resort, and has been designed to suit all tastes. Much quieter than the main resorts of Puerto del Carmen and Costa Teguise, it has everything you need to enjoy a fabulous holiday. Just half hour drive from the airport, it lies in the most Southerly tip of Lanzarote.  It also benefits from the port from which you can hop over to Fuerteventua, to which you have great views from the Playa Blanca seafront and beyond.

Just a short distance along the coast by car you can find the famous Papagayo beaches, which are just stunning. These coves and clear seas are accessed only by dirt roads, so they remain relatively quiet and are a special place to laze away the day. If you go, there are limited restaurants and facilities, so you may wish to take a picnic.

Playa Blanca itself has a lovely long promenade, scattered with restaurants, chilled out bars and shops and a range of hotels providing nightly entertainment should you wish to see some flamenco or live music! The restaurants here are varied – everything from A La Carte, Seafood and Italian to Indian, Chinese and Japanese! The very special ‘Almacen de la Sal’ (translated as ‘Salt Cellar’), which has live piano music and a beautifully designed menu with meats and fish, wines and a fabulous Paella is a great place to go as a treat.

Or try ‘The Spices’ Indian restaurant for a taste of Asia Al Fresco! Most restaurants have Al Fresco dining and most on the front have beautiful views. The little harbour is great, as it is not only nice to look at – it is the Islands access point to Fuerteventura. This is a lovely day out by Ferry (3 companies offer this) direct to Correlejo, if you fancy a change of scene!

Just along from the main resort is Natura Beach, which is backed by hills and provides a very good spot for eating and drinking.  This was our first impression of the area as our first stop.

We stayed on Faro Park, and there are a few grocers, bars and a couple of restaurants on site.  We tried the Chinese, but were very disappointed.  We had Kung Po chilli Kind Prawns, chicken curry and stir fried vegetables with rice.  The prawns were not battered as they should be and it was too salty.

We had a very nice burger at the first left hand restaurant on the seafront at Natura Beach complex, and cold beer whilst looking out to the sea, across to Fuerteventura, the hills and resort of Playa Blanca next door.  Michael had croquettes, which were too salty and not much in them, but the spot was good.  The seats are comfy and you can sit shaded or in the sun.  The service is very good and friendly, and we were not hurried at all.  We also went back there in July on two occasions, and had a tuna sandwich, prawn sandwich and scrambled eggs with toast and it was all very nice.

The promenade is lovely – very picturesque and clean – and it leads you straight into the Playa Blanca resort, where you can watch the ferries coming in and going out from Fuerteventura.  If you have some spare time, and around 70 Euros for two (you would need to check the prices currently though), I would highly recommend the trip across to this neighbouring Island, to enjoy the Town of Correlejo.  The ferry drops you off just a couple of minutes walk from the centre.

The first night we ate at the Salt Cellar – ‘Almacen de la Sal’.  This is located right in the middle of the promenade of Playa Blanca.  We dined inside, as the weather is not hot enough for us to dine outside at night.  They had a piano player which added to the very nice atmosphere of the restaurant.  This is one of the best in the area, with prices to match.  The Marques de Vargas Rioja is really good.  We had a mixed salad to start and a roasted Red pepper and garlic plate.  These were fantastic.  The peppers could be shared between two or more, and are very rich, but very tasty.  For the main, we chose a sea food Paella, and on future trips, we always had it too, as it is so good.  We had Lanzarote red wine, which was nice enough and a great price.  King prawns, clams, mussels, jumbo red prawns, ½ lobster and langostines.  Perfectly cooked seafood and the rice, with peppers and onion made a wonderfully balanced dish, without being too strong or weak.  You can have two flambed dishes – pancakes or strawberries.  We chose strawberries, and, like the paella, always have them when we return.  They are tiny sweet strawberries, flambed in front of you, in liqueur and served with ice-cream.

The local area is very pretty, with whitewashed houses, and due to the leadership of the late Cesar Manrique, there are no high-rise, keeping the area natural looking and quaint.  He recommended that the houses be while, low rise and had green doors, and this is apparent still in many places. 

