<![CDATA[ALUSOARE

<![CDATA[ALUSOARE - Spain]]>Sun, 28 Jun 2026 12:42:38 +0200Weebly<![CDATA[20+ things to see Lanzarote]]>Wed, 10 May 2023 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/20-things-to-see-lanzaroteIf you've been to Northern Europe (and I will include here Belgium and the North of France) you will know that December is not a pretty month in terms of weather...it's literally crap. Over several years, we had some Decembers with a total of 8h of sunshine, not even to mention that sunrise is around 8:30 and sunset is at 15:30 or so I looked for a workaround.

Black Sand Beach - El Golfo

Being in Lanzarote for 2 weeks but not with full days, I made sure to make the best out of it. Lets see what's there to do in Lanzarote in December.

Getting there

Leaving from Belgium you can get there with a direct Brussels Airlines flight (if I am not mistaken) and maybe even TUI, but when I checked they were super expensive, so I decided to take a flight with Vueling with a short stop in Barcelona.
Bare in mind that Lanzarote is on GMT time zone, if you would listen to Los Cuarentas Principales they will tell you the time and add, "una menos en Canarias"

Accommodation

We had a car, so we decided to stay in the middle of nowhere somewhat in the middle of the island as everything was fairly easy to reach by car.
We stayed at Villa Inuco Experience (Alpha) - internet was great, you had a huge TV and 2 bedrooms and a terrace outside and great 360 views.

View from our accommodation

What to do and see

There are a lot of things to do and see in Lanzarote and below list (in no particular order) was what we did during our stay, but there are things we did not have the time to include. So, don't worry, you will not get bored

1. San Bartolome Village

A tiny village more or less in the center of the Island. It's not much to see in the village itself, but it offers a nice view around the area especially at sunset.

2. Costal Walk: Puerto del Carmen to Puerto Calero

If you like walking, this is a beautiful one along the coast. It's an easy walk so can be done by everyone. Take a bit of time, and you will be rewarded by beautiful view especially at sunset.

3. Teguise Market

If you catch a Sunday in Lanzarote, don't miss out on the Market in Teguise. You can buy a lot of local products which can be nice as you will be able to find a lot of hand made product at very good prices.

4. Haria

The drive to Haria is super gorgeous, take your time to enjoy it. If you have the time, stop also for lunch over here as it has a nice vibe.

5. Mirador El Risco de Famara

You need to go here. Seriously it's so so so beautiful. I know you have limited sunsets, but this is also a great place to watch a sunset although the sun does not set in the sea.

6. Ciudad Estratificada (on Avenida El Candil)

It looks like you are on a different planet. And with the risk of sounding repetitive, if you get to see it at or just after sunset, can get you a nice light for nice pictures.

7. Famara Beach

Once you see the beach from the top, you will want to check out this beach also from the sea level. It's mostly appropriate for surfers, but you can get a very nice walk and can end the day with a beer at one of the local bars.

8. Timanfaya National Park

You don't need me to tell you to visit the Timanfaya National Park, but here are I am telling to make sure you check it out. Bear in mind that you should go early as only a certain numbers of cars can get in at the same time, so long queues form at the entrance.

Queue to enter Timanfaya

Although Camel Ride is an option, I strongly recommend against it in order to protect the animal (if there is no request there is no business)

Camels for the Camel Ride

The only downside of the park, is that you go around with a closed bus, so your pictures of most the park won't be great.

9. El Golfo Costal Route: Los Volcanes Natural Park

The El Golfo village, is a great spot as you get to experience some amazing things that nature has to offer and the first one would be the walk through the Volcanos National Park. You don't have to go all the way to the end as it's pretty long, but you can take a bit of time to put your legs to work. Just have sturdy shoes, other than that it's an easy walk.

10. El Golfo: El Charco Verde

I bet you've seen this picture all over the internet. The sea with the black sand and the green lake make it an great place to check out on the island.

11. Los Hervideroros

The rock formation give the idea of being in a cooking pot, it's amazing to see the power of the water. We went there at sunset so you could also enjoy the pretty colors

12. Wine Tasting: La Geria

The Wine in Lanzarote is very special, expensive due to the manual process, but special. Plus visiting one of the vineries is a must as it gives you so much info on why the wine is as it is :)

13 - 15: Cesar Manrique

There are a lot of places to see related to Cesar Manrique who was one of the most famous architect born in Lanzarote. He created several amazing places on the island which are worth your time.

Jameos del Agua

Mirador del Rio

Jardin del Cactus

16. Cueva del los verdes

Although associated with Cesar Manrique, this place has nothing to do with his work. As I found the tour very interesting, I encourage you to go and see the story of the place.

