Spain Gastronomy Trip 2012

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Spain has always been one of my dream destination, and finally I get to visit it now!!!

I hope this trip report will help those planning to go there, as for me, I will definitely be BACK soon!!!



For Air tickets:

Use my miles to redeem for SIA Business class ticket for SIN –ROME-SIN, had to do this as it will need double the miles if fly direct to Barcelona (BCN).

Vueling airline was having a sales in Nov and I booked my ROME-BCN on Vueling in Nov 2011 (€46)

I had to see Guggenheim Museum but did not want to stay in Bilbao for a night, so booked BCN - Bilbao - Malaga flight (€97)

For our return trip, Easyjet timing is better, Madrid to Rome cost us (€47 each).

All the airticket price comes with 1 check in bag per person. 23kg for Vueling and 20kg for Easyjet only.

Our travel plan was

4 nights in BCN,

1 night in Malaga (due to late flight from Bilbao, no bus to Granada)

2 nights in Granada

3 nights in Seville

3 nights in Madrid



I was very worried about the flight connection as we arrive into Rome FCO at 7.20am, and the flight out to BCN was at 9.45am, I was worried about long queue at the custom or flight delay or lost baggage.



To my surprise the passport control officer in Rome just stamp my passport without even looking at the passport photo, so we breezed through in 30sec. Baggage took a 20mins to come out and we went up to the departure hall on the same terminal and check in for our Vueling flight. What a relief!





Barcelona –

Arrived in BCN at 11.30am, took a taxi €30 and reach ABaC Restaurant and Hotel in 20mins.



It was our 11th Wedding Anniversary so we splurged a little bit and booked our anniversary dinner at ABaC Restuarant, it's a 2 Michelin Star, cost us €125/pax for the 7 course tasting menu. (wine not included), dinner was really great, but I will do it again for lunch next time, Spanish eat dinner really late, and they only open at 8.30pm! I cannot sleep after a big meal like this! They also have the 10 course tasting menu for €145, I just couldn't stomach that much food late at night.



We visited all the Gaudi works, and had great tapas every single meal. They were having big winter sales, so everywhere is SALES! We didn't go full swing shopping as we have limited luggage weight for the flight out of BCN, a big regret!!!



We got a Local sim card from 'Orange' for €10, it has €5 value and it cost €4 a week for unlimited 3G data service, I top up another €10 so it will last us the next 2 weeks. With this it really helps us to navigate around Spain a lot more easily!



In BCN I like to take bus, not like I don't need to; as ABaC was 15-20mins away from all the attractions, but it is really nice to look at the street and help to rest our tired feet.





We bought the Tourist bus and it's €31 for 2 days, it's good but beware there are 2 companies, so check out their route if they suits you before you decide on which one to be on. We didn't know and just hop on the one that stop right outside ABaC hotel, only to realize later the other one was also round the corner and it stop closer to some of the spots, and their buses are newer too!



BCN is beautiful, Gaudi was amazing, if you like architecture, great food and shopping, you will love BCN!



ABaC Hotel is nice and new, but some of the design in the room are nice to look, but not practical to use, and the price was a bit high, even for the low season (€280 a night), the location is quite far from all the actions. It will serve as a nice hotel for someone who has been to BCN and coming in to rest and relax. Not so much for 1st timer. But they do have the most comfortable bed ever!!!







Bilbao

On 24 Jan, we sat off to take our flight to Bilbao, this was where my nightmare begins.





Arrived in Bilbao at 9.30am, while waiting to be serve at the car rental, it strikes me!!!! NO DRIVING LICENCE!!! I forgot about it altogether!!! How stupid! I have book a lunch reservation at Etxebarri, about 30mins drive out and was so looking forward to it, and it’s all gone!



So we dragged our luggage and look for a locker for it, and was told by the lady at information in the departure hall: 'NO' and that's it, she won't even look at us! I was so depressed, don't know what to do, we head back down to the arrival hall and saw another information counter, so I went and ask for help, the young lady was very nice and told us to take a bus to the bus terminal, there are lockers there, cost, €1.30 for the bus, it a 20mins ride and took us pass the Guggenheim museum and the city. We found the lockers €2 but our bag is just a little wider and the door won't shut, we were really desperate and took us a while to get it done, and the minute we were done, a lady with a luggage walked pass us and press a bell next to the locker, and the door opens!!! It's a left luggage facility!!! We could have check in our bags!!! Arhrrrrr, they won't write a single thing in English! so I guess the guy sitting there must be thinking how dumb we were...



So we took the train to the museum, though we will be taking the train quite a bit so I bought the 1 day pass, cost €, but we only used it €4.50 worth.. so I pass them to the man who was at the ticket machine at the end our day at 5pm, let him make my money worth...



The 3G data was really good, I surf the net and found out that the Guggenheim Museum has a restaurant that is 1 Michelin star too, so we decided to go there for lunch instead, turn out the restaurant was closed on Tuesday!!!! How's that for a day? luckily there were another bistro that was open, and it was run by the same chef, so we went for that instead. It turn out to be a really superb lunch, €32 tasting menu and it comes with wine, all you can drink; they gave us the whole bottle, we didn't know and tried to finished it, so imagine how tipsy we were at the end of the meal. Their dessert is sooooo heavenly good!!! And then I am happy again!



