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Hello Maribel — thanks again for your wonderful advice. I will adjust dates accordingly and also stick to the Posada we have reserved in Seville.
I have also contacted Casa Primicia to see if they can offer us a tour. Their reservation system needs us to make a request vs. just booking online as they seem to restrict the number of visitors due to the age of their cellers. And the church sounds amazing! My husband is not a wine buff but adores visiting churches in Europe so he will love this addition to our day. Your knowledge of Spain and your willingness to help is deeply appreciated. Gracias! |
It´s one of the most amazing polychromed facades that still exist in the world, make sure you do make a reservation for the English visit at the Tourist Office in Laguardia.
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Casa Primicia should get back to you soon I hope.
As mikelg says, the polychromed portico is truly amazing. You can email the tourist office to find out exactly when the English visit is given in July. They should probably already know. They are working on an online system of purchasing tickets but it's not yet ready. [email protected] Question for mikelg, Have you experience the meals that are offered at Casa Primicia, the menú graciano or the menú tempranillo? Or the picnic in Carravalseca? |
My post about Laguardia is in moderation, so stay tuned!
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That photo of Mateos Gago is grim!
Just a small note about Madrid restaurants: I tend to have a pretty large budget for food; I don't consider cost all that much but again, I don't go to places that might be called "fancy." I just want to let you know that I don't think I've ever spent more than about 120 euro for myself, and usually much less. (I don't drink much in restaurants, but wine is very good value in Spain', as you already know). So with the figure you mention, I think you have a vast choice as far as restaurants go. Maribel is our food guru here, so I will leave it to her, apart from mentioning two really great places for dinner (there are so very many but these are two that come to mind for a calm setting and fantastic food;) you already know that you have to book in advance: https://lamanducadeazagra.com This one I am mentioning with a caveat; I've discussed in a couple of trip reports on this site: https://latasquitadeenfrente.com I am not saying that these are the "best" in Madrid; I just like them. And Maribel will also tell you about the great, more casual, restaurants in the neighborhood east of Retiro Park. At those you do not have to dress up in the least: Jeans and sneakers are fine, in fact those are fine pretty much everyplace that I've dined in the capital. I certainly would spend more time in Sevilla than in Malaga. But then, I've only spent time in Malaga once, and that was about 8 years ago, more or less, and it was damp and rainy so we did not get the city at its best... Oh, Sevilla is one fantastic city, for food and everything else. I've never been there when it was hot so cannot comment on that....I suppose you would want a hotel with a pool, though. |
I concur with La Manduca de Azagra, as their claim to fame is serving the finest vegetables from their own garden in Navarra.
If you'd like to taste some wonderful Galician updated recipes from a great Galician chef, another upscale restaurant in the Chamberí district is Lúa. For your special birthday dinner I would look at the menus and the dining room photos of Alabaster, La Manduca de Azagra and Lúa to see what most appeals. Or Sacha to dine outside in the pretty courtyard, but reservations are more challenging to snag here. I didn't mention La Tasquita de Enfrente because I have some reservations about it primarily for visitors who haven't spent lots of dining hours in Madrid (like my friend ekscrunchy) and for those seeking a very special birthday celebration on a beautiful street in an upscale, very attractive neighborhood, like Justicia (La Manduca), Jerónimos (Alabaster), Almagro (Lúa) or further north, Chamartín (Sacha). Since you only have 3 nights, I'll wait to mention casual recommendations in your neighborhood until you have your lodging set, so as not to send you off to far flung restaurants away from your rental, so that you can devote more time to your touring. My post about Laguardia is still under moderation. It will turn up eventually. |
Thanks again Maribel
And thanks ekscrunchy for your Madrid restaurant recommendations! I just subscribed to your trip report about Sevilla and Cadiz because I enjoy your passion for food very much. Like you, I adore food and great restaurants, from street food to high end. I aim for solid casual restaurants for most meals with a few splurges thrown in, so my budget for every meal is certainly not $150 per person!! We just returned from the fantastic Mexico City and one of the best tacos al Pastor we had there was at a street vendor opposite the Museo Somaya! We also ate at Pujol which was wonderful as well. I read your report on that city too and will write one of my own soon. I will look into some of the places you mentioned in Madrid, and have already penciled in a few from your Seville trip report! Gracias again. @Maribel — we have found an apartment in the Las Letras neighborhood. Very excited to be staying in this beautiful area. Please let me know your restaurant recommendations for casual places there. Yes, alas, only 3 days in Madrid! Maribel and mikelg — reservations for the wine tour at Casa Primicia complete 😄 — they just got back to me. Also, I have an email in to the tourist office about a tour to the church in Laguardia. So looking forward to this day in Rioja! Also have reservations for Los Fueros for our first night in Bilbao! We definitely go to Cafe Iruna too. Thanks again everyone for your help and suggestions! |
Yeah! Great news!
