Hello, my name is Courtney and I am a travel book junkie. Oh and I am also a planner. If I am even considering a vacation for 3 years down the road…I will have all the appropriate books for it as soon as the thought pops in my head. If work sends me to a destination that I have not been to before then a travel book is hastily purchased and every waking moment outside of work responsibilities is spent “experiencing” said new destination. The quantity of travel books that made the journey to Madrid is alarming and a topic not discussed between Will and I because I am sure the cost of shipping my “collection” outweighed its value…by a lot. As you’re planning your move to Madrid [and any outside travel] you might also find some of these sources useful. Happy Reading!
LIVE Living Abroad in Spain – This book is good for the nitty gritty. Need to know what steps to take to bring your pet into Spain? Concerned about how Spain will react to your race and religion? It covers many of the logistics you’ll be concerned with but don’t rely on this source solely as I feel its pretty high level given that it has to cover logistics for all areas within Spain. The author is American so its safe to report that the intended audience is North American – or at least English speakers.
TRAVEL Rick Steves’ Spain [With Pull-Out Map] [RICK STEVES SPAIN-2009] – Whether you’re already a Rick Steve’s follower or not, this is a great book. With his guidance you find yourself often in with the locals, eating regional specialities at a decent price. His books always give helpful regional/population tidbits in an easy-to-understand language which makes the reading enjoyable.
Madrid (City Guide)- Very extensive and very helpful. Sites, restaurants, bars…etc are conveniently broken down by neighborhood. Information on Madrid is thorough – so much so that it can serve as a semi-decent relocation guide as well.
Lonely Planet Madrid Condensed- Great pocket size guide to stuff in the purse and take around as your exploring all the main sites in Madrid. Great for getting acquainted with Madrid.
Fodor’s See It Spain, 3rd Edition- The book itself is aesthetically pleasing. It covers all of Spain and therefore only provides the most basic and most popular of information on sites. However once it gave me a great tidbit on how to find a discounted room at a upscale hotel in Valencia and it worked!
Fodor’s Madrid’s 25 Best, 4th Edition- Another good pocket guide for the basics with some good walking tours. Read this one before you go out but then take the Lonely Planet Madrid condensed with you for more detail.
I have to admit that I had always associated Mallorca with British package tour holidays to Magaloof (on the south west of the island) so when a friend suggested going for the weekend just after I moved to Madrid, I wasn’t entirely enthusiast. How wrong I was and how happy I am that I accepted her suggestion – it is stunning.
With a flight time of just 1hr 20mins, and with airport so near the town centre in Madrid (link to post) it is easy to fly over for a weekend. I highly recommend hiring a car, it makes it so much easier to get around and means that you can explore more in two days. Get a small car if you are planning on staying in the old town, the streets are incredibly narrow and parking can be a mini nightmare.
The old town of Palma has rustic cobbled streets, old buildings, lots going on and has a range of accommodation. It is an ideal base. Many of the good restaurants are down by the port and you are likely to stumble across the odd jazz club for drinks after dinner.
The first day we went on a circular drive from Palma, through to Valldemossa and then Soller. Both are lovely quaint towns with streets of cafes and shops. The road involves some coastal path to the north and the views are breathtaking. Both my friend and I work with the US and had conference calls in the afternoon which we needed to be on. So we found a cafe on a large square, and dialed in to our calls whilst sipping sangria. If only all work days were like that.
On the second day we decided to visit the east side of the island where we heard that there are some gorgeous bays. First we stopped at Portopetro which, as the name suggests, is a small port town. There isn’t a huge amount there but we discovered a wonderful restaurant right on the harbour where we ate a long leisurely lunch of delicious fresh clams and a plate of grilled vegetables.
After lunch we drove just a few kilometers to Cala Mondrego, two beaches connected by a path over the rocks, backing onto a large nature reserve. In November it was still 20degrees and there were very few people around so we took our shoes off, rolled up our jeans and went for a paddle up the beach.
Curious about the British resorts we drove through before stopping at Port Andratz for a last drink and bite to eat at what had become a favourite choice – the small chain Cappucino. Here we watched the sun go down before heading to the airport to fly back to Madrid.
