August 19, 2019
3 Beautiful Villages in Castilla y Leon, Spain: Lerma, Covarrubias & Silos

3 Beautiful Villages in Castilla y Leon, Spain: Lerma, Covarrubias & Silos

August 19, 2019

summer travel dress floral abercrombieSpanish cities are beautiful, but I prefer hidden gems, unique places off the beaten path that leave you speechless. In Spain you can find countless quaint villages with cobblestone streets, houses with geraniums on their balconies and so peaceful that will make you want to move in. In fact, there is an association that gives them the distinction of "most beautiful villages in Spain".

In the region of Burgos, there are three beautiful villages that are worth visiting: Lerma, Covarrubias and Santo Domingo de Silos. Two of them, Lerma and Covarrubias, are in the Pueblos Mas Bonitos de España -most beautiful villages in Spain- list. They are near each other and they are great day trips if you are in Burgos or an amazing weekend getaway if you are in Madrid.


If you need to spend the night, the best place to stay in the area is the former Ducal Palace of Lerma, now Parador the Lerma. Imagine feeling like a Duke for a night! If you are on a day/road trip you can find parking in Plaza Mayor -main square- in front of the Parador. It's easy to find parking on the other villages as well.
lerma burgos spain castile leon sunset beautiful village

3 Beautiful Villages in Spain: Lerma

Lerma can be spotted up on a hill by the side of the A-1 motorway. This magnificent village catches your attention ever from there. In the 17th Century, the Duke of Lerma ordered to construct Lerma on a whim. The most famous construction in the village is the Ducal Palace of Lerma, nowadays a Parador hotel.
lerma burgos spain castile leon parador hotel ducal palace beautiful village
lerma burgos spain castile leon parador hotel ducal palace beautiful village
lerma burgos spain castile leon parador hotel ducal palace beautiful village
lerma burgos spain castile leon parador hotel ducal palace beautiful village restaurant
lerma burgos spain castile leon parador hotel room ducal palace beautiful village
What to do in Lerma:
El Parador is a must-see monument but there's much more in this beautiful Spanish village:

  • Church of San Pedro
  • Convent of Santa Teresa
  • Monasterio de la Ascension
  • Convent of San Blas

Now and until November 2019, Lerma is hosting the new exhibition of Las Edades del Hombre -Ages of Man- called "Angeli". The exhibit is dedicated to the figure of the angel and how it has been represented through works of art from different times in history. It's a great opportunity for any art lover to see masterpieces from all around the world.

Where to eat in Lerma:



Distances:
Burgos 40km, Madrid 205km.
lerma burgos spain castile leon church beautiful village
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lerma burgos spain castile leon typical house construction beautiful village
summer travel outfit dress floral abercrombie
lerma burgos spain castile leon restaurant galoria beautiful village

3 Beautiful Villages in Spain: Covarrubias

This picturesque village is one of Castilla y Leon's hidden gems. Its cobblestone streets and half-timbered houses are an example of typical Castilian urban layout.

What to see in Covarrubias:
Stroll through the old town to find these wonderful gems.

  • Casa de Doña Sancha
  • Palacio de Fernan Gonzalez
  • Church of Santo Tomas
  • Gothic Collegiate Church of San Cosme and San Damian
  • Statue of Kristina, princess of Norway. 
You may wonder what does a Norwegian princess have to do with this Spanish village. Well, Kristina Olaf, daughter of king Haakon Haakonson of Norway, married don Felipe, brother of king Alfonso X el Sabio -the wise- and she is buried in Covarrubias.

Distances:
Burgos 42 km, Madrid 220 km.
covarrubias burgos spain castile leon timber house beautiful village
covarrubias burgos spain castile leon timber house beautiful village
covarrubias burgos spain castile leon beautiful village
covarrubias burgos spain castile leon beautiful village

3 Beautiful Villages in Spain: Santo Domingo de Silos

This village is best known for the Monastery of Silos which is thought to have been founded around the 7th century. Another temple was built in 1088 on this site which was later replaced by the present one, of Neoclassical style. The monastery houses one of the most beautiful cloisters in Spain and the monks' Gregorian chant is known all around the world. Apparently, it even made the British pop charts in the mid-1990s! As you can imagine, the piece and quiet in this place is quite unique as well.

