Month: September 2022

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Spain

Overnight trip to magical Cuenca

Cuenca vista hanging houses

Marcus

A Unesco world heritage sight and one of Spain’s most arresting cities. Alluring and spell-binding, it’s most famous for its casa colgadas, buildings that literally hang from the cliff, and its modern art scene first established in the 1960s. Relatively un-touristy given its sheer beauty, an overnight trip to magical Cuenca is highly recommended.

Slow train to Cuenca from Valencia

I take the slow train from Valencia Nord (c.4hr & €16.50), the majestic modernist train station. The journey is picturesque. Once out of the industrial outskirts, you’re enveloped in the rich and fertile orchards of the province: the garden of Valencia.  At a gentle pace, the train languidly rises until vast valleys open up.

Passing through mountainous terrain, we trundle through tunnel after tunnel, with magnificent rock faces and pines clinging to the slopes. Eventually we reach the Meseta, Spain’s central plateau, where sunflowers fields and almond groves are interspersed with rolling forested hills. At last Cuenca, on top of a natural pyramid, appears as if a mirage. Slow travel at its best.

The inimitable medieval old town

Making a quick getaway from the station in the relatively bland new town (a common occurrence in Spain), it’s a hike up to the old centre. Your exertions are rewarded with a complete medieval city: winding narrow cobbled streets, great town houses painted in bright pastels, tranquil plazas, and miradors that offer breathtaking views of the rugged countryside. 

The plaza mayor is the heart of old Cuenca. It’s the perfect place to sip an aperitif, watching the town come to life as locals emerge from siesta. From the terrace of Mesón, where uniformed waiters bustle, I admire the baroque town hall set above three arches, the colourful facades of the irregularly shaped tall houses, and the gothic cathedral that shines in the evening light. 

The gothic cathedral in the Plaza Mayor

The cathedral was built on the site of the former mosque when the city was recaptured by Alfonso VIII in 1177, whose statue stands proudly nearby (see my post on Spain’s five most influential wars, including the reconquista). The church is notable for being one of the first Spanish examples of gothic architecture when romanesque styles dominated. Upon its return to Christianity, Cuenca was designated as a royal town and thrived during the middle ages on the back of textile manufacturing.

I stay in the Hotel Leonor de Aquitania further up the hill beyond the plaza mayor, a renovated 18th century house, which offered a spacious and well-priced room. Dinner is at the Asador Maria Morena where they serve typical regional dishes (succulent lamb chops and the very popular queso frito with green pepper sauce), which is located on the top of the old town and offers panoramic views of the surrounding hills and valleys.

The hanging houses

The morning is the best time to appreciate the famous casa colgadas (hanging houses) when there are few tourists and the houses are lit by the rising sun. The first examples of these feats of architecture were built in the 15th century, with only three surviving today. The remaining houses jut out as if a natural extension of the cliff; the wooden balconies daringly thrust outward, as if seemingly suspended in the air. 

Anton van den Wyndaerde 1565 Cuenca
Anton van den Wyndaerde’s 1565 painting in Cuenca in which you can make out the hanging houses

The two best spots to view them are beyond the castle on the top of the hill and from the narrow (and hair-raising) footbridge, Puente San Pedro Bridge, that leads to the convent of the same name built in the 16th century for Dominicans.

To reach the hilltop view you pass the muscular archive building that dates from the 16th century, formerly the headquarters for the inquisition, and go through the arch of the castle ruins, originally a Moorish fortress.

The town is built above two intersecting gorges – the Huecar and the Jucar -surrounded by gorgeous countryside. The pine covered hills to either side are buttressed by solemn rounded cliffs, coloured ochre to grey, that remind me of the Easter Island monuments. Cuenca is a perfect base for hiking, with many different routes advertised in the town.

With spectacular scenery and evocative medieval architecture, it’s not hard to appreciate why artists were attracted here in the 1950s and 1960s, which gave rise to the proliferation of top quality galleries.

The art museums

The best way to spend an afternoon in Cuenca is to aimlessly wander, stumbling upon the superb art museums and encountering the many different view points. .

