It has been some time since I have written in our blog about our travels but after having just spent a terrific weekend in the lovely city of Gijon in Asturias, I´ve been prompted to do just that. Our base was at the 4 star Parador de Gijon, a converted old mill situated in the Isabel La Catolica Park, where we were kindly given a spacious, superior room with 4 poster bed overlooking the park and it´s many bird inhabitants. The perfect location from which to explore this fine Northern Spanish coastal city.
The people of Asturias are so friendly and welcoming and they enjoy a cuisine to die for. Our first evening, despite being in Asturias, we couldn´t resist having a pre-dinner drink at O´Rison, a Galician bar/ restaurant situated on Calle Emilio Tuya that specialised in the most delicious octopus and lacon (boiled ham) accompanied by a tasty Ribeiro wine served in the typical ceramic cup known as a “taza” or “cunca”.
  Our appetites whetted, we headed to La Nueva Fueya, a traditional sidreria or ciderhouse situated on the Calle Marques de Urquijo. Asturians drink fresh apple cider like the Irish drink Guinness and therefore cider houses can be found on nearly every corner of this city where they are also known for serving tasty traditional Asturian cuisine. Here we enjoyed a scrumptious meal that included squid calamares a fogaos, cecina (cured beef), beef cooked with a cabrales cheese sauce, seafood salad and several other dishes all washed down with fresh apple cider. Mmmm. Happy and content we retired back to our cosy room at the Parador de Gijon.
The following day we spent exploring the city and strolling along the marvelous promenade that runs the length of the San Lorenzo Beach and Bay.
We saw the Eduardo Chillida statue that dominates the headland.
We also saw the impressive Roman baths which are very well preserved and certainly worth a visit. Lunch today was at the wonderful Sidreria El Pozu L´Arena which is at the junction of Calle Manso and Calle Marques de Urquijo. The owner had spent a decade working in the mines in Asturias and his restaurant is now a museum dedicated to mining. We ate their incredible 4-course, 12 euro menu-of-the-day ( yes, only 12 euros) from which we choose a stunning, spicy seafood soup followed by a clams and giant mushrooms, followed by roasted goat, followed by dessert. A remarkable meal at a remarkable price and a highlight of the weekend.
At this time of the year the traditional Christmas market is open in Gijon in the Plaza del Instituto so after lunch we headed there and enjoyed some last minute shopping. An intended brief refreshment stop at the Sidreria La Verja on Avenida de la Costa turned out to be longer than expected as the barman was extremely friendly and kept us plied with tapas, cider and his good humour as we tried to learn the art of escanciar or pouring cider from a height to aerate it.
This evening we dined in the Parador where they are celebrating the chain´s 80th anniversary this year with a range of interesting menus based on the cuisine offered in Paradores hotels across Spain.
On our last morning before heading home to Cantabria, we left Gijon and made our way to Villaviciosa. This small, pretty town is right in the heart of the cider-producing region and is to cider what Rioja is to wine. The famous El Gaitero cider comes from here. In the main plaza, Plaza Generalisimo, we ate another superb lunch at the Sidreria Meana consisting of fabada, the famous Asturian bean stew followed by roasted suckling lamb and, you guessed it, fresh cider.
I´ve been to Asturias many times and it is a place that I always feel comfortable, I always enjoy myself and I always miss it when I leave. It´s simply marvelous and always lives up to it´s reputation as a Natural Paradise.
Totally Spain organises travel to all parts of Asturias and would be happy to organise a custom trip for you.
 Totally Spain is a fully licensed and bonded Spanish Travel Agency. No travel agency can operate in Spain without being licensed by the Spanish Government. Strict criteria must be adhered to and a bond must be in place. Our Travel Agency license number, issued by the Spanish Government´s Office of Tourism is CIE2180. Our registered tax number is B-01305903. Totally Spain is well known by the Spanish Tourist Boards in all of the countries in which we promote and receive clients including the USA, Canada, Britain, Ireland, Asia and Australasia.
Since 1999 we have enjoyed helping thousands of Satisfied Clients to discover the authentic and abundantly fascinating country of Spain. Being keen travellers ourselves, we thrive on discovering unique and special places to visit and stay in Spain and sharing these discoveries with our clients.
We excel at organising quality, independent SELF-DRIVE TOURS, RAIL AND COACH TOURS, PRIVATE GUIDED TOURS, THEMED TOURS (Wine, Art, Gastronomy), SHORT BREAKS and SELF CATERING to every region of Spain. Our accommodations have all been specially chosen and have been tried and enjoyed by thousands of satisfied clients. We don´t take chances. Our accommodations include Historic Paradores, Charming Country Homes & Inns, slick Boutique Hotels and top class Leisure Hotels.
Our in-depth knowledge of Spain travel is reflected in the accurate advice we give, the unique Spain Tours we plan and the highly relevant, personalised documentation we provide to each client. The treatment our clients receive from hoteliers, from our expert local guides, from our private drivers and from our many native Spanish colleagues in wineries, restaurants and other special places, is second to none. Rest assured that we will do all possible to ensure your unique Spain Trip goes smoothly from start to finish.
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Despite the economic downturn, the strength of the euro, the increase in mortgage rates and the many other factors that can cause one to put on hold or to shelve their travel plans, one should think again and they should think about Spain.
