Crossing of the transept at Toledo cathedral.

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The main façade, cathedral of Toledo.

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As we walk down the nave and gaze at the magnificent stained glass windows, in all 750, we reach the choir and enter the ambulatory whilst admiring the finely carved choir screen. In the axis of the cathedral, just behind the high altar in the ambulatory, the ribbed vault has been pierced by the sculptor Narcisso Tomé and his sons in 1729-1732 to create a light shaft for his new exuberant altar. Nobody of course, dared open a Gothic vault before, and here the mix with the Baroque Style is simply awesome. The idea of designing an altar in the ambulatory, behind the high altar of the cathedral is quite original. But it would remain in the shade. This is the reason for the light shaft topped with a transparent glass lantern. And to crown it all, an appropriate hole was also arranged in the high altar of the choir itself and dissimulated in the Baroque Décor. This gives a very curious atmosphere and at a certain time when the sun lights the tabernacle, this gives the impression that the whole altar rises to the illuminated heaven. This light phenomenon is common in Baroque architecture and was used at Saint-Peter of Rome by Bernini. The scenographic group of chubby cheeked angels in multiple amazing positions surrounding Our Lady of the Good Milk with clouds and sun beams using bronze, different colours of marble, stucco and paintings is considered the masterpiece of Narcisso Tomé. This extraordinary altar was called “El Transparente”. It is derived from this play of light. The cathedral of Toledo comprising many finely decorated chapels, retables and sepulchres was listed a World Heritage in 1986.

The extraordinary light shaft in the ribbed vault.

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Visitors gathering in front of “El Transparente” altar.

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The altar brightly illuminated by the sun.

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“El Transparente”: a magnificent Baroque altar.

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The light shaft  and exuberant décor.

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The dome and Cupids inside the light shaft illuminated by the sun through the lantern. 

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“El Transparente” Baroque altar seems to rise with the sun light.

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Top of the magnificently decorated Baroque altar.

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The Villa Portofino Hotel

The Villa Portofino is a small boutique hotel in the Mediterranean style. It has thirty-five beautifully appointed rooms and suites. 

After a pleasant ride from Long Beach on the Catalina Express, we disembarked in Avalon and checked into the hotel a little after 3pm. Our suite, the Portofino, was on the second floor and just below an expansive sundeck reserved exclusively for guests.

Upon entering the suite, we were immediately drawn to the French doors that overlooked the harbor and an uncrowded section of the town’s beach. What a view!

We opened the doors and a fresh breeze carried soft Italian music from the Ristorante Villa Portofino below. We looked down to see several patrons enjoying mid-afternoon cheese and wine in the restaurant’s cozy little outdoor patio. 

The comforts at the Villa Portofino

Our quarters had all the conveniences you would expect in an AAA triple diamond property. All guests are provided cable TV, Wi-Fi internet connection, air conditioning, a refrigerator, coffeemaker, hairdryer, and an iron.

Each suite has an inviting fireplace, a sumptuous marble bath, and an ocean view.  

 Many of the hotels in Avalon are in the intimate European tradition. Several, like the Villa Portofino, are on or near Crescent Avenue, a busy promenade that hugs a four block sandy shoreline along the bay.

The attractions of Avalon

A leisurely stroll down Crescent Avenue takes you past the Green Pleasure Pier with its casual restaurants and water sports rentals, a sunny uncluttered beach, the venerable Tuna Club of Santa Catalina, and the famous Catalina Island Yacht Club.

A short distance to the north, Crescent Avenue turns into Casino Way. The street and its picturesque seaside walkway continues on to the Grand Casino, and Descanso Beach with its ocean front bar and grill – completely open to the gentle Pacific breeze.

Elegant Italian dining

After a nice walk, we made our way back to our hotel and the Ristorante Villa Portofino. The extensive menu and wine list is most worthy of the Three Star Award the establishment has received from the prestigious California Restaurants Writers’ Association – for three years running. 

The food was of exceptional quality, and the service was outstanding. Our dining experience was the perfect ending to a day at our favorite California island getaway.

“The port town of Avalon is a picture perfect destination at the end of a short and pleasant boat ride. It is also a world away from the cares and concerns of the hectic mainland. A few days on Catalina Island will clear your mind and recharge your batteries like few other places on earth.”

Happy travels!

For more information about the Villa Portofino Hotel and Ristorante click here – Catalina Express click here.

To read our other Catalina Island articles – select the topic:

 Catalina Casino

 Catalina Island Airport

© Travels with Wayne and Judy (syndicated)

Photos © Wayne and Judy Bayliff 

Guixot(Carrer de la Riereta

(About 6 euros per person)

I think this little place in “Raval” is the best place in town to eat.  It has a very good location in the city centre  The food is really fantastic. They have Crepes, hamburguers, and the specialty are the sandwiches.  It’s very cheap and you would never regret.  The service is very good.

