Gijon to Santander
Our time in Spain had come to an end and we had to drive from Gijon to Santander to take the Ferry back to the UK. It was sad to leave but at... READ MORE
The Parador in Gijon
The Parador in Gijon is on the edge of the town, at the far end of the San Lorenzo Beach from the old town. I’ve talked a lot about it so a separate... READ MORE
Isabel la Catolica Park in Gijon
The Parador of Gijon overlooks the Isabel la Catolica Park in Gijon, in fact you might say it is situated in the park. It was a joy to stroll here at some point... READ MORE
Wandering in Gijon
On this day we decided wandering in Gijon would be a good idea, so we took a taxi to the town centre again. We were also on a hunt for wine! The harbour... READ MORE
Cimadevilla of Gijon
The old town is the Cimadevilla of Gijon, situated on and around the Santa Catalina Hill in Gijon. We took a taxi into the town – I was still on somewhat ‘go-slow’ –... READ MORE
The Museum in Gijon
The Museum of the Asturian People in Gijon is situated close to the Parador. We visited twice because there was just too much to take in at one time. Spain is very proud... READ MORE
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The Royal Botanical Gardens in Madrid
The Royal Botanical Gardens cover 8 acres in the centre of Madrid and are a wonderful place in which to wander, or just linger on a seat, perhaps after a visit to the Reina Sofia. Our AirBnB flat was only … Continued
The Reina Sofia in Madrid
We settled into in an AirBnB on the Calle de la Sombrereria, in the middle of Madrid, and on our first day we decided to visit the Reina Sofia in Madrid. The museum was just a ten-minute walk away from … Continued
The road from La Granja to Madrid
The days in La Granja were wonderful but it was time to move on and take the road from La Granja to Madrid.
The Royal Glass Factory in La Granja
The Royal Glass Factory in La Granja is just down the road from the Paradore. It dates from the 18th century and it is absolutely fascinating – do visit if you are in the area.
The Fountains at La Granja
There twenty six large fountains at La Granja, each of which is based on different mythological characters. Sadly they only play on selective days during the year and were not on when we visited. Nevertheless they are impressive and formality … Continued
Avenues and Woods at La Granja
Beyond the formal gardens with parterres there are avenues and woods. Inside the avenues and higher up the hillside the trees seem freer. I loved these areas which were less controlled and where I could just enjoy the trees in … Continued
The Formal Gardens of La Granja
The formal gardens of La Granja are on three sides of the palace. The gardens cover over 1,500 acres and I loved what I saw but didn’t manage to see everything. Let’s start!
The Palace of La Granja
We booked into the Paradore of La Granja de San Ildefonso for three days as a relaxing break from sightseeing. The ‘town’ is actually the Royal Palace of La Granja with its grounds. The town around the palace includes the … Continued
Travelling from Zamora to La Granja
Travelling from Zamora to La Granja was a fabulous day, packed with wonderful sights! We stopped in Toro, visited two amazing castles and saw some of the scenery in the mid-west of Spain. We had a last look at the … Continued
Toro on the Duero
We spent a wonderful week in Zamora and it was time to move on to our next stay which was to be a few days in the Paradore in La Granja. The aim was to rest for a few days … Continued