Just about half hour drive from Playa Blanca, past Yaiza, is the wine-making region, called the La Geria.  Even if you do not opt for one of the tasting sessions, you can enjoy the unusual grape growing technique of Lanzarote from the road.  Small semi-circular walls are built into the dark volcanic hill sides, where the grape vines are protected form the strong winds.  It is quite a sight and worth the drive across this otherwise baron countryside.  The wine, by the way, is pretty good value for money.

We took a drive up to the North of the Island to visit Haria – a cute village with a very small market street offering local foods like churros, breads, cheeses and clothes, and a couple of bar/restaurants where you can have lunch and watch the local trading.  With the addition of a handful of craft shops, you can pick up a nice momento here.  I got a hand made pair of leather shoes.

 We ate at one of the restaurants in Haria –  ’Restaurant Dos Hermanos’ – and it was great.  We had a mixed salad, (crabsticks, tuna, asparagus, hard boiled egg, cucumber, carrots, onions, tomatoes, beetroot, olives, dates, figs and orange).  It sounds quite a mixture, but was really fresh and delicious.  The accompanying Canarian potatoes with green Mojo sauce were great and waxy.  The service is quick and the prices very reasonable.

Next we headed to the Mirador del Rio, in the very North of the Island, which was the first of Cesar Manriques works of art we were to witness.  It is basically a stunning viewing platform (mirador) with spectacular views over the Isla Graciosa and the sea beyond – yet it has been built in complete harmony with its surroundings. Stop for a coffee and admire the views from the café overlooking the mirador.  The whole thing is carved out of the rocks, and is not spoilt by huge barriers so you really get the best view you can.

Jameos de Agua was the next stop, located on the North East side.  This is 2 caves separated by an underground lagoon.  Stop to study the tiny blind white crabs that live in the crystal clear waters of the lagoon.  There is a restaurant at one end, and a nightclub at the other, so an evening visit is far away from the peace of the daytime.  We did not make it back up there for an evening, but it is a fantastic venue, being so unique and extremely groovy and tasteful.  This is, again, a creation from Cesar Manrique.  A beautiful pool has been made too, and everything is designed in harmony with the natural rock formations of the caves.  Manrique was always careful to ‘use’ the natural surroundings, so as not to spoil or ruin them.

We went to an Indian in Playa Blanca, called ‘The Spices’.  Located on the waterfront in Playa Blanca, it benefits from lovely views across the sea, and you can sit and watch the boats coming in and out.  It just doesn’t have the best Indian food.  The pappadoms were the best part of the meal, with fresh coriander sauce, mango chutney and cucumber/tomato/onion salad as accompaniments.  For the main meal, we chose a Pilau rice, garlic naan, chicken dansak and mixed vegetable curry.  They have a different idea to Indian restaurants in the UK, and make a dansak a ‘mild dish’.  Disappointing but many others seemed to enjoy it.  We have high standards in Indian cuisine. 

A trip to Teguise market is well worth a visit.  A very bustling Town, it has live music sometimes in the square, and a huge range of crafts, clothes and everything you could want from a market. 

While up in the North, we stopped at Famara for a couple of hours.  It is a traditional fishing village, and is away from the main tourist track.  We sat with a local family, fishing off the side of the path, and they caught quite a few fish for their dinner!  It is a really nice place to stop to see just how relaxed living on Lanzarote really is, and to see some of the real local life.  The buildings are low and white, with green doors (the traditional desire of Manrique on how a house should be painted), and the coast there is rugged, with beaches too.  We also saw a few people surfing there, as, being in the North East of the Island, the wind and waves are good.

If you like seafood and a quieter place to eat, then El Golfo is for you.  You will need to drive here and the roads offer some spectacular views over the sea on the way.  There is only one way in or out of this village, and the roads are not lit at night, so be careful of the bends!  There is an attraction to see at El Golfo too, so if you go in the day, do go to have a look at the ‘green lagoon’  Caught in the right light, this lagoon is quite spectacular, against the backdrop of craggy red rock cliffs and the black sand of the beach there.

