In an earlier post I introduced you all to why I want to visit Spain so badly. The reasons haven’t changed much, but have instead grown. It’s now the #1 place I must see immediately, financial woes be damned!

Spain is my dream vacation this year. Everywhere I turn, there’s something new to fascinate me about this country. Yet I can’t find anyone to join me on such a trip! So I’ve taken it upon myself to begin research in planning an ideal summer (though it’ll probably occur much later this year) budget trip to a land full of amazing food, wonderful people, and cultural history. If it were up to me I’d spend a week in Spain, taking a few days to soak in each key area.

So here is my plan for seeing, tasting, and smelling all that Spain has to offer:

1. Barcelona

Thanks to budget travel site, Hostel Bookers, I’ve learned how easy and cheap it is to lodge, sight see, and eat in Barcelona. During my ideal stay in Barcelona, I’d hit up one of the inexpensive, youthful hostels in the center of Barcelona so I could walk the entire time to any point of interest my little heart desires. Among my list of things to see would be the Gothic Cathedrals, La Boqueria food market, and Museum of Catalonian Art. I’d be able to mix history and culture within a day, plus save room for yummy Tapas and relax at Parc Guell by night. The next morning would be reserved for beach bumming and lots of eating. Just look at how many cheap lunch places there are to dive into! I just might have to treat myself to an upscale meal at La Rita Restaurant near Passeig de Gracia.

When it comes to music and art, my friends at EuroCheapo got me covered. Summer nights in Barcelona are full of cheap, some even FREE concerts! As a big music head working in the industry, this could be a perfect chance to open my mind to music around the world. It seems Barcelona offers an array of talented jazz musicians performing in beautiful settings like outdoor parks. But there’s also night clubs pumping with pop, jam, and blues music too. I’m sure I could enjoy a night or two in this city just by relaxing over a few drinks and good tunes. Perhaps the next day I’d spend some time checking out the Museu D’Arqueologia de Catalunya to refresh my memory on Roman art. Not a bad game plan huh?

2. Madrid

Ahhh the city of passion! The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Madrid is Flamenco dancing, so you can imagine how delighted I was to find Frommer’s 6 ways to Flamenco in Madrid. According to Frommers, Flamenco is a way of life, not just music and entertainment. This is exactly the kind of activity I’d like to throw myself into. Coming from a Latin family who loves to dance, I would dare myself on the dance floor and learn how to Flamenco like a true Spaniard. Plus my co-worker Cesar thinks (Salsa) dancing is a great way to meet new people. Thanks to the both Frommer’s and Cesar, you can find me hopping from one Flamenco bar to the other in search of the best dancers in the country to teach me a few moves!

But with the summer nights going non-stop I might just fit in some of Veranos de la Villa events in Madrid as well. With more than 1600 activities revolving around dance, music, theater, and countless other fun stuff, there’s no telling where I’ll end up at night. Maybe I’ll even catch up on some Spanish flicks such as Vicky Cristina Barcelona?

3. The rest of Spain

The rest of my days in between city-hopping would be left up in the air. Sometimes not having a scheduled itinerary helps one discover the best of a foreign land. Certainly San Sebastian and Valencia are two places I’d like to check out in my spare time.

Apparently, San Sebastian throws a Tapas Crawl that is heaven for foodies like myself. If a Tapas Crawl can leave a family raving about it, then I bet I won’t have a problem enjoying the food myself. According to family travel blog, Soul Travelers 3, the tapas crawl starts in the old city section of San Sebastian and extends through the port where you’ll walk across cobbled streets. I really enjoy exploring old cities so this sounds perfect. Plus, if you know anything about tapas, you’ll know that the food can be endless. Sounds yummy and fun to me!

I also hear the Guggenheim in San Sebastian is a must see for any fan of art and architecture. I first learned about the museum on Marianna‘s trip to Spain. Her photos and points of interests really won me over. I have a soft spot for modern art works so this could be a great way to spend a quiet afternoon. Her trip also inspired me to take in the night time scenery of San Sebastian. The passageways, beaches, dim-lit restaurants, and people would make for a nice walk in the evening as well.

And finally perhaps a last minute stop at Valencia to see if any crazy festivals are going on like the one Maya experienced on her trip. Who knows what antics could be waiting here!

So what do you say travel geeks? Who wants to join me for an end of the year mini vacation to Barcelona, Madrid, San  Sebastian, and Valencia!

PS – I’ll gladly take donations, tips, offers, or any other form of support to make this dream trip come true.

Read more posts by Alisha

This entry was posted on Thursday, August 13th, 2009 at 4:02 PM and is filed under Community Interest, Europe, Travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.