WHY VISIT PHUKET?

THE BEACH! Phuket is a good jumping off point if you want to visit the beautiful islands of Thailand. If you want to stay on Phuket Island, there are many beaches with varying types of visitors. Phuket is also the place to party in Thailand.

QUICK TIPS

• Research your beaches to find a place that fits with your desires and activities. Each beach has different atmospheres.
• After you land at the airport, immediately go to the taxi line if you don’t have a pre-arranged ride. The line grows quickly. It is a set rate at the taxi stand to where you want to go, usually around 500 baht.

Patong

WEATHER

The best time to visit Phuket is October to March when it’s not so hot and drier, though high temperatures are close to the 90s year-round. We went in November and we saw at least one rain shower in the afternoon.

Kata Beach

GETTING THERE

The main airport is Phuket International Airport (HKT). It is in the north part of the island, so you’ll likely need to take a taxi for at least 45 minutes (and about 500 baht) if you’re heading to beaches in South Phuket.

GETTING AROUND

Red open-air tuk tuks are available. Flag these down as you see them. Negotiate a price.

WHICH BEACH?

• Patong – This place was CRAAAAAZZZY. Crazy. Since Phuket was only going to be a quick stop for our scuba diving liveaboard, I didn’t research much. So we found out just how crazy Patong is IN THE FLESH. If you want to drink and party, this is the place. Go to the beach in the morning and then get ready for a night of partying on Bangla street.
• Kata – This place was much chiller than Patong. The beach and city are smaller and filled with families. There are plenty of restaurants.
• Surin – This area is less touristy but filled with luxury. You’ll see lots of mansions and high-end resorts.
• Kamala – This area is also less touristy and welcomes many older visitors.
• Karon – Less busy and developed like Patong but still popular with tourists.
• Khao Lak – If you want to skip Phuket, Khao Lak is 37 miles north of Phuket Island. Our scuba diving shop was located here and we got a quick feel for the place. This seemed like a walkable area to stay.

But if you really want the best beach experience in Thailand, you’ll need to visit some islands. Krabi and Koh Samui are two. Check out this list of the best beaches to visit.

Kata Beach

WHERE TO STAY

You won’t have trouble finding a place to stay in Phuket, hotels are plentiful and at a good price. Before you book, check the hotel’s proximity to the beach and busy areas to make sure you are comfortable and able to get a good night’s rest. We stayed in two different hotels while in Phuket.

Palmyra Patong Resort (Patong) – I liked that this hotel was close enough to walk to the main street (Bangla) but far enough away from the nightlife. The rooms are nice and the staff is friendly. Our room was spacious and had a balcony. They also have a fantastic restaurant.

Chanalai Garden Resort (Kata) – This place is a maze! A front desk agent led us to our room and we took multiple flights of stairs and at least two elevators to get there. It was such a long journey that when she shut the door behind her, we looked at each other and laughed about how we might never find the hotel entrance again. So, you’ll get exercise for your legs and your brain if you stay here. Despite that, they have a great pool deck, a plentiful breakfast buffet, and exceptional rooms.

WHERE TO EAT/DRINK

Our time in Phuket was surrounded by hectic travel days, so we ate at our hotels’ restaurants and quick eats as we were walking around. Still great Thai food though!

Here are some recommended places I had on deck in Patong and Kata:

• Kaab Gluay
  58/3 Phrabaramee Road, Patong, Phuket
• No. 6 Restaurant
  186 Rat-u-thi- road, Patong, Phuket
• Patong Seafood Restaurant
  98/2 Thaweewong Rd, Patong, Phuket
• Home’s Food Thai Food
  87/2 Tayna Road Kata Beach, near Easy Rider Pub
• Mom Tri’s Kitchen
  12 Kata Noi Road, Kata No, Kata, Phuket Tel: +66 76 333 569
• Re Ka Ta
  3rd Street Cafe & Guest House 92/15 92/15 Khoktanod Road, Kata Beach
• Mac-chiato House & Cake Box
  48 Thalang Road, Muang Phuket

If you’re a craft beer fan, be on the lookout for Phuket’s Full Moon Brewworks on drink menus around town.

