We spent our three-week honeymoon – our Luna de Miel – in Spain. We had talked about going for years, and we finally made it, thanks in part to loving gifts from family and friends.

Had I made it to Spain earlier in my life, I might have stayed there forever. I fell in love with the Spanish style of living. They seem more at ease, less “obligated,” savoring every single moment of every day. They find the most passionate conversation in the most mundane small-talk, over shared plates and cañas (6.5 oz beers). They get out of the house, young and old, babies to great-grandmas, to take leisurely strolls, well into the evening. And the late-late night revelers stumble home from clubs, as tourists catch cabs for early morning flights. The Spanish lifestyle is enviable, I want more of all of it in my life! But for now, I’ll just have to savor these sweet moments from our trip.

We landed first in Madrid and had a full day to explore the city. We were slightly travel weary and delirious, but we strolled around El Retiro Park and El Rastro outdoor market before catching our train to Cáceres.

Cáceres was the most idyllic and perfect start to our trip. It’s a world heritage site, a quiet city with relics, notable architecture, and lovely people. It was my first exposure to what would quickly become my favorite Spanish red wine, Luis Cañas Rioja. And it was also my first in-Spain exposure to jamón serrano – dry-cured Spanish ham. Little did I know it would turn up everywhere on our trip! We stayed in a Parador, a former castle turned into a state run hotel. Our hotel room was luxurious, the restaurant was delicious, and it was a wonderful place to spend our first few nights. 

From Cáceres we worked our way back to Madrid to see the rest of the city. Madrid was a standout favorite, a big city, with tons to do – museums (Museo del Prado), bull fights, concerts in the square, and the unforgettable Mercado de San Miguel. We returned to the Mercado (basically a 5 star food hall) repeatedly because it was that good, and there was that much variety. Seats were tough to come by, but we didn’t care because we did as the Spaniards did, we had sangria and enjoyed the moment! Other notable food stops included Café Comercial (a former city landmark which, sadly, is now closed) and Chocolatería San Ginés (for hot and fresh churros). Our hotel room, at the Luxury Suites, was big – with a living room and a kitchen – beautiful, comfortable, and centrally located. 

The next stop, Sevilla, was one of my favorite cities.  A small-big city with scaled down and serene attractions like the Plaza de España, María Luisa park, the Cathedral, and the river. The city is also full of beautiful boutique shops, delicious tapas restaurants (like Bar Catalina), more bull fights, and FLAMENCO (Casa de la Memoria was genuine and unforgettable)!

From Sevilla, we flew to Majorca (Mallorca) in the Balearic Islands.  It was interesting and different than expected, but it was still marvelous. The island, at least where we stayed, had a massive concentration of Danes. I was almost confused about where we had landed when we first checked into our hotel, and we were greeted in English. I was compelled to ask, “We’re still in Spain, right?” But the coves (Cala’s) and the beaches of Majorca were precious, and that’s why we went.  We had great meals at Casa Pepe and Tapas y Mas (returning again the next day because we loved the chef!). And Hotel Cala d’Or was awesome – it is beachfront and offers a generous breakfast buffet, morning yoga, and live evening entertainment in the cocktail lounge.

We flew from the island, back to the mainland, and landed in Barcelona. It’s a big-big city, bustling with tourists and locals. Park Güell was a curious spot, dry and hot the day we went, and La Sagrada Familia (an extreme contrast) was an absolute masterpiece. One evening was spent at an intimate and spectacular solo-Spanish guitar concert in a church (Basilica Santa Maria del Pi). One day was spent shopping for espadrilles because I heard that Barcelona features some of the best stores and designers (I can’t disagree). We ate at Pinotxo Bar in the La Boqueria market on La Rambla, enjoyed the chef selection at Cal Pep, and savored cocktails and snacks with our toes in the sand at the beach-front La Guingueta. We also thoroughly enjoyed the divine Hotel Colon.

Next up, San Sebastián, which felt like home. We rented an apartment, and cousins from France came for a visit. We rode the cable car to the top of Monte Igueldo, and we walked, shopped, and enjoyed the beach (between rain clouds). We ate pintxos for days, all day, every day, washed down with Spanish wines. A standout was Bar Bergara (the coffee and rum flan dessert is “to-die-for”). The list of pintxos stops is long* – we ate at all of them, over several days, savoring one or two samples at each. One of our favorite food stops (a rare non-pintxo bar) was an artisanal market, Gran Paladar, where we bought jamón serrano, cheese and crackers for snacks at the apartment and extras to take back home.

Bilbao was the final stop of our trip. We enjoyed the Guggenheim museum, and we ate (what else) MORE incredible tapas. We would have spent extra time in this college town, had we known how much we would enjoy it!

It was a wonderful trip, with so much variety – cities and beaches big and small, history and relaxation perfectly balanced. And there is still more to see. I predict an anniversary trip to Spain in our future!

*Among the many pintxos bars we visited on our tour in San Sebastián: La Espiga, Bar Zeruko, Ganbara, Txepetxa, Kokotxa, La Mejillonera, Egoasari, Bar Nestor, Rojo y Negro, Bar Exteberria, La Cuchara de San Telmo, La Viña, Taberna Gandarías, La Cepa, and MORE!