We ate at two places in El Golfo, but the Restaurante El Golfo is our favourite.  We had a bottle of Marques de Vargas Rioja (delicious!) and started with a mixed salad.  This restaurant is big, but we have never seen it very busy which is probably because it is out of the way with El Golfo being a non-touristy spot.  However, it deserves to be full every night.  The service and food is fantastic and well worth the journey to get there, which in itself is a spectacular drive.  Comfortable chairs, well laid tables, and a restaurant setting downstairs or a terrace with sea views upstairs to choose from, giving you the chance to make the most of the weather if you wish.  We had the seafood Paella, which had a large amount of shell on seafood – lobster, clams, mussels, Langoustines, prawns and another shell fish that I cannot remember!  Really a very good Paella and I would recommend it.  Finishing off with the mixed dessert platter was a real treat too – fruit cheesecake, crème caramel, ice cream and a creamy custard filled pastry with fruit.

The other restaurant that we ate at in El Golfo was ‘Restaurante Lago Verde’, which is also very good.  Lovely owners, and staff, and you can eat inside, or outside, looking out over the sea.  We had some Lanzarote wine (white) and calamari’s and salad to start, followed by breaded local fish (which they whipped up especially for us by request), Canarian potatoes and shell on prawns – all delightful and beautifully cooked.  The Mojo verde and Mojo rojo were fresh and delicious too! 

We took a day trip to Correlejo in Fuerteventura, with Armas ferries, direct from Playa Blanca.  It cost around £60, but we felt it was well worth it for the day out.  We had lunch in a fantastic restaurant on the front called ‘Restaurante Sotavento’ and managed to get the best table they had.  The front of the restaurant opened up so you got the views, whilst being sat inside and out of the blazing sun.  Michael had spaghetti with fresh tomato, fish and prawn.  I had a King Prawn and mango salad which was delightful.  Alioli and bread were freshly made and a great accompaniment.  The food, service, outlook and price were just wonderful. 

The beach of Correlejo is gorgeous and golden sands, and there are nice places to eat or drink right on the beach for your convenience and enjoyment.  The Town is full of interesting shops with local crafts, clothes and various goods.

Back at Natura beach, we had pre-dinner drinks at the smart bar (I cannot remember what it is called at the moment).  It is open all day, serving cocktails, beers and a full drinks menu.  They do sandwiches and breakfasts, which we did not try, but we frequented during both our holidays for drinks as it is such a lovely spot, with mellow music playing, and comfy chairs.  Although there is inside seating, the outside is the main place to sit and chill out.  They have swing chairs, sofas, armchairs and loungers to relax in and waiter service, so you really can unwind in the funky atmosphere.  Some nights or daytimes, they have dancers and DJ’s. 

We stopped off at Tias for some lunch, and had tapas at a café/bar called ‘Cafeteria Guayedra’.  The meatballs were huge and really tasty.  Garlic prawns, Canarian potatoes, tortilla and bread – all very good. 

A trip Cesar Manrique’s house was brilliant.  This man had so much taste, and his house is beautiful, with paintings, gardens, flowers, cacti, monuments and a pool, all designed by himself.  When can I move in? J

As recommended by one of my agents for Lanzarote, we headed over to Charco del Palo for a look.  It is a small place, with a man made sea water bathing pool, cut out of the rocks.  This is a naturist village, but it is not in your face, and what it does offer is some fabulous villas to rent, peace and quiet and relaxation.  It is right next to the Cactus gardens, so if you are going there, it might be worth a look in at Charco del Palo.

If you have the time, and effort to drive off road, then visit the Papagayo beaches, just along a few kilometres from Playa Blanca.  They are unspoilt and surrounded by mountains, so the views form the top are fantastic.  Beware though, that some of them do not have amenities or food/drink services, so you should bring your own.  There is no shade either, so bring your own umbrellas too.

