This Spain Guide will help you to find nice restaurants, beaches, tours in Alicante, Minorca and Valencia, and will help you as well to navigate these three different locations to provide you with the best travel experience.
What I enjoy the most when traveling is the unexpected: the future anecdotes to be told, the adventure. To visit Spain, I tried not to plan that much in advance and leave room for the unpredictable, enjoy the beaches and Spaniard cuisine. I did do a little bit of research, though, and no regrets about that since going from the hotel to the different coves in Menorca Island, for instance, was a little bit challenging. So here is my guide to Spain.
Menorca
I'll start with my first destination in Spain: beaches. Some people call this island Minorca in English, but the Spanish name is Menorca. This is the smallest sister of a set of islands: Ibiza, Palmas de Mallorca, and at last Menorca. I chose Menorca because its coves are unique, and it is the less touristy of all, it was still little bit crowded so I can't imagine how bad were Mallorca and Ibiza.
How to navigate Menorca Island
Public transportation in Menorca is good as long as you have coins in euros (exact change to pay for your tickets) and as long as you are aware of the bus schedule. Once you arrive to the airport there are pamphlets with the schedule and fare. This is also shown in every bus stop. The routes can be found on the map and don't be afraid to ask the driver if needed. The official language is Catalan (a dialect), they of course speak Spanish as well, and some drivers speak a little bit of English. To go to some places you might have to switch buses. The frequency is not good, that's why is very important that you have the schedule for the season. Some of them depart every 1 hour, and some other are more frequent, depending on your destination.
The airport bus is very convenient. Almost everyone takes the bus to go to the Ciutadella where most of the resorts, hotels, museums and restaurants are.
Bus official bus website to see routes and fares, this link for instance, shows you how to go to Cala en Porter from the Ciutadella, and even where to switch buses.
Here there is another website of buses to reserve ahead: http://mou-tmenorca.com/portal.aspx?IDIOMA=2
Rent a vehicle: Driving is not very convenient because some coves don't permit car access, the bus have the privilege to enter the roads and leave you the closest to the cove, sometimes you have to walk half of a mile still. Also, some coves don't have a convenient parking lot.
Taxis: There is NO UBER in this island, only taxi. The taxi could be a little bit expensive, we used it once to go from the Ciutadella to a fancy restaurant on the other side of the island, and because the bus that was supposed to take us would get us too early or too late for our reservation.
Where to stay in Menorca:
Preferably near the Ciutadella as I mentioned, almost all the bus stops are here, and that's key to visit the coves.
I stayed in Cala Santandria, the view from our balcony was jaw dropping. This location is 30 min away by walking from the Ciutadella and 7 min by bus. A lady with a golf cart stopped once and gave us a free ride!
Best restaurants and places to eat in Menorca:
Can Consul Restaurant
With a view of the port and the City Hall, the first night eating in Menorca was a success.
Ivette in Cala Morell
Ideal to watch the sunset, the shrimp tempura and sangrias were 10/10 plus the view.
S’esplanada y Es Fabiol
these are two restaurants next to each other located in Placa de Senplaxada in the Ciutadella. There is plenty of outdoor seating in the plaza, they accept walk ins, we loved to be here eating lunch until our bus arrived.
II Vespro
The original idea was to go to Blarney’s Bar, but it was very crowded and I didn't have reservations, so I ended up in Vespro, which is next door and I totally loved the pitcher of sangrias and the paella.
What to do in Menorca
Boat tour to all the coves: The boat takes you to a few coves in a day, there are all kinds of tours, some of them allow you to get out, jump into the water and spend a few hours on the beach, they might visit 4 coves in a day so you might have to find another itinerary for the next day that takes you to the coves on your list. Get your guide tour is an option, check local websites to make sure of the prices.
Visit the City Hall: that is the building in the Ciutadella that looks like a castle. It is nice to admire the facade from outside, this place is really where locals do their paperwork, so there is absolutely nothing of major interest inside.
Carrer de Pere Capllonch: Street Markets and boutiques are located on this pedestrian path, as well as gelaterias. If you are looking for that summer linen shirt this is your place to go.