Mendizabal (Carrer de la Junta de Comerç 2 (esquina Hospital))

(About 7 euros per person)

This is probably the smallest restaurant in Barcelona, it has a small bar and lots of tables and chairs in the outside.  It’s next to “La boqueria” so it’s food is very fresh, and has plenty of flavors. They make really strange but tasteful mixes in their food.  I strongly recomend you the one with”Mango” and Iberian ham.  It’s quite cheap.

Sandwich and friends (Aribau, 179)

(12euros per person)

Probably the coolest sandwich restaurant in town.  There are many restaurants, like the one in Plaza catalunya, Born, etc.  They have lots of different tipes of sandwiches and its decoration is made by the world famous ilustrator Jordi Lavanda.  It’s a bit more expensive than the others but it’s music and decoration worth a visit.

Image via Wikipedia

Pizza del Born (Passeig del Born, 22)

(6euros per person)

If you want to eat quickly near the “Parque de la ciudadella”, Pizza del Born it’s probably the best option.  You can eat slices of pizza, “empanadas argentinas” and pies.  It’s quite cheap and very nice

Ba-ba-reeba (Pg. de Gràcia, 28. Entre Gran Via y Diputació.)

(15euros per person)

If you want to eat in a very nice place, with all the luxury of “Paseo de gracia” and you won’t pay a lot you will love this place.  Ba-ba-reeba especialty is the Mediterranean cuisine. Hams, rices, Paella and fishes.

The restaurant is very nice and the service is very good and quickly.

Creperie bretton (Balmes, 274. Esquina Via Agusta)

(13euros per person)

More than 250 tipes of crepes will make the hapiness.  In Creperie Bretton they make the best crepes in town in an especial atmosphere, where always something magic happens and you want to stay there all night.

Cerveceria catalana (Mallorca, 236. Entre Rambla de Catalunya y Balmes.)

(15euros per person)

It was a discovery as those who love coming to the view, of stroke. Just enter you are two bars, left and right, which are all products of the season ( “calçots”, snails, etc.). And a very broad assortment of snacks and tapas, all delicious. Also there is a small terrace in front of the brewery.
It’s always very full, sometimes you must wait to turn unless you go a little “off hours”, that’s before 12 AM and between 16 and 19 hours .

Is a reference site for tourists visiting the capital, mostly foreigners, who can enjoy the typical Spanish tapas as well as the skewers. There are also many fast food executive who makes or takes people in the work plan, but in the bar.

El Tomas (Carrer Major de Sarrià 49)

(10euros per person)

The most famous “Bravas” in town are made here!.  Go to El Tomas and try the most famous Bravas and Tapas in the heart of the old part of Sarria.  The place is a little fatty and it’s not very clean.  But you know…it’s famous. jeje.  The bravas you can eat them with two different sauces, one bearing only all i oli, and also you can ask the joint, leading all i oli and salsa brava

Attic (La Rambla, 120)

(20euros per person)

If you are tired and hungry while walking in the ramblas, Attic restaurant will perfectly fit to your needs.  Placed in the middle of “Las ramblas”, next to the “Plaza Catalunya” this restaurant is a perfect combination of good food and spectacular decoration.  The restaurant is decorated Attic by Dani Freixas, National Design Award, and has views of La Rambla.  It has a rich and well presented dishes of Mediterranean cuisine

Mar de la Ribera (Calle Sombrerers, 7)

(20euros per person)

Finally to eat the best “Paella” and “fideua” in town you have to go to this charming place.  Situated next to the cathedral Santa Maria del Mar, it offers a great variety of fresh fishes and some good pieces of mediterranean ciusine.

In the links below and in the right you will find the webs to enjoy all the restaurants.  You only have to click! and have fun!

As we have previously discussed in my early article “Moving to the Costa Del Sol” available here, integrating into Spanish life and familiarizing yourself with Spanish customs, laws and government procedures can be extremely difficult without correct guidance. In this article I will elaborate further on all issues necessary to moving to Spain. Should you require any help with any of the issues discussed in this article please feel free to contact me.

Empadronamiento

What is it?

The Empadronamiento is the Padron Municipal. It is a general requirement if you would like to purchase property, vote or place your child into local schooling.

How do I get it?

You must register with your local town hall (Ayuntamiento) to be awarded with the Empadronamiento. All you need to supply is details of your NIE (covered in my first article here) and the title deeds or rental agreement for your home.

They will issue the Empadronamiento document whilst you wait and you can begin using it immediately.

