Spain on a budget

John and I love to travel, however now that we are pensioners we don´t have unlimited funds. If you don´t want to backpack but can´t afford 5-star holidays, read our tips for enjoying Spain on a limited budget.

Is it a savings bank? Is it a theatre?

July 7, 2011 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 1 comment

For John and me - and anybody else living on a restricted budget - one of the benefits of living in Spain is the cheap entertainment.  We have a wonderful theatre in town (Teatro Vico) and tickets for performances there don’t exactly break the bank, however we have two other theatres in Jumilla where entry is free.

Teatro Vico

 As part of their mandate, Spanish savings banks provide social, charitable and cultural services.  Both CAM and CajaMurcia in Jumilla have exhibition halls where art and photographic exhibitions can be held, and they both have small theatres for concerts, drama and dance displays as well as many other events.

Last night we went to see a video presentation in CajaMurcia’s theatre, which is above their main Jumilla branch. They have an exhibition room there too, so beforehand we looked at the display of posters for this year’s Cabalgate Infantíl, which children from local schools had designed. The children’s procession takes place during Jumilla’s Fiesta de la Vendimia  in August, so naturally wine featured in many of the posters, but Bob Esponja also seemed to be a popular theme!

The video presentation was scheduled to start at 20.00, so being optimistic we wandered into the theatre at that time.  It looked promising, as we could see that everything had been set up and a few other people were already in there, however Jumillanos aren’t exactly noted for their punctuality.  The señor in charge kept looking at his watch, and we heard a few words being muttered about not everybody being there, and “puntualidad” was also mentioned.

Eventually the show began at 20.15, which is impressive by Jumilla’s standards.  The video showed scenes from Jumilla’s Fiesta de la Vendimia going back to the early 80s and finishing with last year’s celebrations.  There were plenty of laughs from the audience and a few sarcastic comments as people recognised the participants, which added to the atmosphere.  We recognised at least three people taking part in earlier years’ festivities.

Each video clip showed a procession with adults and children carrying baskets of grapes, a group treading the grapes (all looking remarkably similar to each other), lots of people kissing each other as they presented bouquets of flowers, glimpses of traditional dancers, plus the revellers getting covered in red wine during the Gran Cabalgata del Vino at the end of the fiesta.

Soaked in red wine

If you are coming to Spain for a holiday, or if you plan to move here permanently, I recommend finding out where your nearest savings bank is.  We have seen some fascinating exhibitions since we moved to Jumilla, and enjoyed some amazing concerts, and it hasn’t cost us a cent!

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Going to Spain this summer? Why not go native!

July 6, 2011 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 2 comments

 Spain has always been a popular holiday destination, however many tourists don’t get the most out of their stay.  Sure, they return with a suntan (or more likely sunburn!), several pounds heavier weight-wise, several pounds lighter money-wise (having spent far too many euros), some tacky souvenirs and lots of exciting photos of them on the beach, by the pool or in the bar.  Is that what you want? Or do you fancy doing something different this year?

Before you go on holiday, use the internet to research your holiday with a difference.  Staying on the Costa del Sol? Away from the beaches there are some lovely villages to visit on the ruta de los pueblos blancos, or discover the city of Malaga instead of bypassing it in your rush to reach the beach.  Costa Blanca?  There is a lot to see in Alicante (the city, not the airport!) and if you are a wine lover, come and visit Jumilla, known as the city of wine.  A good place to start your research is http://www.spain.info/en/, and don’t forget to check whether there are going to be any fiestas in the area you are visiting.

Visit Mijas for the day when staying on the Costa del Sol

The first thing you will have to learn when you are on holiday is to get up a bit earlier than usual, so that you can enjoy the whole day, and to leave your hotel/apartment/resort/comfort zone.  You are going out for breakfast, which for Spanish people is best enjoyed in a café or bar between 10 and 12.  They will have had a cup of coffee first thing, but the morning break is a time to meet friends and have a chat over a coffee and tostada or maybe chocolate and churros.  You will definitely need a snack then, because you aren’t going to have lunch until 2pm at the earliest!

Spend your morning walking around the nearest town, visiting museums and churches, strolling through local parks and generally working up a good appetite for lunch.  Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes, to slap on the suntan lotion, to bring your camera (this year your friends may find your photos a bit more interesting than usual) and remember to carry a bottle of water. 

