March marks six months since we moved to Spain! I made the tough choice to quit my job, a 10-year career in both the public and private sectors of politics… if there was ever a moment to live abroad, it was now! 

Since we have Winston, our english cream golden retriever who goes everywhere with us, the European travel lifestyle looks a little different. Never before stepping foot in Spain, we decided to explore as much as we could in the beginning. I am excited you’re here to follow along our journey living in Spain!! If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, I’d love to hear from you! 

Part I: Valencia, Altea, Benidorm, Güjar Sierra

In November we embarked on a month-long (plus one day) road trip to try and chase the last of the heat as fall was turning into winter. We also wanted to be sure Barcelona was where we were meant to be… So over 2,000 miles later here’s how our journey went!

Granada is home to the Alhambra, the most visited tourist attraction in the country. Founded in 1524, you can imagine the narrow alleyways, hilly cobblestone streets, and beautiful Islamic architecture.

The Alhambra was stunning and had a majestic 365-degree view! Unfortunately, I had a ticket purchase fail and we paid about 3x the amount to visit but it ended up being worth it. Just a note, buy your tickets from the Alhambra website.

Next stop was Málaga in Costa Del Sol. We stayed at a central location with views of Málaga’s famous Cathedral, ate delicious Peruvian food, hiked up to the Alcazaba for sunset, collected shells on the beach and took a day trip to underground caves!

Ronda, Spain: Mirador upon Mirador!

Fun Fact San Diegans! Did you know that Balboa Park’s iconic Cabrillo Bridge was inspired by the Puente Nuevo bridge built in Ronda, Spain in the 1700’s?

The Puente Nuevo bridge seems to be one of the main attractions that people want to visit when they come to Ronda. I was more into seeing the town itself after hearing romantic memories of the place from my Grandma Glitter. It’s one of her favorite places and after spending some time there, I can see why. From the moment we crested the hilltop from Setenil we saw rolling green hills, deciduous orchards and vineyards adorned in autumn leaves and a bright blue sky. It was what we envisioned the Spanish countryside to look like, but better!

Spend a week in Madrid or more if you can! There are so many unique neighborhoods, museums and special things happening on certain days of the week – like the La Rasta Flea Market or local’s secret fish market on Saturdays… and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to meet Papa Noel as well!

We landed in Seville and I fell in love. It was a dream city for us! The people were so friendly and it was a city where you can just wander around all day and be in awe of it all. What we found in Seville were blooming orange trees lining colorful blocks, plazas alive with music and dance, long calles to wander along the river, and all sorts of funky neighborhoods with great shops and restaurants. What more could you want?

Do you want to go to breakfast… I mean brunch… wait, it’s 1pm does it still count as brunch? The lifestyle in Spain has been a welcomed adjustment for us Californians…