Schools

As you are ready to place your children into school I will assume that you already have your NIE numbers and Empadronamiento. These are both required when placing your child in any school in Spain.

You can choose to find a local government school or an International school where you pay private tuition fees on a term by term basis. My honest opinion is that you should always put your child in Spanish school as this will become an integral part of enabling them to settle in as easily as possible.

Ideally, you would want your child to pick the language up as quickly as possible and the only way this will happen is if they are immersed in the culture from day one. Indeed you can pay for tuition fees so that your children feel more at home with the English children but if you plan to stay in Spain long term you won’t be doing your child any favors.

Local schooling in Spain is free and compulsory between the ages of six and sixteen. You can place your child in Kindergarten from the age of nine months and weekly costs will be calculated based on you income. It is more beneficial if both parents are in full-time employment as the state sees it as a genuine reason for your child to be placed in education early. If only one parent works the general consensus is that the stay at home parent is capable of caring for the child and as such fees are significantly higher.

Schooling becomes free in the second cycle of educating, which takes place when the child reaches the age of three.

Enrolment

To enroll your child in a school you must approach the school of your choice with the following documentation:

Empadronamiento- This is to confirm that the child is living within the school’s catchment area.

The child’s birth certificate and a photocopy

Three passport photographs of the child

A medical certificate issued by a doctor

Without the above pieces of information your child cannot be registered for schooling. Enrolment usually takes place between February and April though this will vary so it is best to contact the school directly and ask them for their own dates.

There are further requirements when registering a child of secondary school age and in some instances their education will need to be verified by the Spanish Ministry of Education.

How to obtain a contract mobile phone

Taking out a contract couldn’t be easier in Spain. All you need to have is you NIE number and proof of your bank account in Spain. In some cases they may ask for a bank statement with details of regular payments made. I know that the latest network Yoigo will definitely ask for a statement as opposed to proof.

The networks which don’t ask for statements are as follows:

Orange

Movistar

Vodafone

I will forewarn you than Vodafone are extremely expensive and seldom will you find a contract that provides a free handset, regardless of your monthly tariff.

All you need to do is select the phone and tariff, turn up at the shop with your documents and hey presto! You have a contract phone. The only down side is that you may sometimes have to blunder your way through the language barrier. Alternatively, for tips and tricks on how to get started learning the lingo you can click here.

Telefónica…Mañana Mañana

Deciding to have Telefónica install a landline for you is a very brave move indeed. Whilst they are the leading telecommunications company in Spain, they are notoriously slow at completing anything.

They do have an English helpdesk-but you need to understand Spanish to reach it. The worst case I heard was a customer waiting six months for a line installation.

The average waiting time is six weeks to three months. Don’t start to panic just yet there are alternatives! If you don’t fancy having a Spanish Telefónica engineer sat on your sofa for the best part of two hours because “Nobody works during Siesta” then you may prefer to use an English company. Try Direct Telecom instead. They have mixed reviews but the advantage is you won’t have to battle through the democracy that is Telefónica.

In my next article I will cover:

Key phrases to learn before you arrive

The cost of living in Spain

The cost of purchasing a car in Spain

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Look to the far left of the pathway and you will see the tiny shapes of people, which gives you an idea of the heights involved.  The Guadalhorce River in Adalusia, Spain is home to El Chorro.  This is a limestone gorge which, in 1921, was damned to form three reservoirs.  The pass through is known as Desfiladero de los Gaitanes which climbs to seven hundred meters in height.  To cross it – if one is foolhardy enough, the Caminito del Rey – or in English the King’s Little Pathway may offer a route.  Unless of course, you plummet to your death as one unfortunate tourist did in 2000 prompting the local authorities to close the walkway.  A further four died in the two years preceding that.  Its reputation has not hindered the more adventurous – or foolhardy – visitor, however.

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There are, however, always those more adventurous tourists to whom Caminito del Rey is a challenge to be relished rather than their own worst nightmare.  With some knowledge of climbing it is still possible to access the Caminito del Rey and many do each year.  The Ardale council is trying to secure government funding to recreate the path to its original 1921 form but there is no work expected till at least 2010.  Until then the pathway remains difficult to get to but still accessible.  How, though, did it get to be built, as high and remote as it is, in the first place?

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It all goes back to the beginning of the last century.  There were hydroelectric power plants built at the nearby Gaitanejo and Chorro Falls.  Much like the bridge over the Hoover Dam in the USA a way had to be found to connect the two in order to ensure that the carriage of materials would not take days.  It was also deemed necessary for the regular inspection of the channel and so the decision was made to construct a walkway.  It took a while – four years – to build and it was completed to much acclaim and celebration in 1905.

