Now, this is a 2-week road trip I did with my cousin 2 years ago. Why am I posting this now? Because I’m sick, I’m lying on my couch at home and I’m bored to death. Again we started our trip from Luxembourg with my lovely Peugeot 207, who has never disappointed us so far. We stayed in hostels to keep our costs low. Here are the destinations we stopped in for a few nights:
- Barcelona
- Granada
- Malaga
- Sevilla
- Lagoa (Portugal)
- Madrid
- Bordeaux (France)
Barcelona
This wasn’t my first time in Barcelona, I already spent a city-trip here. I must say, I love the city! It is full of arts, movement and colours. The first architect I actually remember the name of has lived here: Antoni Gaudi. You can see his work all over the city and I recommend to see it all, but especially the park Guell, the Sagrada Familia (be sure to be very early to avoid the masses of tourists) and la casa Batllo. Barcelona is really for everybody, for the adventurer, the party-animals, the beach-potatoes and the explorers.
What to visit: The buildings of Gaudi (especially Park Güell, the cathedral Sagrada Familia, casa Batllo), museums (I visited the Picasso and Miro museum), on walk along la Barceloneta, the gothic district, shopping on La Rambla, relax at the park Ciutadella
Granada
Ahhh Granada, I love you! This was one of my favourite places of the trip! The main attraction in the city is, of course, the famous Alhambra. But don’t underestimate the rest of it! It has some really nice views to offer and the national park”Sierra Nevada” is just a short drive around the corner. Climb up the Sacro-monte, enjoy the amazing sunset and have a chat with the gipsies living there in caves. Fresh smoothies every morning and amazing architecture as well as nature, that is Granada! Read more about it here.
What to visit: The Alhambra, Generalife gardens, Albaicin district, watching the sunset from the top of Sacro-monte, hike in the Sierra Nevada, the cathedral and Capilla Real
Where to stay: Makuto Backpackers hostel. They have a tree house and hammocks, what do you want more? But seriously, the vibe was amazing two years ago, the staff very helpful and it lies in the most beautiful district of Granada.
Malaga
Back to a big city! Malaga has a little less charm than Granada, but there is still a lot to do. You can relax at the beach, walk along the amazing park-like promenade, do some serious shopping, have amazing food and explore the surrounding areas with your car (especially Ronda and Nerja, which has amazing beaches). All in all this stay was really laid back, even if we visited a lot. Read more about it here.
What to visit: the fortress Alcazaba, Mercado central Altarazanas (food market), the Malaga cathedral, the castle de Gibralfaro, the bishop palace, the birth house of Pablo Picasso, walk through the park of Malaga, relax at the beach, if you have the time, drive to Nerja and Ronda!
Where to stay: Casa Babylon Backpackers. This is a true hippie hostel, very beautiful and comfortable. They have an outdoor bar and a few quiet spots outside to fully relax (perfect for reading a book under the Andalusian sun), which was very nice. The time we went there they had an amazing cook, Oliver, who prepared the best dishes for you. Oh and it seems that the hostel is a meeting point for locals to (sadly they didn’t speak English, but hey we have hands and feet to communicate)
Sevilla
One word comes to my mind when I think back to Sevilla: HOT. And mean hot in the sense of unbearable heat! Degrees rarely dropped under 40 and most of our days consisted of running from one shady place to another. Nevertheless, Sevilla is a beautiful city and locals know how to cool you off with water splashes all around.
What to visit: The king’s palace Alcazar (a must), the cathedral, the Plaza de Espana, the Metropol Parasol, the palace of San Telmo, walk through the Maria Louisa park
Where to stay: Oasis Backpacker’s palace. Because it has a rooftop pool and when it’s over 40 degrees hot you just need to get in the pool!! The vibe was really good, we did a great pub crawl with the hostel and jumped into the Spanish open air party life.
Lagoa (Portugal)
yes, we spent a night in Portugal because why not? The Algarve in the South of Portugal has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world! So why go to a hostel when you can sleep on the beach? Read more about it here.
What to visit: Beaches! Doesn’t matter which ones, they are all amazing!
Madrid
On our 7 hour drive to Madrid through the Spanish desert, our air conditioner in the car gave up. We couldn’t blame him, the heat was really really bad. But we made it to Madrid, stinky and sunburned. I would have loved to spend more time in this city, it has beautiful monuments, parks and the food is just soooo delicious!
What to visit: the Palacio Real, Plaza de Oriente and Plaza mayor, the Debod temple, the cathedral of Santa Maria la Real de la Almudena, la puerta del sol, walk on the Gran via (big street with lots of shops and restaurants)
Where to stay: Living cat’s hostel. Nice and clean hostel, in the centre of the city. They have a cafe downstairs which is really nice.
Bordeaux (France)
France, I love you! Bordeaux is a beautiful city with a lot of class and a nice young vibe. Besides, it is very famous for its wine too, that’s a reason to go, or not? It was the perfect city to close our trip. It was also here where I stood on a surfboard the very first and only time (and nearly got killed by the huge waves). So please ask a surf teacher to help you before you throw yourself into the ocean 😉
What to visit: the aqua mirror, walk along the Esplanade de quinconces, the parlament place, the Cathedral Saint André, the stone bridge “pont de pierre”, the Girondin monument, the public park, if you have time drive to the wine village “Saint Emillion” and one of the nearby beaches
A few more words:
- Driving in Spain is crazy, especially in the big cities if you’re not used to it. Be careful and know that the locals have one rule: First come, first drive
- The food is amazing! Eat as much as you can, seriously! In Spain it is common to eat really late in the evening, if you go to a restaurant at 7 or 8, you will probably be the only one (or surrounded only by tourists). Go around 9 or 10 pm. To survive that looong time between lunch and dinner, have some tapas in the afternoon.
- In Spain, most shops are closed in the afternoon, so people can have a siesta. You will understand when you experience the unbearable heat during the noon hours. Just grab a book, lie down in a shady place and enjoy your siesta.
- Don’t fall for the mojito and sangria trap on the beach. They are offered on the beaches for a really low price, but they are disgusting. Just pay a little more in an actual beach bar and you can enjoy an actual cocktail.
Any of you did a similar road trip? Or can recommend another one to me? I would love to go an adventure again 🙂
Leave a Reply