- bar
- (2300)
-
It is a tapas bar, where they have the biggest selection of tapas I have ever seen. They also have "pintxos" - slice of French bread with a topping. They have "tablas" which is a wooden plate filled with smoked meats or fish, all freshly prepared. But the best bit if you just want a drink is that they have cava for 1.20€ a glass which includes a free canape with it. They also do this with different wines everyday and you can try wine from a different region everyday. Cheers!
It is right in the middle of the old part in Benidorm in the area where all the basque restaurants are, Ask for La Cava and people will know.
We find generally inland Spain is a lot cheaper than the coast. Most of these towns rely on agriculture rather than tourism. Towns such as Arcos de la Frontera, Montefrio, Alhama de Granada and Antequera. The price of food and drink reflect this lack of commercialism. Many of the tapas bars and restaurants have a 'menu del dia' (menu of the day) - typically costing between €7 - €10 for 3 courses, salad, bread and often a drink is included. It helps to have rudimentary Spanish or a good phrase book as 'menu del dia' is not usually written down but read to you by the waiter/waitress. It is most definitely a worthwhile experience as what you are getting is 'real Spain' - the food that the locals are eating at the price the locals are paying. Also every time you buy a glass of wine or a beer a small plate of tapas is included free. A glass of wine or beer generally costs €1 - €1.50 inland compared to triple that on the coast.
I can rightly claim the "hombre más baratas en Madrid" crown after surviving a weekend on €38.
The Madrid Metro – the Orient Express compared to the London Underground – runs from the airport to city for a paltry €2. Visit the Parque del Retiro and explore the Crystal Palace art installations, monuments including the beautiful but sinister El Angel Caído, go boating by Alfonso XII's grandiose statue, then watch free street performers and puppeteers. Sip your sangria and toast the Madrid teleférico's 40th anniversary at the terminal bar: the skyline's not as exciting as Barcelona but it's relaxing and cheap.
Window-shop the Gran Via and continue to Plaza de España, Teatro Real, Palacio Real and Plaza Mayor for some classic Spanish architecture. Don't miss the El Rastro fleamarket on Sundays: calling it a flea market is a disservice to the sprawling city of stalls filled with delicious food and exotic crafts. It covers several blocks and gets very crowded so mind your valuables.
Madrid's gloriously rowdy tapas bars were out of my budget so I made do with the supermercado for flavoursome food. Ubiquitous Carrefour City and Express stores stock tasty Iberico ham, chorizo and other Spanish treats at unbeatable prices.
From horrific realisation to splendid sunny weekend of exploration, Madrid is perfect for a Spanish holiday on the cheap.
Metro - €2 one way from airport to central city, daypass tickets available. www.metromadrid.es/en/viaja_en_metro/tarifas/billetes/contenido07.html
Teleférico - €5.10 round trip, Paseo del Pintor Rosales, nearest metro Arguelles. www.teleferico.com/tarifas
El Rastro - start at Puerta de Toledo metro from 10am on Sundays. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/El_Rastro
Parque del Retiro (and other locations) - madridspain.ca/attractions/retiropark.html
Carrefour store finder (use Google translate) - www.carrefour.es/
Saint-Omer is a fine town in northern France some 40km south-east of Calais. Although it has some unattractive industrial quarters, chiefly connected with brewing, it is well worth visiting in its own right and not simply as a convenient break before leaving or returning to the channel ports.
The main square, Place Foch, flanked by a magnificent Hotel de Ville (1840), contains many good restaurants and bars. The adjoining small streets also offer good places to eat and drink, and the individual shop fronts are beautifully preserved (or restored) from the early part of the twentieth century.
There are a number of small hotels in the town centre, an Hotel Ibis, and other inexpensive chain hotels on the edge of town.
The abbey church, Notre Dame, has recently been cleaned and restored, and its white limestone exterior gleams over the nearby ramparts. Abbot Suger (architecture buffs will know of him) was born in St Omer, and Lord Roberts (of Boer War fame) died here in November 1914, and so missed most of the First World War.
