Mainland Spain for foodies/older couples

[wink1970]

Morning!

Presuming we are allowed to travel this year, I would like to try mainland Spain for virtually the first time (last went to Mojacar 20 years ago & Puerto Buenos 30 years ago!). Please can you recommend some places to try? I intend to hire a villa for 2 x monthly stays.

Looking for beach (or nearby, so not inland for now) towns, with an interesting old town or/and harbour, with the emphasis on good restaurants and cafes. We will occasionally be joined by grandkids so nothing too remote from airports.

Many thanks in advance.

I am in Andalucia, very near Cadiz, at the moment! Gorgeous weather, we can hardly believe it's January.
We're in a town called El Puerto de Santa Maria which is the third town in the 'sherry triangle' with Jerez and Sanlucár. It's about 20 minutes from Cadiz which is just gorgeous and the food here is wonderful.
Not many cruise ships seem to be coming in at present, so the fish market is not too crowded and is a pleasure to walk round.
We were sitting outside a café in Cathedral Plaza earlier today in bright sunshine, listening to the parakeets chatter in the palm trees. The sky was an amazing blue and we just felt so lucky to be here.
Cadiz featured in one of Rick Stein's Long Weekend travel series on TV a few years ago.
The other city well worth a visit is Bilbao in the north, about an hour by road from San Sebastian. We were there last week, the weather was balmy and it felt like the whole city was eating and drinking inside and outside the restaurants and bars. The atmosphere was lively but very safe and civilised. The food is wonderful here too, of course.

Hands down San Sebastian, beautiful place, amazing food, beaches and walks. I want to retire there!!

Can I second Estepona? We've been twice and there are some amazing restaurants, both in the town and the surrounding countryside. The ones that immediately spring to mind are the beach bar called Chiringuito El Madero for amazing grilled sardines and other seafood done on the bbq at the back, and El Arroyo Hondo on the road to Casares. I'm putting them down as I'll forget to come back!

Thank so much, some brilliant suggestions, which I shall make a point of trying.

@SiobhanSharpe

I am in Andalucia, very near Cadiz, at the moment! Gorgeous weather, we can hardly believe it's January. We're in a town called El Puerto de Santa Maria which is the third town in the 'sherry triangle' with Jerez and Sanlucár. It's about 20 minutes from Cadiz which is just gorgeous and the food here is wonderful. Not many cruise ships seem to be coming in at present, so the fish market is not too crowded and is a pleasure to walk round. We were sitting outside a café in Cathedral Plaza earlier today in bright sunshine, listening to the parakeets chatter in the palm trees. The sky was an amazing blue and we just felt so lucky to be here. Cadiz featured in one of Rick Stein's Long Weekend travel series on TV a few years ago. The other city well worth a visit is Bilbao in the north, about an hour by road from San Sebastian. We were there last week, the weather was balmy and it felt like the whole city was eating and drinking inside and outside the restaurants and bars. The atmosphere was lively but very safe and civilised. The food is wonderful here too, of course.

@SiobhanSharpe

What’s the best way to get to Cadiz, please? I’m in NW England - I’d love to go there, but last time I looked (pre plague!) it wasn’t a simple journey.

TIA

@GiantKitten

Flight to Seville (we did Ryanair from EMA but that was pre-pandemic), then train or bus from the city centre down to Cadiz.

Thank you, @PlanetNormal!

I’ll look into that option. On previous Spanish trips we’ve stayed away from cities so hired a car, but I imagine that wouldn’t be too helpful in Cadiz & bus would be better

Definitely. We stayed in an apartment in the heart of Cadiz old town, which is just about the last place in the world you would want a car!

Another vote for Basque country. Amazing food, fabulous scenery and friendly people. Lots of pretty beaches and great food comes as standard.

We have a car because we've come for a month but the best way into Cádiz from here, El Puerto de Santa Maria, is by fast ferry across the bay. (Cost €2.50) 😉
There is a vast underground car park along the front in Cadiz too.

San Sebastian 100%

Easyjet are flying LGW to Seville at the moment.

San Sebastian/ Donastia is absolutely beautiful, lovely beaches, great food, and you can learn a lot about Basque culture (very much distinct from "Spanish" culture in general). You can fly to Barcelona or Bilbao depending on what's available, both are also worth a visit for a couple of days on the way.

The 'white villages' near Malaga are gorgeous. We stayed in Frigiliana for a week and loved it. It's not quite on the coast (you can see the sea, but it's a short drive/bus journey down to Nerja). That whole area of Andalucia is gorgeous. Some amazing food options and stunning scenery. Close to loads of other places to explore too.

is there a way of visiting San Sebastien without having a car?

We didn't use a car during our time there, it stayed in the parking. So would just need to arrange air port transfer.

@ihatethecold yes, you can get a direct train from Barcelona, or it's an hour via comfortable coach from Pamplona. The town itself is very accessible without a car. Also, would recommend for anyone with reduced mobility - public toilets have lift access, the beaches can be accessed via ramp, and there's even a council run kiosk centre thing that rents out beach equipment eg sand/sea wheelchairs, wide-based walking sticks etc.

Thanks. How far is the airport from SS.
I have been many years ago when staying in Biarritz.
The kids were quite young so we only did the aquarium and ate at a small restaurant where my sons front tooth fell out (baby tooth) and he got in a right state.

We vowed we will return.

Barcelona airport is about 5 or 6 hours on the train I think, I'm not sure exactly as haven't been direct (I live in Spain). Bilbao is only about an hour, but most UK airlines don't fly direct to there. You can transfer in Madrid though.

www.rome2rio.com/map/Nearby-Airports/San-Sebastian

This lists all the closest airports and trains that can get you to SS

This Op is inspiring me to book some trips. 😎

The area between Valencia and Calpe is very nice. We especially like Oliva, the beaches are amazing and the local food is wonderful. It's very Spanish around Oliva, not many expats or tourists from the UK.

You can also fly London-madrid-jerez for Cadiz.

But yeah Cadiz is amazing. They filmed some bond film or other on the beach and you can see the actual place where the Spanish Constitution had its first state ceremony and they all marched around and that. Gorgeous cathedral, loads of little streets to wander round, really good shoe shops (!) and the food is unreal for the money. Plus the folks we met there were all really engaging. Fast train to Seville and easy to get to the white villages for days out. I mean Seville is amazing, and so are the villages, but obviously inland and you're not after that.

@ihatethecold

is there a way of visiting San Sebastien without having a car?

You can fly Easyjet to Bilbao from, i think, Gatwick, get the airport bus into Bilbao centre and then a bus to San Sebastián, which takes about an hour and a half.

Can I recommend a vlog called 'Spain Revealed'. They have made a few videos of the best tapas in eg San Sebastián, and other food related areas of Spain. A lovely couple - he is a Kiwi and she is Spanish. They also offer food tours when able to do so.

@Cheermonger

Malaga Malaga Malaga

Sssh, don't tell everyone how good it is 😂

But seriously. Malaga. I've spent a lot of time on the east coast with a lot of happy memories (Benidorm downwards) but for what you've asked for I would be back in Malaga old town like a shot. It's very well connected to all the interesting places in that region too.