Just a stone throw away from La Rambla - Barcelona's busiest street - Boadas is a hidden cocktail bar. The oldest cocktail bar in town, is snug and authentic. The cocktails are fantastic, the waiters dressed in tails and the crowd engaging.

Carrer dels Tallers, 1, 08002, Barcelona, Spain
+34 933 18 95 92
Google map: bit.ly/11LIijI

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Los Diamantes is a tiny - blink and you'll miss it - local watering hole and tapas bar hidden on a bustling street full of touristy restaurants. The scrumptious smell of fried seafood, ubiquitous in Granada, is almost intoxicating on Calle Navas. If your attitude to good food is anything like mine, don't be surprised if it has a pavlovian effect on you. It certainly made me jiggle on the spot with anticipation and go "mmmm! mmmm!" This place was recommended by Lonely Planet as "reason enough to go to Granada" (I wholeheartedly agree, with the caveat that the Alhambra is, of course, the top reason to go to Granada, followed by a soak and massage in the excellent arab baths - Aljibe de San Miguel.)
The crowded, noisy, bar looked quite daunting at first but we boldly strode in, still clutching our Lonely Planet. We stood our ground and found a small space by the corner of the bar reasonably easily, considering the circumstances. Luckily we had brushed up on our Spanish food words and were ready to order such tasty tapas as "almejas" (clams), "gambas planchas" (grilled prawns) and "chipirones fritas" (deep fried baby cuttlefish). The lady standing beside me was much amused. She pointed at our Lonely Planet which we hastily stowed, "Is this place in the book?" I had no choice but to confirm this. "The food is very bad. I live in Granada and I never come here," she said with a mock frown. "Don't tell your friends about this place, ok?" said her gentleman friend. We laughed at the joke but I knew there was real worry under the smiles.
As is the practice in Granada, we got a complimentary plate of tapas with our cervezas to start. It was a generous portion of pulpo (octopus) which my boyfriend, who does not like octopus, wolfed down faster than you could say "I thought you didn't like octopus". The food did not disappoint. The clams were small and sweet (the way they should be), the prawns fresh and garlicky, the cuttlefish juicy, their tentacles crunchy. We resolved to go there again the next night. The entire meal, with three beers and bread, came up to slightly over 30 euros.
I left wishing I could bring all my friends to Los Diamantes, partly for selfish reasons - so that we would be able to order a greater variety of tapas to try as two dinners at this excellent tapas bar really wasn't enough.

www.barlosdiamantes.com/
Calle Navas, 26, Granada, Spain (Realejo - San Matias)
+34 958 227 070
Google map: bit.ly/Surlq1

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There is a small cave near the top of Monte Urgull which is just large enough for a bar. As well as having beautiful views (covering all of San Sebastian, town, harbour and beaches) it serves one of the best G&Ts in town (and it has some quality competition!). To top it all off it is under a giant statue of Jesus. What more could you want?
A perfect way to end the day, after sunning yourself at the beach, and to start the evening, partying in the old town (which is a short walk away below.)

Walk up Monte Urgull (the hill in east San Sebastian) to the giant statue of Jesus. You will find this hidden bar near to the old fort on the west side of the hill. If in doubt, ask a local.
Google map: bit.ly/11wzKOp

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I found this little cocktail bar just off the Ramblas during my last summer in Barcelona. My best friend Lucy and I loved it here. There are no drinks menus, you just tell the suit-clad barmen what you like and they'll invent it for you. It's the perfect place to escape the soaring heat and rat-race of central Barcelona, without walking too far. There is no strict dress code, but it's probably best if you don't wear trainers here. The low jazz music keeps a comfortable mellow vibe running through this small bar and has kept my interest for years.

Carrer dels Tallers, 1, 08002, Barcelona Spain
+34 933 18 95 92
Google map: bit.ly/S9QZ3g

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Cal Boter is the right place to try traditional Catalan restaurant food in Barcelona. They cook the kind of food you might find in a restaurant in the country, but they are in one of the most traditional, full of local flavor, barrios of Barcelona.

www.restaurantcalboter.com
Carrer de Tordera, 62 08012 Barcelona
+34 934 58 84 62
Google map: bit.ly/ZWmaCh

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A very nice and cozy hotel 15 km from the city. Perfect place to do walks, bicycle, visit small old towns, do parts the coastal Santiago path. Warm family treatment, great prices and good decoration for something different.

www.posadalarobla.com
Barrio de la Cueva, Castañeda, Cantabria
+34942592 331
Google map: bit.ly/RYcXHD

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We have just spent a wonderful week walking through valleys, gorges and along ravines in inland Spain between Alicante and Valencia.It was group walking, about eight to 10 people, with two guides who also did all the cooking back at the hotel, superb scenery, fantastic food and temperatures of 20-25 degrees what more could you want?

