3 Best Towns To Visit in Costa Blanca

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3 Best Towns To Visit in Costa Blanca

August 24, 2024

Costa Blanca in Spain has been our summer vacation destination for the past two years. Having a baby, the calm, warm turquoise waters of the Mediterranean sea has been a decisive factor to choose the coast of Alicante as our family holiday resting place.

During these trips we have discovered some great coastal towns that I want to share with you. Calpe, Villajoyosa and Altea are my three choices as perfect destinations in Costa Blanca. Either to stay in one of them or to visit on a day trip, these towns in the region of Alicante are a must.

You see, there are so many of the best things to do in Costa Blanca that you’ll be spoilt for choice once you arrive. 

So, to help you get the most out of your visit, I’m sharing my top places in Costa Blanca that you have to visit. Have an amazing time visiting Spain!

3 Best Towns in Costa Blanca: Villajoyosa

There are two main things I'll never forget about Villajoyosa: the colorful houses on the seaside promenade, which are Instagram worthy, and the smell of chocolate coming from the Valor factory which is located in this town. 

The colorful houses are old fishermen lodgings which are really well preserved. They go all along the sea promenade which make it a very enjoyable walk by the sea.

Valor is one of the most popular chocolate brands in Spain. If you are a fan of chocolate, you can visit Valor's factory and museum in Villajoyosa. The guided tour is free but you should book your tickets in advance on their website. At the end of the tour you won't be able to leave the amazing chocolate shop empty handed.

Tip! : There's a Valor cafe in town which is also a must. In winter you must have their chocolate con churros and in summer you have to try their cold chocolates and slushy. 

Where to stay in Villajoyosa:

• Allon Mediterranea Hotel has an unbeateable location as it's the only hotel opposite the beach. It also has big rooms. On the other hand, the buffet is the worst we've had in Spain. I follow a very healthy diet and I found it extremely difficult to find food to eat for breakfast and dinner. Fruit was scarce but there was no shortage of croissants and they had a wide variety of sausages to choose from.
• Montiboli servigroup is a five star hotel located in the outskirts of Villajoyosa. It's located on a hill top and has beautiful sea views. It's perfect for those looking for a quiet romantic getaway. If you are traveling with children this may not be the best choice since the website advertises it as "adult recommended". 

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3 Best Towns in Costa Blanca: Calpe

Calpe is a quiet town with a wide variety of things to do. Here are a few ideas:

• Visit the old town. The steps decorated with the colors of the Spanish flag is one of Calpe's main attractions.
• Walk the Ifach rock. Also known as Calpe Rock, this is one of the most famous sights along the Costa Blanca coastline and is also a protected Natural Park. You can take part in a guided excursion which takes you along the walking trail, or climb the rock without a guide.
• See two modern architecture marvels. Designed by architect Ricardo Bofil, Xanadu and Muralla Roja (red wall) serve as Air b&b apartments. The latter was the inspiration for the stair you see on the Netflix show Squid Game. They are both private buildings and cannot be visited.

Where to stay in Calpe:

• There are a couple family friendly options for accommodation in Calpe that I can recommend. One is RH Ifach hotel which is located near the Ifach rock. It's great for families. Their buffet includes baby food and one a week they have the most amazing chocolate fountain. The other one is Estimar Calpe Suitopia which is conveniently located near the beach and old town.
• Gran Hotel Sol y Mar is a wonderful adults only accommodation. This 4-star hotel feels more like a 5-star. It's got the most impressive buffet, it's located opposite the beach and every guest is treated like a VIP.

3 Best Towns in Costa Blanca: Altea 

Also known as "the Spanish Santorini", Altea is chosen every year as one of the best beach destination in Spain. Altea is a gorgeous white washed old town and warm turquoise waters.

If you visit Altea, you can't miss the church of Nuestra Señora del Consuelo with its blue dome, the sea promenade and the beautiful wooden Orthodox church in the outskirts. 

Does Altea sound like the place for you? I devoted a full post to Altea that you can read here.

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Where to have Afternoon Tea in Madrid

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Where to have Afternoon Tea in Madrid

April 11, 2024

The elegant, classic English tradition of having high tea has travelled overseas and now you can enjoy afternoon tea in many other countries. That is the case of the capital of Spain. Many luxury hotels in Madrid are offering finger sandwiches, scones, petit fours elegantly displayed and paired with excellent cups of tea that transport you to England.

