Spain Archives - With love from Lou

4 Things You Must Do in Malaga, Spain

16/05/2022 by Louise Leave a Comment

Whether this is the first or the millionth time you are travelling to Spain, you know that it is impossible not to have an amazing time there. The landscape, the people, the art and the food make Spain one of the most popular travel destinations for people all around the world.

It is a shame however to only talk about Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Seville, when there are more Spanish cities that deserve attention. One underappreciated city is Malaga.

Malaga is in Spain, and more specifically it belongs to the autonomous community of Andalusia. There is a great variety of activities you can do there, and this is why you absolutely need a car. Hiring a car with Enjoy Travel guarantees that you will reach all your desired locations quickly and safely. You should make sure that you see both the mountainous and the coastal side of the city.

01. ALCAZABA FORTRESS

It would be impossible for this majestic place not to have a palace. To be exact, Alcazabra is both a palace and a fortress built in the 11th century by an Arab king, King Badis of Granada, who was a member of the Hammudid dynasty. It requires a bit of walking because the fortress is on a hill, but the view and the building definitely make the hiking worth it.

02. POMPIDOU CENTRE MALAGA

Malaga is where Pablo Picasso was born. It is safe to assume that art is highly appreciated and celebrated there. This is why Malaga became the first place where the Parisian Pompidou Centre established its first branch outside France. The Pompidou Centre is an art museum that exhibits art works from beloved and renowned artists in contemporary times like Picasso, Magritte and Frida Khalo. The branch in Malaga exhibits works from the collection of the Pompidou Centre, and it organises temporary exhibitions, events and performances.

03. CARMEN THYSSEN MUSEUM

If you want to learn more about Spanish and Andalusian painters and their works, the Carmen Thyssen is the museum you should visit. More than 200 works are exhibited from a variety of periods, mostly from the 19^th and 20^th century, and of a variety of movements, like Romanticism. The majority of the works are from the private collection of Spanish art collector and dealer Carmen Thyssen. The building is surrounded by the Palacio de Villalón, a baroque palace that dates back to the 16^th century.

04. MALAGA BEACHES

It would be a shame to go to Malaga and not go for a swim on one of the many beaches at its long coast. Not to mention that the weather is usually summery and perfect for spending the whole day on the beach. It is hard to pick only one beach to recommend, but La Caleta and Malagueta are two superb beaches very close to the centre of Malaga.

Have you ever been to Malaga before?
Let me know in the comments below.
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Your Complete Guide To A Spanish Holiday

29/09/2017 by Louise 13 Comments

There are few places in the world as lovely as Spain. Over the years, it’s established itself as one of the best holiday destinations on the planet. With tonnes of gorgeous beaches, phenomenal food, and bags of history, it really is a place for everyone.

Whether you want a beach holiday, or fancy doing a bit of cultural exploration, Spain has you covered. Today, I’m going to help you get the most out of your Spanish holiday and make the whole experience much easier and less stressful. Check out all my tips below to find out more:

Best Tourist Locations

If you’re going to Spain, you want to know the best places to go/see. I’ll keep things simple and suggest Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia. All three of these cities are big, which means there’s plenty to do. Madrid is home to some amazing museums, which are well worth your time. Barcelona is rich with Catalonian history and is home to some fantastic architecture. Valencia is a typical tourist city with loads of shops, beaches, and great weather.

For those of you wanting to see the sand more, then Spain has amazing coasts and lots of little islands like Mallorca and Ibiza. Visit any of these places with StressFreeCarRental.com if you want a great time and wish to have a holiday jam-packed full of cool and fun activities.

Language Barrier

You find some places around Europe where the locals tend to have a decent grasp of English. Or, at the very least, people in shops and restaurants know what you’re talking about. The likes of Greece and Germany are great examples of this. In Spain, there is a language barrier, and you don’t get as many English speakers here as you do elsewhere. Even in big cities like Barcelona, the local shop owners will struggle to understand what you want. So, my advice is to brush up on a little Spanish or bring a phrasebook with you. There are probably translation apps you can download too, and they will help you out.

I always think it’s good to try and speak the native language as it shows you have more respect for the country. Locals would much rather you try and fail in Spanish, than babble on in English at them.