Saint-Omer is 40km south east of Calais on the N43. The Office de Tourisme can be found online at www.tourisme-saintomer.com
A nice bar with interesting people. It's close to the universities in Kunming so a lot of foreign and local students hang out here.
Jian She Lu, Kunming
Silent Noise parties are held at Neptune's Point in South Goa – a stunning peninsula where hundreds of happy clubbers can look out across the water to Palolem beach as they dance the night away.
Everyone is connected to the music with wireless headphones so the party doesn’t disturb the neighbours (or the local police) and three DJs play simultaneously, competing to get the crowd to tune into their set.
Add in lasers, visuals, circus performers and tepees, and you’ve got a mini festival every week – helping to revive the outdoor rave vibe that originally put Goa on the beach party map.
Neptune's Point, Palolem, Goa
www.silentnoise.in
It is still one of the most relaxed bars in Mojacar and the most unspoilt along the Spanish coast. Run by a great Spanish family from Jaen near Granada. They all work so hard! Kiko,Luis and their wives Eva and Maria always have a big smile for you.
They offer good music, good food, excellent wines and a stunning view to boot. We have also enjoyed some of the best beach parties there. Go see for yourself and enjoy.
Cheriguito Maui (beachbar) Mojacar,
On Mojacar beach, nearly opposite Camping el Cantal, Good aparthotel opposite with reasonable prices.
Nearest airport is AlmeriaYou can call Eva at Maui on 0034 606198375. To be honest to do Spain on the cheap, just barter. Remember when you visit the tapas bars don't sit, stand at the bar and you will get charged far less.
The best way to spend a hot day in Zurich is lake or river swimming. The state website lists the daily water temperatures and facilities available at each Seebad or Flussbad, and by night many turn into relaxed bars.
www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/ssd/de/index/sport/schwimmen.html
For uninterrupted views over Barcelona, take the tram up to Tibidabo and order an ice cold beer or a Mojito at Bar Mirablau (Bar BlueView in Catalan).
Officially dubbed a "Cocktail and Genever experience". I recommend it because it is a great addition to an Amsterdam visit as it gives an interesting look in to the world of Genever and modern cocktail shaking.
Genever is one of Hollands most traditional products and Bols is the oldest. The experience includes: History, tasting experiment, video of yourself flaring and a cocktail of choice.
Monday through Sunday 12pm – 6pm (closed Tuesdays).
The entrance fee is € 11,50 per person. Including a cocktail in the Mirror bar
House of Bols
Paulus Potterstraat 14
1071 CZ Amsterdam
Tel: (+0031) 020-5708575
The Netherlands
The world famous Mangonui Fish Shop is situated on piles over the harbour. It is the most popular fish shop in New Zealand. This is because the fish is landed at the wharf next door and filleted on the premises. They cook it, and a good variety of other sea food, wrap it in newsprint and you take it over to a vacant table and enjoy it and the great views.
They have a full liquor license and have several draft beers on tap and a large wine selection which you can buy by the glass.
We were there in early June and thought it was fantastic the place has a great atmosphere and very friendly staff.
137 Waterfront drive, Mangonui.
I know it’s not generally done to visit ‘Irish’ bars when abroad, but this one really is a bit of a gem. There are only a few such places in Montpellier as yet, and this one is tucked away in a small square about five minutes walk from Place de la Comèdie, so you have to search a bit to find it – meaning it’s unlikely to get mobbed by passing stag parties.
It has tables outside in the little shady square (adjacent to a promising looking restaurant) and very friendly staff inside who are more than happy to chat if you’re travelling solo and fancy a bit of evening company. There’s pool available in a separate room (a separate building in fact), various newspapers to read, TV for those who want to follow sports and some nice nooks and crannies if you want to tuck yourself away a bit.