WHAT TO DO

Beach
You came for the beach, right?! Sit out and enjoy the sea, sand, and sun! You’ll also be able to find day trip opportunities to nearby islands with more pristine beaches. Walk around to different tourist shops or ask your hotel concierge for options.

Kata Beach

Bangla Road – Patong Beach
I hear Bangla and I laugh because wow, that is one interesting place. I would say its energy, action, and alcohol consumption are similar to 6th Street in Austin or Bourbon Street in New Orleans with a Vegas flair. You’ll find cheap drinks, ladyboys, and promoters trying to convince you to come to their ping pong show. If you want to know what Bangla is like, check internet videos. If you find yourself on Bangla, I recommend popping in the lower-key bar at the beginning of the street by the Patong Beach sign where you’ll hear some cover bands.

Scuba Dive
We stopped in Phuket because it was the jumping off point for our liveaboard. Scuba diving was one of the best things we did in Thailand, and you’ll be able to find more opportunities in Phuket. Read more about our scuba diving liveaboard experience here.

Cultural Sights
If you want to see some cultural sights, go check out Wat Chalong and the Big Buddha statue, which are in two different places. The statue gives you a 360-view of Phuket because it sits on a peak.

Phuket wasn’t my favorite place on our Thailand trip, but I’m glad we experienced it. We had some good memories there and it was the gateway to our incredible scuba adventure.

What’s your favorite beach you’ve ever been to?

P.S. The Thailand fun doesn’t stop here! Check out all my Thailand posts here.

Keep up with me elsewhere! You can find me on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Bloglovin’, or Snapchat (@wanderlustanita). You can also subscribe to the exclusive email list.

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Charleston, South Carolina is a fun city for a long weekend! It’s a city filled with history and great eats. I’m excited to tell you all about my trip and give you some recommendations about things to do in Charleston for your future trip. Take a look at my top five suggestions.

St. Michael’s Church

1. Walk the city. (Take a historical walking tour by Bulldog Tours.)

Downtown Charleston is very walkable, especially if the weather is perfect. There is much to see and walking around will help you take it all in. Around every corner is something that will catch your eye. You’ll see colorful buildings, interesting businesses, historic plaques and more. While we did do a lot of walking by ourselves (a lot of walking from restaurant to restaurant!), we also enjoyed a historic downtown walking tour by Bulldog Tours. The guide was very knowledgeable about the city’s history and showed us his favorite spots. Charleston also has downtown carriage tours like Old South Carriage Tours and nighttime ghost tours. Charleston Footprints is another recommended walking tour. If you’d like to make your own tour, here are some places to check out:

• Battery Park / White Point Gardens: This waterfront area gives you great views of the water, waterfront mansions and historic sites like Fort Sumter and Castle Pickney.
• Rainbow Row: On East Bay Street, you’ll find the well-known, pastel row of houses. You can’t miss them. Just look for the tourists taking pictures across the street!
• St. Michael’s Episcopal Church: Oldest surviving religious structure in Charleston, it’s one of the most well-known and visited churches in the city.
• Four Corners of Law: You should stop by the intersection of Broad and Meeting streets to observe this unique sight. On the four corners you’ll see St. Michael’s Episcopal Church, Charleston City Hall, Charleston County Courthouse, and the United States Post Office and Federal Courthouse. These buildings represent the law institutions of federal, state, local and religion.
• King Street: This is a long street filled with antique shops, bookstores, restaurants, and gift shops. Part of the street includes many chain restaurants and stores.

Rainbow Row

Palmettos near Battery Park

2. Visit a Plantation. (Visit Middleton Place.)

Charleston’s economy was built on plantations and many were made into historic sites. Many have been restored or enhanced so that they are a beautiful sight to see. Some may have historic homes on the land to show you how people lived. We visited Middleton Place, which is 30 minutes outside of downtown Charleston. The gardens are immaculate at Middleton Place and we saw many varieties of colorful flowers. We toured the Middleton House with an official guide and did a self-guided walking tour around the plantation where we saw the stables and what used to be rice fields. If you’d like to visit a plantation, I’ve read that Magnolia Plantation is also a favorite.