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It got its present name in 1921.  The then King of Spain, Alfonso XIII, traversed the walkway to open the Conde del Guadalhorve Dam.  In an ancient European tradition the walkway was thereafter named after the monarch and became the King’s Little Pathway.  When technology and transport improved years later, the pathway became redundant and fell in to disrepair.  That may have been the end of the story had it not been the replacement of workers with tourists, eager to experience for themselves the dizzying narrowness of the pathway, not to mention to superb views it offers.

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Until it is restored then the walkway continues to deteriorate and it is now considered highly dangerous.  It is only a single meter in width and is over three hundred meters above the river below at its highest.  There is virtually no handrail remaining and parts of the walkway have collapsed.  What still remains, though, between the parts still extant, are the original steel connectors.  These it seems are a particular challenge to climbers who choose to go to the Caminito del Rey.

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A climbing latch may be used to use the safety rope which has been placed there.  This, if the climber slips, would hopefully avoid a rapid descent to the river below but it can obviously not hold too much weight.  You have to be a very adventurous kind of tourist (or one suspects, simply completely bonkers) to venture along the Caminito del Rey nowadays.

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Las Ramblas

Location : 41° 22′ 53” N, 2° 10′ 23” E

Getting there : There are 3 Metro stations connected to this area. All 3 of them are on the L3, or green line – Catalunya, Liceu and Drassanes

What’s interesting?

This is a very popular area for tourists and locals. You can witness a lot of live performances such as actors, mimes, musicians, etc. There are also a lot of small shops selling souvenirs and handicrafts. Besides that, this area is also very popular with cafes and restaurants (serving the famous tapas) but most of them charge pretty expensive price. Do beware that this area can get very crowded and pickpockets roam freely here.

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Montjuïc

Location : 41° 21′ 51” N, 2° 9′ 29” E

Getting there : You can take the Funicular de Montjuïc which is a funicular railway that operates as part of the Barcelona Metro service followed by an aerial cableway. You can take this funicular railway by stopping at the Barcelona Metro Paral-lel station.

What’s interesting?

There are a lot of things to see on this famous “Hill of the Jews” – the fortress Castell de Montjuïc, Palau Nacional, the Olympic Stadium, Font Magica fountains, Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya, a modern art museum Fundació Joan Miró, the Catalan museum of archaeology and others.

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Camp Nou

Location : 41° 22′ 51.2” N, 2° 7′ 22.19” E

Getting there : You can take bus on Line 7, 15, 43, 67, 68, 74, 75, L12, L50, L60 and L62 or you can also take the Metro service on Line 3 (stop at Maria Christina or Les Corts) or Line 5 (stop at Collblanc or Badal).

What’s interesting?

Opened in 1957, this stadium can fit 98,772 people, making it the largest stadium in Europe and 11th largest in the world. It is also a UEFA 5-star rated stadium and has been the venue for many important events including the UEFA Champions League finals. Besides football, this stadium has also been used by numerous music artists such as Michael Jackson and Frank Sinatra. It is currently the home to the famous football club FC Barcelona.

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Parc Güell

Location : 41° 24′ 49” N, 2° 9′ 10” E

Getting there : The easiest way to get there is to take a cab/taxi or you can take the Metro line L3 to Lesseps station. However, be prepared to walk about 15-30 minutes up a steep hill (there are escalators).

What’s interesting?

Built in the year 1900 to 1914 by the famous Catalan architect Antonio Gaudi, this garden complex is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. From here, you can see the whole of Barcelona cityscape including Sagrada Familia and Montjuïc area. It is also in this area that you will find the famous mosaic dragon designed by Gaudi. As a matter of fact, most parts of the terraces and pathways have been designed by Gaudi.

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La Sagrada Família

Location : 41° 24′ 13” N, 2° 10′ 28” E

Getting there : Take the Barcelona Metro service to Sagrada Familia station which is available on L5 (blue line) and L2 (purple line).

What’s interesting?

This giant temple is one of Gaudi’s most famous works in Barcelona. The construction started in 1882 and is scheduled to finish in 2026. There are 3 grand facades namely Nativity, Glory and Passion. Each has its own uniqueness and design. The interior is also a very complicated design and built using different materials. This has to be one of the MUST SEE locations if you happen to visit Barcelona.

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La Casa Batlló

Location : 41° 23′ 30” N, 2° 9′ 54” E

Getting there : Take the Metro line L3 (green line) and stop at Passeig de Gracia station. Take the Calle Arago-Rambla Catalunya exit and you will only need to walk about 30 seconds before reaching the house.

What’s interesting?

This house is also known as “House of Bones” due to its design. The design of the house uses skeletal, organic and underwater elements. The walls are being coloured in such a way that you can actually feel you’re in an underwater world (the walls look like water). Also, it is very hard to find a straight line in the entire house. At the rooftop, you can actually notice that it looks like the back of a dragon. A very remarkable work by Gaudi.