Keep your eyes open while you are enjoying your walk because you are looking out for a good menú del día, however be aware that many restaurants won’t advertise them before 1pm.  This is a top money-saving tip in Spain: have your main meal at lunchtime like the Spanish do, though avoid obvious tourist areas to get the best value for your money. Menú del día will usually cost you between 8€ and 12€ for a minimum of 3 courses, bread and a drink.  We know a very good bar in Jumilla where for 8€ we get a shared salad to start with, a basket of bread, a wide choice of starters, mains and desserts, a carafe of red wine with water or refresco plus coffee to finish our meal.  After that, we don’t need much food in the evening!

Drive inland from the Costa Blanca to visit Jumilla castle, a local bodega, and have menú del día

Lunch will be a leisurely affair, which is good news, as you will be indoors during the hottest part of the day.  If you want to go native, observe how Spanish people avoid sitting in the sun.  They love being outdoors during the summer: enjoying a drink, chatting to their friends, promenading along the sea front, but they walk in the shade or sit under a parasol.  Also observe that, even though Spanish chicas will wear miniscule skirts or shorts in town, beach wear is kept strictly for the beach.

After lunch you can stroll back to your hotel or apartment for a siesta if you fancy going really native, or plan ahead for the evening, relax with a good book, and enjoy a cold drink.  In tourist areas there may be shops open in the afternoon, but elsewhere only supermarkets disregard the traditional siesta.

If you haven’t gone out for a menú del día, be prepared to pay more for your evening meal, and also be prepared to wait for it!  We were staying in Barcelona a few years ago, and left our hotel at 8pm to find somewhere to eat.  Nearly every restaurant was shut, and as we were hungry we were becoming a bit anxious.   We popped into a bar that was open,  for a glass of wine and some tapas to calm our nerves.  As we left the bar just after 9pm, we saw that restaurants were beginning to open up again.  Lesson learnt!

Depending on where you are staying, you may be given a free tapa with your drink when you go out in the evening for a glass of wine .  If you had a big lunch, that may be all you need.  If not, look for a bar that is full of local people and you should find the best and cheapest tapas there.

A peaceful square in Valencia

Finally, don’t go to bed too early or you may miss the best part of the day.  On the last night of a holiday in Valencia to enjoy the Las Fallas festival, we were on our way back to our hotel just after midnight, when we decided to stop for a coffee.  Noticing a large marquee in the square behind the bar, we decided to take a quick look and discovered that a band was tuning up inside.  Local people were beginning to go into the marquee and encouraged us to join them, pointing out that there was a bar set up in the corner, which was selling drinks for 1€.

Soon everybody was up dancing to the music, chatting away to us in a mixture of English and Spanish and generally having a good time.  There was a mixture of both young and old, from niños to abuelos, all making a lot of noise (Spanish people tend to be noisy) but nobody appeared to be drunk, even though vast amounts of alcohol were being served at the bar.  When we left at three in the morning the party was still in full swing, however sadly we had a flight to catch!

If you decide to go native in Spain, you are guaranteed to have a great time.  Please tell us all about your experiences and any recommendations in the comments box below.

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English books can break your budget!

July 5, 2011 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 2 comments

You can live very cheaply in Spain - making it ideal for people who retire here - but if you’re a keen reader you will soon discover that buying books in English can break your budget!  This is particularly true for those of us who live inland, as local bookshops stock mainly Spanish books (which aren’t exactly cheap) and the few English books that they sell are expensive. 

That was how we came up with the idea of having a monthly bookswap for other British people living in the area.  I think all of us had brought piles of books  with us when we first moved over here, but had read them all after living here for a few years. 

The garden at Bar La Casa

We decided to hold the bookswap between 11.00 and 12.00  on the first Tuesday of the month in Bar La Casa, which is next to the Centro de Salud in Jumilla.  We chose Tuesday as that is market day, so most people come into Jumilla to buy the delicious – and cheap - fresh fruit and vegetables in the local market.  We decided on Bar La Casa partly because – from necessity – most retired people know where the Health Centre is and partly because there is a lovely enclosed garden at the back, which is an ideal place to enjoy a coffee or cold drink in the summer months.  During the winter months we sit inside in the restaurant area, as they have an open fire there, which usually has a couple of smouldering logs to keep us warm!

If you are thinking of moving to Spain, you may want to set up a similar scheme.  Not only is it a good way of saving money, but also it helps you make more friends who speak the same language.  We have some wonderful Spanish friends here, but it is good to be able to speak your own language occasionally and not have to think about it.  Having said that, one English friend speaks Spanish so fluently that she sometimes forgets the odd English word!

