Our Trip to Spain
Spain |speɪn| a country in SW Europe, occupying the greater part of the Iberian peninsula; pop. 40,525,000 (est. 2009); languages, Spanish (official), Catalan; capital, Madrid. Spanish name España.
I’ve been back from Spain for about a week now, and I am still smitten. Spain is one of those countries that steals your heart and charms you at every corner. The people are filled with passion, the neighborhoods and cities are brimming with color and culture. I love Spain!
Pamplona
The first city on our list was Pamplona. “The Running of the Bulls” has become internationally known and is celebrated in Pamplona, Spain every year during the month of July. We joined thousands of people from all over the world for this year’s party as we celebrated our good friend’s birthday. We didn’t run with the bulls this year, but certainly enjoyed watching and participating in the festivities surrounding the celebration!
We stayed at the beautiful Alma Muga de Beloso in a lovely room with a balcony overlooking the first section of Estafeta Street, near Dead Man’s Corner, so we felt close to the action even when we were at home in our hotel.
Barcelona
Barcelona is the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region and is full of quirky art and architecture, and has a very vibrant street life. We spent two days in Barcelona exploring the city and visiting famous tourist locations.
The Basilica at the Sagrada Familia was absolutely stunning. The temple was a beautiful symbol of the Christian faith. I loved exploring the history of the Christian Church, reading the ancient Scriptures and learning about old traditions and doctrines. We also explored the Casa Batllo, a modern artistic masterpiece designed by Antoni Gaudi. This place was magical and inspired the interior decorator in me!
I enjoyed shopping at Replay, a clothing store at Passeig de Gracia. They have luxury fashion with a peaceful atmosphere in the heart of the city. It feels very relaxing, warm and inviting decorated with comfortable armchairs and beautiful gardens and waterfalls.
Madrid
We enjoyed two days and nights at The Principal Madrid Hotel, an elegant and luxurious location in the heart of Madrid. We enjoyed spending time on the rooftop terrace and loved the hotel’s unique decor and design.
We spent time touring the Royal Palace of Madrid and went to the Museo Prado museum. After the museum, we walked next door to the San Jeronimo Church. It was iconic and beautiful, built in the Isabelline Gothic style in the early 1500’s.
We visited the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium and joined a Tapas & Wine walking tour for dinner. I enjoyed exploring Madrid and seeing the sites of the city. The weather was beautiful, and there were so many things to see everywhere we went. Spain is absolutely beautiful!
Two other must-eat restaurant recommendations in Madrid are the La ria- la casa del mejillon and the Ritz Goya Restaurant.
Toledo
We took a train from Madrid to Toledo and went on a half day tour of the city. We visited the Santa Maria la Blanca (a museum and former synagogue filled with stunning white pillars), as well as The Monastery of San Juan de los Reyes.
There were amazing paintings by Francisco Goya, El Greco and Van Dyck in the Toledo Cathedral. This cathedral is ranked one of the greatest Gothic structures in all of Europe–and when you visit, you know why. After a full day, we visited the Hindu Temple of Toledo before taking the train back to Madrid that evening.
Mallorca
In the morning, we took a flight from Madrid to Mallorca where we rested for 3 days at the St. Regis Mardavall Mallorca Resort. This was one of my favorite places we stayed. It was very kid-friendly, and made me really miss my children. When we return to Spain, we will definitely bring them here!
We entertained ourselves at the pool in the hotel and had an incredible dinner at a Michelin star restaurant called Es Fum St. Regis where we enjoyed a 6 course surprise dining menu. A great experience!
We set off in the morning on a private sailing excursion on the Mediterranean Sea. A beautiful and peaceful day out on the water. We had fun paddle boarding and snorkelling in the crystal blue waters.
When returning in the evenings, we would enjoy the Arabella Spa at the St. Regis. It was just what we needed after walking and touring all day!
If you are ever in Mallorca, Spain, make sure to try a delicious little Indian Restaurant, Mahal Tandoori. We enjoyed the outdoor patio, friendly staff and authentic Indian cuisine.
Coming Home to Dallas
Home sweet home! Leaving my babies is absolutely the hardest thing for me, but they enjoyed spending special quality time with my Mom, Grandpa, Brother, Sister, Sister in Law and all of my nephews and nieces who flew into Dallas to entertain our kids while we were away. Thank God (and Apple) for FaceTime and family. Camila was all smiles during our FaceTime sessions, but Field was having so much fun playing with his cousins that he didn’t have time to video chat with his Mama. He would get bored talking to me after a while, blow me a kiss and say, “Okay, bye Mama. I have to play with AJ.”
I’m so grateful for my family, for my kids, my husband and for the opportunity to travel and enjoy our beautiful world. I loved my time in Spain, but always love coming home to Dallas again!
XO-
Sabrina