The most famous hanging house that houses the El Museo de Arte Abstracto

El Museo de Arte Abstracto is first up. Housed in the most iconic of the casa colgadas, it doesn’t disappoint. The brainchild of the artist Fernando Zobel, it’s hard to disagree with its description as the ‘most beautiful little museum in the world’, made by the founder of the Met. The thought provoking art is presented minimally and tastefully curated, including some of Zobel’s unique ink works. The building preserves original features, such as a spectacular coffered ceiling, original stone portal and pillars. There is an air of peace and reflection.

The Fundacion Antoinio Perez is more chaotic but rewarding. Sprawling, eclectic and often eccentric, the rambling gallery can at times be overwhelming, although the quality and variety is excellent. It’s better to concentrate on a handful of rooms rather than attempt to take it all in. Manolo Millare‘s disconcerting black and white works that burst from their canvases and Lucebert’s haunting illustrations were highlights.

Finally the Fundacion Antonio Saura in Casa Zavala, established in 2008, presents work from its namesake, Saura, one of Spain’s most famous post-war painters. All the museos were either free or very inexpensive, c. €2.

Lunch in the new town

Before I get the train back to Valencia, I stop off for a Menu del Dia at Meson Fernandez on Calle San Francisco, which buzzes with locals getting their lunchtime fill. An excellent option to fuel up before leaving magical Cuenca.

Categories
Spain Valencia

Essential tips on how to settle in to Valencia quickly

reflection of cityscape in sea at night
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Marcus

You’ve left your exorbitantly priced flat, waved goodbye to grey skies and rain, and are ready to perfect your Spanish. Or indeed whatever it was that prompted you to upsticks and emigrate to Valencia, that almost perfect Spanish city. Rest assured you’ve chosen well.

Spain’s third city, it’s not so small you get bored nor too big you get swallowed up in cool anonymity. Beaches, parks, culture and almost permanent sunshine: the quality of life is excellent. Here are my essential tips on how to settle in to Valencia quickly (some of which I wish I’d known sooner):

Sign up for the bike sharing scheme

It’s called Valenbisi. An annual subscription costs 35 euro and the first 30 minutes of your ride are free. The stations are commonplace and there’s a good availability of bikes. You can sign up and book each ride online. The bikes may weigh a tonne and don’t go very fast – the mode of transport is something between walking and a standard cycle – but it’s still worth it to take advantage of Valencia’s incredible cycling infrastructure at any time of day or night.

Get a Spanish sim card

A pre-paid sim card (prepago in spanish) only cost me 10 euro for the month and the registration took less than 5 minutes. My deal entitled me to 50gb of data, 500 minutes (EU and UK included), and unlimited messages, with no further commitment required. Sign up only required showing my passport. My provider (no commission…) Vodafone has excellent coverage across the city. Sims are easily found in any 2nd hand / repair phone shop, which are very common in La Roqueta, near Valencia Nord.

Familiarise yourself with Spanish opening hours

Most restaurants are closed between roughly 4pm and 8pm, the dreaded dead-hours. The majority of supermarkets are closed on Sundays.  To this day I sometimes still get caught out, so accustomed to the the constant convenience of London where I spent the previous 8 years. It’s smart to check online before venturing to your chosen restaurant / shop and to build up a repertoire of places with more flexible hours. One example is the famous Horno de Los Borrachos (the Drunks’ Oven), located by the Central Mercat that serves greasy food 24/7.

Participate in the events run by Valencia Language Exchange

Valencia Language Exchange runs intercambios (language exchanges) 5 nights a week in different venues across the city, including a free salsa class on Wednesdays and free entry to Umbracle on Saturdays. As well as brushing up on your Spanish, it’s a great opportunity to meet other emigrants and locals – whether your goal is to make friends or get more insider tips. The company also organises weekend excursions and longer trips that are excellent for seeing wider region and beyond. Cafe Berlin in Rusafa also hosts popular language exchanges on Monday and Wednesday evenings.