Although the bookswap is a monthly event, most of us now pop into Bar La Casa at about 12.00 on the other Tuesdays of the month, for a general catch up and gossip. Today we looked at the programmes for the fiestas of San Fermin and San Cristobel, and decided which acts we would watch later on in the week.

The good news though, if there aren’t any other English people living in your area, is that you can now order books online from Amazon.co.uk and, if you spend a minimum of £25, they offer free Super Saver delivery to Spain.  If you haven’t read my book “Retiring the Olé Way” yet, why not add it to your basket? (Shameless plug alert!)

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Tarragona – the unknown city

May 1, 2011 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | No comments

Castellers of Tarragona

Tarragona is surprisingly free of foreign tourists, which for John and me was one of its many charms.  We decided to visit the city to celebrate my 60th birthday: as pensioners we are always looking for somewhere a bit different that is not too expensive.  Since then we have retired to Spain and now live in the Murcia region, however we plan to visit other parts of our adopted country for holidays, which will include a return trip to Tarragona.

Our ideal holiday is not about lying on beaches soaking up the sun, which we both regard as a total waste of time; it’s more about visiting places, soaking up the culture and enjoying the local food accompanied by a few glasses of good wine.  This being the case, Tarragona proved to be the ideal destination for us.

We had looked at the Tarragona Tourist website beforehand, so that we could plan what to do and see to make the most of our stay there: http://www.tarragonaturisme.cat/.   Information is available in English and other languages, as well as Spanish, and the website is very comprehensive.

We decided to buy a one-day Tarragona Card, which gave us free entry to the city’s monuments, free bus tickets, plus discounts in many restaurants, shops etc.  Rather than try and fit everything into one day, we bought the card after lunch on our first day. As it lasted 24 hours, we could then spread our “site” seeing over two days.  We also made sure that we used the card at those monuments that cost the most, in case we couldn’t cram them all in.  For other penny-pinching pensioners, check whether you will in fact make a saving buying the card, as over 65s get half-price or free entry to many of the places listed.  The card cost us €14 for 24 hours, however it is now on sale at €15 for 48 hours, which is definitely a bargain!  You should be aware however that most museums are closed on Mondays, so that isn’t a good day for visiting them!

We spent our first day walking along Tarragona’s Roman route.  As the Roman archaeological complex of Tarraco has been declared a World Heritage Site, we didn’t want to miss any of it.  The highlight for me was the well-preserved Amphitheatre with views of the Mediterranean, although the Roman Circus, where you could almost hear the thunder of the horse-drawn chariots and the roar of the crowds, was a close second.  John enjoyed wandering around the Local Forum and also walking along the Walls, which had great views over the surrounding countryside as well as the city.  We had a lot of fun trying to find the Francoli River Paleochristian Complex until we realised that it was actually within the shopping centre, down in the parking area!

Approach to the city walls

There is more to Tarragona than its Roman remains, as we discovered on our second day when we walked along the Mediaeval route.  We explored the streets around the Cathedral, which was of course the star attraction, however there were many other monuments worth seeing, amongst them the Cloisters, the Chapels of St Paul and St Tecla. The Ancient Hospital of St Tecla,  and the King’s Castle.  St Tecla is the patron saint of Tarragona and we have been told that the fiesta of Santa Tecla, which is held in September, is well worth seeing.  We plan to visit Tarragona in September next time as we always enjoy taking part in Spanish fiestas.

We also appreciated the splendour of Casa Canals and Casa Castellarnau, which shouldn’t be missed if you like looking around magnificent old houses.  Other cultural highlights for us were the Museum of Modern Art, the National Archeological Museum and the Museum of the Port of Tarragona. 

Courtyard in Casa Castellarnau

If the weather is good and you don’t want to be indoors, many of the monuments I have mentioned are outside. Enjoy a leisurely stroll along the Rambla Nova and the Balcón del Mediterráneo, then pop into the Amphitheatre, before heading along Rambla Vella to see the Roman Circus and then make your way to the maze of streets around the Cathedral . 

All this walking increased our appetite, so luckily eating out in Tarragona proved to be a pleasurable experience.  We discovered that many good restaurants do a cheap menu del día at lunch time, so we would make that our main meal, having either one course or just tapas for our evening meal.

