Granada, Cordoba, Seville.

Posted on by lisadnovak

December 2023

Thoughts.

Northern and Southern Spain are completely different worlds. Living in Barcelona now I appreciate that even more than I did when Claudia and I made our virgin voyage alllll the way back in 1999 to Seville. Or maybe I just appreciate that I could afford more than just cheap beer and pan de tomate this time around (although both staples are still greatly appreciated). 

It was a B- trip for us. Not so much about the sites as about the situation. The kids have off in December for Dia de la Constitució (Spanish Constitution Day) and La Immaculada Concepció. This is a unique to Spain holiday combo which means every Spaniard is off and every Spaniard is looking for the warmest place to celebrate. Knowing none of this we found ourselves in the midst of a fray everywhere we went.

We flew to Granada, drove to Cordoba and Seville and then flew out 5 days later. Some of the best parts of the trip were road tripping through gorgeous grape and orange tree fields and watching the storks construct enormous nests atop every utility pole– all to the Adam Sandler Hanukkah soundtrack on repeat. Some of the worst parts were all.of.the.people. Which made it harder to enjoy the rich history and beautiful offerings of this part of the world. That said, I’d go back, especially to Granada. It was lush and green with movie-set worthy rolling hills. Just not on a holiday weekend!

Stay.

  • Nowhere noteworthy. Lots of Airbnb options tho.

Eat.

  • Bodegas Castaneda / Granada. Dinner at *great* tapas spot. My favorite in Spain! Be sure to walk around the corner to find the tapas bar (vs. restaurant) as it’s much more chaotic, lively and authentic.
  • Restaurante Jardines Alberto / Granada. Beautiful restaurant with multiple terraces directly across from the Alhambra. We had lunch here but I’m sure the sunsets are beautiful later in the day. 
  • ConTenedor / Seville: Date night with David. It had a different twist on Spanish food, which is a welcome departure after my fall croqueta binge.
  • Cookie Love Love / Seville: DELISH!!!! Cookies made by a nice Texan girl.
  • Las Teresas / Seville. Lovely and authentic lunch spot in Jewish Quarter
  • Bar Catedral Seville / Seville. Themed with bulls. Lively, fun, good.

Play.

  • Alhambra / Granada. We toured with a fabulous tour guide Veronica at Alhambra Guide. Tickets were *incredibly* difficult to book and $$, although it was a holiday weekend in Spain so maybe that’s why? Still, several operators would change the tour times last minute which made it hard to plan around. But! Very worth it even though the kids were moaning about a 3 hour tour (I don’t totally blame them ;). One of my favorite sites in Spain.  
  • Cordoba Mosque / Cordoba. Truly stunning and fascinating historic site coupled by an equally stunningly bad tour. Stay far away from OWAY Tours.
  • Real Alcazar / Seville. Beautiful. We did an audio guide tour and it was decent. There was even a kids orchestra performing in the main square. Couldn’t get into Cathedral de Seville and were disappointed because we wanted to see Columbus’ Tomb.
  • Checkpoint Arcade Bar / Seville. Fun spot for a cocktail and board games. I just may have made a guest appearance in their Instagram story that night. 
  • Hercules Placa / Seville. Fun vibe, lively with a Christmas Market and cafes, just not so fun to be sleeping above it. 

Normandy. 

Posted on by lisadnovak

October 2023

Thoughts. 

Looking back on our time in Europe, Normandy stands out as a favorite. The mix of past and present felt almost surreal—are we really here? For our first long weekend, we chose Normandy for its proximity, significance, and a friend’s glowing recommendation. The World War II sites were sobering, yet balanced by vast ocean views, a sense of freedom, and incredible food. As new expats, the experience made me deeply proud to be American and grateful to share this living connection to the past with my kids.

Stay. 

  • Hotel Restaurant Chateau Saint Gilles. One of the most authentically beautiful places we’ve stayed in. It’s a carefully restored chateau outside of Bayeaux. Great recommendation from Alya. 

Eat. 

  • La Sapiniere. Again, Alya for the win! Restaurant by Omaha Beach with delicious seafood and cozy vibe on a cold day. The outdoor area looked great for the summertime.  
  • A La Dorette. We stumbled upon this casual cafe with a polo theme as we drove along the Cider Route. No one spoke English and it didn’t matter one bit.  
  • The Cider Route. Speaking of this Cider Route, it’s pretty magical and the fall colors were the closest to true New England-style autumn we’ve experienced in Europe. We drove along the windy roads and stopped at some cider houses to sample the calvados and apple juice both.  

Learn.

  • D-Day Tour. We did a half day D-Day Tour which was probably the right amount for the kids, but David and I would have been interested in more. There are many tours to suit all interest levels and amount of time.
  • Mont-Saint-Michel. This sight is so spectacular and the tides so dramatic, you can’t miss it. I remember being there in 1995 (!) and it stuck with me my entire life. We did the audio tour which was fine, but it’s worth a guided tour.