Archive for 'Food and Wine in Spain'

At the core of the twisting streets and alleys of Barcelona's medieval Jewish Quarter, within the Gothic Quarter of the city, there is a very special cafe. A must for seasoned foodies who have found a vacation rental in Barcelona and are looking to explore the palate of the city.

This cafe is Caelum, meaning “heaven” in Latin, which is stocked with a treasure trove of unique delicacies that are sourced from and made in monasteries all around Europe. Comprised of a store and a cafe, there is a vast array of products like sweets, pastries, jams, beers, biscuits, scented candles and more the are all made by a different religious community that specialising in the careful artisanal production of an item.

There is a rather endless list of things to see and do in Barcelona. In fact, there are lots and lots of reasons to visit the city. We've got you sorted for a vacation rental in Barcelona with our series on some of our best holiday rental properties in the city but, if you're still in need of convincing as to why you should book now, check out just 10 reasons to visit:

1. The Architecture: Barcelona is famous for her architecture. In particular, it is well-known for the iconic buildings of Gaudí, which can be found dotted around the city. Utterly singular and unique, they are a precious cultural gem and a must-see for any architecture aficionado looking for a holiday destination.

However, there are plenty of other excellent examples of architectural beauties to discover and, back in 1999, Barcelona won a RIBA Gold Medal for it's world famous architecture. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk around, it's a constant treat!

There are lots of amazing wineries around the world. These wineries make incredible wines, of course, but there are also plenty of them that are works of art in their own right. There are lots that are housed in old villas or fascinating new architectural gems, sprawling estates, or stunning natural surroundings.

Yet, among all of these, the most extraordinary of all has to be the incredible Bodegas Güell. Sadly, it is no longer actually a winery but it is still a restaurant that can be visited to this day and is a rarity: a winery designed by Antoni Gaudí.

Madrid is a great foodie city in Spain and there are plenty of interesting and diverse places to grab a bite all around the city. However, there is one particular restaurant that stands out for a very good reason: it is the oldest restaurant in the world (or one of them, at least).

Sobrino de Botin is, according, to the Guinness World Records, the oldest restaurant in the globe and dates back to 1725. However, by some accounts, the world's oldest restaurant is actually Ma Yu Ching's Bucket Chicken House, which was first opened for business during the Jin Dynasty in 1153AD, though the present form dates to the 19th century. Regardless of which actually deserves this title, Sobrino de Botin is certainly the oldest continuously operating restaurant in Europe and a precious survivor of centuries of change, trade and progress.

There are always those bizarre attractions, right? You know the ones. The world's biggest ball of yarn, the oldest restaurant, the first, the biggest the fastest, the something "est". A lot of tourist attractions in Spain are based around cultural value and heritage or natural beauty but there are some things that are just unique or strange and worth seeing so you can say you did and have a fun anecdote.

What's even better still, however, is when you can also get something good to eat! Well, look no further than Lanzarote, where you can eat food cooked in a volcano!

Just find a vacation rental in the Canary Islands and head to Lanzarote to visit El Diablo restaurant for a meal unlike anything else you've ever tried before.