Mallorca is so much more than I thought it was and I highly recommend visiting if you get a chance…
When my husband and I moved to Hawaii we thought we were moving to the ends of the earth. So, we brought extra everything toothbrushes, socks, etc. only to find that there was a big Walmart by our house and a Costco down the road. So, when moving to Madrid we had learned our lesson the first time, we’re not going to a third world nation, so we don’t need to bring everything, just what fits in a couple of suitcases. Well we were wrong again.
First off, we don’t care about the brands of toothpaste or mouthwash as long as it does the job. The problem became that we would try the local brands of toothpaste here like Licor Pollo, and they just didn’t have the same affect or taste as Colgate Total. I have also had the hardest time finding solid roll on deodorant here, especially for women. Also, if you do happen to stumble upon a US brand toiletry, they end up charging an arm and leg, because they know they have the market cornered. So, at Christmas when we went back to the states we stocked up on a couple of items from Sams club and Target. I would suggest this instead of trying to ship the items to Madrid, for a reminder of this read Courtney’s post Conquering Madrid’s Customs.
Here’s just a minimum list of things we wished we would have brought to Spain the first time:
-toothpaste, toothbrushes (2.5 euros per toothbrush), floss, mouthwash (7 euros for a small bottle of Listerine)
-deodorant-unless you like the roll on kind or aerosol which they have at Corte Ingles
-DVDs- keep in mind if you buy them in the states then they can only play on a computer or DVD player from the states
-socks and leggings-this sounds obvious, but there is not a lot of selection here, except at Corte Ingles
-Vitamins, cold medicine, headache medicine- they some of these items in the farmacia or pharmacy, and what they do have is not as affective as in the states
-razors-both men’s and women’s, they’re almost double here for the same brand in the states
-Soap and body wash-they have great local brands here, but they’re pricey
-school supplies and envelopes-Folders store and Corte Ingles here are about the only stores to find school supplies for my husband, otherwise he would have to settle for Speed Racer folders and cheetah print notebooks from the supermercado (supermarket)
- Peanut butter-I know it takes up a lot of room in the suitcase, but when you love peanut butter as much as I do, especially if you like the organic kind its worth in the long run. Corte Ingles, though, does has small American brands of peanut butter for 3.50 euros.
-Baking ingredients- powdered sugar, brownie mixes you can find here, but they’re not cheap
-If you can fit it in your suitcase and you plan to cook a lot, then I would suggest kitchen utensils. We only needed a new spatula and a baking dish all of which you can find inexpensively at your neighborhood suppermercado, but then they only last a couple of months, or there is always Corte Ingles. I knew of some friends who thought that their kitchen would be fully furnished, and yet they still had to spend over 300 euros at IKEA to stock their kitchen with the basics like plates and cups.
These were just a couple of items that my husband and I thought were a little overpriced here and/or hard to find. I figure as long as they are consumables that you are bringing over, then that means more room in the suitcase to bring back more shoes.
As car hire is pretty cheap in Madrid, it’s easy enough to just hop in the car and explore for a weekend. There are numerous places to go, especially if you enjoy wine tasting. We combined two trips…
Just over an hours drive from Madrid is Complejo Turistico Rural de Tiedra. This hacienda offers horse riding and quad biking amongst other activities. It is set in a beautiful landscape, and at just two years old everything is fresh and modern. The rooms are well done and ours had a four-poster bed, a small lounge area, patio outside and a spacious bathroom with a jacuzzi (much-needed after 2hours on a horse).
And there is a wonderful restaurant. The speciality of the region is Lechazo which is the most tender lamb I have ever tasted. Slow roasted and served in a terracotta dish, usually for two people, it is a little piece of heaven. Morcilla(a type of black pudding – or blood sausage for Americans) from nearby Burgos is also a must try. Here it was served with a tomato marmalade which was delicious. All washed down with a bottle of Toro from the local wine region. A perfect way to spend a weekend afternoon.
The next day we took a leisurely drive to Ribera del Duero, a wine region that rivals Rioja. We stayed at the magnificent Residencia Real Castillo de Curiel, a restored 9th century castle (pictured right).
Still on the theme of castles, a must do is visit the wine museum in Peñafiel Castle. Try out the scents and see how trained your nose is. They sell smelling kits too but at over 90eur for 26 scents I thought it was a bit much. The tasting was good – interactive and very educational however they didn’t have an English speaker available.
