Tag Archives: spain

Above the Clouds on El Teide, Tenerife

February 27, 2018 Beth 3 Comments

Michael and I took a vacation from van life for three weeks. In that time, we met up with my mom and dad in the Canary Islands of Spain. This is a story about the day we went up to the top of the volcano on Tenerife.

We drove up and up along the worst winding road ever. Battling motion sickness, I sat in the front seat, willing my stomach to just chill, and my gag reflex to not overreact. We had driven for about an hour, up so high into the hills, and then into clouds. We couldn’t even see the road 50m in front of us. Cars would seemingly appear out of nowhere, we couldn’t see where the road turned, only when trees stood right in front of us. We drove about 20km/hr the whole way.

And then, just as soon as they appeared, the clouds dispersed! The sky was blue blue blue, and there was not a cloud above us. The ground was dusted with snow, and the farther up we drove, the more snow we saw. We came to a clearing and saw people sledding down small hills. They used body boards as toboggans! I learned a while ago that the El Teide National Park is the most visited national park in Spain, followed by Lanzarote, and then the Picos de Europa. This meant the roads were PACKED! And not wide enough to be so busy. The parking lots were busy with Spanish drivers and people in rental cars, and of course, the snow and ice from yesterday had turned to slush in the heat of the sun today. Dang, it was hectic. We got honked at a bunch of times but we weren’t too bothered. The park was stunning. The volcano, the sky, the surroundings, all of it. You can roll your eyes all you want, silver Subaru, but nothing can get us down.

We arrived at the base of Teide and parked the car. We walked up the gondola station and found the ticket office. We went to the desk and stood behind a family. The lady at the ticket desk give them a really sympathetic look. The family turned around, disappointed, and walked away. When it was my turn, I walked up and said, “you’re sold out, aren’t you?” She nodded with the same sympathy. NOOOOO! We stood nearby and chatted about it. Mom, dad and I stood there, talking about how we didn’t need to go up anyways, that it was just as beautiful down here. Michael, on the other hand, walked over to a different ticket desk. He said he was going to ask about how to buy tickets for another day. He came back with four tickets for the cable car. They were for 4:30pm. What?! Magic Michael!

We went outside to the ticket man and asked if we could use our 4:30 tickets even though it was only 2pm. He nodded and let us go through. WHAT?! This day is magical. This volcano is magical. It wants us to go to the top. The cable car was quick, with a few stomach-in-your-mouth moments along the way. We reached the top and my, oh my. We donned our toques and gloves to fight the biting wind. The view was totally breathtaking. Or it was the altitude that was breathtaking, the volcano is higher than 3000m. We were above the clouds. Like, hundreds of metres above the clouds. The clouds gave us such a bizarre perspective, it was cool. We walked around the observation deck and took pictures. Mom pulled out the sandwiches she made for us and we sat on the wall and ate them while looking out at the whole world.

We took the cable car back down. Toques and gloves off, we walked back to the car. We wanted a close up view of the lava nearby, so we went for a quick walk through some old flow. Lava is so cool, you guys. The road through the park was stunning. More lava, older flows, huge rock formations, crazy colours, my finger on the shutter of my camera was going wild. We were above the clouds, about to go through them, and we stopped for photos. Dang, Earth, you pulled out all the stops today!

Africa, Travel Tips

How to: Drive to Morocco from Spain

December 29, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

I had only been in Algeciras, Spain for about 5 hours, and already it was quite clear to me that the only reason one comes to Algeciras, Spain is to stock up on groceries, and take the ferry to Morocco. There were hundreds of campers and RVs scattered around the parking lots of the supermarkets and hardware stores of this huge shopping complex. We spent our one day in Algeciras buying what we thought we might miss being away from Europe — wine, beer, sunscreen, and popcorn kernels.

Friday, December 29

The alarm went off at 6am this morning. It was pitch black outside and I did not want to move from my damn cozy van bed. I snoozed the alarm and rolled over onto Michael’s chest. “Hey Michael, what do you want to do today?” He smiled, “wanna go to Africa?”

We finally peeled ourselves out of bed and made the van ready for driving, or as we like to call it “car-erizing”. The drive to the ferry port was fast, not many cars on the road at this time, and we followed the signs that said TANGIER. We quickly found which queue to join, it was the one with 30 or so RVs and campervans. A quick check of our ferry boarding cards and we were on the boat.

