marbella and costa brava questions
 

Can anyone recommend any good restaurants in Marbella, Seville or Ronda? They don't have to be super fancy or expensive...just good food.<BR><BR>Which is the most efficient driving route between Marbella and Barcelona and how long will it take us to drive?<BR><BR>Are there any paradors you recommend on the way to Barcelona, but only about 2 1/2-3 hours south of Barcelona?<BR><BR>Thank you for your help!<BR><BR>Allison

Highly recommend Dona Pepa in Ronda--Plaza del Socorro 10, tel. 952 87 47 77--excellent food, wonderful atmosphere, reasonably priced.<BR><BR>If you'd like, I have a great one in Barcelona also.<BR>

Allison, I suggest you run the program at www.viamichelin.com for the best route to Barcelona. I think it will find it to be a very long trip. We spent the nite in Peniscola--very charming town.

allison,<BR>As Bob says, that drive from Marbella to Barcelona will be quite a long and tiring one indeed which you may want to break up with an overnight in/around Valencia (5 hrs.) rather than trying to make it all the way up to Pe&ntilde;&iacute;scola, which would probably be a 7 hr. drive.<BR>But the Parador at El Saler, on the beach outside of Valencia is a modern building, resort-like rather than historic. <BR><BR>For restaurants-<BR>In Ronda we really like the family run Restaurante Pedro Romero, across from the bullring. It has really great local specialties and yummy desserts, like their homemade ice creams and is reasonably priced.<BR><BR>In Sevilla, for great tapas that make a 4 star meal, try Casablanca, across from the Hotel Inglaterra on Calle Zaragoza or Casa Robles, down the street from the Casas de los Mercaderes Hotel or the tapas bar around the corner owned by the same family, the Robles Placentines on Calle Placentines.<BR>Deep in the Barrio de Santa Cruz quarter, for a sit down meal in a tranquil, garden-like setting, try El Corral del Agua. We love Modesto on Cano y Cueto near the Murillo Gardens for fish and seafood (their baby clams in garlic and white wine are fantastic!)-sit out on the patio for great people watching. Informal, casual and always packed with families.<BR>On the other side of the Gualdalquivir River in the Triana district, for tapas try Albariza on Calle Betis which faces the river. <BR>These are a few places where we're headed in April.

In Ronda you must go to the Don Miguel http://www.dmiguel.com/pag2.htmn restaurant overlooking the gorge. Fantastic views and you feel as if you are suspended in air. Gazpacho was delicious, although I ruined the salad when I added vinegar and oil - was lovely without. My husband had the scrambled eggs Don Miguel and said they were very good. Wine is served in this great, crooked, hand-made pottery jugs - you'll want to take one home. <BR><BR>In Marbella we loved the Creperia Marbella in the Plaza de los Naranjos (if the orange trees are in blossom, the smell in absolutely intoxicating, you can smell it for blocks.) It is tucked into a corner of the square and is on the second floor of a building, there are only two tables on the balcony, but it overlooks the square and it it so romantic to sit out there. I had the chicken elegante crepe and my husand the beef bourgignione (sp?) crepe. Plus french onion soup and salad. Was very cheap also.<BR><BR>Never made it to Seville.

Is it possible for you to fly from Barcelona to Malaga and then rent a car? This is what my husband and I did when we realized what a long drive it is from Barcelona to Marbella. I believe our flight was relatively inexpensive and about 1 hour flying time.<BR><BR>I can't remember specific restaurants in Marbella but there were a lot of good ones along the beach in front of our hotel, El Fuerte. The concierge gave us good recommendations and many of them were within walking distance. Since Marbella is a very popular tourist destination we found that many restaurants also offered menus in several languages. That was especially helpful to us since neither my husband nor I are fluent in Spanish and I have a very specific seafood allergy. <BR><BR>We found Marbella to be a good base for day trips to Gibraltar and the Alhambra in Granada. Also, don't miss the Cuevas de Nerja, Paleolithic caves that claim the world's largest stalactite. These caverns are very impressive and are right off of the coastal road near Nerja.

In Marbella, we enjoyed an excellent seafood meal at a branch of La Pesquera called Puerta del Principe on Plaza de los Naranjos. The Public Relations Manager was very friendly and helpful. <BR><BR>Our favorite meal of the trip was probably at Meson La Molienda, which is in the small town of Benalauria near Ronda. Thick, fresh slices of tomatoes in garlic and olive oil, garbanzo stew, and really great pork dishes stick in my mind.

Another option to consider is to fly between Granada (much less chaotic than Malaga's airport) to Barcelona. It was an inexpensive flight for us and from what I've read in the guidebooks, the drive from Andalucia to Barcelona is pretty unspectacular.<BR><BR>I don't remember any specific names of restaurants in Marbella, but there are lots that wonderful -- just found them by wandering around the downtown square. Also, we stayed at the Puente Romano and the restaurant was good but in a more remote location on the outskirts of town. In Ronda, you should check out the restaurant at the Parador. Seville has so many wonderful restaurants -- I got some recent suggestions from some of the travel magazines' webisites like cntraveler.com. before we traveled there. There's also some big article on a new restaurant in Seville I read about this month but of course can't remember which magazine published it! (It may have been AA's inflight mag!)

allison,<BR>Another Sevilla dining suggestion:<BR><BR>The food critic of El Pa&iacute;s, Spain's leading newspaper, has a review in today's travel section of &quot;La Taberna del Alabardero&quot; on Calle Zaragoza 20 (downtown). It's another great and classy place to dine, housed in a 19th century mansion, which has a Mon-Fri mid-day fixed price meal of a starter, main course and dessert creation by the pastry chef for only 10,10 euros! On Sat./Sun the price is 14,75. 2 great bargains for gourmet cuisine.<BR>This restaurant/cooking school, incidentally, is part of the restaurant empire of priest Luis Lezama, whose restaurants/hotels around Spain (and one in D.C.) are part of the Lezama Foundation with proceeds going to support programs for underprivileged youths. <BR><BR>Laura,<BR>Thanks for the recommendation of the Mes&oacute;n la Molienda in Benalauria, a white town we've yet to explore. The Mes&oacute;n gets a red fork for charm in the '03 Michelin red guide, and from the picture at www.molienda.com/meson2.htm<BR>it looks quite cute.<BR>My guide says it's open mid-week only for lunch but Fri/Sat for dinner as well. Closed 15 June-15 July. <BR>We'll be sure to make a stop during our Holy Week visit. <BR>It may become our new favorite in this area.

Dear Fellow travelers, Friends/Respondents, <BR><BR>THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the wonderful suggestions. Just reading your food descriptions has gotten my mouth to water! I will also look into the possibility of flying to Barcelona from either Malaga or Granada.<BR><BR>I have read these forums before, but had never posted a question. How wonderful to get such a number of great responses. I really appreciate all of your input. I have printed out your suggestions and I'm taking with me to Spain.<BR><BR>Again, muchisimas gracias!<BR><BR>Allison