3. Visit Angel Oak Tree.

About 30 minutes outside of downtown Charleston stands the majestic 400-500 year old Angel Oak Tree. This tree is enormous! It’s 65 feet tall, its longest branch is 187 feet, and its circumference is 28 feet. On a Monday, the tree only had a few visitors and everyone walked around quietly admiring it.

4. Visit Fort Sumter.

On the Charleston bay, you’ll take a 30 minute ferry ride out to Fort Sumter. The ferry ride was a fun part of this experience because we were able to see the Charleston skyline, a great view of the Ravenel Bridge and sailboats. At Fort Sumter, you’ll see, hear and learn about what the fort endured during the Civil War. Plaques around the fort tell you its story and guides are available to give you more information. A small museum exhibit on top of Battery Huger, a structure built inside the fort in 1898, gives you a timeline of the fort’s history.

5. Visit a beach.

One thing we didn’t do (because of time and distance), was visit one of Charleston’s beaches. I’m sure this is a must-do when the weather is warmer! In my research, I saw that Folly Beach was a favorite spot, but you also have the options of Sullivan’s Island, Kiawah Island, Isle of Palms, and Seabrook Island.

Blue Bicycle Books

If you have time, or have particular interest, here are some other activities you may enjoy in Charleston.

• Charleston Museum: We got multiple recommendations from people in Charleston to visit this history museum.
• Mac & Murphy: This cute stationary store has a good selection of cards, notebooks, and other trinkets.
• Blue Bicycle Books: This new and used books store is on King Street. I liked their section with books about Charleston. A great Charleston souvenir would be a cookbook by one of Charleston’s chefs. Try: Heritage by Sean Brock, Callie’s Biscuits and Southern Traditions by Carrie Morey, or The Lee Bros. Charleston Kitchen by Matt and Ted Lee.
• Lulu Burgess: Located on King Street, this gift shop has unique Charleston gifts along with fun knick-knacks.
• Charleston City Market: We visited this market expecting something like San Francisco’s Ferry Building but it turned out to be a market filled with souvenirs. A quick walk-through took about 10 minutes.
• South Carolina Aquarium: Another recommended spot, the aquarium is along the waterfront and by Fort Sumter’s ferry.
• Candlefish: We didn’t make it here but Candlefish is a popular candle and gift shop.

Mac & Murphy

So there you have it. If I missed a sight or attraction you loved, be sure to leave me a comment below!

We were given complimentary passes to Middleton Place, Fort Sumter and the Bulldog Tour by the Charleston Visitors and Convention Bureau. Reviews were not required and my recommendation is my own opinion. I thought the three experiences enhanced our trip greatly!

Stay tuned for my recommendations for restaurants and a travel guide to help you plan your trip!

The post Best Things to Do in Charleston, South Carolina appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

For some, it will be a simple, relaxing and budget-friendly trip to one of the most natural countries in the world. For others, it’s a great introduction to the beach atmosphere of Costa Rica.

Here are some tips on where to stay, where to eat, what to do, and things you should know.

Where to Stay in Tamarindo

Hotel Arco Iris – We stayed at this cute bed and breakfast on our first trip to Tamarindo. It was a delightful stay with a very comfortable room with a newly renovated bathroom and a plentiful breakfast buffet with made-to-order omelettes.

Capitan Suizo – While we didn’t stay at this beachfront hotel ourselves, we spent a lot of time there while our friends stayed there. Their rooms are very comfortable and luxurious, though you do pay for the luxury. We enjoyed a spectacular dinner at their restaurant, they have a pool and ping pong available, and the staff is very friendly. The only downside is that the hotel is on the far south side of the city, so getting to all the shops and restaurants will be a trek.

Where to Eat in Tamarindo

When in Costa Rica, expect simple and fresh food. I enjoyed the fresh fish, gallo pinto (their special rice and beans recipe), fresh fruit, and good coffee. But you can also walk down the main street and find familiar foods like pizza, nachos, and sushi. Ask around and you’re likely to find the cuisine you’re looking for in Tamarindo because of the expats that have opened restaurants there. Here are some of the ones I enjoyed. (If you want more info on the cuisine, check out my Eating and Drinking in Costa Rica post.)

