BRACE YOURSELF for The Glory of SPAIN: Beauty Exemplified!

Travel Adventure Series 1:1 Spain  – BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE GLORY OF SPAIN: Beauty Exemplified!

This blog series, BRACE YOURSELF for THE GLORY OF SPAIN: Beauty Exemplified is a collection of posts discovering towns, cities and regions that make up this great country. I will outline for you how to travel on a decent budget, pack lightly, secure accommodations, find food, learn about dining out, and see more than you ever imagined by finding those little gems worth seeing. It is my hope that after reading this Travel Series, you will choose to start your own Spanish Adventure!

Although I have made 6 trips to Spain in the last 7 years, I still have not seen it all. I certainly have covered much of Spain either before, after, or in between my hiking journeys. I will share what I have learned with you here.

Before I dive into the adventure, lets look at some basic information about Spain. You will need to know how get there. Finding the accommodations that suit your travel needs is important. You will want to know tips on how to travel within Spain. Finally, attempting to master what and when to eat in Spain will be critical for your enjoyment!

Traveling  to Spain

The Capital City of Madrid is a great place to begin. Flying into Spain is easy and offers many options. One option is to fly directly to Madrid (Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport) and use it as a launching pad for travel throughout the country. From Canada, you would fly into Madrid and then catch a connecting flight onwards. A direct flight from my city Toronto, is an easy trip. The total flight time is about 6.5 hours.  If you wanted to fly from overseas into any specific city in Spain, Madrid is usually the gateway point (often there are no direct flights into other cities from Canada). You may have to go through other European cities if you choose to land in other cities in Spain. I travelled to Bilbao by not going through Madrid. I went via Zurich. Madrid offers a lot as a stopover or for a vacation on its own. Madrid will be a focus of its own blog post later in this series, so I wont detail too much in this post.

 

Travelling from the Airport to the City

The Madrid Metro is easy to use and runs directly from the airport to the city and train stations. There are multiple Metro routes but all are easily accessible. If a taxi or an arranged ride is too expensive, jump on the Metro. You can purchase a multi trip ticket. Its cheaper than purchasing tickets trip by trip and it is something to consider if you plan to use the Metro to get around Madrid.

Travelling Within Spain

You can travel very easily within Spain via Madrid by bus, plane, train, or automobile. Why is it so easy from Madrid? Madrid was chosen to be the capital city of Spain in 1561 by Charles I of Spain. It is actually the exact geographic center of the entire country. There is a famous square in Madrid called La Puerta del Sol (Gate of the Sun). You can find a plaque affixed to the ground with a distance marker of 0.0 KM on it. This Kilometer marking of 0.0 Km at La Puerta del Sol is the zero marker of where all roads lead to in Spain! 

Air Travel

Air travel is easy! You can fly to cities within Spain on multiple airlines; Air Europa, Air Nostrum, AlbaStar, Canaryfly, Iberia, Iberia Express, and Vueling are just a few. Many airlines offer one-way flights. *Be cautious about buying return flights and ONLY using it to go one way! Often, if you miss one leg of the journey, the entire ticket is cancelled with no refund. ALWAYS check flight rules with all airlines.

Check the various types of flight fares offered. You can save money on your flight if you decide to take carry-on only and not check bags etc. Not having the ability to have assigned seats also can save money. I used to pack a simple carry-on bag for short trips from Madrid knowing I was returning to the city. The rest of my luggage, I locked up in one of the multiple luggage lock/drops in Madrid. I think the Spanish mail service Correos, offers luggage lock up services too.

Bus Travel

Bus travel within Spain is VERY economical, reliable, comfortable, and affordable. Check maps for distances the that you are booking. It is always good know how long and the distance covered that a journey takes. There are several bus companies to book with. Some do local travel only and others cover many regions of Spain. Tickets for bus travel are available either at the bus stations, on the bus itself, or through the various bus operator websites.

Alsa, Monbus, Movelia, and Omni are just a few major bus companies that operate across the country. You can also download APPS that assist in booking bus travel. BusBud, Rome2Rio, and Trainline (lists bus and train trips). Note that actual bus schedules may only posted a month or two in advance.

Train Travel

Train is an excellent way to travel in Spain. Spain has a wide railway network, especially in terms of high-speed trains. Millions of travelers use the National Train Network.

