Balearic light, Madrid delights
Pou D'es Lleó, Ibiza
After a rainy March, we’re back to blue skies again and I’m reminded of what I love most about living on the Med: the light!
And nowhere is the quality of the light more crisp, bright and magnificent than in the Balearic Islands of Mallorca, Menorca, Fuerteventura and the "white isle" itself, Ibiza. I took the picture above at Pou D'es Lleó, Ibiza back in 2006.
Ibiza's party-island reputation precedes it, but there's so much more to explore. Its tiny size means you can hop in a car at the airport and be in the pine-forested countryside and tiny coves of the north within an hour.
These islands are perfect for a week-long getaway, from an ultra-glam trip to hiking and biking. Formentera and Menorca are the quieter, gentler sisters, while Mallorca and Ibiza offer a combo of ritzy restaurants and shopping in Palma and Ibiza town, coupled with tons of outdoorsy activities, plus huge selection of stunning city and rural hotels and sea-view fincas for rent.
This dreamy villa in Ibiza pictured below is part of the Plum Guide collection -- bookable through me!
Courtesy of Plum Guide
Food wise, Mallorca's spicy sobrasada is the thing to try, while in Menorca it's all about the almond pastries, Mahon cheese and lobster stew. Ibiza also has its own tasty fish stew, and Formentera brings seafood rice and fresh fish aplenty to the table.
Whether you feel like checking out the Balearics, or making a Spain stop part of a larger Southern Europe tour, I've got you covered with:
... itinerary creation
... research and recommendations for stays, eats, and tours
... bookings and logistics.
Booking hotels through me is free of charge. For more complex trips, I offer different levels of planning fees.
Six Senses Ibiza, courtesy of hotel
Madrid: tapas tours and terraces
Bless Hotel Picos Pardos Sky Lounge, courtesy of hotel
While life in Valencia is pretty sweet, I sometimes need a capital-city fix. Valencia-Madrid takes less than 2 hours by high-speed train.
On my recent Madrid trip, I checked out the Devour “Tapas, Taverns & History” tour to see if I’d recommend it to my clients. Definitely yes -- for the selection of tapas at historic, family-run bars, as well as the super-friendly and knowledgable local guide.
There’s so much to see and do in this amazing city, that it should be a stop on any Spain trip. I can help you plan an itinerary to make sure you get a full immersion on the distinctive barrios, epic galleries, parks, restaurants, day trips -- and of course, get you VIP perks at Fora Travel partner hotels.
With the weather warming up, Madrid hotels will soon be throwing open their stylish rooftop bars with panoramas over the sprawling city to the mountains beyond.
I love Bless Hotel’s Picos Pardos Sky Lounge (pictured above) with its green pool in the Salamanca nieghborhood, and the Picalagartos’s Sky Bar & Lounge at the NH Collection Hotel above the action on Gran Via. The Madrid Edition hotel (below) has one of the most attractive pool- terraces in town. The 360º Rooftop Bar of the RIU Hotel Plaza España ups the ante with a suspended glass walkway on the 27th floor.
Madrid Edition, courtesy of hotel
That's it from me for today!
Feel free to reach out at any time for a travel chat.
Love, Jill