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La Casa Mila

Location : 41° 23” 43” N, 2° 9′ 42” E

Getting there : Take the Metro service to Diagonal station or Passeig de Gracia station.

What’s interesting?
This is another work of Antonio Gaudi. The house, also known as La Pedrera, has been completed in 1912 but was in a very bad condition in the 1980s, only to have it restored to its former glory few years later. The rooftop might look a little like the bench from Park Guell and the entire building looks pretty much like steep cliff walls used by the African tribes for their cave-like homes. Besides that, you also get to visit an apartment here where most of the interior design has been done by Gaudi himself and also a museum which contains information on Gaudi and his methods of designing.

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Montserrat

Location: 41° 35′ 30” N, 1° 50′ 16” E

Getting there: You can take the Aeri de Montserrat cable car or the Montserrat Rack Railway. From Barcelona, take the Ferrocarrils de la Generalitat de Catalunya train from the Plaça d’Espanya station and that will bring you to both the lower stations of the rack railway and cable car.

What’s interesting?
It is the site of Santa Maria de Montserrat which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary and has been said by some as the location of the Holy Grail in Arthurian myth. You can enjoy very spectacular scenery from this mountain and also the amazing rock formation.

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Palau de la Musica Catalunya

Location : 41° 23′ 15” N, 2° 10′ 30” E

Getting there : Take Metro service to Urquinaona station.

What’s interesting?

This concert hall was built in between 1905 and 1908, and has been declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1997. Its interior is very well designed, boasting one of the world’s most beautiful concert halls. It is also the only auditorium in Europe which is illuminated by natural light during daytime. Definitely a beautiful work of art. To visit this place, you can either get concert tickets or participate in a guided tour.

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Museu Picasso

Location : 41° 23′ 7” N, 2° 10′ 50” E

Getting there : You can take the Metro service L1 (red) and stop at Arc de Triomf station, or L3 (green) and stop at Liceu station, or L4 (orange) and stop at Jaume I station.

What’s interesting?
This museum which was first opened in 1963 has one of the most extensive collections of artworks done by the famous artist Pablo Picasso. There are now more than 3500 pieces of work within the museum. It is also one of the most popular museums in the whole of Barcelona.

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The area of Cazorla is superb set in a National Park and the accommodation was townhouses set in amongst the hillside overlooked by an old castle. It was idyllic. We all arrived in time for lunch which was enormous with copious bottles of vino on the table. Most people were there on their own but if you go as a couple you are not allowed to sit with each other at meals. We thought that was quite good actually because we had loads to talk about to each other at the end of the day. In fact sometimes it felt as if I was there on my own as most days we only passed each other on our way to a “talking session”. The tables were set for four persons which had to be two Spanish and two Anglos. The Spanish spoke excellent English and ranged from managers of large businesses, lawyers, doctors, nurses etc.

However we were told they never really got the chance to speak to English speaking people for any length of time so needed intensive talking about anything and everything. Throughout the week we had one to one talking, two to two and group sessions. The group sessions normally ended up with dressing up and acting out little sketches for the rest of the group and was hilarious. My husband and I produced a quiz which went down very well and other Anglos came armed with other ideas. It was a very demanding week but very enjoyable and we met some really wonderful people. We had free time between 3pm and 5pm but quite often did not bother as lunch seemed to go on and on chatting and laughing with our new friends. The day ended at 10.30pm after dinner but then the bar was available with music and dancing until…

Sometimes we did not roll into bed until about 4am and then up again for “work” at 9am the following day. However, as I have said it was an experience I would not have missed for the world and we have decided we shall definitely do it again. The company have three venues in Spain, all rural, picturesque and away from the beaten track. Take a look at their website (www.puebloingles.com) – you will not be disappointed. The only cost is getting to Madrid and once there the coach takes you to the venue and brings you back to Madrid. Of course the only other cost is your bar bill at night!!!

Perhaps you prefer small villages and towns? You’ll stumble on hundreds as you drive through the region. Each one has its own unique charm. Algorfa, near Torrevieja, nestles in the shade of the Escotera Mountain and is surrounded by orange and lemon groves. Rojales is a small town on the River Segura with a huge personality. Almoradi is a lovely town with Moorish influences. Visit the huge market on Saturday, and check out the trees in the town square. Each one is hollowed out in the centre of the foliage, with a floodlight set into it. I’ve never seen anything like it anywhere else.