• Fiesta del Mar – Tucked away on one end of the main street of Tamarindo is this truly local Costa Rican restaurant, recommended to us by our kayaking guide. It was our favorite place to eat both times we visited Tamarindo.
• El Vaquero – This beachfront brewpub is a favorite. We went here a couple of times because the surfboard rental we used was in the same complex and they have live music on the weekend. Volcano Brewing Company is also part of the complex so they have craft brews on tap. For food, I recommend nachos.
• Falafel Bar – We enjoyed a very quick lunch here on the first trip and the chicken pita was delicious.
• Nari Pizza and Pasta – Recommended by friends, we tried this pizza place out for lunch and it did not disappoint. Three of us devoured slices of the Nari pizza and Margherita pizza.
• Sharky’s – To get your sports fix, this is the place. Their multiple HD TVs make sure you don’t miss playoff games even when you’re out of the U.S.
• Longboards BBQ – If all the tables at Sharky’s are taken, head a couple of doors down to Longboards. Their TVs aren’t as good as Sharky’s but they’ll get the job done. We tried the brisket nachos with tropical slaw and they were good.
• Seasons – The restaurant at Hotel Arco Iris was a casual and outgoing place to have dinner. We enjoyed mussels, coconut curry shrimp, and red snapper.

What to Do in Tamarindo

Surfing and Beach Hopping – Surfing in Tamarindo is good for all levels of experience. If you need a lesson and didn’t have time to plan, surf instructors are ready and waiting for you on the beach for an immediate booking. You can also get a $10 per day surfboard rental right on the beach. If you want a better selection of boards, you’ll find multiple shops on the main street and they also run $10 to $15 for a board per day. If you get tired of Tamarindo Beach, there are several beaches (Playa Grande, Playa Langosta, Playa Avenellas) 15-30 minutes away. Ask your hotel about a shuttle.

Sport Fishing – Fishing billfish is a popular activity. You can book an eight-hour, day-long trip that includes the boat and two crewmen. The crew will do all the leg work and get you set up to start reeling in. If you don’t get billfish, you can catch dinner for the night as we did with our 25 lb amberjack!

Shopping – Tamarindo has many cute shops on the main street. You’ll find a variety of souvenirs and by the restaurant Fiesta del Mar, you’ll find shops with unique t-shirts.

Diving – If you want to scuba dive, be sure to book your trip before you arrive or after you arrive and two days before you want it to happen. Dive trips are at Catalina Island where there is lots of wildlife.

Things to Know

Currency – It’s ok to use U.S. dollars here, but when you withdraw money from an ATM or get change back from a restaurant, it’s likely that it will be in Costa Rican Colones. You’re also at the cashier’s mercy to whatever exchange rate they use. So, decide what you want to do before you go or play it by ear! In 2022, they are changing their paper money to plastic money and some vendors may not accept the paper money.

Beer – You’ll have your choice of Pilsen, Imperial, or if you’re lucky, the local brews from Volcano Brewing Company in Tamarindo.

Breakfast – From the experience of three hotels in Tamarindo (and two hotels in Arenal), hotels included breakfast (usually buffet) with your stay.

Transportation – If you are only visiting Tamarindo or less than two places in Costa Rica, a rental car is definitely not needed. Shuttles are available and you need to book them before you arrive. I recommend Ecotrans or Interbus. Your hotel can also help with booking transportation. Tamarindo is small enough to walk everywhere or they have taxis.

Liberia Airport – The Liberia airport is the closest one to Tamarindo. It’s about a 50-minute drive away. You’ll want to arrive two to three hours before your departure time to work your way to your gate. Flights leave in the same time period so the airport gets very crowded and a little hectic.

Key Phrases

A lot of locals understand English, even if it’s only a few key phrases. Still, it’s helpful to know a few phrases that might not be part of the regular Spanish education. Here are some of the phrases I think you should know.

Tico (colloquial term for Costa Rican): You’ll find this to describe things that locals like, such as ’tico breakfast’ and Costa Ricans call themselves tico or tica.

Pure Vida (translates to Pure Life): This phrase is a way to express the happiness of being in Costa Rica. It’s like ‘heck yeah’ or ‘this is the life!’

