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Hotel Rural Las Rozuelas

on Oct 15, 2013 in Hotels | 2 comments

Hotel Rural Las Rozuelas is located in the municipality of Cercedilla within the autonomous community of Madrid.  This quiet and relaxing hotel invites you to enjoy the nature scene that the Sierra of Guadarrama mountain range has to offer.  I recently went to visit for the first time this hotel, after reading some great reviews on Tripadvisor, and I must say that I had a great and pleasant surprise.  Hotel Rural Las Rozuelas is one of those secret gems that very few people know about it in Spain.  This is the perfect hotel and site for a peaceful experience. The service at The Hotel Rural Las Rozuelas is familiar and helpful.  From the time I made the reservation over the phone until the last minute when I left the premises, I always felt attended and appreciated.  The hotel is a family owned business and I think the actual Zen mood that the property has is also transmitted through...

The Aquarium in San Sebastian

on Aug 29, 2013 in Sights | 1 comment

The Aquarium in San Sebastian is an educational experience for all ages and one of the most modern oceanographic museums in Europe.  The Aquarium is located towards the end of the promenade in the Old port.  It is open pretty much every day of the year and there is a fee to enter, please check the Aquariums official site for updated info.  This beautiful Aquarium was built more than 100 years ago but it was recently renovated in 2008.  Furthermore, it has easy access throughout the premises with the use of elevators and ramps.  The visit path is extremely friendly for children, elderly and physically impaired visitors. The Aquarium exposition is divided in three floors and you enter and exit through the same area located at the ground level.  When you first enter the premises and you walk through the ticket-sale counter then you will take an elevator up to the second floor to start...

Las Rozas Village Chic Outlet

on Aug 5, 2013 in Shopping | 0 comments

Las Rozas Village Chic Outlet is probably the best place to shop luxury goods at excellent prices in Madrid.  Las Rozas Village is located in a upper-middle class municipality west of Madrid Capital named: Las Rozas.  The most comfortable way to get there is a twenty minute drive by car and you have free and secure parking when you get there.  However, there is a train station nearby (“Pinar de las Rozas”) and several buses from Madrid (628, 625, 629).  They even have a special service for shoppers, Shopping Express, that offers a luxury bus-ride directly from Plaza España (in downtown Madrid) to the shopping village.  It’s probably better that you check Las Rozas Village official web-page before you go, in order to get detailed and updated information. Technically, Las Rozas Village is considered to be an outlet because most of its clothes are from previous seasons and...

The Royal Spanish Golf Federation’s National Centre

on Jul 2, 2013 in Sights | 1 comment

The Royal Spanish Golf Federation’s National Centre (better known in Spanish for: Centro Nacional de la Real Federacion Española de Golf) is located within the city limits of Madrid and it has a challenging urban and public 18-hole golf course.  You can get there easily either by subway, bus (two bus-stops near by, 67 & 82) or car (20 Euros taxi-fare from Madrid center) which makes it a unique golf-site in Europe. One of the great things about Madrid is that it has more than 300 days of sun every year, therefore Golf is an excellent game to practice in the city.  In this first post on Golf courses, I wanted to show you the Royal Spanish Golf Federation’s National Centre because it’s a site that has everything you need to practice and improve your game.  You not only have a great 18-hole golf course but a large shooting range, putting greens, school with great teachers,...

Royal Botanical Garden

on Jun 6, 2013 in Art, Sights | 2 comments

The Royal Botanical Garden in Madrid is an official investigation center that is also open to the public so we can enjoy and learn more about the plant world.  There is a small admission fee but there are many exceptions (ex. children and senior citizen go in for free) and reduced rates, please check their official site before you go.  The garden is open most of the time during the year but the opening times vary depending on the season. El Real Jardin Botanico (or the Royal Botanical Garden in English)  is located at a very touristic area of downtown Madrid.  You have other famous touristic sites right next to the Gardens, such as the Retiro Park and the Prado Museum.  These other sites are within walking distance (5min.) to the Royal Botanical Garden (RBG).  The entrance at the Plaza Murillo square is the one used for the general public and is right next to the Prado Museum Murillo...

Meson de Candido Restaurant

on May 22, 2013 in Eat and Drink | 2 comments

Meson de Candido restaurant is the most famous place to eat roasted suckling pig in downtown Segovia and its fame is well deserved.  This bicentennial establishment is located next to the magnificent Roman Aqueduct in the Azoguejo Square.  The actual old-style Castilian house is a formal monument building of the royal city of Segovia.  Meson de Candido offers a traditional Segovian cuisine experience that you will never forget. When you order the roasted suckling pig, at the table at the time of serving your dish, there will be a very interesting small ceremony.  First, Mr. A. Candido (the son of the original chef and innkeeper, Candido) will deliver a speech and then he will cut the pig with a plate.  I will not tell you more details of the ceremony so I do not spoil the surprise.  Even though the most popular dish is the roasted suckling pig, I will also encourage you to try: the...