If you like beaches, you’ll be spoilt for choice. Most of the beaches on the Costa Blanca boast fine golden sand. The jewel in the crown is Guardamar, with its 14 kilometres of unspoilt shore. Not a skyscraper hotel in sight! Then there’s La Marina, Punta Prima, Playa Flamenca – the list goes on. And with 320 days of sunshine a year, you should find time to sample as many beaches as you want.

For the Shopaholics, there are the huge shopping centres in Alicante, Murcia and Torrevieja. Murcia boasts over 300 major stores, many of them familiar English names such as Primark, Ikea, Zara and H & M. Then there are the daily markets. There are at least 3 to choose from every day, including Sunday, when the huge Zoco Market, near Torrevieja, attracts people from all over the region. It’s a day out on its own. As well as everything you might wish to buy, there are several cafeterias and bodegas where you can enjoy drinks, breakfast and lunch at very reasonable prices.

The area around Torrevieja is dominated by 2 large salt lakes, La Mata and Santa Pola. Salt has been extracted here since Roman times, and you’ll see big white mountains of it as you travel around. The salt lakes are home to dozens of species of water fowl, and there is a big nature reserve at Santa Pola. You can walk all around the lake, and there are hides for you to observe the wildlife unnoticed. As the lake is right on the coast, you can go for a swim to cool down after your walk. If you’re in Spain in a motor home, you can even park up for a night or two at Santa Pola, free of charge. With the salt lake on one side of you, and the Mediterranean on the other, you’ll go a long way to find a better view!

For a really relaxed way to view the Costa Blanca, book a coach tour. They are very reasonable – between 10 and 15 euros (£8 -£12) for a full day – and there is a varied programme on offer, with pick up points all across the area. Visit Guadalest, a beautiful village in the mountains above Benidorm. All the houses and shops are set into the mountains, and the views are stunning. This is the place to buy your souvenirs, as the prices are cheaper than on the coast. If you want to visit the larger towns and cities in the area, a coach tour is probably your best option, as parking can be virtually impossible between June and October. In addition, the coaches will drop you off at the main tourist attraction, saving you a lot of walking in the Costa Blanca heat.

Terra Mitica, on the outskirts of Benidorm, is the area’s main theme park. With themed areas Egypt, Greece, Rome, Iberia and The Islands, it’s educational as well as entertaining. There are rides and shows to entertain you, but Disney World it isn’t. Then again, the prices are very reasonable, and you can spend a full day there. If you’re staying in Benidorm, it’s better (and cheaper) to make your own way there rather than book an excursion.

For an extra special night out, try a dinner and cabaret at the Benidorm Palace. It will cost you around 40 euros (£32), but you get a fabulous evening’s entertainment, and the food is great. However, you don’t need to pay for entertainment at all, as even the smaller resorts have a wide variety of live entertainment, discos, karaoke and quiz nights throughout the season.

These are just some of the diversions on offer in this lovely part of Spain. I hope I’ve inspired you to try it for yourself.

Floridita, Hemingway’s favourite bar in Havana, immortalised in the above line from his novel Islands in the Stream, became the inspiration for another bar nearly a world away – Boadas in Barcelona.

A 1930’s atmosphere greets you as you walk in the door of this tiny bar tucked away in La Rambla in Barcelona. It’s smoky, it’s noisy. And it’s entirely authentic. You would only be mildly surprised to bump into Hemingway at the bar. Surprise, surprise – he drank here.

Opened in 1933 by Miguel Boadas, this cocktail bar (cited by many specialised guide books as one of the finest cocktail bars anywhere in the world) remains exactly as it was in the year it was opened. Fitted out in brass and wood, with a curved bar counter and photographs and drawings covering the walls, you can immediately feel that this is the real thing.

Miguel Boadas was born in Havana in 1895 and by 1910 was head barman at the Floridita. He left Cuba to marry in the land of his ancestors, Spain, and after working in different bars, opened his own one at no. 1 Carrer de Tallers, on the corner of La Rambla.

73 years later Boadas is an “institution with cocktail drinkers the world over and the City of Barcelona alike. However, when it was opened , critics (and there were many) gave it a definite thumbs down. “People complained that it was too small, you couldn’t sit down, and it was too modern,’, says Dolores Boadas (current owner and Miguel’s daughter). What’s more, only three years after the original opening, the Spanish Civil War broke out! But even these turbulent times couldn’t stop Boadas from opening its doors and serving cocktails and today, 73 years later, the bar has been awarded the Traditional City Establishment Award, granted by the Barcelona City Council to only 12 businesses with a long pedigree.

My discovery of Boadas was accidental. Having just celebrated a birthday in Barcelona, and in that birthday-high mood, the kind where you want to squeeze every last drop out of the day – and night – we stumbled upon this gem. Boadas is a bar for the locals and in spite of being just off of La Rambla, doesn’t go out of its way to attract tourists.

