Andalucia is the jewel in the crown of Spain. There are various stella attractions that help this region claim that title – the Alhambra, Seville, Cordoba, the striking pueblos blancos (white towns), the flamenco dancing, the Sherry Triangle. There are also natural spots that are worth the trip alone, such as the beaches of Tarifa, the mountains of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema and the coastline of Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar. But it is the unique historical blend of Christian Spain and Moorish Al-Andalus that gives Andalucia the magic touch and makes it the must visit region of Spain
The itinerary below will give you the highlights and try to minimise the driving by having Cordoba and Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Nijar as optional
I’ve listed tips below, but high level – the standout attractions are the drive through the achingly beautiful white towns of Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, Seville’s Old Town with its Cathedral and Palace, and staying overnight in the sensational Vejer de la Fontera
Malaga gets a bit of an unfair reputation because of its association with the soulless and tacky Costa del Sol nearby and, to be fair, it doesn’t help itself that its right next to an industrial port! But, the central area in amongst the beautiful Cathedral and historic Alcazaba Castle and Roman Amphitheatre, is a pleasant centre white marble-floored spot crammed in with a great range of bars and restaurants. Granted, its not one of the highlights of the wonderful Andalusia, but its not too bad for an evening stop over before you fly out from what is the main airport for the area as part of a 10 day itinerary for Andalucia
Top tip – try the Hammam Al-Andalus baths right in the city centre. Beautiful setting and what feels like effortlessly chilled vibe. Some of the best baths I’ve been to in the world
Tarifa’s beaches are some of Spain’s finest. Stretching all the way from Tarifa town, the most southern point of Continental Europe, westwards to Cadiz are long, wide, fine-sand beaches that are enhanced with the dramatic backdrops of mountains behind. Whilst they can get crowded in the weekends, the sheer number and size of the beaches means that there will always be room to find a spot away from the crowds
Three top tips:
- Top beach to visit is Playa de Bolonia. The beach itself is super pretty, with its huge Bolonia Sand Dune to the west and various water inlets all along the beach that give that exotic feel. But it also has the added benefit of having the dramatic views of the mountains nearby, and, for those ancient history fans, the has the former Roman town of Baelo Claudia right on the beach, complete with its surprisingly well maintained old forum and amphitheater, plus a visitor centre that does a good job of setting the context. Extra tip – if eating in Playa de Bolonia, there are some great restaurants right on the beach, but be sure to book ahead at the weekends
- Visit Zahara de los Atunes beach for the drive through the wind farm. I know it sounds a bit dull, but the huge wind farms in this part of Andalucia have been designed to fit in superbly well to the local geography and offer a really dramatic drive as you make your way from the highway to Zahara. Zahara also offers a lot more food options than some of the other beaches and, of course, has the huge beach
- Tarifa town itself is worth a visit. It’s nowhere near as pretty or dramatic as the likes of Vejer de la Fontera or the various towns dotted throughout Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema, but it does have a nice narrow-street old town centre to walk through, with the castle to explore and surprisingly close views of Morocco across the Straight. It also has its own long beach stretching from the town to around 5km / 3miles to the west, which is a good option is you don’t have your own car to make it to the other beaches
Bordeaux is nice – the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Old Town is pleasant and big enough to get enjoyably lost in; the Place de la Bourse is impressive with its mirrored effect looking from the fountains; and of course you have some of the best wines in the world to sample in the various wine bars and learn about in the museum La Cite du Vin . . . but the highlight of this part of the world is the vineyards themselves . . . and in particular around the Saint Emilion area (see Sampling wines in Saint Emilion for more detailed tips). So, spend an afternoon if, as you likely will be, passing through, but not at the expense of time in the vineyards
Tip – the museum, La Cite du Vin, is surprisingly good. It’s out of town a little, but only a 15min tram ride on the main route, plus it has views over the city with your choice of some free wine to compliment the view and the nearby Les Halles Bacalan is a market of tapas restaurants where the food is wonderful
Romania, and in particular Transylvania, conjures up images and feelings of some far off place . . . in the mountains . . . in the forests . . . with castles . . . kind of like Lord of the Rings, but with a spooky vibe . . . and indeed it is all of this. And while there are not as much of a concentration of stellar attractions as you would get in Western Europe, that is kind of Romania’s charm and it makes for a great roadtrip for a week or so, with the itinerary below
The first time I visited Bucharest I think I left with the views of it being one of the worst capital cities I’ve been to and “never going back!”. Perhaps that is a little harsh as, on second time visiting, and wandering through the Historic Centre I saw there are actually some impressive historic buildings and taking a tour to understand the history of Romania post WW2 is quite interesting. I think it also comes down to if you go mid-week or at the weekends – the Historic Centre seemed to come to life at the weekends as they pedestrianised nearly the entire area and had more of a party atmosphere
That being said, I think you only really need a day in Bucharest and I’ve listed some top tips below for how to make sure your experience is like my second visit rather than my first!
Portugal is a great country for visiting for 10/14 days as it has a heap of varied things to experience and not vast distances to cover. By basing yourself in the 3 major areas of Porto / The Douro Valley, Lisbon, and the Algarve, you can use each as a hub for adventures nearby and also be able to stop off on a few places directly in between that are great for a couple of hours or so
Big highlights for me were actually some of the smaller places that I’d never heard of before I arrived in Portugal. In particular the gorgeous Duoro Valley wine region, the hilltop town of Sintra and the beautifully charming streets of Cascais. Plus, the more famous highlights of port tasting in Porto and various neighbourhoods of Lisbon
Each piece that makes up this itinerary has its own travel post, but I’ve also condensed the key points and listed some more general tips below
Newcastle has a great reputation for its friendly locals (and, let’s face it, the accent everyone loves to imitate) and its world-class partying / lash that comes from both the locals and its giant student population (locals, aka “Geordies” will often like to quote how many top 10 lists Newcastle appears in for a night out). But it also has a surprisingly elegant city centre with a riverfront that rivals anything else in the UK outside of London, and 4 places to visit nearby that are equally surprising in just how gorgeous they are
If you’ve got only a day (in summer!), I’d recommend the below itinerary for the best of Newcastle and the surrounding area
I say this trip is supercharged because it doesn’t leave much time for chilling out. But, if you’re like most of us and only have a limited amount of vacation, then this is a fantastic weekend to weekend trip that takes in the world famous sites of Jerusalem, Petra and Wadi rum; while providing time for some fun experiences like floating in the Dead Sea, scuba diving in the Red Sea, driving through sparse deserts and a party in Tel Aviv
You’ll need energy for these 7 days, but you’ll be rewarded as, in my opinion, its one of the world’s best week long trips in the world
I was hesitating in going in winter as I’d seen low temperatures. Don’t. The winter helped with reduced crowds, not needing to book far ahead and not getting exhausted by the heat. Perfect trip for a week-long winter break
We’ve all seen the famous Treasury building that sits within Petra – yes, the one from Indiana Jones – but the Treasury is only one small piece of a vast network of ancient buildings that sit within a labyrinth of dramatic red stone canyons, and all surrounded by equally dramatic mountains and deserts. To combine a visit to one of the Wonders of the World with an exploration of the broader area makes this a truly unforgettable experience
I’ve written below some tips for how to get the most out of a visit to Petra, but my #1 tip is to get local guide to walk with you from Little Petra through the back entrance of the mountains, via the Monastery, and to the main Treasury / Siq (the famous bit). You won’t be disappointed as the views are world-class and the crowds less keen to stray so far from the Treasury. We visited in winter, which naturally thinned the crowds, but the site is so vast that even in the busy periods you will be able to get away