Accommodation

With regards to accommodation, Spain has lots of great value options available for tourists. All of the major cities include hotels varying from cheap little budget ones to big five-star masterpieces. If you’re only in the country for a few nights, then a hotel is probably the best choice for you.

Alternatively, there are options available for anyone looking to stay a bit longer, say, a week or more. The idea of villa holidays in Spain is very popular right now, as the Spanish property market is more than good from a tourists perspective. This means lots of nice villas and apartments are up for rent at amazing prices. It’s the ideal accommodation choice for families and can be more affordable than staying in a hotel for a week.

For solo travellers that are briefly stopping by, you can always save money in one of the many hostels around the country.

Food

Before you go to Spain it’s important you get to grips with Spanish cuisine. I’m one of those people that thinks if you’re travelling somewhere, you should eat the local food. Why bother going to a different country if you just end up looking for the same type of restaurant you find at home.

Spanish cuisine is delicious and is based on the concept of sharing. The most famous meal is Tapas, where you get to pick and choose from lots of mini dishes to share on the table. If you want the best tapas in Spain, many culinary experts point you towards Sevilla or Granada. These two places are most famous for it, so you should find some great dishes in every restaurant.

Aside from this, there’s a lot of fish on the menu, along with paella. That’s another thing you need to try as well as tapas. Don’t leave Spain without sampling these two iconic dishes. In my opinion, you should go to your local Spanish restaurant at home and compare it to the one you get on holiday. Then you’ll see how good the local Spanish cuisine is.

These are my main things to think about when going on holiday to Spain.
Hopefully, you can take some of these points on board and have a much happier and less stressful holiday.
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Top 8 Things to Do in Benidorm

14/09/2017 by Louise 62 Comments

If your idea of the perfect holiday is spending lots of time lounging on the beach, great weather, fantastic family attractions, and amazing nightlife then Benidorm could be the place for you! The resort, situated on the Costa Blanca, has an almost-iconic skyline of apartment towers running alongside four miles of beautiful, sandy beaches.

It’s safe to say that when visiting Benidorm you’ll always be able to find plenty to do. Whether it’s playing golf, paintballing, water sports or hiking, you could have an action-packed week or two in the sun, or enjoy a lazy little break doing next to nothing. And for today’s post, I thought I’d share my list of top 8 things to do while holidaying there. I hope you guys enjoy it.

01. LAVANTE BEACH

Lavante Beach is probably the most popular beach in Benidorm. And, in my opinion, this has a lot to do with its beautiful arc of pale, golden sand. During the summer months, the beach tends to fill up fairly quickly. But even on the busiest of days, you can usually find a secluded spot away from the rest of the crowd to sit and enjoy the sun.

Lavante Beach runs alongside a long line of skyscrapers. And if like me, the sea air tends to make you hungry, you can find hundreds of bars and restaurants along here to eat at. Of all the beaches I’ve ever set foot on, Lavante Beach is by far one of my favourites, and I can’t wait to visit it again some day. I think the kids would love it too!

02. MUNDOMAR

If you’re holidaying in Benidorm with your little ones, I highly recommend visiting Mundomar, a wildlife park that has shows and demonstrations that the whole family can enjoy. The park has lots of different species of mammals, birds, and reptiles, and you can tell by the rapport that the show animals have with the keepers that they’re very well cared for.

Mundomar is open every day from 10am till 7pm, and it’s one of the many attractions you can enjoy all year round, which is perfect if you’re planning on visiting Benidorm in winter. You can also upgrade your trip by booking a special experience such as swimming with the sea lions, getting up close to the dolphins, or even becoming a keeper for the day. It’s sure to be an outing that everyone will remember for years to come.

03. AQUALANDIA

If splashing around at a water park is your idea of fun, then look no further than the absolutely amazing Aqualandia! Home to the Big Bang, the tallest water slide in Europe, Aqualandia is one of Spain’s best and oldest water parks. It opened for business back in 1985 and has gotten bigger and better every year, with new rides and attractions being added all the time.