The cocktail Gods must have known that our little party of two had a celebration going on as miraculously two seats became vacant right at the bar (and in a bar not more than a few square metres big, with standing room mainly, this truly was nothing short of a miracle). Seated in front of three barmen in full tuxedo and one sporting very snappy glasses, we had front row seats to some of the best entertainment in the city.

Ingredients mixed in cocktail pitchers shiny enough to reflect back at you, quick stirs where you are left in no doubt that it is all in the wrist, a julep strainer on top and with long arching motions the contents are poured into a pint glass held a metre or so below. This is done four times, then the drink is strained into your glass. Snazzy…

Not one menu makes itself known in Boadas. The barmen are passionate about cocktails, and Maruendo, Dolores’ husband, admits to owning over 600 cocktail books from around the world. It’s all in the head (although on a tiny board a cocktail of the day is written in block letters). The birthday boy has an idea in his head. He wants a cocktail that is creamy “with a different taste”. I wonder secretly to myself what exactly that is and settle back to enjoy my Margarita. Some concessions should be allowed on birthdays. Within minutes the barman is serving the creamy birthday cocktail with a different taste. It’s a frothy mixture with crushed ice and a hint of cinnamon and after one sip, I’m a convert. The barmen invent cocktails along with making the traditional well-known ones, and I’m sure the birthday cocktail has just been born. Another six follow between the two of us after the first one. I’m sure I feel Hemingway nod his approval.

Extremely well-priced at approximately 6 euros a drink, Boadas really is a must-do anytime you find yourself in Barcelona. You’ll find yourself in the company of famous 20th century artists; Dali, Picasso, Garcia Márquez – who all had a seat on one of the six chairs at the bar (and stood far more than they sat) and who often left a momento on the walls of one of their favourite watering holes.

Ending the birthday close to 2 in the morning the following day, the birthday boy looks at me and says, “That was grand. We”ll be back’. I’m now certain Hemingway’s nodding…

El Golfet Beach

Racing over land in the twilight hours, the first glimpse of daybreak clutches the curve of the earth and lethargically spreads, causing the waning moon to vanish behind a sheet of light. Heading north from our Andalucian home, we push past misty plateaus of row upon row of bare almond trees which just months earlier had burst with blossom and life. The early morning December chill blows across the jagged peaks, lit up with candyfloss shades of pastel, as nighttime eventually gives way to dawn. Leaving the whispering presence of the mountains of Andalucia behind, daylight is met with the less interesting coastal shelf of Valencia, swamped in concrete and cranes.

There is not just one Spain but many. The regions are distinct in culture and landscape. Catalonia is probably the most defined, proudly retaining an identity that borrows little from the rest of Spain. Instead, many parts of Catalonia remind me of Sussex, fertile, lush and affluent. As you cross its border you can sense a difference; an air of confidence and prosperity hangs over the rolling hills. It is the Costa Brava, which is our destination and for me is the most resonant of Sussex.

The Costa Brava is often snubbed, dismissed by many who believe it to be a brash stretch of multi-story concrete and English breakfasts. Although this was one of the first stretches of Spanish coast to be developed by mass tourism, the Costa Brava boasts many traditional fishing villages, encompassed by impenetrable forests of Mediterranean pine trees, sporadic clusters of wild flowers arbitrarily sprouting colour amongst the evergreen, rugged cliffs cascading down to rocky coves and coarse sandy beaches licked by crystal clear waters. In short, the “brave coast” is an oasis of
rural tranquility and the vulgar “package-holiday” resorts it has become somewhat synonymous with are in a minority. Typical of this oasis are three of the most exquisite villages on the Costa Brava. Calella de Palafrugell, Llafranc and Tamariu and fortunately because of my partner’s parents owning an apartment in Calella de Palafrugell we are able to visit regularly, allowing us to break up the 2,500 kilometer drive from Granada to Cheshire.

Having spent time in Calella de Palafrugell in each season of the year, early December is perhaps the most perfect time to experience the serenity and magnetism of the place. Blessed with blue skies, our walk to the utopia cove known as El Golfet beach on the southern side of Calella de Palafrugell was met only by a young Catalan, carelessly ambling across the empty white sands behind a dog excitedly exploring every rocky inlet and protruding pool.

Without any true coastal road, the winding coastal path that traverses from El Golfet to Calella’s equally charming neighbouring town, Llafranc, is made from natural local resources, in keeping with the surroundings. The path steeply ascends pretty stone steps and descends around a string of coves with well-maintained mallorquinas (traditional fishing boats) orderly moored on the beaches. The whitewashed archways line the beachfront, bowing over the many elegant boutiques, bars and restaurants. In contrast to the simple white pueblo, the hillsides behind, stand rich and elaborate villas of rose, yellow and stone with impressive turrets and vibrant gardens, fringed by tropical cacti. Hundreds of tasteful terraces create magnificent vistas of the Mediterranean Sea and vertical, rocky cliffs of shimmering eucalyptus.