Coves
There are a lot of coves in Menorca, A LOT, also known as Calas. I'll list my favorite: Before, it's very important that you book online the tickets for certain buses in advance because some of them get all booked during the summer, and if you had a cove in your itinerary you might not be able to visit it. Example, to visit cala turqueta, the bus is not very frequent and it got all booked two days in advance, therefore I couldn't visit Cala Turqueta.
Cala Santandria:
My hotel was located here, sunsets are so magical and there are restaurants and bars downstairs.
Cala Mitajana and Mitjaneta: These were extremely crowded, and are well known for being nudist beaches: There is a lot of naked people.
Cala Macarella and Macarelleta: Probably the less crowded of all if you go there early enough (10/11 am)
Cala en Porter
This Cala got incredibly crowded at 2 PM. From the Ciutadella it takes almost two hours to get here: I had to switch buses, and wait about 40 min for the second bus, if that happens to you, you can visit the town around the bus stop (it's actually very pretty) I don't want to give directions with the number of bus and frequency because the routes and schedules change every season, so it will depend on the pamphlet that you get when you arrive by airplaine or ferry, and on what is posted on the bus station. In this Cala you can rent kayaks and paddle boards and go around. When you go to Cala en Porter you can also visit this bar called Cova D' en Xoroi (picture below)
The bus stop is a mile away from Cala en Porter so get ready to work out. The neighborhood is so beautiful, white walls, purple flowers hanging from balconies, walking around is very nice.
Visit other towns:
Mao also known as Mahon and Alaior are both good options.
Alaior is a town where I could walk for a little while and get some food befor egetting into the second bus that took me to Cala en porter.
Nightlife
Here there is a list of bars that are more popular:
The Blarney Stone: a typical bar located in Cala Santandria, they have food as well.
Bar Imperi and Bar Moriarty: these bars are next to each other both located right by the Plaza Des Born. It gets very crowded here.
Cova d' en Xoroi: this one has events and it turns into an actual night club. you need reservations and tickets.
Es Cau: This bar is around the corner from the City Hall, in a pedestrian zone, and absolutely recommend since drinks are big and affordable.
Alicante, Spain:
Public transportation in Alicante:
There are buses and taxis. Unless you want to visit other towns that are near by you won't need to use neither taxis nor buses, Alicante is completely walkable. Taxi prices are for example 30 euros to Santa Pola (near by city), you could split the cost so if you are 4 people is obviously more convenient. The bus is Only 2 euros but it does take between 40 min and an hour whilst the taxi takes 20 min (not big diference).
Best restaurants and places to eat and drink in Alicante:
We jumped from restaurant to restaurant eating tapas and beer. Here is my list:
La taverna del gourmet
They have a tapas menu to pay a fixed price to try as much as you can... keep you stomach empty for this because it does involve a lot of food.
Espigas: Panaderia, a panadería is a pastries place, this one had tipicall pastries from Argentina, the medialunas are the best part.
26 Cocktail Room
Drinks here are excessive interesting, you have it all, horns, buses, Hawaiian style, highly recommend.
Get lost in the paths and intrincate streets to eat at a random restaurant. I honestly don't remember the name of this restaurants located in the heart of Alicante, but all them around the plaza were so good, it is just a matter of walk around and get in any place you like.
Santa Gloria:
This is a nice coffee shop, the pastries are so good, the one on this picture was filled with a raspberry paste that was delicious. This coffee shop is right next to 26 Cocktail Room.
What to do in Alicante
Mercado Central de Alicante
This is a MUST, definitely one of the highlights of my trip. Below on the very right picture there is some octopus that we tried at Aitana's Corner. We also drank the coldest and most refreshing beer ever and ate pinchitos. Got some pastries at a bakery, some souvenirs, and outside visited the flower shops.
Santa Barbara Castle
For a panoramic view is the best spot. Access: Tickets are purchased at the door, no need of reservations. To enter the castle, there is a path that takes you to a long hall and once you purchase the tickets an elevator that takes you up to the castle. Asl people on your way to the castle, they will indicate you to take the road that goes by the beach for the easiest entrance.