17. Salinas de Janubio

We did not go down next to the salt flats, I personally seen a few (Uyuni in Bolivia, Malta, Formentera ...) but it's a great view from the top.

18: Monumentos

Each or most of the roundabouts in Lanzarote has a center piece monument. Here some of the ones we came across.

19. Jabillo Beach

One of the places to go for a day at the beach on Costa Tequise is Jabillo Beach. You are close to a lot of restaurants and you do have beach facilities which is always great.

20. Graciosa Island

This is a must must must, if you are lucky enough to get a nice sunny day, spending the day on Graciosa Island is a very beautiful experience.

Make sure to rent a bike because as there are a lot of km to cover

21. Playa Blanca - Los Ajaches Natural Monument

The beaches in this area including the Papagayo Beach offer beautiful views. Bare in mind that the road to access these beaches has a tax (being in the national park) and on top the road (end of 2022) is a disaster.

Road to the Papagayo beach complex

Papagayo Beach

But here you can really catch a super nice sunset view with Fuerteventura in the background.

Restaurants/Bars we tried

Below are the restaurants we tried out, except #1 which was not the best and #3 which we heard is delicious but you really need to book, we can recommend you to stop by the list below.

1. Pizzeria Napoletana (Puerto del Carmen)

2. Centro Cultural La Tegala (Haria)

3. Casa Rafa Restaurante De Mar (El Golfo)

4. El Pescador "Casa Barriguita" (El Golfo)

5. Barbacana Bar & Grill (Arrecife)

6. Peskera (Costa Teguise)

7. Restaurante Casale Franco (Playa Blanca)

Any other topics

This section is more to tell you to make sure to eat fruits in Lanzarote, the Mangos were super delicious and the Mercadona smoked cheese was super super good. Also you must try the wrinkled potatoes and the local wine.

]]><![CDATA[Day Trip from Barcelona: Girona]]>Tue, 24 Mar 2020 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/day-trip-from-barcelona-girona

We all know that when it comes to sites, museums, art and food Barcelona is a dream come true for any tourist and I guess there is never enough time to actually see it all, but if you want to change a bit the landscape, Girona is a great alternative for a day trip.

Getting there

If you don't have a car or don't plan to rent one, your best way is the train. Renfe offers both slow and fast trains to Girona on daily basis. I chose the fast version which takes you to Girona in 38 minutes for 28 Euro (return ticket). You can book your tickets on the Renfe website.
Train in Barcelona leaves from Sants Train Station. You'll get your luggage checked (similar to Eurostar checks). There can be a bit of queue so arrive a bit earlier (to be relaxed 30 min before train departure).
On your way back, the queue will be smaller so you can be closer to the departure time there.

Itinerary

I will guide you through the city's main sites in the way I visited and how I found it to be the most efficient in a relaxing way. You will need about 3-4h including a stop to grab a coffee and have some food.

1. Rio Onyar

Maybe not that exciting to list a river as an attraction, but if you think about it and will see some of my below coming points you'll see that the attractions are along or over this river :)

Stone Bridge (â€‹Pont de Pedra)

This is the bridge you would normally first cross when coming from the train station. It was inaugurated in 1856 and was built out of stones from Girona.

Here is also your first place were you meet the colorful post-card perfect houses of Girona. They were built in the 19th & 20th century and their facades were restored in 1983 with yellow and red ochre, and sienna shades.

I definitely spent some time taking pictures from different angles and at different hours of the day as they look so cute.

Eiffel Bridge (â€‹Pont de les Peixateries Velles)

Well, if by reading the title you though, oh, this name sounds familiar, then yes you guessed it right, this bridge was built by Gustave Eiffel right before he built the Eiffel Tower (and the he is also the one who built Dom Luis I Bridge in Porto).

My favorite view of the Eiffel Bridge is from the Pont de Sant Agusti

Maso House

It's the only house from the Onyar river opened to public, but you need to book in advance.

2. El Call (The Jewish Quarter)

El Call is one one the best preserved Jewish neighborhoods in the world. Make sure you take your time to walk around all the narrow streets.

3. BREAK: Brunch

A place I enjoyed having brunch at is La Fabirca. It's no hidden gem or anything, but I can for sure say it's not just the hype, but the food was great, and the coffee perfect.

4. Girona Cathedral

One of the maybe most popular pictures from Girona after the Game of Thrones era :P it's the one on the stairs of the Cathedral. Not easy to catch it all into one picture, but i did my best :)

5. Legend: The lioness's bottom

The lioness's bottom ('el cul de la lleona'). So the tradition goes, if you visit Girona, you have to kiss the bottom of the lioness statue (C/Calderers, 8). It's a way to show that you want to come back to the city, perhaps even to stay forever

6. The city walls

Take a bit of time to walk around the city walls. You get nice views from up there plus it's a very enjoyable walk (maybe less if super hot)

7. Streetart

There is a bit of streetart around Girona. I have collected some for you

But the most famous one is La Cocollona by Erica il Cane.