The building sports the legend ‘Maison Justin Boch’ in large letters on the outside (a former business I assume), so you can’t mistake it.
5 Place Saint Côme
With new management, this has become a lovely, cheery apres ski bar with live acoustic music, good vin chaud and a crackling fire, filling a much needed gap for a nice bar in Les Praz. It's perfect for coming down from Flegere in winter and has a relaxing terrace and of course the Boulodrome for summer nights. The rooms are very good value too.
www.lesrhododendrons.com/
100 route des tines 74400 Chamonix Mont Blanc
Tél: (33) 450-530-639
The best located bar in the whole of Biarritz where everybody gathers after a day in the surf to enjoy a drink and tapas while watching the sunset.
Square Jean Baptiste Lassale, 64200 Biarritz
Téléphone:-05 59 24 75 81
I found it to be the best club in Amsterdam. For just €1 entry you get to enjoy very good live rock music every night. Not to mention the reasonable prices.
Korte Leidsedwarsstraat 49
Amsterdam
1017 PW
www.waterhole.nl
Best cocktail bar in Vienna. Daily happy hour from 7pm to 10 pm (€ 5.00). It's very small but incredibly charming.
1070 Wien, Zollergasse 6
tel: +43-680-206 71 71
email: st-art@chello.at
www.st-art.at/
Google map: tinyurl.com/ojbf73
A beach bar down at Donaukanal. Nice atmosphere, DJs and delicious Israeli food. The food and drinks are very reasonably priced and it's the perfect place for a nice afternoon drink.
Donaukanal
www.telavivbeach.at/tlv/
Google map: tinyurl.com/m2lo55
The Robin Hood is my favourite pub in Brighton. It's cosy, friendly and they've got a great wine list. The beers are always good too. They do basic food like pizzas, have a Wii, loads of boardgames and a free computer. It's always been one of my favourites, but I've just found out that they give all their proffits to charity. Sounds like a perfect excuse for another glass of wine! It is a bit out of the way, but well worth checking out.
1-3 Norfolk Place
Brighton
Just off western road, near norfolk square
Down the Spanish Arch there is a street called Quay Street, it's namesake pub is really fun and busy with live music and good food served over lunch and in the evenings. Decor is authentic church interior, re-worked and well worn. Lovely for an afternoon drink or a few more in the evening.
Quay Street Galway
Avoid Corfu's grisly package resorts and club 18-30 rep-enforced 'fun' - if you really want a clubbing holiday with sun, sea and sand, it's far cheaper to stay in a hostel.
The Pink Palace is legendary on the backpacker trail for it's beautiful location on the beach, private rooms with (free!!) air conditioning and wild parties.
More like a bargain resort than a hostel, you never have to leave the Pink Palace - the staff will pick you up from the airport or port, and have devised a jam-packed events and excursions calender if you want to do more than veg out on the sand.
The price includes countless extras, from a delicious full cooked breakfast (the perfect hangover cure) to a traditional Greek home-cooked 3 course feast at night, served in the rooftop garden overlooking Agios Gordios Bay.
The 24-hour bar (with a 5-hour happy hour!!) and access to the Palladium nightclub will keep party animals entertained, and you can recover the next day on the private sun-loungers on the beach, in the jacuzzi or in the spa room.
We were amazed at the activities on offer - the 'booze cruise' took us around the island to sea caves, places to snorkel and cliff dive. The Quad Biking 'safari' was a more adventurous way to see Corfu, we found ourselves off-roading through olive groves and scaling the mountain tops!
There was also a Kayak safari, hiking and trail walking, volleyball and basketball tournaments... but we didn't have the energy to tackle them all!
Aside from all the extras, the hostel has all the facilities you'd expect from a hotel- lockers in the dorms, washing machines, a 24-hour reception, a swimming pool... and like some other hostels in Europe, there's no curfew.
The staff were super-friendly, and everyone staying there was out to have a good time.
Is this your business?