The monastery is open from Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm and then from 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm. On public holidays and Sunday it's open from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm and then from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm. It's closed on Monday. General admission is 3,5€. If you want to hear Gregorian chant you can attend the service at 9 am from Tuesday to Saturday or 12 pm on public holidays and Sundays. Those times can change so I advice you to make a call when you plan your visit.

If you have time for more, just two and a half kilometers from Santo Domingo de Silos you can find an amazing gorge at La Yecla. To cross it there is a narrow cement walkway -with vultures flying overhead- that reveals the force of water erosion. It's a short -around 600m- but spectacular path great for taking photos of nature. Fun fact: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly was filmed in this area.

Distances:
Burgos 59km, Madrid 211km.
silos monastery santo domingo burgos spain castile leon cloister
silos monastery santo domingo burgos spain castile leon cloister
silos monastery santo domingo burgos spain castile leon cloister
santo domingo silos antonio lopez escultura niño bebe burgos

3 Beautiful Villages in Castilla y Leon Map
WEAR THIS HERE 
Summer in Spain is hot, even in the region of Burgos. Light and airy dresses are your best choice and don't forget very comfortable shoes for exploring all those cobblestone streets!
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lerma covarrubias santo domingo silos castile leon burgos spain village
lerma burgos castile leon spain beautiful village

August 12, 2019
How to Make the Most of 4 Days in New York City

How to Make the Most of 4 Days in New York City

August 12, 2019
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan dumbo brooklyn bridge school bus
Seeing NYC in four days may seem impossible but with a carefully planned itinerary and the most comfortable shoes you can. Luckily for you, I've taken care of the first part and I'm going to show you our trip plan to make the most of New York City in just four days.

New York City is divided into five boroughs: Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Harlem, and The Bronx. With only 4 days in New York, you can't visit all five boroughs, so this itinerary focuses on Manhattan and a little bit of Brooklyn.

NYC is often referred to as the capital of the world, it's on most people's bucket list and its popularity makes it one of the most expensive destinations in the world. On this 4 day itinerary I'm going to show you the things you have to do and see, the most delicious food you can eat and some tips to save money.

So here's how to make the most of 4 days in the Big Apple.
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan rockefeller shopping ralph's coffee food truck

4 DAYS IN NYC ITINERARY - DAY 1

We arrived at Row NYC hotel around lunch time. We had arrived at La Guardia airport and took public transport to the hotel which takes about 1 hour. The hotel is located in Times Square which is great if you plan to explore the city on foot.

Row NYC is probably the biggest hotel we've been to. The room was modern, with lots of light and quite big. We had a lovely stay but we do have one complaint: the facility fee. Apparently this practice is common in many New York hotels. You have to pay a fee for each day you stay which is between $20-30 for using the gym and it's not negotiable. We think it's unfair that you have to pay it even if you are not using the facilities. We worked out enough sightseeing every day, so as you can imagine we couldn't even think about going to the gym when we came back to the hotel. Sorry about the rant, I felt this was an important issue to share with the community. Have you ever had to pay a facility fee? What do you think about it?

The first day on a new destination we are always pretty tired from the trip so we just explore the places nearest to the hotel. In this case we walked around Rockefeller Center, went in Saint Paul's Cathedral and saw Times Square.

4 DAYS IN NYC ITINERARY - DAY 2

We started out day at Top of the Rock. This is the observatory at the top of Rockefeller Center. From here you can see the best views of Manhattan. You can see the whole of Central Park, WTC, Chrysler building, Empire State building and even Statue of Liberty. It's pretty pricey, the ticket is $42 and if you get there by sunset you have to pay $10 extra.
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan top of the rock deck observatory rockefeller center empire state building
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan top of the rock deck observatory rockefeller center empire state building
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan top of the rock deck observatory rockefeller center empire state building