"The cocollona story is an apocryphal legend, created by Girona designer, photographer and collector Emili Massanas. But it forms part of the local collective memory and we love it! It explains that in the Mercadal neighborhood there was a convent of nuns who were not the most devoted of their kind. However, among them was a novice with a true religious vocation who criticized the life the sisters led. To stop having to hear her reproaches, the other nuns locked her up in an underground cell of the covent for many years, until, as a result of the dark and humidity, she turned into a crocodile. However, thanks to her devotion, from her back emerged two amazing butterfly wings in beautiful colors, transforming her forever into La Cocollona." (Source)

]]><![CDATA[Island Life: Formentera]]>Tue, 19 Nov 2019 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/island-life-formentera

"My sense of direction leads me one way: to the beach." by Unknown

It was a busy period at work and full weekends with different trips and activities when my friend Claudia asks me: What about Formentera. Looking at my calendar, it was the only free weekend i had, but then again, I closed my calendar and said: SURE!

Getting There

You need several transportation means to get there, but nothing too complicated. Book a flight to IBIZA, yeap you heard it right, book the flight to Ibiza, but ditch it for the gorgeous and serene Formentera. From the airport take bus: Route 10 to the Port. Once in the port, you can go to the Ferry terminal and book yourself the ticket. You have several price options with different boats at different speeds. I booked the one for about 46 euro return which was taking 30 min.

Getting around

The best way to get around is by car. There are some buses and it's true that the island is small, but if you want to cover as many beaches as possible you need the car.

DAY 1:

Playa d'Es Arenals

We started our day at the beach.

Es Arenals is a beach that forms part of the Migjorn Bay, and it's one of the last beaches in the Southern beach area coming from the center of the island. This beach is very popular among families, since there is a large variety of facilities around. The bottom of the sea is really smooth and soft, there are no rocks in the area, in which you can step on, so it's a perfect place for a calm bath.

Lunch: El Codol Forodat Restaurant

I was in the mood for Paella (well, Fideua to be more precise) and so researching the places around the island and counting on having a car we went for El Codol Forodat Restaurant. If you want a table outside you need to book in advance, they are super busy. But everything works fast and the food is very good & a lot.

Es Codol Foradat Beach

The afternoon did not look very summery with all the clouds and considering our full bellies we decided to just stay at the beach next to the restaurant for a siesta.

DAY 2:

Natural Park of Ses Salines

"The Natural Park of Ses Salines, also known as Las Salinas, is a protected area located encompassing parts of South East Ibiza, the North of Formentera and the sea and islands in between. It covers an area of 16,000 hectares, of which 13,000 are marine. The Natural Park encompasses the wetlands of Ses Salines in the south of Ibiza, s'Estany de Peix and s'Estany Pudent, in northern Formentera, es Codolar, Las Salinas and Es Cavallet beaches in Ibiza; and the Peninsula des Trucadors of Formentera, where the beaches of Illetas and Llevant are situated." (Source)

You can get to the national park via several transportation ways (car, moto, bike, bus). If you go by car you need to pay a small amount of money (5 euro or so) to enter and have access with the ticket to go in an out the whole day.

"If you cross the beach to the northern tip you get to the so called â€œEl Pasâ€, a beautiful spot where you can cross its 200m long swimming or on foot if the tide is low to get to isla de Sâ€™Espalmador and enjoy the unspoiled and wild beaches of this natural park." (Source)

We did not cross, although the tide seemed quite low we saw some people passing (taller than us) and they seemed to be almost covered by water at some point so would have been not feasible to walk.

After that we took advantage of the rest of the day an enjoyed the magical beach they have over there.

We left for lunch and when it was far too hot to still be outside and came back in the afternoon. Stopped for some pictures at the salt lakes.

And continued to enjoy the afternoon on the beach.

Sunset at Cala Saona

On an island you are lucky enough to be able to catch both sunrises & sunsets from and in the water. And so I could not miss this opportunity. After some research and looking at the direction of the sunset, we went for Cala Saona to enjoy the end of the day.

After Sunset view of Cap de Barbaria

Call me crazy and you are completely entitled. Right after the sunset, we rushed to the Lighthouse to see if we can still get to see it a bit at the end of the last remaining drops of day light. We did not manage as you have to leave the car some 1.3 km away, but we did see the lighthouse at the light of the moon. The pictures are not too good, but I can only say it was pretty awesome.