Tarragona is a charming city, with plenty to see and do. We crammed as much as we could into the four days that we stayed there, however a longer stay would have allowed us a bit more time just to relax.  In case I haven’t already tempted you to visit Tarragona, I should mention that there are plenty of shops and lovely sandy beaches too, making it the ideal holiday location for everyone – even those of you who aren’t interested in history and culture.

Top Tips

Restaurants

Down at the Port, which we expected to be pricey because of the location, we enjoyed a delicious menu del día at La Botiga on Calle Trafalgar for only €10.50. 

We also enjoyed an evening meal at Restaurante Passadis on Calle Estanislau Figueres, where we were given 10% discount using our Tarragona Card.

After a filling menu del día we went out for tapas in the evening.  Cañas y Tapas on Calle Apodaca had some good special deals but there are many other inexpensive bars and restaurants to be discovered.

Hotels

We stayed at the SB Express*** on Plaça de les Corts Catalanes, which we chose on the basis that it was a budget hotel and looked fairly central.  We discovered that it was actually a bit of a walk into the centre of Tarragona, so it was fortunate that we are both pretty fit.  The hotel was in a quiet area and for the price we thought it was good value.

The Husa Imperial Tarraco **** on Passeig de Las Palmeres is in an ideal location for sight-seeing, although obviously you pay the price for that, especially with its four-star facilities.

For those on a strict budget the 2-star Catalunya Express is worth considering, and as a bonus it is close to the regional Railway Station.

Don´t miss

 

Tarragona is renowned for its Roman archaeological complex, and even if you don’t enjoy history you can’t fail to be impressed by the Amphitheatre and Roman Circus.

If you like the sea no doubt you will want to head for the beaches, but don’t forget to visit the Port too, especially at lunch time when you can enjoy the fresh fish.

After that delicious lunch, why not walk off all those calories and enjoy the views with a promenade along the city walls?

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Jumilla: the hidden jewel

December 4, 2010 in Spain on a budget, Ups and downs of living in Spain by Sue Walker | No comments

 

Jumilla Castillo

Jumilla is the hidden jewel in northeast Murcia.  It is a typically Spanish country town – best known to wine-drinkers for its red wine and many bodegas - and is surrounded by mountains and vineyards.  Anybody staying on the Costa Blanca or Costa Calida who wants to experience the real Spain should venture inland and visit Jumilla.

Most people who visit here say that they are surprised by how big the town is, and you certainly need to spend at least one day in Jumilla to see the main sights and of course to enjoy some of its fine wines!

Wandering through the narrow streets of the old town gives an insight into the fascinating history of Jumilla, which was occupied by the Iberians, Romans and Arabs before the Spanish king Alfonso X re-conquered what was then known as Xumilla for the Kingdom of Castile in 1241.

Jardín del Rey Don Pedro

Important historic monuments include the well-preserved 5th century mausoleum known as El Casón, the impressive 15th century Church of Santiago and the recently restored Castle. The fortress that we see today dominating the skyline was constructed in 1461 by Juan Pacheco, the Marquis of Villena.

Other places worth visiting in Jumilla include several interesting museums, the lovely 19th century Teatro Vico, modernist style houses, as well as charming squares and gardens to explore.

Just outside the town there are several good walks for those of you who enjoy being active, especially in the Sierra de El Carche and Sierra de Santa Ana. If you go to the Sierra de Santa Ana, a visit to the Monasterio and its fascinating museum is a must.

Monasterio at Santa Ana

The good news for those of you on a budget is that a day trip to Jumilla won’t cost you a fortune.  The majority of museums are free and the privately owned Museo Jésus Nazareno only charges 1€, which should not break the bank. 

Contact Walkers Tours of Jumilla if you would like a free guided walk around Jumilla in English (and Scottish!). Sue and John can arrange for you to visit a local bodega for 5€, which includes wine-tasting and snacks, and if you fancy having lunch in Jumilla they are able to recommend several local restaurants, where you can have a delicious menú del día from 8€ including all your drinks.  What are you waiting for?

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Córdoba is cool

September 9, 2010 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 6 comments

Puerta de Almodóvar

Actually it was very hot the day we visited Córdoba, but it is a really cool city and we loved it there.  I don’t think I have ever taken so many photos of one place on one day.  We weren’t the only tourists, but even that didn’t detract from Córdoba’s charm.