Do you have a street name and perhaps cross streets so that Revulgo and I can fill you in on some nice places for groceries, wine, pastries, churros y chocolate, handicrafts, etc? About solid, casual restaurants. I did a lengthy, "casual restaurant sweep" this Sunday and liked very, very much the following: 1. Bodega Amores on Santa Isabel, below the Antón Martín market, a new opening by one of the members of the excellent Triciclo group. Low prices, creatively prepared dishes, lovely, warm and friendly service, delicious breads and a complimentary chupito of crema de orujo after my meal. 2. And for super casual dining Cádiz style with non-stop kitchen, the brand new and tiny Tabanco La Santa (formerly Giro, also of the Triciclo group) on Santa Maria, with a non-stop kitchen. My chicarrones de Cádiz were almost as good as those of Casa Manteca in Cádiz capital. Lots of wines by the glass options, charcuterie and cheese platters, mollete sandwiches that looked yummy and low prices. Fun. 3. Another charming tile-lined, renovated tavern, also a member of the Triciclo group on that same street, across the street is Taberna Elisa. The only issue with these in July will be if they have their a/c on. Last Sunday none of these places did, the doors were left wide open and it was quite warm already. Vinoteca Moratín on Calle Moratín could also be a contender for a nice, sit down, sophisticated, candlelight dinner. More ideas in Las Letras to come. So glad you found the apartment! |
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I was just walking down Calle Gobernador on Sunday. You´ll be close to Calle Moratín, where, if you don't want to prepare breakfast in your apartment, you can have specialty coffees and breakfast treats at the newish Osom Coffee House at Moratín 38.
There are also beautiful pastries at Estela Hojaldre at Plaza de Jesús. For a charcuterie or cheese platter and excellent tinned seafood (conservas) at night with wine in the back room with marble top tables in a gourmet deli, there´s Casa González on Calle León and for canapés and draft beer, the venerable Cervecería Cervantes, on the corner of Plaza de Jesús and Cervantes in front of the church of Jesús de Medinaceli. Yours will be a handy location for the museums of the Art Triangle. If you need food provisions, I love the indoor and outdoor Mercado de Antón Martín, all the way to the top of Moratín across from the Antón Martín metro stop. I managed to ¨belly up to the bar at" the extremely crowded on Sunday afternoons vermouth bar, La Consentida, a Revulgo favorite for the Sunday ritual of vermouth and a gilda skewer before my lunch. It's on the tiny mews leading to the Mercado de San Martin on the right side, after passing the Portuguese coffee and pastéis de nata place, O Luso. Inside this bustling market, you have, downstairs, in the Mercado Gastronómico, my very favorite place of all the tiny dining spaces, LaLópez Bar, with Michelin-quality cuisine, prepared by chef Sergio and manned by his lovely partner from San Sebastián, Maialen, who speaks perfect English. This is really fine dining in a small market space. It has a Repsol recommendation. My Málaga favorite dining (we were there until April 1): La Cosmopolita (my very favorite and the food is divine and very friendly service--it's my number one)--incredible steak tartar, recently review by Ziggy on Hungry Onion, on the thread,"Andalucía anyone?", where I left a ton of recommendations. La Cosmo, the chef's new casual spin off with only counter seating at a long bar and a very nice, covered outdoor terrace Anyway Wine Bar (great prices, great wines, informal, near El Muelle pier) For highly authentic rice dishes, the new Beluga with lovely, covered outdoor terrace (chef hails from Alicante, so he really knows his rice). For arguably, the city's finest seafood dishes and the city's best version of Russian salad, extremely popular with locals, Refectorium Cathedral. Either reserve by going by or calling or be there at the door before it opens in the evening at 8:30. Filled with locals in the know. The tourist magnet of El Pimpi, in front of the Roman theater, is good for a Málaga sweet wine and their famous ensalada malagueña taken at the bar and to soak up the atmosphere in the original, iconic bar with its large wine vats autographed by celebrities--partly owned by Antonio Banderas--go early as it gets mobbed and I mean, really mobbed!. I was less enamored of popular Taberna Uvedoble in its new location in the shadows of the Teatro Romano, but prices are very fair. It just gets very busy so service is sometimes lacking. And in Málaga, but not on a Mon. when fishmongers aren´t there, make sure to visit the wonderful Atarazanas covered market, as is noted in KarenWoo's report. When I was there during Holy Week it was as busy as Barcelona's La Boquería (seriously), but it's a treat for the eyes and the senses. |
Thanks, Maribel, for the Madrid and Malaga tips. I will look into them and make reservations. Glad to report that the church tour is confirmed in Laguardia and Laura just confirmed our reservation at Alboroque in Haro! None of this would have been possible without your recommendations and knowledge! We will be in Pamplona at the same time — for a few hours anyway. It will be chaotic otherwise would love to meet you after the bull run for a quick hello and a drink. Let me know!