"At the far southern tip of the island, Barbaria recalls the presence of the African coast far out to sea. For the safety of mariners, this lighthouse was built, raised on a rough landscape of rocks and wind-blown shrubs. The lighthouse had been projected in 1924 but was not built until 1971. It rises 78 metres above the sea and its intermittent beam of light can be seen from as far as 18 miles away. It has no auxiliary buildings other than being near the Es Garroveret Defence Tower and the Foradada Beach Cove." (Source)

Dinner & Live Music at Bar Blue

One of the places to be on a Monday night is bar blue as they offer free live music and the location is super nice. To be fair, I was not impressed with the food, but you can't have everything.

DAY 3

Sunrise at Faro De La Mola

After a late night, time came for an early morning as we wanted to catch the sunrise. It was a beautiful drive all the way to Faro de la Mola. We were not the only ones there, but it's true not too many people wake up so early.

"It is one of the most spectacular places on the whole island, making it a great tourist attraction. The lighthouse is located on the edge of a cliff 120 metres above sea level, on the plateau of La Mola, where the highest point on the island is also to be found: Sa Talaiassa, 192 metres above sea level. [...] Truly breathtaking. It is also highly recommended to enjoy this natural setting at sunrise or sunset." (Source)

Calo des Mort

This little place is may favorite spot of the island, the downside is that it is super small and there is no sun early in the morning. The upside here is of course that there was no one when we arrived (right after sunrise)

"Calo Des Mort is located in the south-east side of the island, precisely between Es Arenals and Es Ram, and is considered a real jewel of nature. [...] To get there, starting from the village of Sant Ferran, take the road to La Mola and passed the village of Es Calo, go to Mar Y Land. When you reach the parking area next to the beach, you must take the path to the left and walk along the seashore in a raised position. Passed the beach bar named San Bartolo, in a few minutes you are above the cove. From here, holding on to a rope you can descend to the beach via stone steps carved into the rock." (Source)

Ses Platgetes

"The beach of Ses Platgetes is about three hundred meters from Es Calo de Sant Augusti, a small fishing village, situated opposite the slope to El Pilar de la Mola. This stretch of coast, located inside a large inlet between Punta Prima and Punta de Sa Creu, is formed by a succession of three small coves and is characterized by rocky outcrops, clean beaches with white and soft sand, dune system and fixing vegetation, such as pine trees and bushes, which extends to the back. (Source)

BEACH MAPs

USEFUL Maps

I found the map of Visit Formentera very useful. Here you can find the link to it.

Flower Power Parties

Throughout June and July you have these Flower Power Parties which are free and very well organized. There is a public bus picking you up and dropping you back off for a small amount of money. You can find more info on the website.

Markets

There are several markets in Formentera offering artisan products, some of which are very nice and with decent princes. You can get a list of the markets and when they are open on the Formentera Tourist website.

]]><![CDATA[Day Trip to Granada (from Malaga)]]>Tue, 12 Nov 2019 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/day-trip-to-granada-from-malaga

Staying in Malaga gives you the option to do several day trips depending on how much time you have. The ideal scenario is for your you to rent a car for maximum flexibility, but if you don't want to or do not have a driving licence, do not worry, ALSA has you covered.

A s rule, I don't drink and drive and so when I went with my parents in Malaga and decided for a day trip I suggested to book a ticket via ALSA which is a Spanish bus company connecting the whole country. The trip to Granada took about 2h one way. Leave early and you'll have enough time to enjoy the sites of Granada

From Granada Bus Terminal to the center

You can walk (but it's a bit long) or take a public bus to the center. You'll there in 15 min.

What to do and see in Granada

1. Granada Cathedral

"Unlike most cathedrals in Spain, construction was not begun until the sixteenth century, after acquisition of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada from its Muslim rulers in 1492. While its earliest plans had Gothic designs, such as are evident in the Royal Chapel of Granada by Enrique Egas, most of the church's construction occurred when the Spanish Renaissance style was supplanting the Gothic in Spanish architecture. Foundations for the church were laid by the Enrique Egas starting from 1518 to 1523 atop the site of the city's main mosque; by 1529, Egas was replaced by Diego de Siloe who worked for nearly four decades on the structure from ground to cornice, planning the triforium and five naves instead of the usual three. Most unusually, he created a circular capilla mayor (principal chapel) rather than a semicircular apse, perhaps inspired by Italian ideas for circular 'perfect buildings' (e.g., in Alberti's works). Within its structure the cathedral combines other of the Vitruvian orders of architecture." (Source)

3. Albaicin

"It retains the narrow winding streets of its Medieval Moorish past dating back to the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 1984, along with the Alhambra." (Source)