We spent the rest of the day exploring Central Park. If it's your first time in New York, these are the must-see places in the iconic Park:
  • Bethesda Terrace and Fountain
  • Bow Bridge
  • Belvedere Castle
  • Alice in Wonderland Statue
  • Strawberry fields
  • Centrla Park Zoo
  • The Loeb Boat House: this lakeside eatery with great views is a great place for lunch. It's very touristy and expensive but it's the best meal with a view you can get in NYC.
new york itinerary guide plan central park manhattan loeb boathouse menu food restaurant
new york itinerary guide plan central park manhattan towers
new york itinerary guide plan central park manhattan towers

We finished the day with some retail therapy at Columbus Circle. This mall is located at the main entrance to Central Park where Broadway, 8th Avenue, Central Park South and Central Park West all intersect. Here you can find some of the best American and international brands.


4 DAYS IN NYC ITINERARY - DAY 3

We took the metro to World Trade Center. The 9/11 memorial still gives you goosebumps, it's a very emotional experience to stand there where everything happened. This is what you can find at WTC:
  • 9/11 Memorial and Museum (free on Tuesdays after 5 pm)
  • Oculus: the WTC terminal station
  • One World Observatory at Freedom Tower
  • North Pool and South Pool are the places where the Twin Towers stood. Around the pools you can find the names of the people who died there. If you see a white roses on someone's name, that means it's their birthday.
north south pool wtc 911 memorial white rose
world trade center wtc oculus one world observatory oculus new york itinerary guide plan

Next stop: Brooklyn Bridge. We crossed the iconic bridge to the borough of Brooklyn. We took a walk around the area of Dumbo. This place has become very popular because of Instagram and with good reason. The views you can get of the Manhattan and Brooklyn bridges are unbeatable.
new york itinerary guide plan brooklyn bridge dumbo
new york itinerary guide plan manhattan bridge dumbo brooklyn empire state building
Can you spot the Empire State building in the photo above?

Back in Manhattan, we had lunch at SoHo. My friend and fellow blogger Bejal from Be-Lavie had recommended Nomo Kitchen and it looked so good we had to give it a try. It didn't disappoint. The place has a lovely ambiance. It's a closed terrace which feels like being at a very fancy greenhouse. It was raining and it was lovely to see the drops falling while we were eating. The whole scene was very cozy. It's like eating outdoors without getting wet.
new york itinerary guide plan nomo kitchen restaurant soho manhattan
new york itinerary guide plan nomo kitchen restaurant soho manhattan hamburger food
new york itinerary guide plan nomo kitchen restaurant soho manhattan

Unfortunately, the heavy rain didn't stop after lunch so we ended up going from one shelter to another. We stopped by at Ralph's Coffee at Flatiron. Ralph Lauren is my favorite designer so I love trying out anything related to the brand. We had had the most amazing lunch at Ralph's restaurant in Paris so when I heard there were 3 cafes in Manhattan I knew we had to try it. The place is as lovely as you'd expect and the products are great quality. However, it was a disappointment for me. I had expected a regular coffee house with a cozy sitting area and the one in Flatiron is more of a grab-and-go coffee place.
new york itinerary guide plan ralph's coffee ralph lauren tea flatiron manhattan
new york itinerary guide plan ralph's coffee ralph lauren tea flatiron manhattan

4 DAYS IN NYC ITINERARY - DAY 4

First things first, so we took the metro to Battery Park to go see Lady Liberty before it was too crowded. Be careful when you get there because there's going to be a lot of people trying to sell you unofficial tickets. The only place that sells the official tickets to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island is Castle Clinton. Tickets are $18.50. If you are on a budget and want to see it for free you can get on the Staten Island ferry. You won't be at the statue's feet but you can get a good look at it.

When we came back we took a walk around Wall Street on our way to lunch at WTC. At the Westfield mall you can find Eataly, an Italian market. Here you can find all sorts of Italian products as well as two lovely restaurants. There is another Eataly next to the Flatiron building.
new york itinerary guide plan eataly westfield wtc food market restaurant manhattan italian
new york itinerary guide plan eataly westfield wtc food market restaurant manhattan

After a wonderful Italian meal we went to Union Square and then Washington Square Park. I loved the atmosphere at the later. Street bands playing jazz, people gathered to chill and relax...it's like an Oasis in the big city. Grab a bagel and eat it in the park while soaking up the NYC feeling to experience the park like a local.
new york itinerary guide plan grand central terminal manhattan

We spent the late afternoon and evening visiting Grand Central Terminal and the UN headquarters. It was no coincidence that we ended up here at that day and time. I had planned to be there on the evening of July 12 to see Manhattanhenge. A.k.a. Manhattan Solstice, it is an event during which the setting sun is aligned with the east–west streets of the main street grid of Manhattan. These happens only for two days every spring and summer. It just happens for a brief moment but it's pretty magical.