Sign up to Idealista to find accommodation

Your first days will most likely be in an AirBnB. Let them be the only ones. Better to sign up to Idealista, Spain’s most popular property market platform, to find your longer term home. With far more choice and more affordable pricing, your bank balance will thank you. It’s also better that new demand funnels into the longer term letting market as opposed to the short-term airbnb market. This will reduce the incentive for landlords to switch their property to a short-term let (whether legally or not), which reduces supply and forces up rent for locals. 

Torres de Quart
The Torres de Quart, the old western entrance to the city. You can still see the cannon holes from the Napoleanic wars

Get a SUMA 10 card to get the most out of the public transport system

The city is very well connected, with the metro, tram and an extensive bus network. The system is well integrated: a fare is valid for 90 minutes, allowing you to switch onto to different lines or modes. The best idea is to get a SUMA 10, which is a 10 journey pass. It can be loaded up to 30 journeys at a time and used by up to 15 people.

Lines 3 and 5 take you to and from the airport, while all the tram lines take you to the beach. Be aware of night-time hours: much of the transport stops after 11pm (hence it’s handy to have signed up to Valenbisi as a fallback).

Use the Santander work / cafe for remote working

If looking for a remote working space, the Santander work cafes are a good bet, especially while getting yourself settled. Entry is free, there is generally space, the internet is good and there’s on site coffee shop (with discounts for Santander bank account holders). The hours are 9am to 7pm. There are three in Valencia, including one right beside the Ayuntamiento. The cafes are also found in the other main cities in Spain.

Be aware of bad paella

No harm in including some foodie advice. Valencia may be the home of paella but the quality still varies. Only eat at somewhere that serves it at lunch – paella for dinner is only for tourists. The longer the wait the better too – it means the paella is freshly prepared. It’s also a good sign if the minimum portion size is for two people, again showing that they’re not serving from pre-prepared batches.

My favourite place by the beach is La Pepica, Hemingway’s former haunt. The best paella in the region is generally found in El Palmar by Albufera. Speaking of tourist tips, see my post on the best alternative things to see and do in Valencia.

Categories
Spain Valencia

La Tomatina: a guide to Spain’s messiest festival

Tomatina
La Tomatina

Marcus

A kaleidoscope of red. A cacophony of shouts, screams and thrills. The dense embrace of the crowd. Squelch, squelch, squelch amid a river of puree. Flying red objects. A pelt to the head. It’s La Tomatina.

Sensory overload. Clean (and smug) locals cheer from their balconies, their buildings sensibly covered in protective mesh. A brief respite as we cling to the sides of the narrow street while a truck carrying tomatoes squeezes by. A fresh batch is unceremoniously dumped. The truck moves on and the war (or la guerra) recommences.

A fleeting snapshot on the streets of Buñol on the last Wednesday of August during the Tomatina Festival, including my top tips (scroll to the end).

The La Tomatina festival

Celebrated annually, Tomatina is a glorified tomato fight that takes place in Buñol, a small and otherwise unremarkable town in Valencia province. Locals, Spaniards and people from around the world congregate to enjoy the absurdity. This year – 2022 – 14,000 people participated along with more than 130 tonnes of tomatoes.

One of the most famous Spanish fiestas, it ranks alongside Las Fallas in Valencia, San Fermin in Pamplona, San Juan in Menorca and Semana Santa in Seville.

My arrival to Buñol

My former Spanish language school, Taronja, which does excursions very well, organised a day-trip to the festival from Valencia. Dark and early, we bussed it to Buñol. Bleary eyed, we emerged in the outskirts of the town where disused factories pockmarked the landscape.

The school threw a pre-party brunch to prepare us for the ‘war’. A traditional Valencian almuerzo to line the stomach – rich tomato sauce with sausages served in a bocadillo – washed down with beers, tinto de verano and shots of cazalla, a Valencian anise liquor. The idea of a tomato war was starting to appeal.