"The area that later became the Albayzin was first populated by the Iberians, the original inhabitants of the Iberian peninsula, with dispersed Roman settlements later appearing nearby. Nothing is known of its history before the arrival of the Muslim Arabs and Berbers, so it is assumed that the city was abandoned after the fall of the Roman Empire until the founding of the Zirid kingdom in 1013, when its defensive walls were built." [...] The Albayzin, one of the oldest centers of Muslim culture in Granada, contains the Alhambra, the Realejo (which was the Jewish quarter), and the Arrabal de Bib-Arrambla, in the flat part of the city. Before the Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula there were three small settlements in what is now the city of Granada and its surroundings: Iliberis (Elvira), later called "Albayzin" and "Alcazaba" Castilia, near the present town of Atarfe Garnata, on the hill opposite the Alcazaba, which was more a neighborhood of Iliberis." (Source)

"The traditional type of house is the carmen, consisting of a freestanding house surrounded by a high wall that separates it from the street and including a small orchard or garden. The channeling and distribution of drinking water through pipes laid from wells was characteristic of this district; about 28 of these have been found, of which most are preserved but not in use because the pipes were broken over time." (Source)

2. Sacramonte

"Is a traditional neighbourhood in the eastern area of the city of Granada in Andalusia, Spain. It is one of the six neighbourhoods that make up the urban district of Albayzin and borders the neighbourhoods of Albayzin, San Pedro, Realejo-San Matias, El Fargue and Haza Grande. It is located on the hillside and in the valley of Valparaiso, opposite the Alhambra - emblem of Granada. The neighbourhood occupies both banks of the Darro river, whose name seems to be derived from the phrase "d'auro" ("of gold") because of its famous gold-bearing sediments." (Source)

You get to see some of the best views over Alhambra ;)

4. Arabic Baths: El Banuelo

"The Banuelo of Granada is one of the few such establishments that were saved from destruction by the Catholic Monarchs, as among the Christians they had a reputation comparable to that of brothels. These Arab baths have survived because of the building on top of it of a private home, commenced almost from the day of the Spanish occupation of the city. In 1918, The Banuelo was declared a National Monument and was restored by the architect Balbas." (Source)

5. Horno de Oro Arab House

6. Corral del Carbon

"It is the only Nasrid alhondiga preserved in its entirety in the Iberian peninsula." (Source)

"In general, as described Leopoldo Torres Balbas (Chronicles of Archaeology of Muslim Spain, XIX. Tomo 2. PP 235), this building responds to an Oriental model, but the decor and the details are distinctly Grenadian. Its ancestry can be traced from the Greek agoras, through the later Roman horreum until Islamic times. The monumental cover comes from the eastern iwan, whose origins have been much discussed, and is used in Sassanian palaces. Transmission to the West would be through Egypt, where the entrance portico opened by a large arch, vaulted with mocarabes, with the building's lintelled entrance door below, and a twin window above, is much used." (Source)

Note: the Price for 4+5+6+Dar al-Horra Palace is 5 Euro (2019)

7. Watch a steert - Flamenco performance

8. Cute buildings around the city

Make sure to walk the streets as you get a lot of nice buildings and an awesome vibe

9. Things to try, things to buy

10. Alhambra or not Alhambra

Although I did not get to go, I would expect that the obvious answer is to Alhambra :). If you go in high season, make sure you book as soon as you know you are going. I checked thickets 1 month in advance and they were sold out.

The city is absolutely gorgeous so I can only recommend taking the time to visit it

]]><![CDATA[A weekend in Malaga]]>Tue, 05 Nov 2019 23:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/a-weekend-in-malaga

My first view of Andalusia comes with my visit to Malaga. As for some other trips I have done, this comes in the category of a weekend away with my family. Every year my mom chooses a destination and we all meet there (this is including my sister). Check out how this went:

Getting there:

Took a flight as usually from Brussels. Once at the Airport of Malaga, to me the easiest way seemed to be with the train. Just take C1 to the city center. The ticket is about 3.4 Euro (one way).