Our mission was to enjoy ourselves in Córdoba without spending a fortune, and I believe we succeeded.  Getting there by train from Sevilla wasn’t expensive, particularly as we are over 60 so have a Tarjeta Dorada from Renfe, which costs us 5.05 € for one year and gives us discounts between 25% and 40% on  Spanish trains. 

Again it is important to research in advance as train fares between Sevilla and Córdoba can vary between 10.80 € and 32.60 € (before discounts) depending on which train you catch.  We bought our tickets the day before from a machine and were puzzled to see a message saying there had been an error and to go to the counter.  Our tickets looked perfectly OK but we did as we had been told.  Apparently we were owed 5 cents each for our tickets!

Tower and Patio de los Naranjos outside the Mezquita

If we had been real cheapskates we would have caught an earlier train:  top tip for keeping costs down in Córdoba is to visit the Mezquita between 8 and 10.30 and get in for free!   I have to admit though that the 8 € entrance fee was worth every cent:  the Mezquita is truly awesome.  According to my guidebook, Córdoba’s Mezquita is the most outstanding example of Islamic art in the Western World, and I’m not going to argue with that.  A photo cannot do justice to the dazzling sight of more than 850 columns of granite, jasper and marble supporting the roof.

Inside the Mezquita

 The original mosque was built between the eighth and eleventh centuries.  After the Christian Reconquest in 1236 a number of alterations were made and then in 1523, when Don Alonso Manrique was Bishop of Córdoba, the construction of a cathedral within the mosque began in the centre of the original Islamic temple.  It’s an incredible sight.

A chapel inside the mosque

An hour later and we emerged from the darkness of the Mezquita to continue our exploration of Córdoba.  We headed to the river to see the Roman Bridge, with a statue of St Raphael the Archangel, the guardian of the city, in its centre.  Our next destination was the Alcázar de los Reyes Católicos, the fortress built in 1328 on the instructions of Alfonso XI.  If my birthday had been on 1st September, which was on Wednesday this year, entry would have been free.  Never mind, it was worth 4 € to look around the Alcázar, climb up the tower for great views and then stroll around the peaceful gardens.

Gardens of the Alcázar

We had spent nearly four hours wandering around the streets of Córdoba and visiting some of its stunning monuments, so not surprisingly our thoughts turned to food when we left the Alcázar.  We had seen several restaurants near the Mezquita, and I had looked up a few on the internet before we started our trip, however this was my birthday and I wanted to celebrate in style!  Luckily for John’s wallet, my choice was to have ménu del día at Bodegas Mezquita. 

An "English" lady strolling along the passageway

We had noticed that there were cheaper places around, however the wide choice of dishes tempted us to go there, and it only cost us 12.60 € for three courses and a drink.  John splashed out on a bottle of wine – after all it was my birthday.  Inevitably, because of its proximity to the Mezquita, there were many other tourists there, including four obviously British tourists that we spotted when we arrived just after 2pm.  They left shortly after that – clearly still following British timetables!  We were brought a complimentary glass of vino dulce with our desserts, which we thought was a nice touch. 

Bodegas Mezquita Restaurante

After our delicious meal, we were ready for more sightseeing.  We knew we couldn’t see everything in one day, but we had made a list of “must-sees” that included the Synagogue, Casa Andalusí and the Archaeological Museum, which is housed in the Renaissance Páez de Castillejo Palace and apparently is one of Spain’s best.  Entry for the Synagogue was free as was entry to the Museum, although you have to be a citizen of the EU. 

Archaeological Museum

We paid 2.50 € to look round the Casa Andalusí, but it is such a quaint house, with lots of nooks and crannies, a Mudéjar courtyard and a paper museum: I certainly felt it was value for money. 

 

A corner of the Casa Andalusí
We loved our day out in Córdoba: every corner that we turned revealed another interesting place to see and another photo opportunity.  I have posted more photos of both Córdoba and Sevilla on my facebook page.  One day we will return and I will have even more photos to share with everybody!

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Sue’s View on Sevilla

September 7, 2010 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 3 comments

Seville Cathedral

We had been to Seville before and enjoyed ourselves so much that we decided to make my birthday trip this year a two-centre break: Córdoba and Sevilla.  In the interests of research for “Spain on a budget”, and having had an expensive year with visits to England for two weddings and my daughter’s 40th birthday, we determined to keep the costs down as much as possible.  Seville is not a cheap city, however it is still possible to have an enjoyable visit there without spending a fortune.