There are plenty of different things for the whole family to try at Aqualandia, from calm pools for the little ones, rapid rides for those wanting a little more excitement, and a vertical slide for those who love white knuckle rides. I know my two would both enjoy a trip to Aqualandia if we’re ever lucky enough to visit Benidorm again, as they love nothing more than the thrill of whooshing down brilliant water slides! Oh, and did I mention that the water for all these slides, pools and jacuzzis is piped straight from the Med? Following a bit of desalting, of course!

04. TERRA MíTICA

If you’re a parent with older children then I’d most definitely recommend treating them to a day out at Terra Mítica, a theme park that transports you directly to the history of Greece, Egypt, and Rome and is crammed with roller coasters, shows and other attractions.

Terra Mítica is aimed at those of us who enjoy an adrenaline rush, as most of the rides are those of the white knuckle variety. There are a few rides for the little ones to enjoy there, but it’s mostly aimed at adults and older kids. Unless, of course, your 4-year-old is like mine and loves nothing more than wild rides that would have most children crying for them to stop!

05. BALCÓN DEL MEDIERRÁNEO

The very first time I visited Benidorm was back in January 1991 during the Gulf War. Every morning we would have breakfast, and then the British would be led to a private room where we could watch the news and keep up to date with what was happening. Anyway, once the news had finished, my mum, dad and I would go for a walk around the town. And it was during one of those walks that I remember coming across the Balcón del Medierráneo for the very first time.

The Balcón del Medierráneo is basically a beautiful viewpoint between Benidorm’s two main sandy beaches, atop a rocky divider where a castle once stood. It has chess board tiles on the ground and white balustrades around the edge. And the views surrounding it are absolutely breathtaking. You should even be able to spot Peacock Island in the distance. Which brings me nicely to my next recommendation …

06. BENIDORM ISLAND – AKA PEACOCK ISLAND

Benidorm Island, more commonly known as Peacock Island, is a small island and nature reserve just off the Spanish coast. You can take a boat trip across from the mainland to visit the islands wonderful wildlife. And of course, you’ll be able to see lots of wild peacocks while you’re there! The boat leaves every hour from the port, and it just goes back and forth, so you can spend as little or as long as you like there. There’s a restaurant where you can grab a bite to eat, and when you look back at Benidorm with it’s huge skyscrapers you’re guaranteed to be taken aback. It really can be a lovely little trip that won’t break the bank.

I haven’t been to Peacock Island for a long time, but it was one of my favourite places to go when I was a kid. I’ll have to see if I can dig out an old photo that my mum has of me sitting on the island in a red cardigan. And if I can find it I’ll add it into this post at a later date. As long as you guys promise not to laugh. After all, it was taken back in the 90’s!

07. SIERRA HELADA

If you enjoy going for a hike whilst on holiday then make sure you check out the Sierra Helada Natural Park, which covers a large portion of the coastline just next door to Benidorm. Within minutes you can leave the sky-scraping towers behind you and find sky-scraping cliffs instead! All you need is a good pair of shoes, a hat to protect you from the sun, and a bottle of water, and you’re all set for a hike through a rugged landscape of limestone rocks and Aleppo pines.

At the northern end of the park, you’ll find a paved road that leads up to the fantastic Albir Lighthouse. And if you enjoy a more challenging walk then make sure you head for the radio masts at the highest point of the park, 300 metres above the sea. Sierra Helada is absolutely beautiful and well worth the short trek out of town to explore.

08. BENIDORM PALACE

For a night out to remember, make sure you head on over to the Benidorm Palace, where you’ll be treated to a spectacular variety show featuring live music, humour, magic, and, of course, some traditional Flamenco Dancing. Olé! You can also pay a little extra to have your dinner while you enjoy the entertainment. Many people say that the shows at the Benidorm Palace rival those in London’s West End, but at a fraction of the cost. And I’d be inclined to agree.

The Benidorm Palace is currently open from Tuesday through to Saturday, and the doors open at 8:30pm with the show starting at 10pm. It’s most definitely worth a visit if you want an enjoyable night out that isn’t going to cost a small fortune.

Have you ever been to Benidorm before? If so, do you have any other recommendations for things to do?
Make sure you let me know in the comments below!

Thanks for reading.
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