Top 9 things to do in Malaga

1. Malaga Malagueta Beach

If you like the beach but only to stay a bit in the sun and soak your feet in the water, then you are in luck, the Malagueta Beach in Malaga is super easy to reach, so you don't have to loose a lot of time getting there. Downside, it can get crowded and it's not the prettiest beach of Spain

2. Guadalmedina River

"River" that splits Malaga into the Old Town and the Left Bank of the city. The River Bank is empty most of the year, and seems to be used for sports activities, walking the dogs or streetart

3. Atarazanas Food Market

"One of Malaga's architectural gems, the market is easily missed on a busy weekday morning. The streets leading to and from the building bustle and beep with traffic, tourists, workers and shoppers and your eyes will probably stay fixed at street level. Look up, however, or better, return in the early afternoon when the market and shops are shut, and you can appreciate the successful melding of 14th century Moorish architecture with 19th century industrial design." (Source)

4. Roman Theatre

"Malaga's Roman Theatre is one of the remaining symbols of Roman Hispania in the city. [...] Discovered in 1951, it lay half-hidden for many years by the Casa de la Cultura (Culture House) building, built between 1940 to 1942 and renovated in the 1960s. It was during these works when the first signs of the Theatre were discovered and the Casa de Cultura was demolished to uncover and properly assess this theatre, which came to be a part of the cultural programmes of 1992. [...] Built in the time of Augustus in the 1st century AD, it was in use until the 3rd century. Much of its construction material such as stones, columns and carved stones were later used for building the Alcazaba. (Source)

5. Alcabaza

"Constructed on the ruins of a Roman fortification during the reign of Abd-al-Rahman I, the first Emir of Cordoba, in around 756-780AD, the Alcazaba's original purpose was as a defence against pirates, thanks its commanding position with views over the city, down to the sea and across to Africa. The fortress was rebuilt by the Sultan of Granada, Badis Al-Ziri, from 1057-1063AD, while the fortified double walls that connect the Alcazaba to the neighbouring Castillo de Gibralfaro, over the Coracha ridge, were built by the Nasrid ruler Yusuf I in the 14th century, when most of the inner palace was also refurbished. As a palace, it was home to a number of Moorish rulers. The Alcazaba has a distinct feel from its more famous, younger neighbours, the Alcazar of Sevilla and the Alhambra of Granada. It was already three centuries old when the others were build. After the reconquest, it fell into decay until restoration work began in 1933, and continues slowly today. Two of its original three walls remain, as well as over 100 towers and three palaces." (Source)

6. Gibralfaro Castle

"â€‹The castle was built in 929AD by Abd-al-Rahman III, Caliph of Cordoba, on a former Phoenician enclosure and lighthouse, from which its name was derived -gebel-faro (Arabic and Greek, meaning rock of the lighthouse). Yusef 1, Sultan of Granada, enlarged it at the beginning of the 14th century, also adding the double wall down to the Alcazaba. The castle is famous for its three-month siege by the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella, which ended only when hunger forced the Malaguenos to surrender. Afterwards Ferdinand occupied the site, while his queen took up residence in the town. Interesting historic fact: this was the first conflict in which gunpowder was used by both sides." (Source)

Note: the joint ticket for Alcabaza & Gibralfara is 5.5 Euro (2019)

7. Malaga Cathedral

"The cathedral is located within the limits defined by a now missing portion of the medieval Moorish walls, the remains of which surround the nearby Alcazaba and the Castle of Gibralfaro. It was constructed between 1528 and 1782, following the plans drawn by Diego de Siloe; its interior is also in Renaissance style. (Source)

8. Streetart

There is quite a bit of streetart to find in the center. and I am always happy to discover some of Roa's art around the world.

9. Day Trip to Granada

One of the nice day trips that can be easily be booked from Malaga is the one to Granada. If you don't have a car (owned/rented) you can use the bus company ALSA having several buses per day.

Bonus: Picasso Museum

Picasso was born in Malaga, so if you have the time, pass by to visit his museum.

Souvenirs

They have caramelized everything. Loved to bring this as special gifts to my friends.

Food I tried in Malaga

I am a huge fan of Spanish food. You can have from regular tortilla to perfectly made octopus. there is a bit for everyone.

]]><![CDATA[Long Weekend in Tenerife]]>Tue, 11 Jun 2019 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/long-weekend-in-tenerife

I'll admit it, November, is not the best month out there, but it's my b-day and so I decided to always make the best out of it. On top of this, In Belgium my b-day falls on a bank holiday....sooooo it's a day off for a lot of my friends. When thinking where to go next, I thought about the grey Belgian sky in November and ... any place out there rather easy to reach which has chances of some sunlight ... and TADA...Tenerife it was :)

A weekend is clearly not enough time to do it all as in the end there are a lot of things to do in Tenerife. From spending time on the beach, to hiking/biking, stargazing, activity parks and zoos. for sure different people will prioritize different things, but I will list what we did in the time we had. Important also to note that we were a group of 9 staying from Friday AM till Monday PM just to give you an overview of the constraints.

Rent a car

We rented a car via CICAR. We had absolutely no problem with them so I can only recommend.

Accommodation

This was one of the most difficult decisions to take as it changes the options you have quite significantly. I am not a fan of top touristy locations, so Los Cristianos was out of scope and so i looked around the island and found as best location San Cristobal de La Laguna. It is true that the weather is colder and rainier over there, but I liked the idea of staying in city.
Hotel: La Laguna Gran Hotel, Booked via Booking.