We found a seat in the main deck and filled out our declaration forms. There was a huge queue of people along one side of the room. At the front of the line, two official looking men sat at a table and stamped passports and documents — customs. We would fill out our cards now, but wait until the line died down to go over there

When the boat set sail we went to the cafe and ordered a tea, a coffee, and two croissants. We sat at a table and scarfed them down. A man sat down across from us. He saw our passports on the table and, in broken English, with a thick German accent, told us how in 2008, he and his wife went around Canada, the USA, and Mexico for one year in a camping car. Cool! We chatted with him a while, about his time in Jasper and the Rocky Mountains, until Michael noticed the queue for customs disappear entirely, and the men begin packing up their computers! OH NO! We excused ourselves from the German man and ran to the table. The men rolled their eyes, the one unpacked his computer, and took our passports. We apologized for being late. The man looked at Michael’s passport. He saw Michael’s last name, “Quick?” he asked. Michael nodded. He closed the passport and handed it back to Michael. “Pretty slow if you ask me…” and smiled. Haha!

We went to the deck and soaked in our surroundings. Sailing away from the great Rock of Gibraltar, past the beautiful coast of Spain, and towards the rugged and totally unknown-to-us coastline of Morocco. The wind was crisp and the sun, still low in the sky, rose behind a few big, billowy clouds.

The German man came to meet us on the deck. He told us he comes to Morocco for three months, every year for fourteen years. In Canada, we would call this man a snowbird — someone who escapes winter in their own country and heads to warmer weather. He gave us some good advice about the border crossing, things to do in Morocco, places to see, and where to stay. He really set our mind at ease. If he can do this border crossing fourteen times, then we can do it once.

The ferry grew closer and closer to the shore, and when the announcement came on for us to go back to our cars, we said goodbye to the German man. We shuffled down the steep steps with the other campervan’ers, and waited in the van until we were told to go.

We drove through to customs and parked the van in some shade. We sat and waited. A man came to check the vehicle registration and our passports. We waited. I saw a drug sniffer dog go into a few cars. We waited. I saw them ask a man to take out almost the entire contents of his trunk, and then laughed as they all tried to help him fit it back in. We waited. Finally, they asked us to open the doors. We didn’t need to take anything out. The man looked briefly in the back, in the glove compartment, and asked if we had a gun or a drone. We have neither, so he waved us on. That was it! It was a long wait, about an hour or so, but so relaxed.

Morocco is going to be a huge adventure. I am happy to be here. I am happy be checking other country off my to do list. I am so excited to see what we have in store for the next few months.

Stay tuned for more tales of my Moroccan adventure! Let me know what you think in the comments. Been to Morocco before? I would love to hear from you, favourite places, suggestions what to see, where to eat, and any tips from fellow travellers!

Here are some tips for driving across the border from Spain to Morocco.

We did the crossing from Algeciras to Tangier Med. The ferry tickets are more expensive, but I received good word from one of my favourite Instagrammers (@sloopemc) that the Tangier Med customs experience is far more relaxed than the one at Tangier proper. She was right. The experience was super laid back.
We bought our tickets from Agencia de Viajes Normandi. The woman who helped us was very thorough. For €200 we got an open round trip ticket for two adults and one campervan less than 6m. She also gave us the customs forms to fill out for entry to Morocco, and for our exit in a few months, and she completed the customs forms for our vehicle. We went into this border crossing more prepared than I could have hoped!
The shopping in Algeciras is great. You can sleeping your van in the big shopping complex out of the centre (this is where we slept overnight). There is a huge Lidl, and an even bigger Carrefour to stock up on wine, beer, and whatever else you might miss from Europe. You can get alcohol in Morocco, it’s just kind of expensive.
Customs
- Put your patient pants on. The wait is long, so prepare yourself for it.
- We were asked if we have guns or a drone, since we have neither, our van wasn’t checked almost at all. I saw people nearby with the drug sniffing dogs having a sniff around their car, I saw others who had to remove everything from their car.
Right outside the border are people selling SIM cards and there are multiple places where you can have your money changed for Dirhams. After the SIM card people, you won’t be able to use Euros again

Europe, Travel Tips

Ten Things to do in the North of Spain

November 16, 2017 Beth 3 Comments

My first time in Spain, I travelled the south and the Mediterranean coast — Seville, Valencia, Barcelona, Madrid. It was all so beautiful! I fell in love with the food, the weather, the beaches, the architecture, and the history. Spain is gorgeous! That being said, there is a lot more to Spain than the south. In fact, the north of Spain has some of the most breathtaking landscapes I have seen. The north is stunning, and I would argue wildly underrated (and under-visited).

In 2017 I spent two months driving along the north cost of Spain in a van named Vinnie. We drove into Spain along the west coast of France, and drove next to the ocean (almost) the entire way through to Portugal! Along the way, I discovered that the north of Spain is amazing; breathtaking landscapes, beautiful architecture, and rich cultures.

Here are ten things to do in the north of Spain:

1. Hike through the Picos de Europa

On top of the Torre de los Horcada Rojos

The Picos de Europa is a super stunning mountain range in the north of Spain. The mountains here are perfect for hiking, bicycling, climbing, and more! The roads are beautiful to drive, the scenery is out of this world, and what better way to see a country than from the top of a mountain? We did a few different hikes while we were in the Picos de Europa. We did an easy day along the Ruta del Cares, a quick hike up to Bulnes, and a bigger hike up to the summit of Torre de los Horcados Rojos near Fuente Dé. We also did a via ferrata, which was a totally killer experience.