La Trainera Restaurant

on Jan 18, 2013 in Eat and Drink | 1 comment

La Trainera restaurant is one of the best classic fish restaurants to eat in Madrid.  Over many decades La Trainera has won its reputation by offering the freshest seafood in Madrid.  They literally bring you the fish directly from the sea onto your plate because they have their own boats, fish farms, fish markets and transportation. They try to simulate a fisherman’s boat-house with its sailor ambiance.  Therefore, do not expect a luxury type of look in this restaurant.  Local customers of La Trainera come for their fresh dishes…  The service is old-school and impeccable due to their staff´s experience and professionalism.  The restaurant has many private dining rooms of different sizes hence local politicians and business men tend to eat there. I would not say that it is inexpensive to dine there, but I truly believe that you pay for the value you get.  I have been going to La...

The Literary Quarter

on Oct 25, 2013 in Sights | 1 comment

The Literary Quarter is a neighborhood located downtown Madrid where great Spanish writers once lived. Nowadays, it’s a quarter full of life; where bohemia, culture, history, gastronomy and party blends together. The Literary Quarter has a privileged location in Madrid and it’s surrounded by major arteries of the city such as Calle de Atocha, Carrera de San Jeronimo and Plaza de las Cortes Square.  All three major Madrilian Museums: Thyssen-Bornemisza, Reina Sofia and the Prado, are within the limits of the Literary Quarter.  It is almost impossible to visit Madrid and not walk by the quarter due to its location. The neighborhood has many walk-only streets and big squares with plenty of sitting areas.  One of the most famous squares is Plaza Santa Ana, which at nighttime is one of the great meeting points to start the party in Madrid.  Around the small streets of the quarter you...

Ten con Ten Restaurant

on Sep 26, 2013 in Eat and Drink | 0 comments

Ten con Ten Restaurant is a trendy and delicious place to eat at with a modern decoration and a lively ambiance.  Ten con Ten is located on a popular street in the Barrio Salamanca district (Ayala Street, 6) and a few steps away from La Castellana street.  I enjoy going there after work for a drink and a quick bite.  The food is kind of modern Spanish cuisine or continental fusion.  The dishes are made with lots of passion and attention to flavors and looks.  Ten con Ten does not have a formal dress code, but I would advise you to dress business casual or put on your latest fashion clothes, he,he,he… Once you step into the restaurant you see a modern area with a rectangular bar, some high chair sitting tables and a more casual place to drink and share some dishes.  However, if you continue to walk through, you will get to a more formal dining area with regular tables and comfortable...

San Sebastian or Donostia

on Aug 23, 2013 in Sights | 4 comments

San Sebastian or Donostia in Basque language, is one of the most beautiful cities in Spain.  It´s not only me saying it, there are many travel reviews from around the world (New York Times, The Guardian, etc) that agree with my view.  San Sebastian is a mid-size city (close to 200k people) located in the north of Spain and close to France.  San Sebastian is the capital of the Spanish province of Gipuzkoa, which is one of the three provinces that form the Autonomous Community of the Basque Country.  Donostia has many things to offer to its visitors but what I enjoy the most is: its food, its architecture and cultural activities.  I will be going back to San Sebastian with my camera and try to capture in detail other sites and experiences of this wonderful city. The best way to get there is to travel by plain but the city airport is a bit far and few expensive daily routes connect you to...

Capricho Park

on Aug 16, 2013 in Sights | 0 comments

Capricho Park is the most romantic park in Madrid.  It is not so popular with the tourists but well-known among the locals.  Capricho (Whim or caprice in English) Park is located outside Madrid Capital; you can either get there by Subway (Metro-Stop: El Capricho) or a 15 Euros taxi drive from downtown Madrid.  Click here to get more details about the park and its history from the official tourism-site of Madrid. Capricho Park has lots of rules in order to access the premises, but this is the price we have to pay in order to preserve the beauty of the Park. The park is only open during weekends and holidays, but the good news is that it is free to enter (nothing to pay).  Food and beverages are not allowed in the park nor bicycles, balls or games.  I would not suggest this park to practice sports, on the other hand it is the perfect place to relax, take a stroll, or listen to your inner...