As there are no direct flights from LAX to Barcelona, we found ourselves stopping at Dublin airport en route to Spain, with a stopover just long enough to let the good things come to those who wait.
Our Barcelona arrival time late in the evening meant it wouldn’t be worth trying to do anything other than grab a bite to eat and collapse into bed at the airport hotel. Top of mind: ham, cheese, bread and red wine. Nothing fancy, we’re simple folk, easily pleased. We needn’t have worried, an Enrique Tomas shop at the airport fitted the bill perfectly.
We’d recently watched an Anthony Bourdain episode of No Reservations on the culinary delights of Catalonia. We’d learned all about calcots, transforming the humble spring onion into both a delicacy and a feast. And they were in season when we were visiting! To be fair, these are not your bog standard spring onions. Leek size jumbo spring onions, charred over an open flame, stripped with your your bare hands, dunked into romesco sauce and ceremoniously lowered into your open mouth for best effect. Yes, they give you a bib!
After checking out a few Spanish villages along the way, our first evening destination was Zaragoza, renowned for its tapas bars.
Driving inland, it doesn’t get more typically Spanish than Albarracin, in Aragon. Pretty as a picture, this small medieval town of around 1,000 people is nestled within sandstone hills above the Guadalaviar River. It looks like it belongs on a Game of Thrones film set.
We had an Airbnb for a night within the old town, with great views over the town walls and surrounding scenery.
Climbing the adjacent hillside gives even better views over the whole town, with the ruins of an alcazar, or Moorish castle dominating the cliff top.
Take a look on TripAdvisor for Albarracin and you’ll see that in addition to being one of the most beautiful towns in Spain, it is gastronomically renowned, with a number of highly rated restaurants for its size. What they don’t tell you is that on a week day in the run up to Christmas, they’ll all be closed. Not even one of those airport vending machines to be found.
Heading south to the coastal town of Denia, we had ourselves the gastronomic feast we’d been denied the day before, at D’excaro Ossadia. From the initial dinner invitation made of tangy rice paper designed to be eaten to the multitude of petit four desserts, and all 15 or so courses in between, it really was a culinary experience.
And after the typically Spanish Spain of Albarracin, it doesn’t get more typically British Spain than Benidorm. Or Brits abroad anyway. Gotta love a bit of Benidorm, or Chavvy Benny as John calls it. We didn’t even have fish and chips or a bacon butty. But we did fit in a good old curry, a massive paella, as well as a delicious Christmas Day buffet at the hotel my sister, Denise was staying at.
What a fantastic way to spend Christmas with family – Pat and John, Denise and the kids – lapping up the sunshine by the pool and stuffing our faces with tasty food and drink. We called mum and dad on FaceTime (albeit the worse for wear – us, not them!) as unfortunately they weren’t able to join us. So instead we’ll be joining them in Scarborough post-Spain celebrations.
Our Airbnb in Benidorm probably had one of the best views in the resort, just breathtaking. And a great excuse to get everyone together for one last Christmas celebration.
The walk up to The Cross and out to El Torre Mirador made for more awesome views, which along with the Old Town, show you a different side to Benidorm.
Last up on this leg of the trip was tapas in Tarragona, before heading to Barcelona to celebrate the end of 2024 and ring in the New Year with Wayne and Judith.