We went to the Cactus gardens mainly because Michael (my partner) wanted to go, but I thought it was one of the highlights once we got there.  It really is hard to say why it is so good, apart from the huge and impressive range of cacti that they have, the views from the top of the viewing sections, and the pure beauty of the showcase, but I guess you should just go and see for yourself.  Being another of Cesar Manrique’s designs, it is also no wonder it is so brilliant.

If you like a busier resort, then Puerto del Carmen could be for you.  We didn’t stay there, but went for an evening meal at Lanis Mexican Cantina, located right on the front strip.  It is a lively place and absolutely huge, with brightly coloured décor and tables.  We had a steak meal served with canarian potatoes and vegetables and mixed chicken and beef fajitas served with tortillas, rice, refried beans, guacamole, sour cream and salsa.  Very nice too!  Service very friendly and they serve Mexican beer (corona) too.  We had a look at the huge beaches there, and stayed for a drink in one of the noisy bars, but only had a short trip this time round.

Next door, Puerto Calero is very different, with an upmarket feel and yachts galore.  There are designer shops and a row of restaurants/bars to choose from.  We did eat at the Italian there, and it was pretty good.

The Montanas del Fuego (Mountains of fire) was our last stop in Lanzarote before heading back to the airport for our flight home.  This is a National Park area of Timanfaya, the Volcano, and the Malpais (volcanic rock floor left by the last eruptions from the volcano) is untouched, apart from a road for the coaches to take tourists round and the restaurant designed by the famous Cesar Manrique.  We had lunch there, and it was fantastic.  The restaurant has been carved out of the Malpais and is circular, giving everyone the most brilliant view out onto the volcanic scenery.  The food was good too.  They actually cook on a huge grill that takes its heat directly from a hole in the ground – completely natural!  I had grilled sardines and Michael had chicken, all accompanied by Canarian potatoes and salad. 

Local arts and crafts of Lanzarote include pottery, leather and clothes. 

Popular foods of the Canaries are:

• Churros – fried donut style dessert dipped in hot chocolate
• Paella – a rich rice dish with the addition of either chorizo, chicken or a range of seafood
• Canarian potatoes – Small new waxy potatoes cooked in a huge amount of salt, in their skins, so they are coated in salt.
• Seafood – shelled and shell on range of seafood such as fish, prawns, lobster, clams, mussels and much more
• Mixed salad – generally this has tuna, egg, olives, tomatoes, onion, carrot and green salad – virtually a meal in itself
• Green Olives – absolutely delicious!
• Olive oil
• Sangria – although popular and available all over Spain, this wonderful wine and fruit based drink is delicious.

Aloe Vera – taken from the plant, this can be used in cosmetic products, but also drunk for vitality and health

July 2008

We were so impressed with our first trip to Lanzarote in April, we went back in July for another week – this time a more relaxing week than the last time.  We did all our touring and photographing then, so we could now just relax and go back to places and restaurants that we really liked. 

We stayed in the same villa in Faro Park, Playa Blanca, as we loved it and the pool and Jacuzzi were going to be used more this time! 

We had another fantastic meal at the salt cellar (‘Almacen de la Sal’) in Playa Blanca.  We had to have the Paella again, as it is so good there, but it was even better the second time round.  It was topped with Lobster, Prawns, mussels, large red prawns (really sweet) langoustine, and pieces of squid – all juicy and well cooked.  We had the same wine as last time (Marques de Vargas Rioja) and it was very relaxing.  We finished off with profiteroles with white and dark chocolate sauces and the flambed strawberries in liqueur and ice cream. Yum! 

We had a relax down at Playa Blanca, at Natura Beach, and a good walk, and we went for dinner in our favourite restaurant in El Golfo in the evening – the ‘Restaurante El Golfo’.  Grilled sardines and calamari in batter to start made a perfect starter.  A bottle of white wine (Torres Fransola) was recommended by the waiter, and it was lovely.  We followed this with grilled white fish (must try to find the name of it), shell on prawns, Canarian potatoes and salad, accompanied by green and red Mojo sauce (Mojo verde y Mojo Rojo)  The chocolate mousse dessert was not very good, but everything else was lovely.