Soon it’s time to march down to the streets. Progress is halted by chaotic queues to redeem our digital passes for the necessary wristbands. After a two year hiatus, the organisers seemed to be out of practice. Eventually through the gates, there is a palpable sense of excitement. A shared sense of participating in something unique. We were ready to go.

It kicks off at 10am, when a Spanish jamon (see my post on choosing ham in Spain), is speared on top of a greased pole in the town square. The goal is to be first to climb up and retrieve it. Buoyed on my screams and shouts from the crowd, while being drenched by water, locals scramble up the pole. When the ham is finally dislodged (usually at about 11), it signals the start of the madness – and very soon the tomato trucks roll in.

The history of La Tomatina

No one really knows the exact origin of the festival. The received wisdom is that it started in late August 1945 when, during a parade, some youths fell into an argument. Taking advantage of a nearby fruit and veg market stall, they started throwing fruit and vegetables at each other. Enjoying it so much, the next year more young people engaged in a pre-planned quarrel, this time bringing their own tomatoes. Year and year more people took part, establishing a tradition. 

Others have claimed that the festival stemmed from the town’s dislike of Franco. (See my post on Spain’s five most influential wars, including the Spanish Civil War in which Franco came to power).

“This village was against Franco,” said Miguel Sierra Galaraza, an amateur historian from Bunol, to the Wall Street Journal in 1995. “Throwing tomatoes at the priest and mayor was a way to protest against authority.”

In the early 1950s, the festival was banned by Franco due to the absence of any religious link. The tomato fights continued, however, leading to arrests. Following a widely supported protest from the town involving a coffin containing tomatoes, Franco relented and the festival was finally made official in 1957. Since then the fiesta has grown and grown in popularity.

In 2013 the town eventually introduced an entry fee to control the ever-growing demand after attendance grew to what was estimated at over 50,000. The festival was cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

The tomato war (la guerra)

The tomato fight commences. Hesitant at first, it soon becomes second nature throwing tomatoes at complete strangers. Alliances are forged, and quickly betrayed. It’s loud, packed and exuberant. The body numbs to the constant pelts.

As more and more tomatoes arrive, we and the streets get redder and redder. Anarchic.

The battle lasts about an hour and by then it’s more than enough.

La Tomatina
Tomatoes are thrown from the truck

Completely soaked and splattered we amble down to the river to wash off, where some kind residents hose us down. Once somewhat clean (a day later I discovered remnants of tomato in my ear…), we make our way to the square where under a canopy, there are bars, dj and a dancefloor. Reggaeton is blaring. It all feels bizarre yet intoxicating.  

Meanwhile the authorities hose down the streets, sweeping away the tomato mush. Buñol is known for having some of the cleanest and sparkling streets in Spain. The acid of the tomatoes counteracts against the grime.

By the late afternoon, it’s time to return to Valencia. On the bus, I reflect on the festival. Fun and unique, there was something wonderful about people from around the world gathering in one spot to madly throw tomatoes at one another. A shared experience that captures the eccentricity and magic of Spain.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely. Would I do it again? Probably not.

My tips for La Tomatina

  1. Bring and wear goggles to avoid blackeyes and the sting of the tomato acid.
  2. Don’t wear clothes you value. An old t-shirt and swimming attire is perfect. Permanent staining is inevitable.
  3. Be so careful for thieves. I witnessed a number of people complaining of thefts. Don’t leave your valuables out of sight (and better still avoid bringing them).
  4. Bring cash: 20 to 30 euro. Keep some cash in your back pocket for getting drink & food before and after the war. The majority of sellers didn’t accept card.
  5. Be thrifty in what packages you sign up for. Many offer paella and drinks for a hefty extra cost, which you’ll find cheaply in the town. The most important thing to book is your ticket and transport to and from the town.
  6. Get the wristband in advance, ideally before arriving in Bunol. I spent nearly an hour queuing to get mine in the morning.
  7. Squeeze the tomatoes before throwing them. This will lesson the sting of the hit.
  8. Closed shoes are crucial. Flip-flops and sandals will get stuck in the messy tomato puree.

Next year’s festival (2023) will take place on Wednesday the 30th of August.