www.casacarrascal.com

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This is a one square town, and the restaurants are ludicrously over-priced. There is a dearth of cheap, local-friendly bars and eateries.
We visited Trujillo last week on a tip from The Guardian, and thought best to warn other prospective visitors that this is not a place to visit outside of the warmer months i.e. June-September.
Our October visit was most disappointing - rain meant the beautiful square full of historic buildings was deserted and empty. We then discovered that apart from the square there really is absolutely nothing else in Trujillo - we couldn't even find a grocers, bakery or supermarket!
The historic buildings are indeed stunning, but many of them are abandoned and some derelict. The plaza with its bars and restaurants is pretty and pleasant to sit in on a warm summer's evening, but on a rainy autumn night we had to sit inside. The restaurants were charging silly prices - about 80 -100 euros for a meal for two - apart from the famous La Troya - which is where we went hoping for cheap and cheerful. Sadly however it was not all that cheap and the food was dismal (yes, the portions are enormous, but the food is hard to stomach).
Saddest of all, we couldn't find a single tapas bar to sit in.
In a town where so many businesses have closed down, there is an urgent need for local regeneration, new ideas and a proper strategy for redevelopment. The fact that so many historic old houses are falling into disrepair is really saddening and unforgivable.
We spoke to some locals and gathered that things are really tough economically. Trujillo has the potential to be a bustling and thriving place but to us it felt like a ghost town.
Shame on the town hall and the local government!

Google map: bit.ly/SeLL6L

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The Voll-Damm International Festival is back from this weekend to 30 November with local and international artists and bands.
This weekend (19-20-21 October), which unfortunately looks like it will be rainy, has free outdoor concerts between 13.30 and 16.30 at many of the bars and cafés in the city centre. See the website for venues.

www.barcelonajazzfestival.com

* PeterGuest is our Been there local for Barcelona. You can read his profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/barcelona-local-peter-guest.jsp and follow his tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/PeterGuest. Meet more of our locals here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/trails/been-there-locals.jsp

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A vast protected area of native Mediterranean woodland located in Andalucia, Los Alcornocales is one of the most extensive cork forests in the world. A beautiful route we discoverd through the forest was a singletrack mountain road which leaves the A373 south to El Colmenar meandering through the gnarled and ancient cork-oak groves. The barks are still harvested for cork and those most recently stripped look strangely naked with their russet interiors exposed. Griffon vultures crouched in the canopy while Golden Eagles circled above in the autumn thermals. As we climbed higher, the cork-oaks gave way to conifers and most unexpectedly, cows foraging among the giant pine cones which covered the forest floor. Descending into El Colmenar that evening we dined on wonderful forest fare – wild mushrooms, venison in wine and a hearty rabbit stew – at the Caserio Ananda, a gem of a restaurant situated on the local station platform.

www.alcornocales.org/
For accommodation in the area and in nearby Gaucin: www.cvtravel.co.uk
Caserio Ananda: www.caserioananda.com
Estación de Gaucín s/n 29490 El Colmenar
+34 636 136 924
Google map: bit.ly/XhbjBs

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This is a light, airy, neighborhood cultural centre run by an all female French Guatemalan team. La Marelle is dedicated to providing a space for parents and children to unwind, meet and learn. It's divided into various play areas with toys and games galore for the kids, and there are tables and stools for the grown ups to sit at while keeping an eye on their little monkeys. The cafe serves great coffee, brunches (pancakes!!) and cakes. There are also numerous workshops like yoga for kids in English, or story telling in French and other learning and sharing activities.

Mendez Nuñez 4, 08003 Barcelona
Nearest metro Arc de Triomph or Urquinaona
Google map: bit.ly/Wlykqh



lamarelle-barcelona.blogspot.com.es/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-Marelle/302002066560093

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This is a magnificent fountain that we only found about by a traveler's post on another website. It's free, gorgeous and if you're near a tram line the #4 takes you there. Get there before dark - we barely had time to get some pictures taken - duh!

Passeig de Lluís Companys, 2, 08018 Barcelona, Spain
Google map: bit.ly/R3xto0

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The stadium tour was brilliant and I would also suggest you go to a match there if you can.

Carrer d'Arístides Maillol, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
+34 902 18 99 00
Google map: bit.ly/Tdr1cs

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This world famous Madrid institution has been serving its famous chocolate con churros since 1894 and trying it is a must do experience when you are in Madrid. Dip your churros in the hot chocolate. Chocolate con churros is served all day and night (including during the early hours of the morning as is traditional for the clubbers of Madrid). It is a great cure for a sore throat and cold symptoms. A chocolate con churros costs three euros 80 cents which is actually very cheap.