Afternoon tea originated in England sometime around 1840. Duchess of Bedford, Anna Maria Russell, complained of "having that sinking feeling" during the late afternoon. She was looking for some kind of snack to keep her full until dinner time. And that's how afternoon tea came to life. However, it was only a small bite at the time, very far from the three tier trays we enjoy nowadays.

Delicious treats and tea rooms are totally right are right up my alley. If you feel the same, get ready because here's a list of the very best places to have afternoon tea in Madrid.

Afternoon tea in Madrid: Ritz Mandarin Oriental

The Ritz hotel in Madrid reopened in 2021 after years of renovations. This brand new hotel is a mixture of classic and modern with beautifully decorated common areas like the Palm Court where high tea takes place. 

Afternoon tea at the Ritz is one of the most unique experiences you can have in Madrid. From the delicate china to the attentive staff, every detail here is perfect. If you want to add something unforgettable to your to-do list while you are in the capital of sunny Spain be sure to add this.

I devoted a full post to our experience having afternoon tea at the Ritz when we went in 2021 that you can read on this post.

Address: Plaza de la Lealtad, 5

Price: from 48€

Afternoon tea in Madrid: Rosewood Villamagna

Flor y Nata, the patisserie at Rosewood Villamagna, offers afternoon tea all year round but what is special about it is that they serve a Christmas themed tea during the holiday season. Their parisian patissier creates the most beautiful Christmas inspired cakes that are too cute to eat. Even Santa pops by every Saturday and Sunday to talk to kids and collect their letters. 

If you want to burn the extra calories afterwards, you can skate at their ice-rink. Complimentary access is included in the price. 

The good thing about Rosewood Villamagna is that they offer many activities for people who are not staying at the hotel. Apart from the holiday themed activities they do Easter egg hunt and have an Alpine chalet to have raclette during winter. I can't wait to see what they come up with in the next few months!

Address: Paseo de la Castellana, 22

Price: from 48€

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Afternoon tea in Madrid: Orfila

We chose Orfila to celebrate our first wedding anniversary with a delicious and luxurious brunch. When I heard that they also do afternoon tea I immediately added it to my bucket list. This place is everything you could dream decor in terms of exquisite decor and food.

Luxury hotel Orfila serves a very traditional experience and serves English tea with assorted pastries, mini-muffins and finger sandwiches in their beautifully decorated tea room. 

Address: Calle de Orfila, 6

Price: from 40€

Afternoon tea in Madrid: Four Seasons Madrid

Doing some reasearch, I found that one of the most spectacular hotels in Madrid, the Four seasons, also offers afternoon tea. El Patio, the beautiful lobby at the Four Seasons, puts a twist on the traditional afternoon tea experience. Instead of offering the regular sweet and savoury treats, they do a tapas experience to take a culinary tour around Spain with every bite.

I haven't tried it yet, but that tea experience surely has my name on it!

You probably know this hotel for the spectacular Christmas tree they attach to the facade every year. It become's one of Madrid's main attractions during the holiday season.

Address: Calle Sevilla, 3

Price: 24€

Are you a fan of those beautifully arranged three tier trays with delicious treats that we call high tea? Are you planning a trip to Madrid in the near future? 

I hope you found this article about the best places to have afternoon tea in Madrid useful. If you want to save this post, pin the image below so you can find it easily later. That will also help spread the love, thanks! :)

5 Most beautiful restaurants in Madrid

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5 Most beautiful restaurants in Madrid

March 29, 2024

Madrid is not only the capital of Spain, but also one of the gastronomic capitals of the world. There are about 10.000 restaurants in Madrid, some of them are the most beautiful you've ever seen. If you've been to Madrid, surely you know that madrileños really know and love their food. That's why the competition between restaurants to be the most beautiful and serve the best food is fierce.

In my 10 years living in Madrid, I've been to many different types of restaurants. A few have wowed me like no other. On this post I've put together a roundup of some of the most beautiful, spectacular restaurants in the capital of Spain.