Ivy creeps up the walls of the flower-banked apartments, many of which belong to affluent Catalans who escape here for the weekend. Nests of green are repeated in endless variations with neatly pruned privet hedges resonant of an English country garden. It is the well thought out, subtle architecture and the dependence on gardening and trees, which enhances the nature and beauty of Calella de Palafrugell. High above the secluded bay of El Golfet are the Jardins de Cap Roig, a cliff top botanical garden displaying a wide variety of plants and trees indigenous to the Mediterranean, alongside species from all over the world. The gardens were started in 1927 by an exiled colonel from the Tsar’s army and his aristocrat English wife.

Calella de Palafrugell

Development in this part of Spain has been low-key and low-rise, escaping mass tourism. By complete coincidence both my family and my partner’s family visited Palafrugell and its surrounding areas many years ago. Because my grandfather worked for Transfesa, a Spanish exporting company, he brought my father on holiday to Tamariu in the 1950s. My partner’s parents also came here in the 1960s, and fell in love with the place so much that they bought an apartment in Calella de Palafrugell thirty years later. On a recent visit to the area my Dad remarked how little had changed especially in Tamariu. Tamariu, whose name comes from the presence of many tamarind trees along the promenade, is a tiny fishing village and a secluded bay, emerging from a clearing of trees, north of Llafranc. The only real change my Dad noticed was the dual carriageway from Palafrugell to Calella de Palafrugell, which in the 1950s was a dirt track full of donkey carts. Even so, the dual carriageway is in harmony with the area, lined with trees and well-maintained gardens neatly trimmed in the central reservation.

With the snow-capped Pyrenees dazzling in the distance, the journey out of Calalla towards Palafrugell is stunning. The town of Palafrugell, four kilometers inland from Calella, does not quite have the elegance and grace of the coastal resort, but does possess character, maintaining a cluster of old streets and shops around its sixteenth century church. The town’s famous son is the prolific Catalan writer Joseph Pla, who was one of the most popular Catalan writers of the twentieth century.

What I really like about this area are the hectares upon hectares of peaceful paths and trials through wild flower meadows and shady dense woods, set back in the forested outback. These networks of paths connect between the coastal villages and inland towns and are ideal for walking, cycling and horse riding. We often take the bikes the scenic route to get to Palafrugell and Palamos without using the car, but be warned it is very easy to get lost.

Llafranc

Palamos is a major port with one of the last remaining fishing fleets on this part of the Mediterranean coast, situated south of Calella de Palafrugell. Originally founded in 1277, Palamos has seen a rapid growth of tourism but its architecture has remained relatively unchanged. With plenty of good bars and restaurants surrounding the old port, Palamos has ample character and is well worth a visit.

Many Spaniards often talk of “Las Espanas”. Spain would not be the same without the distinct regionalism it proudly possesses, and each region providing different and fascinating landscapes. Having lived in Andalucia for four years, I have visited a lot of Spain. I love the vastness of the mountains and the gulch-like desert landscapes of Andalucia, but I have not come across any quite as beautiful a coastline as that of the Costa Brava.

However, it is unlikely that a place can possess the up-market affluence of Sussex, without the prices to match. House prices in Catalonia are high, being closer to those of England than other parts of Spain. A two-bedroom apartment in Calella de Palafrugell will set you back at least 300,000 Euros, for which you could own a four-bedroom villa in parts of Andalucia, a traditionally cheaper region of Spain. In all honesty, we would have relocated to the Costa Brava four years ago if we had been able to afford it. Having said that, it would be now hard to give up our six-bedroom Andalucian farmhouse for a pokey two-bedroom apartment, regardless on how stunning the vista may be.

This prosperity Catalonia possesses is a relic of the early industrial era when the region developed far more quickly than the rest of Spain. As the Catalans want to retain their independence, the Costa Brava preserves villages and towns unique and individual on a rolling coastline of immense natural beauty. Impeached by many as mass commercialism and vulgar, the real Costa Brava is a potency of charm without any pretension.

Twilight was approaching as we stopped at the harbour at Palamos. The evening was hazy and fuchsia-coloured, as delicate hues of purple slowly ran across the sea and sky, melting together like oil. The lights of the boats docked in the harbour winked back at the neon lights of Palamos, preparing for another evening’s activity. We were reluctant to leave this captivating scene, but as the final hints of colour were replaced by blackness, we continued our long journey north.

Twilight at Palamos