For more information about hiking in the Picos, check this out! And read about my via ferrata experience here!

2. Wander the streets of old Bilbao

Bilbao is the capital of the Basque country. It is the home of beautiful architecture, great shopping, and delicious food. Home also, to the infamous Guggenheim museum. What? But I thought that was in New York? Yes! So did I! Turns out there is a Guggenheim in Bilbao too, and I might argue the architecture of the Spanish Guggenheim outshines that of New York (sorry to offend the beehive fans). There is much to do in Bilbao, wander around the shopping district of Indautxu, drink a tinto de verano while sitting along the too-cool street, Erronda Kalea, or just sit on any bench by the river and watch the people go by.

3. Eat Pintxos and drink wine in Logroño

Logroño is the capital of the La Rioja wine region in the north of Spain. La Rioja is home to wineries that export their wine so far and wide, that I can buy a bottle in the local wine shop in my hometown of Calgary, AB, Canada. There are some big wineries here. Which means, there are lots of people, and lots of good food. Take an evening to stroll down the street of Calle San Juan and try a pintxo (pronounced peen-cho) from each place. Pintxos are tapas in the Basque language. Start at Bar Angel with a tower of garlic mushrooms and a glass of red, and at each place order a pintxo and a wine, pintxo and a wine. Then you’re doing it like a local!

4. Bicycle the wineries of Rioja

As I mentioned, La Rioja is home to some big, beautiful wineries. There are plenty of small wineries too! Sure, you can go winery hopping by car, but what fun could that be for your sad friend who has to drive? Bicycle is the only way to get around wineries. Now, a disclaimer: some of the wineries are on top of hills, some wineries are far away from each other, we planned our route accordingly — knowing that we would have a few glasses of wine at each place, and add weight to our backpacks with the bottles purchased. We rented bicycles from Navarent (their website here), and went to as many wineries as we could in half a day. Seven tasters and five bottles of wine later, we called it a successful day!

(More tips and tricks about Rioja and wineries here).

5. Take a nature walk by the Rio Urederra

As much as I love eating decadent food and drinking delicious wine, I feel like I can’t really get to know a place if this is my only activity. Just an hour outside of Logroño snakes one of the most beautiful places I think I have ever been, the Rio Urederra, or “The River of Beautiful Water.” This place is a magical getaway from the crowds, the bustling of the towns and villages, and the perfect place to spend a day. The walk is easy and takes about 3 hours, maybe more because if you’re like me, you will want to stop at every lookout point to take pictures.

(For more information about the Rio Urederra, read this!)

6. Challenge yourself with a surf

The north of Spain has some of the best surf in the world! Mundaka is home to a big, sandy, consistent wave, Bakio has multiple surf schools, and Loredo has a totally HUGE beach. Surfing may not be your strong point; it isn’t mine (though I did try river surfing in Canada and didn’t make a total fool of myself), but when mother nature presents you with some of the best beginner surf in the world, you kind of have to give it a go! Plus, I wanted a good picture of me wearing a wetsuit and holding a surfboard. In almost every village and town along the north and west coasts, you can find surf schools. Some, you can stay at for a week and take lessons, and some offer one day at a time. You will, most likely, stand up on your first day. Make sure someone has a camera ready, because you’ll be back down really quick.

7. Eat the octopus in Galicia

If there is one thing I know about Galicians, it’s that they know how to prepare octopus. Salt, pepper, paprika, and oil, grilled to perfection, and served with fresh bread. It is a definite must try! We shared a big plate in Razo, on the west coast, and the octopus was delicious. It is a really rich flavour, so I suggest ordering just one plate to share.

8. See a zebra at the Parque de la Naturaleza de Cabárceno

This wildlife park and natural reserve is built in a reclaimed mine, and unlike an ordinary zoo, gives the animals SO much room to roam. It is really beautiful. For the entrance fee of €23 (which kind of broke our daily budget), you can enter the park, drive the entire way around to see the animals, and, if you choose, take the gondolas to have a bird’s eye view of the entire park! We saw so many animals. The day we went was a bit cloudy, definitely sweater weather, and it wasn’t nearly as busy as I imagine a beautiful summer day would be. We had the gondola to ourselves!

9. Wander through a prehistoric cave

The cave of El Castillo is a cave boasting prehistoric art. Man, these caves are cool. I love wandering through and imagining the human that painted the art we are looking at. El Castillo is a great cave to see. You can go through the actual cave! The tours are only in Spanish, but our guide was able to explain a bit in English. It only costs €3 to enter!