Sites we visited

Los Gigantes

If you are into photography and can schedule to be there around sunset hours, then you would probably have some gorgeous views, otherwise, I see them as some rocks to be fair, nothing that spectacular. The road there via San Juan de la Rambla coming from La Laguna and then Santiago del Teide is really spectacular though. If you have the time, make sure you also make the detour via Masca.

Beaches in the South

Our first stop was Playa de la Arena. A small black sand beach that offers some very nice views and when the waters don't allow you to swim you can watch surfers do their thing :)

From there we went to Playa Honda which is an actual surfers place...not impressed, from here I wanted to go to Playa de las Americas, but in the end we did not go as looking from the distance did not seem anything special.

Last beach we checked out was Playa de los Cristianos, which is fine but again, not impressive, not sure what's all the hype about it.

El Teide

ok, I need to start by saying that unfortunately we did not have a lot of time (day light time) even if we went twice it was always past 4 PM but this is so worth it. I loved it. You are above the clouds, the landscape is amazing and you can properly stargaze. So I will share some pictures to give you an idea.

P.S. i apologize for the quality of the night sky, but had no idea how to take that picture and had also no tripod with me....but imagine it as a clear photo...how amazing is that???

Anaga - Mirador Cruz del Carmen

We had this booked for our last day, unfortunately it was massively raining. I went out just to take some photos to show you how cool this is. Stop at this Mirador as they can give you a map with what you can visit without a map. If you want to check out the protected areas (like El Pijara), make sure you book your permit in advance. You can only book it online

Santa Cruz de Tenerife Auditorim

Having the same architect as the train station in Liege, Belgium, I read that this is one of the best places for wonderful photography in Tenerife. The building is super interesting, it's designed in the shape of a human eye (including the eyelid and the eyebrow)

La Laguna

The colorful old city is listed under UNESCO Heritage. You don't need much time to visit the it, but you'll for sure enjoy the charming streets.

Goodbye Tenerife, see you back soon ;)

]]><![CDATA[Amazing Nature: El Teide]]>Tue, 28 May 2019 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/amazing-nature-el-teide

With its 3,718-meters, the volcano is the highest point of Spain (including mainland) but for me this is not the most impressive part of the volcano, but the fact that it is the best spot for stargazing in Europe.

"If measured from the ocean floor, it is at 7,500 m (24,600 ft) the highest volcano in the world base-to-peak outside of the Hawaiian Islands, and is described by UNESCO and NASA as Earth's third-tallest volcanic structure. Teide's elevation makes Tenerife the tenth highest island in the world. Teide is an active volcano: its most recent eruption occurred in 1909 from the El Chinyero vent on the northwestern Santiago rift." (Source). â€‹The volcano and its surroundings comprise Teide National Park (has an area of 18,900 hectares) was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO on June 28, 2007 (Source)

We've been to the volcano 2 afternoons in a row, just because the first day we started our way up too late and missed the sunset.

Day 1: Taking the road up from Playa Honda via Vilaflor you'll get soon some outstanding views from above the clouds. â€‹

If you are patient enough you will have the opportunity to enjoy the milky way which will add a bit of magic to your trip. I am sharing here the pictures I took, but please keep in mind, I have no knowledge on astronomy photography and had no tripod along, so here the best i could achieve (sorry for the quality)

In case you want an organized and guided tour you can always get in touch with the guys from Volcano Teide. They are basically "Teleferico del Pico de Teide, S.A. is a Canary Island company created in 1959 that responded to the challenge of developing a system to access Mount Teide, using cable transport" (Source)

Day 2: Leaving Playa Los Cristinos (TF-1, TF - 38, TF-21) direction Teleferico del Teide. If you actually want to take the Cable car you need to be there before 16:00 if you are not on a sunset tour booked.

The landscape is amazing

I'll continue to let the pictures talk as they are clearly better to express the wonderfulness of the place

I strongly recommend going there with enough time for some hikes. I am really sorry I did not get the chance, BUT it's a good reason to go back! If you want to hike till the Summit make sure you get yourself a permit. Maybe another note from someone who insisted in offering a free advice was to go on a down - hill bike tour, and although we did not get the time and chancee for such a tour, I can imagine why this would be an awesome experience.

]]><![CDATA[La Laguna to Los Gigantes, Tenerife]]>Tue, 07 May 2019 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/la-laguna-to-los-gigantes

With winding roads and the ocean on your right, this is one dreamy roadtrip!