The next day, we took a walk the other side of Playa Blanca, and found some really nice beaches that we had never seen before.  They were fairly busy and had some restaurants and bars, so we were pleased to find it for next time, if we fancy the beach. 

We then went back to Puerto del Carmen to see the beaches in the daytime and had lunch overlooking the Playa Grande at the ‘Terraza El Mirador’.  We had a lovely tuna sandwich and tuna salad. 

The restaurant chain in Puerto del Carmen, Lani’s have a general restaurant there that does a huge range of ice cream dishes, so we had two really yummy ice-cream sundaes in there, with fruits, bananas, nuts and sauces.

We also tried the Italian at Natura Beach, and it was not bad, I would say.  They are very friendly and the kitchen is open, and there is a lovely terrace overlooking the sea and the promenade, if you prefer to sit outside.  We ate there twice.  We had Tomato soup, minestone soup, prawn cocktail and parmagiana starters which were ok.  The minestrone soup was the best one, as the prawn cocktail had far too much mayonnaise.  The ham pizza and spicy prawn spaghetti were pretty good though and the tiramisu delicious so we would go back again. 

The Tapas bar at Natura beach is really good.  We had not been in before as it didn’t look much from the outside, and the menu does not make it look that good, but inside it is really comfortable and rustic, with views over the sea.  We had a gorgeous plate of shell on grilled prawns, a tapas consisting of a mini fried egg (????), with tuna and courguette on toast, and a prawn, tomato and pepper tapas on toast.  They are only small, but really tasty.  Then we had their scrambled egg with prawns, which is traditional apparently, but so much nicer than it sounds.  It is more like a scrambled omelette, with big juicy prawns, courguette, onion and mushroom.  Delicious!  Their ice-cream was lovely too and they had one of our favourite Spanish red wines – Protos. 

We tried out a different restaurant in Playa Blanca – ‘Terraza Restaurante Brisas Marina’.  We had a bottle of ‘El Grifo’ Lanzarote white wine – very nice.  Mussels to start, and a grilled Halibut fish for main, which was huge, juicy and delicious.  The Canarian potatoes were really good, as were the Mojo sauces.  Good service and a lovely position right on the seafront, with indoor and outdoor seating.

We also went back to ‘Restaurante El Golfo’ for a Paella and tried the Red Rioja as recommended by the waiter – ‘Heras Cordon Reserva 2001 Rioja’ – absolutely beautiful flavour!  The Paella was as good as ever, but had the bonus of having red prawns as well, so it was fabulous.  Mussels, prawns, lobster and other shellfish I cannot remember! 

We finished our holiday this time with a last day in Arrecife, before heading back to the airport.  This City is big and bustling, with lots of shops, a good promenade and seafront, and lots of restaurants.  We had a good look round, and then had lunch at one of the restaurants there.  We had a salad with green olives and a prawn spaghetti which was pretty good.  It is a smart restaurant with good service but nothing to write home about. 

Local arts and crafts include pottery, leather and clothes. 

Popular foods of the Canaries are:

• Churros – fried donut style dessert dipped in hot chocolate
• Paella – a rich rice dish with the addition of either chorizo, chicken or a range of seafood
• Canarian potatoes – Small new waxy potatoes cooked in a huge amount of salt, in their skins, so they are coated in salt.
• Seafood – shelled and shell on range of seafood such as fish, prawns, lobster, clams, mussels and much more
• Mixed salad – generally this has tuna, egg, olives, tomatoes, onion, carrot and green salad – virtually a meal in itself
• Green Olives – absolutely delicious!
• Olive oil
• Sangria – although popular and available all over Spain, this wonderful wine and fruit based drink is delicious.

Aloe Vera – taken from the plant, this can be used in cosmetic products, but also drunk for vitality and health

tossa de mar copyright Sandra M Dean

Our Costa Brava experience – a rugged, beautiful part of Spain with fabulous food! A Catalonian delight!