Pasadizo de San Ginés, 11, 28013 Madrid
+34 91 365 65 46
Google map: bit.ly/W6LQtW

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These houses are known as casas de malicia because they were designed to deceive.
The story behind this is that when it was decided in 1561 by Felipe II to move the royal court to Madrid, thereby making Madrid the official capital of Spain, there was insufficient space in Madrid (which at that time was just a small town) to house all of the people which made up his royal court. To solve this problem an edict was drawn up by Felipe II which stated that families who lived in houses with more than one floor had to give up one of the floors of their house to members of his royal court. This would ensure that all of his royal court had somewhere to live in Madrid. Naturally this edict was not received by the citizens of Madrid with great joy as they saw this edict merely as an abuse of power by Felipe II. So in order to avoid having to give up a floor of their house many families altered their houses by moving their rooms up to the higher floors of their dwelling, making false floors between the levels of the house, or moving the windows on the outside of the house around thus making it difficult to establish from street level how many floors the house actually had. Unfortunately a lot of the casas a la malicia in Madrid have disappeared but the best two examples still remain on calle del Toro and calle del Conde (both near the cathedral and the viaduct over calle de Segovia)

Google map: bit.ly/UCpxiU

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As you go down calle Hortaleza look up at the building at 1 calle Mejía Lequerica and you will notice a sculptured lizard scuttling up the side of the building just underneath the roof. A strange sight indeed in the suburbs of Madrid.

Nearest metro station: Tribunal
Exit Tribunal metro station onto calle Fuencarral. Cross the road and in front of you will see the red building which is the museo de historia de Madrid. Take the street to the right of the museum which is called calle Beneficencia. Follow the street to its end where you should turn right onto calle Mejía Lequerica. Go down calle Mejía Lequerica and you will come to a crossroads. Cross the road in front of you (calle Hortaleza) and turn right.
Just before you cross calle Fernando IV look up to the yellow building on your right hand side (where calle Mejía Lequerica and calle Hortaleza meet) and you will see the sculptured lizard on the left side of the building just under the roof - this street corner is the best spot from which to take a photo as the lizard is in plain view.
Cross calle Fernando IV and continue straight down calle Hortaleza and you will end up back on Gran Vía right opposite the
Gran Vía metro station.
Google map: bit.ly/QQr2q0

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This museum is probably one of the smallest you will see as it has only one room containing 17th century paintings of Madrid and two large wooden models showing how Madrid would have looked in the 17th century (you will have to use your imagination and geographical knowledge to recognise buildings such as the royal palace and the cathedral as they are not indicated on the models). A video screen taking you on imaginary walks through 17th century Madrid is interesting as it shows you which buildings of 17th century Madrid still exist today and which ones have disappeared over the centuries as Madrid has got ever bigger. Entry is free .

calle Fuencarral, 78
Nearest metro station: Tribunal
Google map: bit.ly/UCsTlX

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The Spanish have their own version of the tooth fairy albeit in mouse form and he is known to Spanish children as Ratóncito Pérez. Hidden away in a tiny shopping centre in central Madrid is a cute tiny golden statue of this famous Ratóncito Pérez. Upstairs on the first floor of the shopping centre is a small museum dedicated to the history behind this mouse.

www.casamuseoratonperez.es/
Calle Arenal 8, 1 Planta, Madrid, 28013
+34 91522 6968
Google map: bit.ly/PiTvlp

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La Gloria claims itself as a gastro bar and had a relatively interesting collection of international-inspired tapas providing a refreshing change to frito. We tried the red de pescadores (fisherman's net) filled with prawns and scallops in leek sauce, mango chicken with aromatic rice and Almadraba tuna cooked in soya sauce - a must-try in Conil, as the beast is fished in its port.

Pascual Junquera 2, 11140 Conil de la Frontera
Google map: bit.ly/PiTYnA

* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/

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Los Hermanos was commended by at least two people for its excellent pescaito frito (fried fish). Affordable (€1.50 a tapa, €6 for a 1/2 ration) and clearly popular (it was full to the rafters each time we passed by), meaning that it is advisable to arrive slightly before 'normal' Spanish eating hours (i.e. 1.30pm at lunchtime and 9pm for dinner).

Virgen, 1, Conil de la Frontera
+34 95 644 0403
Google map: bit.ly/QgSH3m

* BecomingSevillana is our Been there local for Seville. You can read her profile here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/articles/seville-local-kim.jsp and follow her tips here: www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/travellers/BecomingSevillana.jsp
She also has her own blog: becomingsevillana.blogspot.com/

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