The other cave we went to is the Cave of Altamira. This also costs €3 to enter, but is just a replica of the real thing. It is still very cool to see the art and learn about the mysterious people who painted it. On Friday mornings at 10:30am, there is a lottery and the five winners get to go into the real cave! We tried our luck and didn’t win, but maybe you’ll be luckier!

10. Drink cider in Gijón

Spain isn’t all sangrias and tinto de verano. In the northern beach city of Gijón, cider is the drink of choice. All throughout downtown are siderias, special bars that serve only cider (and food of course). It is brewed naturally and so has no carbonation. Because of this, the cider is always poured in the glass from arms length to create bubbles, and is consumed immediately while the cider is still frothy. We had no idea this was the thing. We just thought the bartender at the first sideria we went was an absolute maniac. Until we went to the next sideria, and the server poured our cider the same way.

Looking for more things to do in Spain?

Read about my Spain adventures here!

Europe, Travel Tips

Three Hikes to do in the Picos de Europa

November 9, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

The Picos de Europa are a totally spectacular mountain range in the north of Spain. Famous for the hiking trails with ocean views, they are a must see for anyone traveling to the north of the country. The hiking trails vary in difficulty, and they are all beautiful. Here are three hikes you can do in the Picos de Europa, plus how to get there, and their difficulty.

Ruta del Cares

This one was the easiest walk we did in the Picos. It typically begins in Poncebos and the end point is Cain, although if you want to do it the other way, I don’t see why not. The path snakes along the gorge of the river Cares, and the hike has been dubbed “the garganta divina” or “the divine gorge.” It truly is divine. The first two kilometres of the walk are uphill, but the rest is relatively flat. But, just because there isn’t much elevation gain, doesn’t mean it isn’t a hike. It’s a 22km round trip from Poncebos to Cain. A lot of folks end up doing the hike one way and then taking the shuttle bus back. We thought about it, but it’s a two hour bus ride and I do not know how much it costs. We drove right up to the trailhead in Poncebos and left our van there. We did the hike in October, and we weren’t alone. I imagine if you are here in July or August, it would be WAY busier.

Hike up to Bulnes

Bulnes is a small village perched high on a mountain top. In 2001, a funicular was built up to the village, to the delight of the locals. You can take the funicular up and go for a nice day hike around the top, which was our original plan, until we arrived at the funicular and discovered it is a €23 round trip (a bit out of our budget)! Next to the funicular is the original path that locals took to and from the village before 2001. We decided to hike it. We decided this path should be called The Cheapskate Path, for it is used only by cheapskates who can’t, or don’t want to, afford the funicular. The hike is about an hour. You will pass many other cheapskates on the way. Bulnes is a very quaint little village. Most of the bars and restaurants offer a menu del dia, which is typically an appetizer, a main course, a dessert, a coffee or tea, and water or wine. They normally cost about €8-12, depending where you are. From Bulnes there are more day hikes you can do, up to different summits or refugio huts. We had our lunch and hiked back down.

Torre de los Horcados Rojos

Out of Fuente Dé is an impressive gondola that takes you up 753m in 3 minutes. A round trip costs €17. The gondola spits you out at the top and from there, you will find many different hiking trails. We chose the summit of the Torre de los Horcados Rojos, mostly because it is a four hour round trip hike with a decent elevation gain, but also because it is very fun to say. This is definitely a bit more difficult than the other hikes we did. The two hours up to the end of the marked trail is entirely uphill, and of course, the last 20 minutes is a scramble to the summit. The summit is magnificent, boasting views of the ocean picture framed in between peaks. One of the most beautiful hikes I have done in Europe (and I’ve done a few! You can read about Switzerland, Austria, and Germany).

Hiked out? If you want to try something different, read about how to do a via ferrata in the Picos here!

Europe, Travel Tips

How to: Do a Via Ferrata in the Picos de Europa

November 2, 2017 Beth 4 Comments

The Picos de Europa are a totally spectacular mountain range in the north of Spain. Famous for the seemingly never-ending hiking trails, this natural park is a must-see when in the north of the country. If you are hiked out though, there are other activities to try! When we were tired of hiking, we did a via ferrata! A via ferrata is a mountain climb equipped with fixed ladders, cables, and bridges. It is kind of like rock climbing, but with steps and handles. It was my first time trying it, and we wanted to do an easy one. We called up Javier at Guiatrek, rented the equipment for a very reasonable €20, and were off!

Camaleño is a beginner/intermediate via ferrata, perfect for first timers. We parked the van at the trailhead, put on our harnesses, helmets, and gloves and began up the hill. When we reached the wall, I got nervous. I looked up the wall and saw the metal hooks and handles sticking out, until I couldn’t see them anymore because they were too high up. Phew. I began shaking in my boots a little bit.

