La Torre De Pizza | San Sebastian

On a rainy morning in San Sebastian, I awoke with a fuzzy head and a ravenous appetite. I spotted La Torre De Pizza from our hotel balcony and felt better about the day already. Sometimes you just need a pizza. Even on vacation. Even in Spain. Prefaced by a ridiculously fresh pasta salad and washed down with an ice cold Coca-Cola, I decided once I officially moved to town that I would get takeout from this spot on a regular basis. Everyone needs a go to pizza spot. Plus, the laid back and accommodating Basque surfer-dude behind the counter spoke English. That's especially nice when you've been out since 3am. With happy hearts, full stomachs and without a care in the world, it was off to the beach.

JC Rooms Santa Ana | Madrid

Happy Travel Tuesday! I've certainly waxed poetic enough about Madrid, a simple mention of that majestic Spanish city makes my heart smile. I'm glad this blog has given my experience a home so-to-speak, where the memories live and the recommendations translate. The space where I rested my head every night after taking it all in (every step through Parque Retiro and famous painting at The Prado, every last tapas plate and glass of Sangria....) was JC Rooms Santa Ana offering admirable accommodations in the city center, just steps from Puerta del Sol. The brown marble facade is snuggled in between a tapas bar and a kebab joint on the tiny but busy one way side street, Calle de la Cruz. The hotel is located on the second and third floors where a small reception and lounge area is colorful and inviting with modern decor. Black Ikea tables and shelving are surrounded by energetic orange couches, among newspaper comic strip window curtains and a funky rainbow-bright wall constructed of glass cubes.The vibrant and contemporary hotel managed to offer a number of noteworthy amenities, beginning with my personal favorite: the free mini bar. A fridge restocked daily with ice cold Spanish beer, refreshing soft drinks and bottled water, this was a major perk that I appreciated ten fold after returning from a hot afternoon in the sun or awaking after a late night out. P.S. The Kas was awesome, especially the Limon flavor. P.P.S. The Finkbrau Pils was not great. Now that we've got that out of the way (admit it, you're sold) lets talk about the rooms themselves. When we stayed (September 2011) a room with a double bed cost $112/night. There are 25 rooms total, which were remodeled in October 2010, each one named after a different region of Spain.

We adored the look and feel of Aragon, thriving on a primary color scheme with sunny yellow walls and bold red and blue accents. The blow up photograph turned wall mural of the region truly distinguishes the space. Low hanging light fixtures were appropriately placed and the sweeping curtains over the single window allowed a small amount of light to stream through even when they were closed. The room was tiny, but this much we both expected. I am pretty content in a European hotel as long as I have space enough breath and decent floor space to store my suitcase. A closet is an added bonus. So is a desk and especially so is a computer. This small space contained all three without feeling totally cramped. A flat screen TV is mounted on the wall and there is a safe in the closet. The double bed was comfy and I absolutely loved the intricate black and white bedspread, it added a double dose of contrasting elements to the angular, colorful space. I could have done with fluffier pillows, though. ;)What did feel a little cramped was the bathroom, but with sleek black fixtures defined by shiny red tiles and glowing teal blue windows, it was actually quite striking. Toiletries came in the form of bath gels and soap (no lotion or shampoo) and packaged toothbrushes and toothpaste. There isn't much room on the sink or additional space to spread out your personal goods. A shelf for my contacts, makeup, etc would have been ideal. Supposedly that is a hydro-massage shower, but you could have fooled me. Those mounted nozzles and attached upper shower head were fakes! (We had no idea how to turn them on.) No buttons, switches or what have you existed on the standard movable shower head or anywhere. We tried every conceivable option to turn them on. In theory (or for those non shower engineer challenged) this is a great amenity. Why didn't we ask about them? Well, I think we tried, but, gave up without a fight because it was just a few shower nozzles and we don't speak Spanish very well. (The front desk staff varied in terms of their proficiency in English. Some were fluent, others not at all.) However, all of them were absolutely lovely people who smiled often and genuinely seemed to care about us and our stay. Other noteworthy perks included the free wifi and the free guided tours. I have never come across a hotel that includes a tour in your stay! The pre-scheduled walking tours meet on certain days at 11am the lobby. We decided to take advantage and embarked on a four hour expedition lead by a lively British transplant - a young girl named Lonnie, along with an interesting cast of characters visiting from all over. The tour was fun, engaging and proved to be quite valuable for learning our way around Madrid. With a fresh and innovative approach, these affordable Madrid hotel rooms offer great value for the money. Situated in one of the best locations by which to explore the city and within a safe and spirited neighborhood, I would definitely recommend JC Rooms Santa Ana to travelers with a like minded budget and expectations.

JC Rooms Santa Ana
Calle De la Cruz, 8
28012 Madrid

Monte Urgull | San Sebastian

Oh Hi, dear readers! I'm back yet again with more pictures of San Sebastian, Spain - because if the last sets of images hadn't already convinced you to book a trip, these will!

P.S. I just got back from a weekend in London!! That's London, UK, as in, I flew five hours across the Atlantic Ocean on Thursday night and seven hours back on Monday morning, all before I even had a chance to tell you I was going. (Which means - let the European travel blogging continue; I have lots of fun details to share!) But for now, back to our regularly intertwined / never ending Spain posts.

On a most relaxing afternoon stroll along the splendid San Sebbie shores, the sun finally decided to grace us with her long awaited presence. Still making up her mind about weather to shine for longer than 15 minutes at a time, at least the rain was done!

As we were wandering the harbor and the winding roads in the outskirts of the Old Quarter surrounding it, we decided to trek to the top of Mount Urgull. It was past prime sunbathing hours and so on a spontaneous decision, the swift yet steep climb began. It was not without breathtaking views of the crescent shaped shores surrounded by the colorful harbor; situated before it a posh seaside city scape and behind it the vast mountains of Basque Country as they sweep through a cloudy blue sky.What I'm saying is, a climb to the top of Monte Urgull is rather quick, far from strenuous, and worth the views three times over.At the top, Mount Urgull boasts a large statue of Jesus. Even from the base, he can bee seen poking out of the trees and looking down over the foothills. Among the flat topped peak you will also find the seemingly abandoned yet fairly well kept ruins of Castillo De Santa Cruz de la Mota, a historical battle fortress. The small castle with dark narrow passageways and weathered stairwells invites you to explore within its chizzled stone walls.
I should also note, these explorations are free of charge - no entrance fee or ticketing. This was definitely a nice change of pace from what we were used to in Madrid and Barcelona! We saw others on our journey, but at times, it felt like we had the place all to ourselves. This made for a serene and peaceful afternoon. The exciting hike and historical castle combined with the rewarding panoramic views definitely marked Monte Urgull a city highlight, I would happily encourage and highly recommend this activity to travelers of San Sebastian. Pack a picnic to enjoy at the top, or, work up an appetite and venture into one of the many pintxos bars nearby once you have completed the descent.I am so so tired. The London jet lag isn't severe compared to Spain, but it's present none the less. It is 9:20 as I finish this post, and I am ready for bed!! (I usually go to bed at 11:30 or 12.) What is new with you guys? How was everyone's weekend?