At 8.30pm, we took the flight out to Malaga, we arrive late at night about 10pm, don't like the city. Book Silken hotel next to the bus station, bad hotel, everything in the room was so worn out, thank god it was only for a night.



In the morning, we meet up a friend from Singapore and her hubby for a good hearty breakfast, passed her all the Singaporean food supplied and we head out to Granada for the 10am bus, cost €10.



Granada

Reach Granada at 11.50pm, AC Hotel Granada was just next to the station. After check in, I tried to book the Alhambra tickets online but was not available for today, a check with the hotel reception, she say it's most likely sold out for the day. I was depressed again, but headed there anyway and try my luck. Bus stop is just outside the hotel, took about 15mins to get into the city, and change to bus no. 30 and it bring us right to Alhambra in 15mins up in the hills. Thank god tickets were still available but had to pay in cash only, not sure why. I was really glad I came, it was so beautiful, and we were done by 4.30pm, and we were so hungry! Forget about lunch altogether!!! We took the same bus and go down to the town, can't find any decent restaurant or Tapas place that was open, we were so hungry, (no lunch, was too anxious to get to Alhambra) had to settle for a cafe, and food was bad... walk a bit in the town but was just too tired and bored, we went back to our hotel to rest for the day.

AC Granada was new and nice, a bit out the city but I booked it because it’s just right next to the bus station.



Skiing – Sierra Nevada

The next morning, we woke up at 7am, walk over to the bus station and bought the 8am bus to Sienna Nevada (€9 for return), had breakfast and in 8.45mins and we are ready to ski! We were quite taken aback when we saw how steep the slopes are, we are beginners and thinking we may not survive it. Luckily we walked into a school and asked anyway. We were shock how affordable it is to have an instructor (€44/hr)for just the 2 of us. (In Sahoro it will cost €250 for an hour)

We were very excited and signed up for it. They gear us up and send us off to take the gondola, there were no queue system at all, you just have to squeeze yourself through the crowd and pack yourself into a gondola, standing! it is a 15-20mins ride up to the mountains. Once we reach the top, or for what we think it’s the top was actually the base of 5 ski lifts, and you got to take a few more of the ski lift to reach another sets of ski lift to higher ground! It is heaven for beginners, perfect snow, perfect slopes, and we were so happy skiing until David’s feet give way. He rested and waited for me to ski for another hour, and we took the gondola back down…. Then I beat myself up for not skiing all the way down and meet him at the shop!!! (Ski pass €40, ski rental €22 per pax.) We did a bit of shopping, can’t resist, everything is 40-60% off, bought ourselves ski jackets, and then we sat under the sun, have a beer, relax and wait for our bus leaving at 6.30pm back to Granada station.

I was hoping his legs will recover and we can come skiing again the next day, but it did not happen, sigh…



Seville-

The next morning, we bought the 10am bus to Seville €20.60 . It took 2.5hrs to reach. The bus ride was comfortable and we took a taxi to AC Hotel Torneo. It was nice and new as well, a bus no. 14 behind the hotel takes us into the old town in 10-15mins, waiting for the bus can be 10-15mins too, but we enjoy being under the orange trees that lines all the roads it didn’t bother us.

We love Seville, so beautiful, orange tree everywhere! Not just the tourist area, but everywhere!!! Most important of all, the TAPAS is the best here! We only wish we had 4 stomachs each so we can eat non-stop.

With the help of the iPhone map, navigating in Seville is a piece of cake, key in ESLAVA, showed us in the map, then we took bus 14, alight when we were near it, and walk 5mins and heavenly ESLAVA is there!!! The little restaurant is not busy yet as we were early, managed to get a table and had some of the best food of my life! AND it’s cheap!!!! We had 12 tapas, 7 glasses of beer, 1 glass of wine, coffee & Tea, and 1 dessert €52.50!

In the evening, we tried another recommendation on Tripadvisor, ‘Vineria Van Telmo’, another amazing restaurant, still very good and cheap!

We went back to these 2 restaurant again the next 2 days, and only wished we had more time in Seville.



Cordoba-

I was thinking of visiting Cordoba on our way to Madrid, but hubby too lazy to drag luggage, and after the Bilbao incident, he is quite scare of the locker, so we booked the 10.45am train €33.40 and return at 17.44pm €20.10, reach Cordoba in 37mins.

At the information counter, pick up a map, the person at the information counter not friendly, so make sure you ask him all the questions, he won't tell you anything if you don't ask.

You can take a bus right outside the station, the bus terminal is also opposit, there are lockers there if you need to use it.



We waited for the bus, but was told by the old man using his 3 fingers and point the direction to walk instead, we thought it was 3 mins walk and we were very grateful to his kind jesture, and never think twice to look at the map and we walked the wrong way!!! And had to walk for almost 1 hour before we reach the site! (can't find a taxi!!!). Even if we have walk the correct direction, it will also take 30mins too, so keep your legs for the site, take a bus if you are not a good walker.