There is really just one rule in a via ferrata. You have two carabiners on your harness. The one rule is to only clip and unclip one at a time. The cable that runs up along the side of the ladders and handles has breaks in it every few metres. Once you reach a joint, unclip one carabiner, clip it to the next bit of cable. Once it is clipped, only then can you unclip the next one and clip it again. The point is to always be attached to the cable, or as they call it in Spain, the lifeline.

Up and up and up we went. We climbed past two mountain goats, who were very confused as to why humans were up on a wall like this. We finished the first leg of the climb, and then the second. After the second, the trail diverges here, to an easy bit, and a more difficult bit. We decided to take the more difficult bit because it took us to a Tibetan bridge; a bridge that is made up of one cable for your feet, a cable on either side for each hand, and a cable above for your caribiners.

I hooked on to the cable above my head, grabbed the ropes on either side, and began my walk. “Don’t look down,” I told myself. My heart was pounding in my throat, my stomach was fluttering like a butterfly. I laughed and shrieked the entire way across. “I’m going to cry!” I laugh/yelled. I made it!

This was the perfect first try at a via ferrata. I am so proud of myself that I was able to finish such a crazy climb. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone! As always, commetn below with questions and comments about this or any other via ferrata experiences you have had!

And if a via ferrata doesn’t sound like your thing, stay tuned for more tips for travel in the Picos!

Europe, Travel Tips

How to: The Rio Urederra, Navarra, Spain

October 26, 2017 Beth 1 Comment

In the north of Spain, in a valley between two mountain ranges, lies one of the biggest wine regions in Europe — La Rioja. One could easily spend days, maybe even weeks, here, doing winery tours and wine tastings all day in the vineyards, and eating pintxos all night in the region’s capital, Logroño (if that sounds like your idea of a dream itinerary, I have some pro tips you can read here). We spent two of our three days in Logroño doing just this, and boy oh boy, it was totally amazing! On the third day, we drove out of town to Baquedano and did the stunning walk along the Rio Urederra.

We arrived in the tiny village of Baquedano. The parking lot seemed busy, but we quickly found a spot, paid our €4 and parked the van. We followed the signs towards the river. This region of Spain is just stunning. It is very desert-like, but full of both coniferous and deciduous trees, and the surrounding terrain is craggy and rugged. We found the path entrance and began.

The Spanish word ‘urederra’ means ‘beautiful water’ in English, and there isn’t a doubt that this river was aptly named. After walking for maybe 15 minutes, the path connects with the river and we were able to see the water for the first time. The riverbed seemed to be illuminated with blue light, the water shone crystal clear. It was almost iridescent. We stopped to take pictures, of course, along with the few other people on the path.

We continued the walk, stopping along the water at every viewpoint. We continued to be blown away by the colour of the water. You aren’t allowed to swim here, which felt like kind of a shame at first, but the water is so clean, and the surrounding area so tranquil, I think it would be ruined with a bunch of sunscreen-covered bodies splashing around in the water. We came to the end of the path, where a tall waterfall cascaded down the rocks. The trees were unbelievably tall, and formed a canopy that darkened the forest floor. We turned back and followed the other path back to the parking lot.

The information I read on the sign at the beginning of the walk led me to believe the entire hike would take us about 3 hours. In fact, the whole hike took us just over three hours and that included the multiple stops we made to take photos, and the long lunch stop we took to eat our sandwiches.

How to:

When following Google Maps or GPS, do not search “Rio Urederra” but instead, follow the directions to Baquedano. This is where the parking lot and the beginning of the trail are located.
We paid €4 for parking our van. I have seen some people say €3, some people say it’s free. I believe is has to do with high and low season, or maybe the size of car? Either way, I am happy to pay €4 to help with the upkeep of such a beautiful area.
From the parking lot, you have to walk through the village of Baquedano to find the path entrance. Follow the purple-ish signs that say “Urederra” and you will find it in no time.
Don’t swim, don’t feed the fish, don’t litter…just don’t be an idiot.
Bring snacks and/or lunch. There isn’t much in the village.
That being said, there is a bar once you leave the path that serves tinto de verano (my fave) for a very reasonable price!

Europe, Travel Tips

Bicycling around Wineries in La Rioja, Spain

October 19, 2017 Beth 4 Comments

If you’re like me, you like to drink wine. And if you like to drink wine, chances are you enjoy visiting wineries and enjoying wine straight from the winery itself! The La Rioja region is home to both the big, international, and the small, family-run wineries of the north of Spain. But, what’s the best way to take it all in? What’s the best way to do it? How can you make sure you drink the most wine possible? Here are some tips and tricks for the La Rioja wine region.