We chose the coast road for the scenery and i can only recommend it. We were in a constant wow. Take the Road from La Laguna via San Juan de la Rambla (TF5) and then up the mountain to Santiago del Teide (TF-82).

Los Realejos

Mirador de la Grimona

Cafeteria El Mirador

Mirador del Emigrante Garachico

"From the Mirador de El Emigrante you can see many majestic buildings of the small town of Garachico and the two lava flows from the eruption of the volcano Arena Negra in 1706. The lava poured over parts of at the time the richest city in the Canary Islands, and destroyed their major fishing port. With the destruction of the harbour Garachico lost its leading economic role." (Source)

This makes it as a perfect spot for photo-shooting :)

And a cool thing, there was a heart structure put there to collect bottle caps

El Tanque

When we saw a spot on our winding uphill roads where we could stop we did and the view was wonderful.

Maybe this is a good moment to also remember all travelers out there to use the bins provided and where this is not the case to take the garbage with them to help at least a tiny bit protecting our nature.

El Mirador Archipencque

They say it's the best view over Los Gigantes but who am I to say, I've only seen this view :)

You also have a small restaurant and a souvenir shop. They have a small garden with different lets say exotic fruits.

Our intention was to go till the lighthouse at Punta de la Tena, but unfortunately the road is closed during the weekend and the only way there are either by bus or walking (7.5k)

]]><![CDATA[To Beach or not to Beach in Tenerife]]>Tue, 23 Apr 2019 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/to-beach-or-not-to-beach-in-tenerife

Very possible I did not get to the right places, but I must say that I was not impressed by the beach offer of Tenerife (please don't shoot me).

Playa la Arena

Ok, ok I admit it, this black sand beach is pretty cool, the back sand against the foam of the waves makes a wonderful contrast. Too bad the waves were to big to get the chance for a swim.

Playa Honda

If you read the sign where "Playa Honda" is written by the municipality, some surfers made sure to state that this is a surfers beach.

Playa Los Cristianos

The good thing is that you have loads of restaurants near by, but other than that, this beach has nothing special (I feel spoiled now, probably saw too many beaches in my life :P)

Did not get there but wanted to

Of course there will be no pictures as I did not get to go, but I wanted to pass by Playa de las Teresitas which is an artificial beach, reviews say if it's windy you won't get to actually sit on teh beach as the sand will be all over. Then i wanted to catch at sunset Playa de Benijo which based on pictures online super spectacular and Playa la Tejita

]]><![CDATA[Auditorio de Tenerife "Adan Martin"]]>Tue, 09 Apr 2019 22:00:00 GMThttps://www.alusoare.com/spain/auditorio-de-tenerife-adan-martin

We had to stop in Santa Cruz de Tenerife to have a look at the auditorium which was designed by the same architect as the train station in Liege, Belgium.

"Designed by architect Santiago Calatrava, it is located on the Avenue of the Constitution in the Canarian capital, and next to the Atlantic Ocean in the southern part of Port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife. Construction began in 1997 and was completed in 2003. The auditorium was inaugurated on 26 September of that year in the presence of Felipe de Borbon, Prince of Asturias, and was later visited by former U.S. President Bill Clinton. The building is framed within the tenets of late-modern architecture of the late 20th century" (Source)

And the pools around the auditorium give you an instant holiday feel.

"Castillo de San Juan Bautista also called Black Castle (Castillo Negro), was the second most important fort in the defense of Santa Cruz de Tenerife [...] Its construction was started in 1641 and completed in 1644. It was later rebuilt in 1765 with the addition of a cylindrical tower facing the sea. It served as a military fort until 1924. It was converted to a military museum in 1948" (Source)

Famous singers from of all times are painted across the docks

Super cool architecture i must say

Some facts (Source):
- Beside the dramatic wing, another Calatrava signature element is a mosaic of trencadis, or broken white cermaics, which cover the structure's entire skin. The 194,000 sq.ft (18,000 sq.m.) of trencadis were brought in from Valencia, Spain.
- The overhanging wing was prefabricated in Seville and shipped to the island in 17 pieces, the largest weighing 60 tons (54,000 kilograms).
- The wing was designed to be supported on only five points.
- â€‹Geometrically, the roof is constructed from two intersecting cone segments. By contrast, the symmetrical inner shell of the concert hall, which is 50 meters high, is a rotational body, generated by rotating a curve to describe an ellipse. A wedge of approximately 15 degrees has been removed from the center of this body so that its two segments (for acoustical reasons 60 cm thick) form a pronounced ridge. At its uppermost point it supports the sweep of the roof. The body of the auditorium thus contrasts with the smooth curves of the flanking tangential shells, whose exterior surfaces are decorated in coloured broken tile.

I hope this made you want to check it out! Enjoy your travels :)

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