There are a few seat types to choose from. Standard Seat (Turista or economy class). Comfort Seat (business class). All are great and it is always best to check prices, fares, and what’s included. There are refunds for cancellation of tickets but again the amount is dependent on the original rate and when the trip is cancelled. The main train company is Renfe. Their website is www.renfe-sncf.com and  it offers booking and information in English. Note that actual train schedules may only posted a month or two in advance.

Finding Accommodations

There are multiple ways to book accommodations within Spain. What are you looking for? Do you know the city? What Star rating do you need? What facilities are necessary for you? These questions should be answered before you begin your search.

How Are Star Ratings Determined in Spain?

This is not an easy to question to answer! Each region within Spain, adopts their own Star Rating System for hotels! There are seventeen regions in Spain and all can have different standards for star ratings. Unless you know the exact specifications for each region, the star system is not very helpful.

Although the star rating system for hotels in Spain is not very useful, it does give you a very rough indication of the quality of the hotel. It is best to look at the characteristics of each hotel rather than being too influenced by the number of stars. An example of what I am talking about is this; A ground floor hotel is often given a low star rating because it does not offer an elevator (which is not needed since it is a 1 floor hotel). A 3- story hotel with no elevator is entirely different but the elevator becomes part of the Star Rating.

Beware of the term Hostel and Hostal in Spain

Make NO mistake that the words Hostel and Hostal have nothing to do with a Spanish to English translation. They are not synonymous types of accommodation!

Hostel – A hostel is a shared type of accommodation, typically in dormitories. The rooms usually do not have a bathroom, but instead, there is one large bathroom for the entire floor or even dormitory. 

Hostal – a hostal has rooms or apartments within one facility which is usually family-run. Unlike hostels, hostal rooms are small and much more comfortable and with fewer beds. They either have a shared washroom for 2 rooms or they have a private washroom. Bedding and towels are provided like in a hotel. In many hostals, you may find coffee and drink machines in the lobby. Some offer breakfast. Some hostals can include services such as reception, Wi-Fi, safe, as well as air conditioning/heating. A hostal is usually cheaper than a hotel or rented apartment.

My best advice is to determine what you need in an accommodation before booking and paying deposits. Ask questions as many places are more than welcome to assist you. I have spent only 1 night in Madrid vs 4-5 nights. For 1 night, a hostal was sufficient. For a 4–5-night stay, I wanted laundry facilities etc. Look for hotels that offer those needed services. Look at apartment rentals (especially with a family where a kitchen is desired). If you are driving from one city to another, you might want a Casa Rural or an Agro-Tourismo (rural home/farm stay).

Where to Search for Accommodations?

I have used ALL types of services to book my accommodations. Hotel booking sites, internet and individual hotel websites, agencies that have private residences to rent out, etc. Do your research and compare costs. If you intend to use hotel booking sites and rooms are not available, contact the hotel directly! Usually, a hotel only offers a percentage of their rooms to various hotel booking sites and contacting the property yourself may allow for available rooms and at different prices. 

Learning All About Eating in Spain!

You now have enough information to look at a map of Spain, fly there, and even start discovering ways to travel within the country. You will have to eat during your trip and eating times in Spain are nothing like they are in Canada! This information is not for Camino hikers (except how a Siesta affects a late lunch). This information is intended for those travelling in Spain.

Meals and Meal Times in Spain

If you compare eating times for lunch and dinner in Canada to Spain, you will quickly discover how late those eating times are in Spain. I struggled with a 11:00 pm dinner! 

Spanish Eating Schedule — Meals in Spain

There are essentially five meals in Spain each day. Some of these are not all “full meals” by other countries’ standards. he meals in Spain, in order, are as follows:

• Desayuno – Breakfast #1
• Almuerzo – Breakfast #2
• Comida – Lunch
• Merienda – Social Snack
• Cena – Dinner

Desayuno: Breakfast  – 7 – 9 am

Desayunos in Spain is the first morning meal and is quite small. This meal typically consists of a high carb option.

Choices for Desayuno include: croissants, pastries, cookies, and other sweet baked items. Freshly squeezed orange juice and/or coffee are the drinks of choice.

