Mértola, located in Portugal’s Alentejo region is a town known as a village museum (Vila Museu) with particularly well preserved Moorish heritage.
This small walled town was built on a rocky spur on the confluence of the Oeiras and Guadiana rivers, and sits less than 15 km from the Spanish border. Now a small town of about three thousand people, it is a charming place with narrow cobbled streets and white-washed houses. Not yet discovered by mass tourism, it remains unspoiled and quaint.
An
Driving along the West Algarve and the Alentejo coastal roads was a very scenic road trip, and almost devoid of traffic . Showcasing the rugged contours of a coastline carved over millions of years, it is a landscape that has endured the huge pounding waves and merciless winds of the Atlantic Ocean. Gleaming whitewashed fishing towns, golden sandy beaches, caves and hidden secret beaches have made this road trip very special for us.
We crossed from Spain into the Algarve seamlessly, no border guards,
Seville, the captivating capital of Andalusia will seduce you with its melancholic, gypsy guitar-strumming Flamenco singers, and it’s passionate people. Brimming with history, culture and stunning architecture, offering a mixture of styles such as Mudéjar, Renaissance and Gothic masterpieces.
A sunny, warm climate invites an outdoor lifestyle that is enjoyed by all in its beautiful plazas, green spaces, or along the riverbank promenade. We visited March/19 and found it to be a perfect time
Córdoba was once upon a time considered the greatest city in western Europe. Today what brings in most of the punters is the extraordinary Great Mosque of Córdoba, known locally as the Mezquita-Cathedral, one of the oldest structures still standing from the times when Muslims ruled this region.
A building that has lived many different lives and transformations. Speculated to have been a temple to the Roman god Janus, it was then converted into a church by Visigoths during their occupation of
Antequera – Bronze Age burial mounds, Spanish Baroque architecture, and a Moorish Castle. Nearby El Torcal – showcasing some of the most spectacular limestone scenery in Europe. This region was a must-stop on our Spanish motorhome road trip.
Strategically located, Antequera is also known as the “heart of Andalusia” due to its central location among other major Spanish tourist destinations such as Malaga, Granada, Seville and Cordoba. These great cities are all within easy
Once called the most dangerous walkway in Europe, Caminito del Rey is now one of the most popular attractions in the Malaga area of Spain. Pinned to the side of a steep cliff, at about 105 metres/300 feet above the roaring river below, it stretches along a narrow gorge. A walkway like no other and one of the best hikes in Spain.
Construction of the precarious walkway started in 1901 and finished in 1905. Originally built to provide easy access for the workers of two hydroelectric power plants called
Leaving coastal Spain behind, we drove inland towards the soaring hills of the Sierra Nevada. In our quest to find Cave Houses and Royal Palaces the uphill drive took us through some really beautiful Spanish landscapes. Mile upon mile of olive trees, sprouting from the dry and arid land. These olive trees can produce some of the best olive oil in the world, making Spain the world’s leading olive oil producer and exporter.
Panoramic views of the Tabernas Desert (one of Spain’s semi-deserts)
The South Coast of Spain has been inspiring writers, painters, sculptors, musicians and many others who have been travelling to these shores for generations. Not too difficult to see why, since this splendid Mediterranean coast has the most perfect glowing sunlight, blue skies, warm weather and a fabulous coastline stretching along miles of white sandy beaches, and rugged rocky outcrops.. Often a victim to its own splendour, it gets thousands of tourists coming here to enjoy its treasures.
Valencia, located on the East coast of Spain, is the third largest city in Spain after Madrid and Barcelona. A city that was born on the margins of the River Turia and along the Mediterranean sea. It was devastated by floods in 1957 when the Turia River burst its banks, an event that sparked the start of Valencia’s transformation.
Following the floods the local government wasted no time in making plans to divert the Turia River which used to run right through the city. The river was divided
Four weeks ago we left our bricks and mortar UK home to live and travel in Europe by motorhome for an indefinite period of time. Motorhome life was new to us, we have never lived in such a small space before for any extended period of time.
Before our departure we both had reservations as to what it would feel like – we expected to love it, but there is always a little niggling doubt that reality would not match our long held (and hoped for) expectations. Would we love it or might we hate