Spain is still one of the most inexpensive countries in Europe to visit. The relationship between price and quality of product is still very much in favour of the client who is nearly always assured of a great deal in Spain. Take hotels for example, a top class 5 star centrally located hotel in Spain´s cities can cost on average between 160€ to 250€ per room per night while in other major European cities you´d be lucky to get a 3* or decent 4* hotel for the same price. Terrific 4 star hotels are readily available from 100€ to 150€ euros per night in most major Spanish cities and a 7 night self drive tour staying in 4 star Spanish Paradores can be had for a mere 528€ per person.
Dining in Spain is incredibly good value for money. In Northern Spain for example, a tasty 3-course lunch with wine and mineral water will cost on average 8€ to 12€ per person. You´d be lucky to get a sandwich and a coke for that in London. A proper cup of coffee costs on average 1€ in Spain, the same price as a pretty decent glass of red wine which may even come with a free tapa included and which you can sip while admiring a stunning 16th century plaza. And you can take your time too. No one is going to pressure you to move on even if you´re not consuming.
World class cultural attractions such as the Prado Museum in Madrid or the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao cost less than 10€ to enter and for just a couple of euros extra you can spend a magical day at the UNESCO World Heritage Alhambra Palace & Generalife Gardens in Granada or attend an exciting flamenco performance in Seville. Incredible value for money at truly rewarding and important cultural attractions.
Spain boasts an amazing variety of natural parks, walkways and hiking and biking trails which are all free to access. Many of the older railway lines in Spain have been converted into a network of Vias Verdes or Green Ways which are an ideal and safe way to discover the Spanish countryside on foot or on a bicycle. The beaches of Spain are renowned and to those who have only ever experienced the Costa del Sol, then some amazing stretches of sand await their discovery along the rest of Spain´s magnificent coastline to the mountaineous north, rugged east and breezy south west.
Spain has something for everyone. 2009 is the perfect year to discover or rediscover just what a wonderful country it really is.
Did you ever think about attending a concert while in Spain ? Maybe your favourite band are playing while you are travelling in Spain. A good website for checking which bands are playing in Spain as well as other musical events and performances is General Tickets. The site is in english too and allows you to purchase your tickets online, later collecting them from designated ATM´s.
I had the pleasure of spending the last weekend of October discovering some of the amazing, smaller wineries to be found in the Castilla La Mancha region, the biggest wine region in Spain and perhaps the least known or least appreciated as a producer of quality wines. They do produce many excellent wines here although the majority of the wineries struggle to compete in the national market in Spain. My trip started in Madrid from where I took the high speed train to Ciudad Real. Remarkably it´s only 40 minutes to get there and well worth keeping in mind as another ideal daytrip or overnight stay from Madrid.
 The first winery I went to see was Pago del Vicario near Ciudad Real. In fact I stayed here as they have attached to the winery a lovely 4 star hotel, very modern and chic. The winery´s restaurant was terrific too, one side of it being a glass wall with pleasant views of the interior of this modern bodega. I didn´t get a chance to try the pool but it did look inviting. In summer they have live music and dining outdoors. A great modern approach by this winery looking to open it´s doors to the world. I´d recommend staying here for a night, perhaps en route from Madrid to Cordoba. You won´t be disappointed. And the wine, simply wonderful.
Next I went to see the Dionisos winery in Valdepeñas. This was an incredible experience. Known as the Winery of the Stars this family winery dates back to the early 19th century and practises biological farming. All the decisions regarding the cultivation of grapes, harvesting, etc are taken based on the stars, the cosmic rhythms and lunar cycle. Inside the winery they even have an inflatable globe large enough for 12 or more people to sit inside and contemplate the universe which they have projected on the walls of the globe. The wines produced here have won a number of awards. I highly recommend visiting Dionisos. It´s unique.
 I next went to see the Bodegas Real another marvellous modern winery with an excellent restaurant where I enjoyed lunch. Here too they are planning to build a hotel which will make this a very attractive place to stay. While at this winery I had the opportunity to enjoy some additional activities including a flight in a hot air balloon followed by a very unique guided tour through the vineyards on segways. Great fun.
My next stop was at Bodegas Castiblanque another family run winery but what a winery. It was  a pleasure to visit. The people here eat, drink and sleep the world of wines. They have even started courses in wine appreciation for children. Before getting concerned, they do this with the non-alcoholic grape juice known as mosto. The children really enjoy themselves and get a chance to experience the workings of a tradional winery. I loved this very welcoming winery and our host while there, Miguel Angel Castiblanque, was charm personified. Later I was delighted to discover that on the outskirts of the town where this winery is located, Campo de Criptana, you can visit the famous white windmills made so famous by Cervantes in Don Quixote. Miguel Angel informed me about this and took me for a trip up to see them.
My last stop on this whirlwind tour was in Toledo at the Viñedo Cigarral Santa Maria situated in an unforgettable location in the hills above Toledo. This small yet impressive winery is owned by Adolfo Muñoz, a famous restaurateur who has a string of successful businesses to his name including a fine 5 star hotel. They produce just 4500 bottles of wine a year here but each bottle is much sought after. I enjoyed an incredible lunch here while soaking up the views of Toledo city. Later I took the high speed train from Toledo to Madrid which now only takes 30 minutes.
Learn more about Castilla La Mancha and find out about visiting these and other unique wineries in this region.
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