Comida Tipica or Comida Casado (translates to Typical Food): the name of the standard and simple dish that includes gallo pinto, fried plantains, a salad, and some kind of protein.

Guaro: a clear liquor made from sugar cane found in Central America. The Costa Rican brand is Cacique Guaro.

Pescado, Carne, Pollo (translates to fish, beef, chicken): You usually get your choice of protein in your comida tipica dish.

Piña (translates to pineapple, pronounced peen-ya): You’ll find this fruit plentiful in Costa Rica. Get them in a fruit bowl or smoothie.

Costa Rica is beautiful, friendly, and full of adventure. The great thing about Costa Rica is there is an abundance of places to visit and a variety of things to do. From the Pacific side to the Caribbean side, beach to rainforest, there are memorable experiences throughout the country. No matter where you go, the friendliness and tourism-focused people will win your heart and make you feel like family.

Other Helpful Posts:

• Eating and Drinking in Costa Rica

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Goodbye, summer and hello, autumn! Thankfully Texas weather was in the know and it’s already much cooler. I had a fantastic summer and crossed several to-dos off the list. 

Hike Pedernales Falls State Park

Ashley, Linda, Bob the Dog and I enjoyed a morning at Pedernales Falls State Park. It has trails for all levels of hiking and some great views.

Visit Jester King Brewery

I’m slowly crossing off Austin’s breweries off my list and Jester King Brewery’s sour beers were interesting. It’s not something I would drink often but I did enjoy it. The brewery and area around it (including its neighbor Stanley’s Farmhouse Pizza) is a fun place to spend an afternoon.

Try paddle boarding

Finally crossed this off my to-do list! Ashley and I didn’t fall off, and I would definitely do it again though I would prefer a kayak to a paddle board.

Visit the beach

I made it to the Texas coast this summer and wrote about it here. I crossed ‘learn to surf’ off my life list on this trip.

Make a dish with peaches

I love peach season. It’s one of my favorite fruits. I made light shrimp tacos with peach salsa.

Spend time on the lake

My friends hosted a birthday event on a party barge which was lots of fun. Lots of sun and swimming.

Go to a concert

I saw Kitten, The Antlers and OneRepublic in concert. My favorite was the fun OneRepublic show at the Austin360 Amphitheater. The band is incredibly talented and energetic, and they kept us dancing for much of the show.

Take a long trip

I went on this little trip to Greece that I’ve been sharing about on the blog. You can read about my favorite sights on the trip and the delicious things we ate and drank.

Eat at 5 new restaurants

Trying new restaurants is also a fun and easy goal to accomplish. I tried Garbo’s, Cipollina, Justine’s, Blackbird & Henry, Monkey King Noodle Company (chicken noodle soup pictured above), and Kin and Comfort (pork buns pictured above), among a list of other restaurants. (Check out my ‘flavors of the month’ posts!)

Eat a snow cone

How to survive a Texas summer: stay indoors as much as possible, stay in water if you’re outside, and consume frozen treats. I’ve always enjoyed the snow cones at Casey’s New Orleans Snowballs. Be sure to get Tiger’s Blood as a flavor.

 What fun things did you do this summer?

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I just returned from a fun girls trip to Greece with my friends Linda and MJ. We did a lot of traveling, island-hopping, eating, picture-taking, laughing and memory-making in 10 days. We started and ended in Athens and also visited the islands of Mykonos, Santorini and Crete. Here are ten of my favorite sights we saw. 

1. Ornos Beach, Mykonos

Ornos Beach is a small, family-friendly beach a short bus ride away. It’s lined with restaurants. The beach felt a little crowded because of its size but the water wasn’t crowded at all.

2. Knossos Palace; Heraklion, Crete

We ended up spending less than 24 hours on Crete! (Poor planning, oops.) We went to their famous sight – Knossos Palace. The palace, now an archaeological site, is the setting of the Minotaur’s labyrinth in Greek mythology. It was hot walking around, so we didn’t see the whole thing, but it was interesting to see. Pictured above is the throne room.

3. National Archaeological Museum; Athens

Most of Greece’s artifacts can be seen in this museum. This was the first thing we saw in Greece and it was a good introduction to all the history we would see.