Tour through the city:
The tour can be booked through the website, the length is two hours or so, and the itinerary depends on the tour you book. The guide is a local who knows about the city and you will leave with a lot of new knowledge. The tour that I booked offered a stop at a turron (a local treat) store, where we got a free sample, and a shot of liquor.
Other places to visit in Alicante:
Plaza san Cristobal
Marina deportiva del puerto de Alicante
White-sand Costa Blanca San Juan Beach
Old town of Alicante : Barrio De Santa Cruz
An evening in Santa Pola:
A coastal town, with beautiful bars by the port, and a very nice local vibe, there isa bus from Alicante that cost two euros per ride.
Visit Altea
I wanted to visit Altea, a beautiful village located 40 min away from Alicante by car, and almost 2 hours by bus. There is also a train. The reality was that at that point the exhaustion was high, and traveling after all is supposed to be relaxing at some point. I highly recommend to go, because is well known for being beautiful.
Valencia:
Transportation in Valencia: The good thing is that you can walk everywhere, if you don't feel like walking or your itinerary is kinda crazy there are bikes, buses, taxis, and metro.
This is a one day and a half stop itinerary in Valencia.
What to do in Valencia:
Walk through Old Town/la ciudad vieja:
The old town is gorgeous, Plaza Redonda was my favorite part of it, all the markets, shops, bars and life around it is incredible!
In the old town we got into this restaurant that had this beautiful octopus: Finding this restaurant was pure luck, this is what happens when you walk around and unexpectedly get to try amazing food and get to know new places. I can't recall the name of this restaurants, only the location: Old town near Plaza Redonda. I call this the magic of traveling and I love it.
Here are some spots I recommend in Old Town:
Ocho y Medio Bar
Restaurant Sagardi Cocineros Vascos
Plaza de la Reina: Go to Llinares Gelato, and Deneb is a beautiful clothing store to visit.
The Science and Arts Museum
This is an iconic piece in Valencia, this museum surrounded by water that offers so many activities and things to do will make your visit worth it.
The building has an Aquarium, a movie theater, and even clear kayaks to go on the water.
Park:
Walk through the park that crosses the city, this long green area that zigzags across Valencia has it all. This is a very popular park and you can even rent bikes to go from where it begins to the very end the same day. There are gardens and iconic buildings in this park.
Bars in Valencia:
Here is where it gets tricky to recommend a specific bar, but I can recommend a specific area, I did love the bars around Plaza Redonda because you don't need reservations and is this European vibe of just sitting there, have a drink enjoy the surroundings, then walk and hop to the next bar that is good looking.
Restaurants in Valencia:
In Valencia, there are a few restaurants that need reservations, sometimes months in advance. Why?
I'll show you:
Voltereta
This restaurants have a few locations, in every single one there is a different decoration. This is city themed, and one of them is Bali. The menu is not that aligned with the Balinese cuisine, though, and there are a few tropical cocktails. We tried to get in on a random weekday at midday, when you assume everyone will be working, or out of the city since it was summer but they said that they were all booked for months.
The other locations are Kioto theme, Manhattan theme, Casa theme.
Submarino
This restaurant is part of an Aquarium, you can have your table next to the pools, and dine while you observe all the beautiful fish and sea life.
Because these three locations in Spain are by the ocean, typical dishes include a lot of seafood: octopus, fried calamari, paella, even empanadas and pastries. Note that in Spain, as in many countries of Europe and South America, dinner time is around 9, sometimes even 10 pm or later. To dine in Menorca, lines to get in the restaurants in the Ciutadella even at 11 pm are the length of a block. Dinner time gets pushed back on vacations because people spend as much time as they can on the beach (usually until 7:30/8 pm) They get home, get a shower and get ready to leave, that's easy 10 pm. So, if you go out to find a restaurant at 8 pm, you are going to be fine, even without reservations. Now, after 10 pm with no reservations, maybe a little bit farther from the main streets of the Cuitadella you might find something, and in Valencia, or Alicante there are way more options. There are a few places, especially in Valencia that require reservations as I mentioned. The general vibe in Alicante and Menorca then is that you can show up with no reservation, and if you show up after 10 pm, line up. It's very unlikely not to make it.
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