Almuerzo: Another Breakfast  – 10:30 – NOON

Almuerzo really is a second breakfast which is had later in the morning. This meal is a bit bigger than quick grab and go sweets had earlier in the morning. It’s a popular meal as the next one is much later in the day.

Choices for Almuerzo include: some type of toasted bread with either olive oil or crushed tomato on top. Some places will offer a thick slice of tortilla de patatas is very popular in Northern Spain and Madrid. If you are searching for eggs, this dish is what you will get. 

La Comida: Lunch –  2- 2:30 PM

The third meal in Spain is la comida (The Meal = Lunch). It is quite often the largest, meal of the day. Restaurants open for lunch around 1:30 p.m. and they get very busy. You will see them fill up quickly and will know that this is an important meal

Choices for La Comida include: thick, hearty stews, chicken dishes, and rice dishes such as paella and soup-like rice dish , usually made with seafood.

   

Merienda: (Social Snack) – 5–6:30 P.M

This is the fourth Spanish mealtime. It really is a late-afternoon snack. Dinner is usually quite late so this helps bridge the gap to dinner. Merienda is a social and important meal. Its often enjoyed at outdoor cafes.

Choices for Merienda Include: churros which are served with thick hot chocolate. Savory cakes made with olive oils and yoghurt. Donuts fried in olive oil and sprinkled with icing sugar, and a plate of fruit and Spanish cheese

La Cena (Dinner): Starts at 10:30 –11 P.M.

La Cena is a very late meal by North American standards.  Cena, or dinner, is a lighter meal than at home. Don’t forget how big La Comida was!

Choices for La Cena Include: fried potatoes topped with eggs broken on top. Croquettes made from ham, potato, salted cod, cheese etc. Wonderful salads are readily available and of course the Spanish potato omelet.

TAPAS Briefly Explained!

You cannot talk about food in Spain without mentioning tapas or pintxos (Basque Country). Tapas is served worldwide but originated in Spain with its own unique historical story. I could do an entire blog post on tapas alone, but in this post I will keep it simple.

The story of its origin is interesting but is it true? Tapas comes from the Spanish verb tapar which in English means “to cover”. How did a food dish originate from the verb to cover? One legend has it that this term originated in the 13th century with King Alfonso X. He was enjoying a drink in a tavern in Cadiz where he ordered a glass of wine. The waiter covered (tapar) the glass with a piece of Serrano Ham to keep the flies/sand out of his drink. Cadiz has glorious beaches but it is extremely windy. King Alfonso X ordered another wine with ” the cover “. Was it sand or was it the flies?  One will never know for sure.

Tapas is critical when eating out in Spain. It is usually had with an alcoholic beverage, Some places give them out free while you are enjoying food. These tapas can be nuts, chips, olives, or small pieces of bread with something on them. There are also places where you purchase various tapas plates and they are often larger serving and quite extravagant.

There are 2 different times when tapas are most often eaten. These times are not set in stone and nor are they the exact same in every city. The first time is just before and during La Comida (lunch) anytime from 1:30 – 3:30 pm or at 8:30 pm just before La Cena (dinner).

I encourage ANY visitor to the different regions of Spain to do a Tapas Tour and eat your way through your trip. The varieties of tapas in each region will astound you!

The “Siesta” in Spain

This is worth noting when travelling Spain.  The exact times for Siesta can differ. Siesta translates from the term the 6th hour. The Siesta has been used in Spain and other hot climates to indicate a period of time where shops close for a few hours in the afternoon. It allows for people to eat, rest, and escape the heat. Trust me when I say that the people of Spain are not all sleeping every afternoon.

When I have hiked the Camino, I am walking through and staying in small rural towns. I usually arrive anytime after 1 pm. After hiking 25 Km, I am tired, hot, and hungry. I have had difficulty in small towns finding restaurant or café food during this time. My experience is that something simple can be found but you must be aware that stores etc. are closed anytime from 2:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

In the cities, many shops do close during Siesta but are often open until the late evening once they re-open after Siesta. Times vary from city to city and food or dining options are more limited during Siesta.

READY, SET, TRAVEL SPAIN!

I encourage all of you to explore this amazing country. My next blog posts will zero in on specific cities within Spain with lots of travel tips. I felt the information presented here is necessary when considering to Brace Yourselves for the Glory of Spain!

KEEP WALKING!