Reserve a spot

All wine regions are different. In the Okanagan in British Columbia, Canada, you can just show up to the winery, pay $5 to taste the wines, and if you buy a bottle, you get your $5 back! In Tuscany, Italy, you have to book wine tours ahead of time and must plan your route according to when they are open and available. In La Rioja, it’s a mix of both. To go to the bodega (wine shop) and taste a few wines to buy a bottle, you can just show up (this will not be a full tasting one would get at the end of a tour, but would be a more casual tasting of wines you are interested in buying). If you want a winery tour and an official tasting of the wine, you must reserve ahead. Most winery websites have a “contact us” section where you can book online. It’s way easier to make a reservation over the phone! Just call and ask “habla englais?”

Getting around

Sure, you can go winery hopping by car, but what fun could that be for your sad friend who has to drive? In my mind, biking is the only way to get around wineries. Logroño has a city bicycle system and the tourist office allows tourists to take a bicycle for free for a day! Great deal, right? Except that the bicycle system hasn’t been upgraded probably since its inception, and the bicycles are not AT ALL maintained. No pedals, no brakes, no seat, no tire. No. Just no.

Instead of wasting time with a free death trap, head to Navarent (access their website here). The man who helped us speaks great English, was so accommodating, incredibly helpful, and gave us a few pointers about our route. The cost for a full day was a bit out of our budget, but a half day was €15. For a bicycle that worked, I felt like it was great value.

***Disclaimer: some of the wineries are on the top of hills, some wineries are far away from each other, we planned our route accordingly — knowing that we would have a few glasses of wine at each place, and add weight to our backpacks with the bottles purchased.

Which wineries?

My absolute favourite tour was to Campo Viejo (this is the aforementioned winery on top of a hill). This winery is built inside the hill for engineering and sustainability reasons, and has won awards for design and architecture. It really is something spectacular. The tour of Campo Viejo costs €10, and you get to see the building, how the wine is made, and enjoy five (!) tastings of wine (their website here).

The must-see in Rioja is the Marques de Riscal. Next to this winery is the hotel Marques de Riscal, an absolutely stunning building designed by Frank Gehry. This alone is worth the trip to the winery. It is really a beautiful piece of art, and, if you have €300+ sitting around, you could spend a night here! The tour was great, super in-depth about the winery and the winemaking process, and of course, ended with tastings of two full glasses of wine. This tour is €12 (their website here)

I hope this article has put a few ideas into your head. Have a fun time in Rioja, Spain! And as always, comment below with questions or your favourite wineries to visit!

Europe, Travel Tips

Ten things to do in Madrid, Spain for under €10

September 8, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

Madrid is a huge city. There are about 6 million people living here! There are, of course, some super luxurious things to do: dinner at the oldest restaurant in the world, Restaurante Botin, the opera at Teatro Real, drink a cocktail at the DRY Cosmopolitan Bar. If you are like me, successfully surviving on €80-€100 a day, these activities are out of your budget. But don’t fret! There are lots of cheap and free things to do in Madrid! Here are ten things to do in Madrid for under €10:

1) Have a meal at 100 Montaditos

This is a great chain restaurant. Ok, I won’t lie, I think it’s kind of a like a fast food-type place, but it is full of locals, it is SUPER cheap, and the food is actually good! The menu is made up of montaditos (little sandwiches), and everything is under €2, including the pints of tinto de verano and beer! My personal faves, are the Spanish omelette and brava sauce, and the cajun chicken, smoked bacon and barbecue sauce. Delish!

Cost: If you spend €10 here, you could have 7 sandwiches and two pints of tinto de verano…

2) Check out the rooftop of Circulo Belles des artes

If you’re looking for a beautiful view of Madrid, look no further than the rooftop of the Circulo Belles des Artes. This is a cool, old theatre in which you can catch a show! If you just want the view, you pay a whopping €2 and take the elevator to the roof. If you go around sunset, the line is a bit intimidating, but moves very quickly. Once at the top, there are multiple bars serving drinks, tables to sit at, and misters if the afternoon sun is too much to bare. (You can read a story about the day I went up to this rooftop here!)

Cost: €2 to go to the top, €5 for a glass of wine (but you don’t have to drink at the top!)

3) Indulge in some Churros and Chocolate at San Ginés Chocolateria

Ok, so you’ve been going through your whole life thinking, “I know dessert, I know how good hot chocolate is, I know how delicious a churro is…” Sorry friend, you have no idea how good it can be. At San Ginés Chocolateria, the hot chocolate they serve is a cup of out of this world melted chocolate. Their churros are not dipped in sugar, because they are absolutely delicious without it. You can also enjoy some perros, which are bigger, doughier churros (I preferred the churros).

Cost: €10 got us a plate of churros, a plate of perros, and two cups of hot chocolate.