The name is the union of Manhattan + Stonehenge and the most popular spots to see it are 42nd Street, 57th, 34th, 23rd and 14th Streets. There you will see many people walking in and out of the crosswalk, on top of cars, with tripods -we even saw a girl with a ladder!- hoping to photograph the perfect sunset. You have to be in the middle of the street to see Manhattanhenge so it gets pretty crazy with cars trying to avoid the people on the road. We ended up thinking that the best "spectacle" was seeing the amount of people gathered to see "just a sunset".

More info on Manhattanhenge here.
new york itinerary guide plan manhattanhenge solstice 42nd street manhattan
 Above, 42nd street one hour before Manhattanhenge.
new york itinerary guide plan manhattanhenge solstice manhattan

After the sun set we went to a rooftop to mingle with the locals and have a drink to say goodbye to New York. We went to Pod 39 at the top of The Pod Hotel.
new york itinerary guide plan pod 39 hotel rooftop manhattan

LAST DAY
We had a morning left in New York before taking the plane back to Madrid. We used it to do some shopping around 5th Avenue where you can find the most amazing shops in the world. The map below includes the location of my favorite stores.

WHERE TO EAT IN NYC

We had breakfast at the hotel every day. At Row NYC you have two options: a small buffet at District M or feel like you are at a street market at City Kitchen.

I've already talked about the places where we had lunch throughout the itinerary but if you need more options see the map below. I pinned many places while I was planning our trip to have plenty of options because no matter how carefully you plan a trip, you never know where you are going to be at meal times.

Eating out every day at all times is pricey so for dinner we went to the closest Whole Foods which was at Bryant Park. This is my favorite grocery store in the whole world and I miss it so much here in Spain. They have the most delicious food. We love their take-away food, especially the soup and salad bar. For a sweet treat, try their cookies, they are the best!

4 DAYS IN NYC ITINERARY MAP

This NYC map includes all the things you need for your trip: what to do, what to eat, where to stay and where to shop. The blue pins are the sights, yellow pins mark places to eat and the green ones are the location for my favorite shops. Click on the star next to the title to save to your maps in Google and take it with you on your trip.
If you have extra time...

We didn't have time for museums this time but if you want to see great art collections I recommend the MET and the MoMa (free after 4 pm on Fridays).

On a previous visit to NYC I had the chance to visit Harlem and attend a Gospel service which I highly recommend as well.

Read more about NYC:
The ultimate 10-day east coast itinerary
A European's guide to shopping in the USA
Best photo locations in NYC for first time visitors

WEAR THIS HERE
Summers in NYC are hot and humid so I packed lots of light and airy dresses like these.

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new york itinerary guide plan brooklyn bridge dumbo manhattan

August 5, 2019
2 Days in Washington DC: all you need to see, eat and do in 48 hours

2 Days in Washington DC: all you need to see, eat and do in 48 hours

August 5, 2019
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall
The USA's capital houses iconic monuments, vast museums (most of them are free) and restaurants serving food from all over the world. Whether you are into politics or not, Washington DC deserves a visit.

We spent 48 hours in Washington DC and on this post I'm going to tell you how to make the most of 2 days in this amazing city. Our itinerary was pretty packed and we didn't have time for everything but we saw the most important places thanks to a carefully planned trip.

Let's take a look at where you can stay, best things to do in DC and our favorite restaurants. Plus, you can find a map with the whole plan and itinerary at the end of this post that you can take with on your trip.

Here's our 2-day Washington DC tour.