4. Animals of Greece

Everyday we saw cats and dogs wandering the streets of Greece. While MJ and Linda were enthusiastic about taking photos of them, I took the above photos.

5. Atlantis Books; Oia, Santorini

This enchanting bookshop was a great memory in Santorini. We had read about it in a “best bookstores” article and added it to our must-see list. We spent time talking with one of the owners, browsing the shelves and each picking out a new book.

6. Kamari Beach; Santorini

This black “sand” beach is about a 20-minute bus ride from Fira. Though the rocks on the beach make it tedious to get in, the water felt great.

7. Santorini Brewing Company; Santorini

After a suggestion from a friend, we put this brewery on our to-see list. It didn’t disappoint. It’s a small shop but well on their way to big things. We tasted their three beers: Yellow Donkey, Red Donkey and Crazy Donkey. We had a short tour of the brewery and admired their branding.

8. Sunset and view in Santorini (particularly Oia)

The sunset and view from Santorini was what made the trip. The predominantly white-building city is built on top and on the side of the island, making it a beautiful part of the view. We admired several sunsets and wanted to stay and enjoy the calmness and beauty.

9. Acropolis Museum; Athens

Opened in 2009, the Acropolis Museum is a good starting point before walking up the Acropolis. It contains many artifacts from the Acropolis and a good view from the bottom.

10. Acropolis; Athens

The Acropolis, the remnants of Athen’s Golden Age days are high above the city and about a 20-minute hike to the summit. The Acropolis monuments include the Parthenon, the Erechtheion, Propylaea, and Temple of Athena Nike. The history and grandeur of the structures were inspiring and though it was hot, it was worth the visit.

Also check out: the memorable dishes and drinks we had in Greece!

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My spontaneous weekend trip to Padre Island was thrown together in the three days before it happened but it made my life list pretty happy. About three hours and 45 minutes away from Austin, it’s a great place for a weekend trip.

Camp on the beach.
For a $10 entrance fee (pass good for seven days), you can enter the Padre Island National Seashore and venture down to camp right on the beach. From where we camped, the bathrooms and showers were about 20 minutes away. The water felt great and the beach where we were was fairly quiet. Just get ready to get sand in all your belongings. Don’t forget to bring a canopy since there’s no shade on the beach.

Go surfing.
A few days before the trip, I booked private lessons with Padre Island Surf Camp. The 90-minute lesson was a good amount of time to learn how to surf and get some waves in. It was also affordable – $50 and it included board and surf shirt rental and a free souvenir shirt.

Watch baby sea turtles get released back in the wild.
After the endangered baby sea turtles hatch in the incubator, park rangers and volunteers release them on the beach and we watched as they safely crawled their way to the ocean, guarded from seagulls by nets and flags held by volunteers. One cool fact: when these baby sea turtles are ready to lay eggs, they will instinctively come back to the beach they are hatched to do it. You can read all about these endangered sea turtles here.

I had some quick thoughts during my trip:

1. The bright moon, the rumbling waves and insect sounds as the only noises that could be heard, and a sky full of stars. Our universe is big, mysterious and beautiful. It’s nice to get away from civilization and revel in it.

2. I think there’s magic in a long walk on the beach as the sun sets. It reminded me about the joy in a life filled with taking adventures, trying new things and seeing new places. It’s so enlightening and exciting. I think a life of adventure is absolutely necessary in life. And yes, I totally like long walks on the beach now.

3. As we were walking back after the surf lesson, I asked our instructor (who was probably younger than me) if she had ever been to Austin. She paused, chuckled and said, “yep, I lived there for two months. I was staying with my cousin but I started feeling too land-locked and just had to leave.”

Just had to leave. That is so powerful and romantic to me. The decision, the need, the life was so clear and obvious that she was drawn to it, she couldn’t live without it, and she knew there was no other option than to answer the call. I hope I always have passions and people that I feel that way about. And what if we lived life like that? With undeniable passion, drive and confidence. It would change how we do things and how we love people.

What have you accomplished from your life list lately?

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Even though my favorite city in Spain was Barcelona, we saw amazing sights throughout our trip. Since we visited nine cities in the span of 2 weeks, we made sure to visit the must-see sights in those cities. Ten sights stand out as the most memorable of our trip.

