Mallorca is a wonderland that can be so easily ruined, it’s ridiculous. She’ll give you postcard perfection, a predictable luxury bubble, or something else entirely. To be fair, it’s almost too easy to get it wrong. She can be a revelation, she can become a habit, or it can be the beautiful and boring holiday paradigm. And it’s ok. You know why? Because this way we get to keep the best of it for ourselves ONE: Timing and Place Matter Most Skip the summer crush, go for the shoulder seasons: late spring or autumn. The air is freer, the crowds are whispers, and the seawater temperature is perfect. Shun the…
-
-
POSTCARDS: Barcelona is Gaudi’s playground
-
POSTCARDS: Seville is the filming location for Dorne
At least once a year, thehappyfew escape into their favorite fantasies. After Meereen, we follow the #GoTlocations and travel to Dorne. The luxurious and vicious High Gardens are filmed in Seville’s incredible Alcazar.
-
POSTCARDS FROM RONDA, MY FAVE ANDALUSIAN TOWN
Andalusia is one of thehappyfew’ s favorite realms, a true kingdom of Moorish adventures, of wonderful and often dramatic findings and hot temper. It is a country and a culture in itself, and its thrills are downright endless. And still, if I was to pick one place on the map, for a one-time escape, I would pick Ronda. Crossing the Puente Nuevo bridge over the El Tajo gorge and the Guadalevin river, you cannot but marvel at the 100m chasm below. Then take a breath in Plaza Espagna, walk pass the Parador towards the Miradouro for immense views over the Serranía de Ronda mountains. Without a sense of time, stroll endlessly through…
-
Peñíscola is Valencia’s Best Day Trip
Who was first? The Knights Templar or the dragons? If this is your kind of mind race, you simply must go to Peniscola. Take Costa del Azahar north from Valencia towards Barcelona on either the highway or the national road, if you want to make some stops along the way. Sagunt is a very old fortress and Benicassim a lovely beach resort, especially for families. The intriguing mountainous region inland, west of Peniscola, is worth a lazy drift, because it opens a completely different landscape, more stern and quiet and aloof than the serene coastline. The incredible Morella and Vilafranca, close to the border with Aragon, are rare findings for thehappyfew…
-
Outside Valencia: 3 escapes
AZAHAR means “citrus blossom”, and the word has a ring to it and stays with you forever once you’ve seen the orange trees in bloom. Valencia has it all for a truly captivating holiday; the sea and the oranges and the food and the urban surprises, and even some happy escapes that you can try if you’re feeling adventurous. As I said, driving in Valencia is completely stress-free, and outside Valencia you have the usual Spanish quality roads, so there is absolutely no reason to not venture beyond. For escaping outside Valencia, I have one must and a few very nice-haves. The day-trip scenarios are: Escape one: ALBUFERA Albufera, Valencia’s lagoon with wild beaches, sand dunes,…
-
ON RICE AND MEN (and possibly giraffes): VALENCIA
Delicate rice fields, equally delicate elephants, huge beaches and huge whales, original paella and a river to play tennis in – incredible findings in one city, but oh so true.
-
GoT LOCATIONS: MEEREEN
Game of Thrones lovers, don’t just sit and watch in awe: follow the sneakers and go to Meereen. The sneakers walked with Tyrion and Missandei and Varys and lingered on the streets haunted by the Harpies – so can you. The dragons are still there, remember? Season’s 6 Meereen was filmed in Peniscola, Spain, and this is one of our favorite escapes to wonderland 🙂
-
#SINEQUANON VALENCIA: THE CORNERSTONES
Last day in Valencia and here are the likely and unlikely musts in this gorgeous and happily (and thankfully) underrated city – besides paella and the old city center. Random order, you really have to try them all1. Bioparc You can call it a zoo, but you’ll be a gross understatement. This is the most wonderful “bio immersion” you’ve seen. The concept of immersing the visitor into the animals’ habitat – and not the other way round, the way a classical zoo does – is magically re-creating Africa in Valencia downtown.
-
ANDALUSIA #SINEQUANON: THE CORNERSTONES
ONE: RONDA There is an unbreakable quality about that place: it’s perfect; not intimidating yet not popular either, not humble yet by no means brassy, audacious yet familiar. Ideally situated in the mountains only 40 minutes drive from the sea, the city is fractured in the middle by an abyss, the two halves united by an old bridge. Ronda hangs over the most magnificent abrupt rocks without being terrifying or cold, it has small paved streets with charming boutiques, a Museo de los Ladrones (The Thieves’ Museum) and the most beautiful Plaza de Torros (the bullfighting arena) in the world. The most spectacular corrida in the world takes place here, the Corrida…
