Bucking Starbucks in Spain

I don’t really know Alberto Romero but thanks to the Internet, I have seen what he has for breakfast, and I love him for his dedication to one of Spain’s perfect meals: a little crema-topped café with a glass of water back, olive-oily bites of crunchy fried dough in...

Backroads of Spain

My favorite times in Spain have been on backcountry drives of discovery. Madrid, Barcelona and Seville are modern, sleek and efficient. The Costa del Sol is packed with beachgoers and high-rises lining endless sand. But only a few kilometers away, around the knoll,...

Spanish caves, olives and ceramics

My first planned visit to Ubeda never happened. I was staying at nearby Jaen ensconced in the Parador Santa Catalina built into the imposing castle when I started my trip. After a half day traveling to Guadix on the zigzagging roads to visit the cave dwellings, the...

Arab baths of Granada, Spain

Two sets of Arab baths in Granada offer two different points of view of the Moorish Hammams. One is the ruin of the oldest public bath in the city. The other is a functioning recreation of an Arab bath in which visitors can wallow in the enfolding warmth and soothing...

White Towns to Ronda and Granada

Sometimes plans don’t meet expectations. That was the story of today — filled with spectacular natural panoramas, ho-hum sights, too many tourists, changes to loved locations and disappointing restaurants. It was a simple straight shot out of Seville from the...

Take Seville slowly

Once, I used to scramble from sight to sight trying to squeeze in as much experience as possible. Today, I move more slowly, take my time and soak in as much history and atmosphere as possible. Enjoying what I visit to the fullest is far more important than visiting...