1. La Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
As I shared in my Barcelona post, La Sagrada Familia was a riveting sight of creativity and history. This is a must-see!

2. La Boqueria, Barcelona
When I go back to Spain, I want to indulge in fresh fruit more. That’s why La Boqueria, the market on La Rambla, is one of my favorites. I loved the fresh fruit and juices and all the food stalls.

3. Prado, Madrid
The Prado has an unbelievable number of famous masterpieces, and we spent a whole day indulging in it. Las Meninas by Diego Velazquez was my favorite, and I also loved several pieces by Rubens, Bosch, El Greco and Goya. Art history fans will love this museum.

4. La Mezquita, Córdoba
Not only does the La Mezquita have a beautiful, expansive and unique interior, but the history behind the interior fascinated me. It was built as a medieval Islamic mosque and then converted into a Catholic Christian cathedral.

5. Real Maestranza Bullring and Museum, Sevilla
I was hoping to see a bullfight because it is a traditional part of the Spanish culture but in actuality, I’m not sure I would have handled seeing the goriness! Since our schedules didn’t line up to see one, the bullring and museum in Sevilla was the next best thing. Sevilla and Madrid are the two most popular and passionate cities when it comes to bullfighting. We learned a detailed history and culture from our tour guide and we got to see behind the scenes, from where the bullfighters prayed before entering the ring to where the bulls were kept, in addition to the center stage.

6. La Casa del Flamenco, Sevilla
Another necessity in experiencing Spanish culture was a flamenco show. It’s a very emotional, technical and mesmerizing performance with singing, guitar, dance and handclaps.

7. La Alhambra, Granada
A palace and fortress, La Alhambra sits majestically above Granada. Islamic tradition, Arabic inscriptions and geometric patterns cover the interior. Room after room, La Alhambra is a place of details to discover and history to learn. Mirador de San Nicolas is a lookout point across town that gives a fantastic view of La Alhambra, as seen in the night photo.

8. Cathedral de Toledo
We saw many, many cathedrals but the one in Toledo was my favorite. The interior is incredibly elaborate. The gothic-style altar depicts the story of Jesus’ life and the another section of the cathedral is a huge marble altar with sculptures of the Virgin and Child and natural light shining down on it.

9. Burriana Beach, Nerja
I LOVED our beach day and this beach was pretty perfect. Nerja is on the southern coast of Spain and touches the Alboran Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean Sea. The water was chill and crisp, the sand was hot, the crowds were manageable and the food and drinks were plenty. Our beach day was towards the end of our trip and a welcome day of relaxation in between packed days of sight-seeing.

10. Teatro Kapital, Madrid
I debated my final favorite sight for a while because listing a nightclub with all of these other historical sights just seemed wrong. But, when it comes to unique, fun and memorable places we went in Spain, this makes the list. We knew Spain, especially Madrid, was known for a vibrant nightlife, but our packed daytime schedule left us little time and energy to really experience it. Plus, it wasn’t a priority for us. On the last night we were all together, we decided to see what it’s all about, and we ended up choosing Teatro Kapital. It had 8 stories with different themes/music on each and it was packed! It ended up being a very fun night and experience. Our group matching in black was a coincidence!

As you can imagine, we saw tons more on our trip. In two weeks, we visited at least 20 well-known sights, landmarks, attractions! In addition to what I listed above and in my Barcelona post, here are some other sights we saw:

Barcelona
-Gothic Quarter
-Museu Picasso

Segovia
-Cathedral de Segovia
-Alcazar of Segovia

Toledo
-Casa de Santa Cruz

Córdoba
-Los Patios de Alcazar Viejo

Sevilla
-World Exposition Park
-Real Alcazar
-Cathedral de Sevilla (inside is the Tomb of Christopher Columbus)
-Metropol Parasol

Granada
-Cathedral of Granada
-Tomb of Ferdinand and Isabella

What’s your favorite landmark or attraction you’ve experienced in your travels?

Want to read more about my trip to Spain? Check out:
Barcelona: My Favorite City in Spain
Eating and Drinking Through Spain
7 Lessons Learned About Spain and Travel

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