We had a good start to our budget trip: love them or hate them, you have to admit that Ryanair have some good flight deals and we flew from Alicante to Seville for the grand total of 66.42 € for the two of us. 

Our next tip is not to book a hotel in the city centre if you are on a budget.  We looked at Destinia and found a 3-star hotel (Hotel Plaza Santa Lucia) that was handy for Santa Justa railway station where the airport bus stops, and which cost 110 € for two night’s bed and breakfast.   There are plenty of buses around, but it didn’t take us long to walk into the historic centre of Sevilla.

Waiting for breakfast in the patio of our hotel

Seville is a great city for tapas, however they aren’t necessarily the cheapest way to eat, especially if you are hungry!  We checked out a couple of places online so we knew where we were heading to once we arrived.  Just around the corner from out hotel was Café Bar Trinidad on the corner of Calle Trinidad and Calle María Auxiliador: as promised by our research the tapas were good and also cheap, which explained why so many locals were eating there.  Prices are usually more reasonable in the local barrios rather than the city centre.  We had a lovely evening meal for 24€ on our first night at Taberna Manzanilla on Plaza de los Terceros, sitting outside and watching the world go by.  We also had a good evening meal at La Abuela on Calle San Julían although I could only manage a couple of tapas, having had a superb menú del día earlier on a day trip to Córdoba (see my next post for more details!).  The bill was just over 21€ including an excellent bottle of wine.

Remember that Shanks' pony won't cost you anything!

Advance planning is also essential when sight-seeing, as some monuments are free one day a week, which is particularly annoying if you visit one on the following day and have to pay!  Luckily we visited the Torre del Oro on Tuesday so entry was free, saving us the grand total of 1€ each!

 Anybody between the ages of 27 and 64 doesn’t have to feel left out as the Museo de Bellas Artes is free for EU citizens, so have your passport handy, and finally nobody has to pay to go in the Archivo de Indias, which is well worth a visit.  Be warned that the English pirates were the bad guys, especially Sir Francis Drake!

My best tip though is just to enjoy strolling along the narrow streets in the barrio of Santa Cruz, near the Cathedral and Real Alcázar.  There are so many picturesque plazas, patios adorned with bright flowers and hidden corners to explore – and unless you are tempted into a souvenir shop or bar it won’t cost you anything.

Seville courtyard

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More on the Mar Menor

April 30, 2010 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 1 comment

Santiago de la Ribera paseo

As well as sight-seeing along La Manga strip we wanted to explore the other shore of the Mar Menor, especially when we discovered that there was a large market at Santiago de la Ribera on Wednesday.  Pensioners on a budget love markets! 

Not having a car, we realised that the easiest and cheapest way to go there was to cross the Mar Menor on the ferry.  We found the winter timetable for B & F Ferrys in Mar Menor Focus (The little mag to keep in your bag), which can also be read online at: http://www.marmenorfocus.es/.  I have to confess to a vested interest in recommending that you read Mar Menor Focus if you are planning to holiday in the area: I write a regular column for the magazine!

A lovely calm Mar Menor

Whenever we had gazed over the Mar Menor we had seen a lovely calm stretch of water, however on Wednesday morning it looked a bit choppy.  I´m not saying that I am a nervous sailor, however the first thing I do when I get on a boat is to check out the life-jacket situation.  Hmm, it wasn´t looking too good as all I could see was one life-belt and lots of people clambering on board.  I did notice a locker in front of us, so no doubt the life-jackets were stored there and we would go through the safety drill before leaving the harbour.

Did I mention that the crew were all Spanish?  Spain isn´t too hot on health and safety….. We were soon on our way, without any safety drill, and a group of Brits sitting behind us were making funny comments about how low the ferry was in the water, and pointing out water pouring in through a gap around the porthole.  As for the locker, one of the crew had pinned up a notice about drinks for sale and I suspected that the drinks were stored there, meaning no life-jackets.  Was I nervous?  What do you think?

Ferry cross the Mar Menor

Fortunately for my nerves the crossing only took half an hour and at last I was on dry land, swearing that we would find another way to return to La Manga.

Wandering around the market calmed me down, and the purchase of a pair of ballet pumps for 5€ cheered me up: markets are seriously good for your health!  The market stretched for nearly a mile, with bargains galore, and the crowds of shoppers made the walk from one end to the other a leisurely stroll.  At least it helped us work up a healthy appetite, for our next goal was to find a good restaurant for lunch.