4) Take a FREE walking tour

I have said it once, I will say it again, Sandeman’s New Europe free walking tours are the absolute best way to see and learn about a city (I proudly say this without any sort of compensation from the company). They offer free walking tours in 18 cities in Europe, and every time I have taken one (8 times!) I have been SO impressed by the guide, the route, and the information. It is called a free walking tour, but the guide works on a tip basis, so you pay what you think the tour was worth.

Cost: €10 (or if your guide was AMAZING and deserves more, go for it!)

5) Stroll through Retiro Park

Ok, there is so much to do in Retiro Park, it’s insane. To stay free, just go for a walk! There is a rose garden, beautiful fountains and water features, tons of green space, and a very instagrammable glass building (see below picture). You can also rent a row boat on the main water feature in the park (I did not do this because it was damn hot, and there was no shade, but the rental was under €10). I had a phenomenal nap in this park, so I have very fond memories of it.

Cost: FREE!

6) Head to El Buo for a Spanish omelette!

On the menu at El Buo is a Spanish omelette for €10. We ordered the candied onion and goat cheese omelette. Now, this is the biggest omelette you have ever seen (if it isn’t, PLEASE comment and tell me where you got a bigger one). This is absolutely one of those things you have to share. We shared between four people, and I couldn’t even finish my quarter piece. Between four of us, the omelette and some drinks each, we were up to €8 each.

Cost: €10 for an omelette (shared between four or more).

7) Check out a flea market on a Sunday

On El Rastro, every Sunday, there is a flea market! This is the kind of activity in which you decide how much you spend. It could be a free day! It could be an expensive day. How much stuff do you want to buy?! Here, you will find cheap AF clothes, accessories, souvenirs, art, and homewares. I bought a fanny pack (for a very specific reason), and a pair of vintage Levi’s jeans I ended up cutting off into super cool shorts. I spent €18.

Cost: FREE (if you don’t buy anything).

8) Go to La Titi for wine

Right across the street from San Fernando market (which is another place to go in Madrid for under €10…bonus!) is a little wine bar called La Titi. We went at about 8pm on a Saturday night and the place was bustling! All locals, enjoying wine, chatting with friends and making new ones. We ended up having a hilarious conversation with two Madridians about Spain’s ludicrous history. The wine was cheap, the tapas were delicious (and of course, free with the drink). Highly recommend this cute, off the beaten path, wine bar!

Cost: €2-3 depending on the glass of wine you order. Tapas are free!

9) Have a beer in Dos de Mayo Plaza

Before….

After….

During the day, this is a lovely plaza for people watching, there are lots of shops nearby to peruse, and cafes surrounding, to wet your whistle! At night, people flock to this plaza to sit, drink, play guitar, and hang out with their friends. This is the cheapest night out you can possible have. It’s BYOB, and if you forgot to, you can buy a beer for €1 off the guys walking around selling. Don’t forget though, you aren’t technically allowed to drink in public, so if the police come, the square might clear right out…

Cost: FREE! If you buy a beer from the guys selling them, €1

10) Enjoy sunset at the Temple of Debod

After an easy walk up a hill either via stairs or the road, you will reach the beautiful temple of Debod. The temple was originally erected in Egypt, but was dismantled and rebuilt in Madrid. It’s a beautiful spot to go during the day, but with little shade at the site itself, can get really uncomfortable. If you go at night for sunset, it’s a total stunner. Bring a bottle of wine with you from a nearby grocery store and have a glass of wine as the sun goes down. Cheap AND romantic!

Cost: FREE (or with a €3 bottle of wine)

Heading to Valencia? Check out five things to do in Valencia for under €5 here!

Traveling to the north of Spain? Here are ten things you can do in the north!

Europe, Travel Tips

Five things to do in Valencia, Spain for Under €5

September 4, 2017 Beth 2 Comments

I have been to Valencia a few times, but never for more than a week. This city is beautiful, there is so much to see and so much to do. The beautiful beach, the graffiti all over the city centre, and the paella – oh, dang that paella. My life is on the road, so I live on a super strict budget when I am being a tourist. Here are five things to do in Valencia, Spain, for under €5:

1. Do a free walking tour

The best way to see a city is walk around it, but sometimes, it is more fun to have stories accompany the views. I am a huge advocate for free walking tours. The guide works on tips, so you decide how much they deserve at the end of the tour. I normally think €5 is good (because I am traveling for an extensive period of time and have a SUPER tight budget), but it’s up to the attendees what they pay. I like that. (Check their website here: https://freetourvalencia.com/en/)

Cost: €5 (or whatever you feel like!)

2. Drink Horchata at the Horchateria Fabian

Horchata is a delicious Spanish milk-like drink made from tiger nuts. No, not tiger’s nuts, tiger nuts. They are a delicious, naturally sweet nut and when pulverized into milk, make a delightfully light, super sweet drink. One of the best, sweetest hochatas we had was here, at Horchateria Fabian. It looked like Pop’s Chocolate Shop straight out of Archie Comics and the couple working was so lovely.