(You can also see more details about this trip, including restaurants and photos, or book accommodation with me for Costa Brava on my blog for Spain HERE - www.simplyspainandbeyond.com/hola )

We decided to stay in L’Estartit for many reasons – it is a popular, but small resort, that gets booked out every Summer, and it was also a fantastic base for our planned journey around the Costa Brava. We had originally planned it to surprise my Mum and Dad who were staying in Lloret de Mar for two weeks, but it turned out the nicest place in Spain we have been to (bar Lanzarote which we love!).

L’Estartit

We arrived at Rues airport from Stansted and hired our car for a few days. We had been emailed a map and directions, previous to our departure, to get to our meeting point with the agent, and I have to say, getting there was as easy as it looked on paper! We were shown to our apartment, and told all the local information we needed, before we could turn around, and we headed out for dinner.

It was quite late (around 11pm), so some of the restaurants in L’Estartit had closed their kitchens when we got there, but there are a few late night places to eat, so we got a pizza, which was very satisfactory and a nice couple of cold beers!

Next day, we ventured back out into L’Estartit, and had a lovely wander beside the harbour, which is lined the other side with very enticing restaurants. We were beckoned into the Rosamar Restaurant, by the smells of good Spanish food and the friendly owner, and we were not disappointed.

Sipping our drinks, (glass of white wine for me and red for Michael) the waiter brought us fresh crusty bread, pate & gorgeous green Spanish olives, which was great to keep us going while we studied the extensive menu. We decided on tapas, since it was lunch, but it turned out quite a gastronomic delight anyway, because we couldn’t choose and ordered too much. We had the toasted Catalan tomato bread, pil pil prawns (in chilli and hot oil), a mixed salad with green olives, tortilla (spanish omelette), fabulously light battered calamari and grilled sardines. Wow, it was just great and finished of with the best profiteroles that we have ever had (and yes, we have been to Italy a good few times!)

Fonclara, Peratallada and Palau Sator

We spent the afternoon driving around the Countryside and checking out a few of the places that had been recommended to us, so that we could plan the rest of our trip.

We started off in Fontclara and saw lots of cows and rolling hills with bales of hay, then onto some of the Medieval villages. Palau Sator is very quaint (a small medieval hamlet) and we booked a table for dinner there, as the restaurant looked so lovely.

Then we went onto Peratallada. This Medieval Town’s name comes from perda tallada, meaning ‘hewn stone’. The houses here were made from stone carved from rocks.

It has a lovley rustic atmosphere and consists of narrow streets and squares, laid out beautifully. The views from up there are fantastic. The old town centre is dominated by Peratallada Castle which has a walled enclosure. You can stay in one of the Hotels there and the restaurants look really good, but we did not eat there.

We went back to Palau Sator to eat before going back to L’Estartit. We had booked a table at the ‘El Raco de L’Era’ and it was lovely. We had amuse de bouche potato cakes with our drinks, then onto our starters (which look lovely but I cannot remember what they were!) and then I had a T-bone steak and Michael had grilled chicken. The meats were delightful and the red wine (Pissares) was gorgeous. Friendly and professional staff and an elegant setting made this a wonderful dining experience.

Palafrugell, Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc, Tamariu, Aiguablava, Begur and L’Estartit

Next day, we drove to Palafrugell where they had a street market on. We had lovely pastries and coffee and watched the world go by. A large Town, this had lots of atmosphere, although not as pretty as it’s neighbouring smaller towns and villages. We came across a great indoor market selling food stuff’s so if you want to stock up on Spanish delicacies, then it is a good place to visit!