We were tempted by a couple of fish restaurants on the sea front, however they were over our budget.  We have been told by friends that the food at both of them is very good, so if you fancy splashing out why not try one of them?

Our choice was Bar Centro Mar on the main road, which tempted us with its 8€ menu and the range of dishes it offered.  It proved a good choice and we will definitely go there again on our next visit:  good value for money and friendly staff.  Most of the other customers were Spanish, though we did hear another British couple ordering and were surprised that they didn´t go for the menú del día.  Ordering even a few items from the Carta can prove more expensive than having the menú del día, and the other advantage of choosing the set menu is you probably won´t need to eat for the rest of the day.

We enjoyed walking around Santiago, but at the back of my mind was the question of how we were going to travel back to La Manga. 

“I don´t mind if we have to catch four buses,” I told John.  “I´ll pay!”  However although we saw a bus stop there was no timetable and no sign of a bus, and the ferry was leaving soon.  I didn´t have any choice.

Why had I been so worried?  The Mar Menor was beautifully calm on the way back, and I was able to stand in the bows of the ferry taking photos to my heart´s content.  I loved that ferry, and can thoroughly recommend a day trip from La Manga to Santiago de la Ribera!

I love boats!

Mar Menor – más o menos?

March 21, 2010 in Spain on a budget, The Book by Sue Walker | No comments

View of the Mediterranean from the balcony of our hotel room

In Spain there are many advantages to being “mayores”,which can mean either grown-ups or elderly and sounds far better than the English equivalents of “OAP” or “elderly”!  One of the plus points if you are of retirement age and live in Spain is the various deals for cheap holidays. 

John´s bank Cajamurcia was doing a special offer for mayores of 55+, and if you shared a room only one of you had to be over 55. You could stay for 5 nights in a 4-star hotel at La Manga de Mar Menor, with full board and use of most of its facilities, for only 165€ per person plus a discount of 5% for all Cajamurcia customers.  We decided to try it out, and can thoroughly recommend the deal.

Our holiday started on Sunday night when, after checking in, we went down for dinner, our first meal in the hotel.  Dinner wasn´t exactly an unqualified success as we had arrived just before the start of the second sitting, and by the time we helped ourselves to fish, meat and vegetables the food was only lukewarm.  John was starting to mutter about having to go out for dinner if we wanted a decent meal, and I had to agree with him.  The salad that we had helped ourselves to for starters was good and all the desserts were cold anyway, so the rest of the meal was enjoyable, but the main courses left a lot to be desired.  The highlight had to be the bottle of wine that was left on our table, which was from Bodegas San Isidro in Jumilla, the nearest bodega to our home there!

There were no complaints about breakfast, where there was a wide range to choose from: breakfast cereals, yoghourts, fruit, cold meat and cheeses, croissants and pastries, eggs and bacon or sausages, bread for toasting (with olive oil and chopped tomatoes beside the toaster for their Spanish guests), plus juices and hot drinks.  This helped to make up for dinner the previous night, so we decided that we would try out lunch later on, after exploring our surroundings.

View of La Manga strip from Cabo de Palos

We decided to head for Cabo de Palos and have a look at its lighthouse, which we had seen from our balcony.  Cabo de Palos is a Spanish fishing village although being on the coast it is also popular with holiday makers. 

If you take the shortest route, it is just over 3km from Hotel Entremares to the Cabo de Palos Faro, so we decided to take the short route there and the longer route back.  It wasn´t just that we wanted to increase the distance of our walk: by going the long way round we would also see the fishing port!

A pleasant stroll up to the Faro

It was a lovely March day, so we enjoyed our stroll beside the blue Mediterranean and then through the gardens leading up to the lighthouse.  We weren´t the only ones enjoying the views - though unfortunately we couldn´t go inside the lighthouse - and everybody else was busy taking photos too.   

We then headed towards the Puerto, glancing at the many restaurants overlooking the harbour: lovely views and lovely prices to match!  We decided to have a coffee, which cost us 2.60€ for a café solo and café cortado: not exactly extortionate, but more than the 2€ we paid elsewhere at La Manga.  The cheapest menú del día that we saw was 15€, so we agreed that we would try the buffet lunch at our hotel and head for the hot buffet first in the hope that the food would still be hot!

Fisherman mending his nets at Cabo de Palos Puerto

Our strategy proved successful, so after that we made sure that we went for dinner early on and had the hot course before having soup or salad.  The food definitely tasted better by being freshly cooked, so we will remember that in future if we go to a hotel with buffet meals!