Cost: €2 for a cup of horchata, €1.50 for a farton pastry for dipping!

3. Climb St Michael’s tower

If you’re like me, you like seeing cities, but LOVE seeing them from a tall place. St Michael’s tower offers a beautiful, panoramic view of the whole city. From here, you can see everything, the market, cathedrals, and even as far as the City of Arts and Science! It costs money to go into the cathedral underneath the tower, but the climb to the top is only €2 for an adult. The climb is hard, but fast. Prepare to sweat a little bit, but don’t let it scare you from doing it.

Cost: €2 for a climb to the top!

4. Wander around the City of Arts and Science

The City of Arts and Science is an architectural marvel. I am not an architect, so I don’t actually know if it’s a ‘marvel,’ but as someone who knows nothing about buildings, this place is total magic. There are four different areas: a science museum, an arts theatre, an aquarium, and a IMAX theatre. It costs a heck of a lot to go into any of them, but if you are a cheapskate like me, you can wander around the grounds for free and check out all the stunning buildings from every angle.

Cost: FREE! (Check their website https://freetourvalencia.com/en/ for pricing about entrance to events)

5. Rent a bicycle and cycle through the park!

Running just north of the city centre is an ancient river bed that dried up a long time ago. Instead of trying to make it a river again (can you even do that?), the city of Valencia turned the riverbed into a beautiful park. Now, it has playgrounds, fields for sport, and beautiful, uninterrupted bicycle paths. Renting bicycles for a whole day, or for multiple days can be kind of expensive, but for an afternoon activity, you can rent a bicycle and cruise around the park for an hour.

Cost: €5 for an hour from Valencia Bike Rentals (their website http://www.valenciabikes.com/en/bicycle-rental/)

Heading to Madrid? Check ten things to do in Madrid for under €10 here!

Heading up north? Check ten things to do in the north of Spain here!

Europe, Travel Stories

At La Tomatina, in Buñol, Spain.

August 31, 2017 Beth Leave a comment

Have you ever been in a food fight? Someone throws a spoonful of peas at someone sitting cross the table and then total chaos erupts in the school cafeteria leaving you wondering, “who the heck is going to clean that up?” At least that’s what happens in movies. Ladies and gentlemen, I, Beth, of Where the F is Beth, have never been in a food fight! I felt like I needed to check it off my never ending to do list, but I wasn’t going to settle for a spoonful of measly peas. When I do something, I like to do the best, the biggest, the MOST ridiculous. So, I journeyed to the small village of Buñol, Spain and took part in the world’s biggest food fight — La Tomatina.

Our day began at the crack of dawn. We were instructed to be at the Plaza de Tetuan at 6am, at which time the busses would leave and whisk us to Buñol! The bus ride was fast and easy, and when we arrived, we joined hoards of other busses. They say 22,000 people attend this festival, that’s a lot of busses! The crowd wandered through the village and down the hill, to the old town. We walked past the street where the fight would take place and saw that all the locals had covered their houses and balconies in tarps. To get us ready for the fight, Festivals All Around had a big pre-party with free sangria and live music.

After a few drinks in our bellies, we left the party and walked to where some of the festivities had begun. As we walked, the locals sprayed us with water! Water dumped off balconies, hoses sticking through the holes in the tarps and men on the streets, splashing buckets of water at us! The first part of La Tomatina is when the attendees try to climb a huge pole covered in grease, and snatch the jamón (ham) from the top. We stood in the crowd and watched as multiple soaking wet, sangria drunk men and women clambered on top of each other for their chance at La Tomatina glory. They say the tomato fight doesn’t begin until the jamón is claimed, but while we stood there and watched attempt after failed attempt, a local nearby said nobody has reached it in five years. We left the crowd and moved back up to the skinny street where the tomato trucks would be driving through.

Finally, we heard a truck horn! They’re coming! The tomatoes are coming! The trucks drove down the dangerously skinny streets and we were pushed up right against the tarps to allow them to pass. I reached into my fanny pack and took out my swim goggles. I’m ready. People stood in the backs of the trucks, throwing tomatoes down on to the streets. Chaos ensued. Pick up a tomato, squish the tomato in your hand, throw the tomato at a total stranger, repeat…until the next truck blares its horn, drives around the corner, and empties its contents onto the street. Six trucks went by. I think. Maybe seven. It’s all a blur — tomatoes flying past me, pulp showering me from all sides. The fight continued for an hour. I didn’t stop laughing for a second.

The streets ran red with tomato juice. I stood ankle deep in the mush. Tomato puree dripped off my head, into my ears, down my back, and into unmentionable places. My throat hurt from being pelted with an unripe tomato, my knees hurt from falling onto the tomato-wet pavement, my face hurt from smiling too much. Best. Day. Ever.