Spanish Bargain: Tarragona's Las Palmeras

After a horrific 36 hours without sleep and a mind-numbing journey that took me from Classy Cannes to sleeping in a train station in Narbonne to Hectic Barcelona, I finally arrived at my accommodation in Tarragona, Spain.

I've blogged about this wonderfully overlooked destination before (see side bar) but haven't expressed what a great deal Las Palmeras is.

I found this beach resort while perusing Bookhostels.com. I was supposed to be going to Switzerland but I figured if I was near enough to Spain, I should make the effort to visit this enigmatic country. Finding Las Palmeras sealed the deal.


Las Palmeras is a sprawling resort located on the Costa Brava, 7km outside of the city of Tarragona and an hour's train ride from Barcelona. Instead of having a hotel, the resort has many white-washed, clean and comfortable cabins to rent, scattered throughout the landscaped grounds.


Each cabin has it's own veranda (complete with clothes drying hanger - a dirty backpacker's dream), a seperate WC and shower, two small bedrooms, a living area and a fully-stocked kitchen.



Want to see how close these beauties are to the beach? Play away:


What was really amazing was that there was barely any people in this glorious place. You would think that with an endless white sand beach like this, it would be packed.


While most of the people there seemed to be regular caravaners from Denmark and what not, on my first night there I met an American brother and sister who had been studying in Seville. In my no-sleep state they were a welcoming sight for sore eyes, as they treated me to a homemade dish of mushrooms, garbanzo beans and rice. So simple and so appreciated. That meal stands out in my mind in all it's deliciousness.

We followed up the meal with wine and beer on the beach, and later, a drinking game with them and the local stray cat they nicknamed "The Ranger" in Spanish.


My days at this resort was blissful. When I didn't take the bus into town to appreciate Tarragona's Roman relics, I relaxed on the beach, read, ate at the lively on-site bar or shopped for food at the resort's general store.

Best part of it all? It only cost me 35 Euros a night. This was more affordable then many hotels I stayed in and since the cabins comfortably sleep 5, you can imagine what an even more fantastic bargain it would be if you got a whole group of people together.

For further information and for bookings, please visit: Las Palmeras Website.

Overlooked: La Alberca, Spain

La Alberca is a little known town in the northwest of Spain, just a hop, skip and a jump from Salamanca and the Portugal border and a four-hour bus ride from Madrid.

I found my way to this quite little town by force. I had signed up for my volunteering English teaching position for a week through the highly recommended Pueblo Ingles and was sent to the program's outpost in this wee place.

I've blogged about the program before (though not in depth, which I should do one day. although right after the program was finished I did blog this MEMO), but never really about what the village really has to offer. After all, besides the gaggle of English-unundated Spaniards and Anglos that come here to learn every week, other tourists come to La Alberca.

Why?

First off, the village is ancient...over a thousand years old and extremely well-preserved, as you can see in it's fabulously medieval architecture, cobblestone roads and thatched roofs. In fact, all new buildings must be made in the same manner and style as the old ones. It also the first village to be declared a National Historial Monument by Spain and it's easy to see why:











Reported fountain of youth

Built in the 1300's, the town church may look unassuming from the outside but inside it tells a different and historically rich story. The Church of the Asunción, houses many revered wonders such as a 16th-century pulpit sculpted in granite, a splendid Gothic copper processional cross and a figure of Cristo del Sudor.

The scenery is astounding too, as the village combines softly pastoral landscapes with the rugged Sierra de Francia mountains.


Also worth noting is the local cuisine and shops. People flock to this village to sample the tasty, but pricey, serrano hams. These black pigs get fat on acorns...

...before the are sold in any of the numerous Jam shops...

...and make their way to your dinner table.

The local shops are vivid, quaint and all-encompasing, catering to the young tourist:

Old tourist:
And locals:
Details:
*Located an hour and a half from the lively student city of Salmanca, with daily bus services.

*The hotel I stayed at is primarily used for the volunteer program, though the chalets can also be rented out. Otherwise, The Paris Hotel (http://www.hotelparislaalberca.com/, +34 923 415 131) is closer to town and comfy.