HOW TO SPEND 2 DAYS IN WASHINGTON DC: DAY 1


Getting downtown from the airport using public transport is fast and easy...the process of using the metro ticket machine not so much, you'll see what I'm talking about when you get there. We took the metro (blue line) and in 20 minutes we were in our hotel, Capital Hilton. The room was lovely, the best we had during our east coast itinerary. The decor was of a classic luxury apartment. Both the room and the bathroom were huge. The room consisted of a sitting-room area with TV, coffee table and sofa and the area with the bed and bedside tables. We couldn't feel cozier and more at home.
washington dc itinerary guide map duke's grocery restaurant
washington dc itinerary guide map duke's grocery restaurant
washington dc itinerary guide map street brick house
After unpacking it was lunch time so we looked for a place I had seen recommended on our Lonely Planet Guide: Duke's Grocery. Great place for a relaxed meal and for drinks later in the day.
Afterwards we took M street all the way to Georgetown University. On the way we found a lovely shopping area where you can find the best American brands.

Georgetown University amazed us with its beautiful architecture. Founded in 1789, Georgetown was the first Roman Catholic University. Look for Healy Hall -which reminded us of Harry Potter's Hogwarts- and Dalghren Chapel.
washington dc itinerary guide map georgetown university healy hall
washington dc itinerary guide map georgetown university burying ground

HOW TO SPEND 2 DAYS IN WASHINGTON DC: DAY 2

washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall monument
We devoted day 2 of our Washington DC trip to National Mall. A.k.a. "America's front yard", it holds all the major monuments and museums: the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument, the Smithsonian...,etc.

We had made tour reservations to see the US Capitol (book here). The tour is free and totally worth it. Our guide was wonderful, he was extremely friendly and funny and made the experience very enjoyable. The US Capitol is where the countries' laws are written. It houses the Senate and the House of Representatives.

If you see the Capitol, you can't miss the stunning Library of Congress (also free). In fact, there's a tunnel that connects the two which makes it very easy to access especially on a rainy day like the one we had!

Library of Congress is hands down the most beautiful library I've ever seen. Look for the Jefferson Building to see the most spectacular reading room ever. It's the world's largest library with 164 million books, maps, manuscripts and other items among which is the Gutenberg Bible.
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol tour dome national mall
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall jefferson building library congress
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol tunnel national mall library congress
It is possible to do a White House tour as well if you are an American citizen. Tours must be arranged in advance. You have to apply via on of you state's members of Congress. Applications are taken from 21 days to 3 months in advance. If you are not an American citizen, check your countries' embassy in DC. Unfortunately for us, the Spanish embassy is not taking applications at the moment so we could just see the White House from outside.
washington dc itinerary guide map national mall white house
There are many amazing museums on both sides of the National Mall including the National Air and Space Museum and the National Gallery. Most of them are free but we didn't have time to go inside.

One of the most impressive things to see in the National Mall is Washington Monument. 555 ft high and 36,000 blocks of stone make up the tallest construction in DC. In fact, nothing in DC can be taller than it.
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall monument
washington dc itinerary guide map capitol national mall monument
Last but not least, the Lincoln Memorial. We had seen the image in countless movies and TV shows, but finally being able to see Abe in his chair was one of our favorite moments.

Other places at National Mall that you can't miss include:
  • MLK Jr Memorial
  • Vietnam Veterans Memorial
  • National WWII Memorial

On this day we had Mexican food for lunch at Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. The owner, Spanish chef Jose Andres, is one of the most famous cooks in DC. He is best known for bringing traditional Spanish food to America which he serves at Spanish tapas restaurant, Jaleo. Nowadays he owns many restaurants in DC and all around the US.
washington dc itinerary guide map restaurant oyamel cocina mexicana menu jose andres
washington dc itinerary guide map restaurant oyamel cocina mexicana menu jose andres

WASHINGTON DC ITINERARY MAP

This DC map includes all the things you need for your trip: what to do, what to eat, where to stay and where to shop. The blue pins are the sights, yellow pins mark places to eat and the green ones are the location for my favorite shops. Click on the star next to the title to save to your maps in Google and take it with you on your trip.
WEAR THIS HERE

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washington dc itinerary capitol jefferson building pinterest pinneable guide map