We ate at the castle where I was impressed with the food, especially the enormous portions (morcilla with pine nuts and honey pictured to the right). Restaurant recommendations also included: Plata (which has a 20eur menu including lechazo) and Molino de Palacios (restaurant in a windmill).
Some of the wineries to note:
Wine tasting in a 15th century monastery is part of the charm at Bodega Abadia Retuerta. It is non-DO winery but I loved their Selecion Especial and the Rivola is pretty good too. Book ahead.
Comenge, at the base of Real Castillo de Curiel. Try the 2004 Crianza which has won awards
Bodega Matarromerasupplies the royal family sometimes and they have some good Tinto Pais (Tempranillo).
Protos came highly recommended, particularly for the Bodega’s modern architecture, but unfortunately it was closed when we were there.
I am highly entertained by the different eating hours in countries that are so close to each other. A while ago when I was in the UK I was hungry into the evening and was told by the bar/restaurant that I was in that the kitchen had closed, it was 10.05pm. In Madrid they don’t start cooking until 10pm.
And lunch times are different too. In Paris 1/1.30pm is normal, in Madrid it’s usually 3pm. Many people still have their main meal at lunchtime, often washed down with a glass or two of tinto (red wine). In Spain, companies often give out luncheon vouchers to employees for this reason. I love the menu del dia culture which offers fantastic value for money – for around 10euros you can eat a (good) three course meal with a glass of wine – look out for them around town and pick somewhere busy as the locals know best.
When people come and stay in Madrid they find it strange meeting friends at 10pm, but that’s the norm. In Madrid we usually meet at 10pm, and the real Madrilenians often don’t eat until 11pm or 12am.
Also, at tapas bars, it is a custom that you receive a small tapa with your drink (at no extra charge). This can range from a few crisps or peanuts to a mini sandwich or even a small plate of a local dish. You will notice this mainly in small places when you aren’t ordering food straight away.
The first night that friends come and visit, we usually meet in Plaza Mayor and then I take them for an apero in Mercado San Miguel – a must do for any foodie visiting the city – before heading off down the famous Cava Baja tapas street.
Mercado San Miguel is wonderful (probably why it won best gastronomic shop with El Mundo’s Metropoli awards). It’s a relatively recently converted market that has various food and beverage stalls around the edge and seating in the middle – it’s a like a posh food hall. Depending on your tastes, I usually start with a vermut (a bargain at 1.5 – 3€/glass) or jerez and the most fresh green olives I have tasted (usually I am not a big fan). Then a wander around the stands to see what is on offer. I highly recommend trying theCarrasco Jamon Ibercio Bellota (Bellota is the key word). You’ll see the stand easily enough and it’s well worth getting the good stuff at 14€/100gms. Note that when it is busy, some stands have tickets and serve people in order.
Make sure you don’t fill up too much here if you are then planning to go to Cava Baja!
The Cava Baja street has some superb places to eat, all full of atmosphere and too many to name names. Most specialize with one type of food so make sure you visit a few bars. Coming from Plaza Mayor and going from north to south down the street you can stick to the right of the street and be sure to get the variety you need.
Start at the bar with the tostas – a wide selection of open toasted sandwiches. Try the goats cheese (queso de cabra) and onion (cebolla) marmalade. Further down try the street you will see a bar with jamon being sliced from the bone – again, have the Jamon Iberico Bellota). There are a number of bars so it’s best just experiment depending on how you feel on the day. The other thing to note is that the window of time for the tapas crawl is short – 9pm until 1am.
Some of the specialities, apart from the Jamon Iberico Bellota,that are worth trying are:
Gulas: baby eels, usually incredibly garlicy and surprisingly tasty.
Morcilla: known as black pudding in the UK and blood sausage in the US but this tastes a little different and often has more rice. It’s one of my favourites in Spain.
Cochinillo: roasted suckling pig traditionally from Segovia (more on this here)
Lechazo: roasted suckling lamb traditionally from the area north of Madrid in Castilla y Leon
An Irish friend, who I met in Paris, summed up the joy of eating tapas with friends perfectly: In Paris eating is so slow and boring, you only get to talk to the people in your immediate vicinity; in Ireland people go straight to the pub and forget about food entirely – maybe a packet of cheese & onion crisps if you’re lucky – and come out hammered when pubs close; But Madrid, well it’s a perfect mix of socializing and eating. I love that philosophy.