Being on the coast we noticed that there were a lot more British bars than inland, where we live.  If you are on a budget you are better going to the Spanish bars, where they may very well speak English anyway.  We paid 2€ for a glass of wine in Paddywacks and 2.50€ for a glass of wine in Nobby´s Cantina, whereas the most we paid in Spanish bars was 1.50€, including free tapas such as olives or nuts.  Not surprisingly, the British bars were full of English speaking customers, though apparently Paddywacks is popular with Spanish people too.

On our second day we took the bus to the end of La Manga.  Although we enjoy walking it was over 18k to the end of the strip, plus it cost 1.05€ no matter how far you went on the local bus so we wanted to get value for money!

In actual fact the bus doesn´t quite go to the end and we discovered why when we reached the bridge a bit further down:

The bridge is just as steep on the other side!

Costa Blanca doesn´t have to mean Costalot

March 4, 2010 in Spain on a budget by Sue Walker | 2 comments

View of Alicante puerto in January

Over the years the Costa Blanca has become a popular holiday spot for many British tourists, however with the poor exchange rate at the moment you may be worried about how expensive your holiday will be.  If so, instead of heading for the usual holiday resorts, why not consider staying in the city of Alicante?

Not a lot of people know this (apologies to Michael Caine!), but Alicante has good beaches, lots to do for all the family, great shopping and many reasonably priced bars and restaurants.  It is an ideal base for exploring the Costa Blanca for those of you who are on a budget.

At the end of January we stayed at Hotel Maya, situated near the Playa de Postiguet, Plaza Mar 2 shopping centre and the Castillo de Santa Bárbara: a good choice therefore for those who enjoy sunbathing, shopping and sight-seeing!  We used the Destinia website for booking, and they gave us a good deal at the hotel: just over 40 euros for our double room plus a substantial buffet breakfast.  Obviously prices will be a lot higher in the summer months, however not nearly as high as if you stay in Benidorm or Torrevieja.

View from the Castillo

Although the hotel is on the outskirts of Alicante, it is only a 15 minute walk to the city centre, with the option of taking the tram if feeling too lazy to walk. 

We found two good restaurants close to the hotel: Mesón Tio Faustino and Restaurante Lagar, both of which did a ménu del noche for around 15 euros.  The food at both restaurants was excellent value, so not surprisingly they were both busy.  Luckily we had booked in advance at Restaurante Lagar as it isn´t very big and, although it was quiet when we went in for a drink and to check when they closed, it was almost full when we returned for dinner.  

Waiting for the food to arrive at Mesón Tio Faustino

At Méson Tio Faustino they were particularly good about my meal:  I had ordered bacalao but they hadn´t mentioned it was a la vizcaína.  I can´t eat tomatoes, so my face fell when the cod arrived covered with the wretched things.  As soon as I explained the problem, they whisked my plate away and brought me grilled tuna instead, which I admit made the others a bit envious.

On Sunday night the local restaurants and bars were closed, so we headed towards the centre of Alicante.  Our friend´s daughter had recommended Restaurante Bruno Caruso, which we managed to stumble upon when searching for places that were open.  It was fortunate that by then we had worked up good appetites as the portions were huge, although we still managed to squeeze in some delicious desserts!

The Casco Antiguo (old town) is well worth exploring, and there are plenty of cafes and bars to pop into if you start to feel fatigued.  Whatever you do, don´t miss seeing the Castillo, if only for the amazing views when you get to the top.  If you don´t feel energetic there is a lift on Avenida Jovellanos, opposite Playa Postiguet , which was free when we visited the castle because of works that were going on at the time.  It is in fact free throughout the year if you are a pensioner.

Alicante Ayuntamiento

Tips for other places to visit along the Costa Blanca: Calpe, Altea, Villajoyosa, Santa Pola and Guardamar.  These are picturesque destinations that are popular with Spaniards as well as Brits, where you can enjoy a reasonably priced menu del día especially if you avoid places with English menus outside! 

Sunset over Benidorm beach

If you really want to go to Benidorm it´s an easy drive from Alicante or you can take the tram there.   If you´ve never been to Benidorm you should certainly go there at least once.  I recommend going to Playa Poniente: you may be pleasantly surprised.

Morning coffee overlooking Alicante Playa

Even sitting on the seafront at Alicante didn´t cost us an arm and a leg: the Costa Blanca doesn´t have to mean Costalot.

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