Tour the Cathedral-Mosque of Córdoba, another beautiful site, walk around the town and had lunch at ‘Bodegas Mezquita Cespedes’, not bad but not that great either.

Took train back and had to eat at Eslava again.



Madrid –

We book the 9.45am train Seville to Madrid €83.90, beat myself for not booking online earlier again, I saw it online that cost €68 only. I wanted to keep our travel flexible, so I didn’t buy them in advance.

We reach Madrid at 12.20pm, took a taxi to AC Hotel Recoletos, it’s just off Calle Serano shopping street, nice and new too, however I threw up a few time on the train, caught gastroenteritis, or stomach flu, had a doctor to visit me in the room. So for the next 3 days in Madrid we rested in the hotel most of the time, poor David caught the virus from me too… The doctor warned us that this sickness will be like roller coaster, you will feel better then worst again, true enough, we got up fresh and new, but flat in an hour time… Still, we just couldn’t pass out the chance to try out Hemingway’s favorite Botin Restaurant, and had the Suckling Pig, and was sure enough to feel awful again right after that. The pork was the only nice thing there, opened in 1725, this old restaurant is charging a premium for simple food.



I was only feeling good enough to start shopping on the last day before our flight out to Rome! Cry….



VAT Refund-

This is something I want to warn you about, we had such a nightmare on this VAT refund. So read carefully and don’t miss a step

As we only leave the EU from Rome, we are required to file the refund at Rome airport only.



Step 1 – If you want to check in your shopping and get a VAT refund:

You must 1^st do to your airline check-in, tag your check-in baggage, take your boarding pass, drag your luggage and start to queue here (Custom, not passport control, mind the difference). You need to open your check in luggage to show the item you bought, and the luggage can be drop off from there. They will only check the item in your check in luggage and give you a stamp on your VAT Form. (They will not stamp for your hand carry item)

Be warn: There is at least a 100 people at the Custom queue.



We saw the queue and decide to claim for the item which is in my hand carry only.



We had a speed pass (for business class) to the special security check line and we skipped the main line (very long, will take at least half hour).



Step 2 – walk to the VAT refund custom, after Passport control, be careful, there are a few windows there and you need to go to the CUSTOM counter to verify your shopping item (Hand carry) and get a CUSTOM STAMP on your tax form. (Very long queue also, as they take their own sweet time to read every single word in your tax form)



Step 3-

Look at the company logo on your tax refund form, queue at the right window!!! There are at least 3 different Tax refund companies!!!

So if you have 3 different Tax forms, queue 3 times! But most of it will be from Global Blue (longest queue, good luck).

They have different queue for Tax refund to your credit card, no queue, I wonder why, then a fellow Singaporean told me that his refund never come in the last time…. Well, since my hubby was hungry and angry, I thought I would just do the Credit card refund instead. Let wait and see what happen.



So the lesson learnt is, if you want your tax refund, please go to the airport at least 4hrs earlier, or don’t buy branded goods that cost thousands and cannot afford to help pay the EU Tax! Said my hubby… sigh…



Hotel overview:

AC hotel - All very good! I love them!

Courtyard Rome Airport – like shit, they won’t even give you a bottle of water, and I asked if it’s ok to drink from the tap, he say no, then yes, so terrible!

Silken Hotel Malaga €69 – like shit also, only good thing it is next to the bus and train station, where we take our bus to Granada.

All the hotels don’t provide kettle. (ABaC gave us 1 upon request only). We brought with us a portable cooker and it’s very handy.



Taxi –

We were very pleased with the taxi drivers in Spain, none of the taxi we took have taken advantage by taking the longest route or take us for a long ride, in fact I felt so sorry for this young driver who waited for a long time for his turn at the AVE train station and only to pick us up for a €3.50 ride.

I have all my hotels/restaurants address in my iPhone, showed to the taxi driver and they bring us right to the door step. Never once we had any problem.



Safety –

Before the trip, I was so worried about pick-pockets, robbery and safety, bought 2 ‘pacsafe’ anti-theft travel bag, one for the passport and one shoulder bag just to make myself ‘SAFE’. But I feel very safe when I was there. Not sure if it’s because all the thief are in winter hibernation mode or they made enough during the summer months?

Traveling during the winter in Spain is very pleasant, the winter are mild and not so crowded, we never need to pre-book any tickets for anything, (well, other than for the air tickets), that gives us the freedom to change our travel plan anytime. The sun is always shining, the sky is so blue and so beautiful! The hotels are cheaper and all the shops are on SALES!!!

P.S.

Remember to bring driving license, not only you need it for Car rental, it is very useful as they always ask for ID when you use your credit card, and in Alhambra & Cordoba, they will keep your ID until you return the audio set. If you don't want to part with your passport, better bring!

Hope this helps!

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Photos

Squid rice with ink across
at Guggenheim Museum Bistro - Tasting menu