The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Numa Pompilio

Before you set foot in Numa Pompilio restaurant you can't imagine what you are going to find inside. This is not your average italian restaurant, it's so much more. Located in the exclusive Barrio de Salamanca, near Retiro Park, Numa Pompilio offers a luxurious dining experience. Prepare to be transported to Renaissance Italy. It's divided in different dining halls all of them decorated like a majestic italian palace. Cherry on top is the terrace for a unique al fresco meal.

As an appetizer, they serve delicious bologna with assorted breads. I recommend the salad to start and any of their pasta dishes after. Be sure to order the pistachio cream for dessert. 

Tip: if the weather is good, eating in the terrace is lovely but bear in mind that they add a 10% to your bill for eating outside.

The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Tatel

There's a restaurant in Madrid owned by Rafa Nadal, Pau Gasol and Cristiano Ronaldo. That is Tatel. This beautiful restaurant is great for celebrating special occasions with friends since its dining halls have curtains that can be closed for privacy. Another strong point of this place is that there's always live music.

Needless to say, the quality of the food is exquisite. Be sure to order the spinach, goat chees and berry salad and a rice to share.

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The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: El Invernadero de los Peñotes

Invernadero is Spanish for greenhouse. El Invernadero de los Peñotes is a beautifully decorted restaurant inspired by nature. It's called like this because the restaurant is located in a former greenhouse. The restaurant is huge, with three areas each decorated in a different way. Portions are small but the cuisine is delicate and they use good quality ingredients. It's not located in the city center, it's in the north of Madrid close to A-1 road but still worth a visit.

Prior or after your meal, you can shop next door at one of the biggest garden shops in Madrid, Los Peñotes.

Tip: even though the restaurant is big and located outside of Madrid, it's usually fully booked. If you can find a table here, they have a smaller restaurant next to it equally beautiful, La Cupula de los Peñotes.

The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Ultramarinos Quintin

Ultramarinos Quintin belongs to the same group as Numa Pompilio, El Paraguas restaurant group. I also recommend you try10con10 and El Paraguas belonging to the same group.

Ultramarinos Quintin is part market, part restaurant which focuses on Spanish food made with fresh local ingredients. The menu is pricey but given the quality of the products it's worth it. The light inside is quite low which creates a cozy ambiance. We started with pumpkin soup, then had a seafood salad to share and my main dish was pork with red cabbage and caramelized chestnuts. Those caramelized chestnuts, it's one of the most exquisite things I've ever had! I wish they had sold it in jars to buy it. Finally, for desert we had their delicious homemade ice-cream. 

The beautiful restaurants in Madrid: Amos at Rosewood Villamagna

Villamagna is one of my favorite hotels in Madrid. It offers many activities for people who are not staying like a Swiss chalet and an ice-skating rink in winter. Their cafeteria Flor y Nata serves high tea and offers the most delicious treats in a cozy and exclusive ambiance.

Cenador de Amos is one of the restaurants at the brand new Rosewood Villamagna hotel in Madrid. They specialize on Cantabria cuisine a region in Northern Spain where you can find delicious food. Restaurante Amos offers traditional Spanish cuisine with a modern twist. They use excellent ingredients and cooking techniques to serve exquisite dishes.

Your dining experience at Amos starts with a set of appetizers including tapas, homemade bread and highest quality virgin extra olive oil. They charge 4€ per person for this. For starters we ordered anchovies and fried calamari. These are the top dishes in Cantabria, you can find them everywhere around the region. The main dishes were fish and meat. Their scrumptious desserts include chocolate in different textures with coffee ice-cream and Pasiego cheesecake among other delicious treats. Their desserts are small, delicate and taste like heaven. To finish the meal they serve a set of cinammon macarons.

Tips: Amos is pricey, but worth it. Here are two insider tips to make the most of your experience.

• Your booking includes 2 hours of free parking.
• If you have a The Fork account you can get 20% off. 

I hope you enjoyed this post about 5 of the most beautiful restaurants in Madrid. Let me know if you've tried any of them or if you end up going to Amos, Los Peñotes, Numa Pompilio, Tatel or Ultramarinos Quintin!

If you are planning a trip to the capital of Spain or simply daydreaming about travel destinations don't forget to pin this post to save it for later.

You can find more amazing restaurant blog posts clicking on the tag Madrid for foodies.