Next, we drove onto Calella de Palafrugell, and were met with the glorious scenery there. It wasn’t a sunny day, but it is just so pretty, with colourful Spanish houses and buildings set around the beach, with boats bobbing on the clear waters. We decided on lunch in a restaurant with a lovely view. Due to the weather, we sat inside, but it was very cosy and homely. The service was great and as friendly as ever, and we had a drink and fresh bread with green olives. The Paella was full of big prawns, shrimps and mussels, and the salad was fresh and very complimentary to the lovely strong flavour of the paella. It is a shame that I did not catch the name of the restaurant, but it is the last on your right if you are walking along with the sea to your left and it has ‘Canadell’ (road name I think) on a sign on the front.

We headed over to Llafranc which is just along the coast to the North, in the next bay. It was equally as delightful and retains a very Spanish feel, again with a golden beach. As we drove round to Tamariu, we found a wonderful place to stop at the top of the hills, and the view down and across the two bays of Calella de Palafrugell and Llafranc were amazing. We chilled out there for a while and took some great photos, before heading back off in the car to Tamariu.

Tamariu was our favourite place and we hope to stay there next time we go. It is again a small bay, with the low rise town behind it. A lovely golden beach, boats galore, lovely waters, and some apartments to stay in looking into the bay. There are a handful of restaurants, all of which look good, although we had no time to try any of them!

We continued our trip along the coast road, heading to Aiguablava for a very short stop. Aiguablava is another bay and very rugged and very pretty. It looks a nice place to stay as it has restaurants and amenities but our time was running out.

The last stop of the day was Begur, which is a larger Town, yet it still retains its Spanish charm and the old rustic buildings which is in keeping with the whole area.

We ate that night in the Rosamar again. Michael had the most lovely steak and I unfortunately chose the spaghetti Bolognese, which was not awful, but the Spanish do not do it like the Italians or we would do it, so it was a little bland. Altogether though, it does not put me off and we were soon to go back there again….

Lloret de Mar and Tossa de Mar

And so, finally, the big day arrived – the day to find and surprise Mum and Dad in their resort of Lloret de Mar – an hours drive down the coast! I certainly would not be visiting Lloret for any other reason, as I am not fond of big touristy, tacky resorts, but I was kind of excited, as they didn’t know I was there.

The first thing you notice about Lloret is the high rise buildings, and number of huge hotels and grubby back streets. The seafront, however, is a pleasant surprise, with its huge promenade and long golden beach. Of course, everything looks better when the sun is out, but it wasn’t quite the Benidorm look alike that I had expected. Apart from the Town’s backdrop of concrete, the scenery is rugged and very easy on the eye, like the rest of the Southern Costa Brava. At one end of the Bay, an old castle fort is nestled into the rock face – another example of the history that the whole area is steeped in. And the sea air was fresh – such a delight on the nose and lungs!

I had heard of the boat trips that Mum and Dad had taken on their previous trips to the resort, and had seen their photos of the pretty coastline from the boats, so I had always fancied taking that trip myself. It had not taken any persuading from my part, to agree that the boat trip would be the best thing to do with our afternoon there, so we purchased our tickets at the booking cubicle. We headed over to the long strip of outside dining areas, in search of something yummy for lunch, pre-cruise. I chose a restaurant based on its bright orange coloured seats and umbrellas. I was also taken by the double swing chair on one side of the table.

We had a lovely boat trip round the coast to the next resort, Tossa de Mar, had a wander round the shops, and then took a walk up to the viewing point at one end of the bay.

L’Estartit

We got back and ate at the Pizzeria on the Pg. Martim (seafront). The name escapes me, although it was nice!
The next day, we checked out of our apartment and had lunch at the Rosamar restaurant again. We chose paella this time, and it was delicious! These guys really can cook! We had a salad to share on the side and it was a huge lunch. Luckily, we got a table at the front and it was lovely and sunny, so we made the most of it.

We then went with my agent in L’Estartit to look at the properties I market there – gorgeous villas and apartments.

Lloret de Mar

After, we went back to Lloret de Mar, and checked in for our last night at the Hotel Mum and Dad are staying at and so we had another surprise for them! It worked out ok, and we had dinner that night at the Orient Express on the seafront (Steak pies and chips – yum!), before flying home the next day.