Thanks again! |
Yes, I'll shoot you a PM or you can shoot me one for Pamplona. We'll certainly be there on the 8th, so it would be fun to meet for a drink after the encierro. I hope you have a good balcony so that you can witness up front and personal all the craziness and the excitement. It will only last for 3 minutes or so (if there isn't a stray bull), but it's best seen from a balcony. From the street you see nothing. We could meet at the Café Iruña on the outdoor terrace afterwards.
Please tell Laura of Alboroque that I sent you. She's a lovely person. |
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I am very late responding but first I want to thank you for mentioning my name in the same company as maribel, mikelg, ekscrunchy, MFNYC, and Micheal. I am truly honored! And I am very happy that my Spain TR has helped you plan your trip. You have of course received EXCELLENT advice from all the posters. So I can't really add anything new except to say that you are wise in spending 4 nights in Seville and 3 nights in Malaga. But I am happy that you are staying in Malaga because I think it's an underrated city. Hopefully, you will find the temperatures a bit more tolerable in Malaga. When we visited in September 2017, Malaga had the coolest temps.
La Azotea has probably already been mentioned, but that was our favorite restaurant in Seville. In fact, we ate there twice. We ate at the one located at Calle Mateos Gago. I know there is another location that is probably less crowded. And I am shocked (although I guess I shouldn't be) at the crowds in the photo that Maribel posted! We stayed in Barrio Santa Cruz while in Seville, and it was very crowded in 2017, but alas, it is even more crowded now. I can't imagine trying to navigate through those hordes of people. reddy2go2, I am sure you are aware of this but it doesn't hurt to be reminded to have plenty of water on you, wear hats, and use lots of sunblock! |
Originally Posted by Maribel
(Post 17566486)
Yes, I'll shoot you a PM or you can shoot me one for Pamplona. We'll certainly be there on the 8th, so it would be fun to meet for a drink after the encierro. I hope you have a good balcony so that you can witness up front and personal all the craziness and the excitement. It will only last for 3 minutes or so (if there isn't a stray bull), but it's best seen from a balcony. From the street you see nothing. We could meet at the Café Iruña on the outdoor terrace afterwards.
Please tell Laura of Alboroque that I sent you. She's a lovely person. And yes, will tell Laura you said hi, Maribel! |
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Deleted---wrong thread!
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Posada del Lucero
I stayed at the Posada del Lucero for 4 nights in early September 2019 and it was very comfortable. The room we had was large and the air conditioning worked well. The staff was lovely and even got us tickets to Alcázar, which were the only tickets I hadn't arranged in advance for my trip to Spain. (They seemed to have some sort of special access.)
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Thank you! That is great to know about the Posada. I assume it was a short walk to most sights? My husband has developed a weak knee so wanted to confirm. Thanks again.
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From the Posada del Lucero it´s a 15-minute walk to the Alcázar and the Cathedral.
But your other choice, the H10 Corregidor Boutique is a further walk, not as convenient. To get a bit closer, the H10 Casa de la Plata is a 10-minute walk, but you didn't include it in your original choices, perhaps because of the rates? If not, it's where we stay now and it's a lovely hotel with a little rooftop plunge pool, not as large as the one at the Posada del Lucero. Just a thought... |
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