Over the next couple of weeks I’ll be sharing some of the details of my travels… as little guides that you can cut’n’keep for later. Or be inspired by. Each one will have a “slow” (mindful, deep-rooted, social, life-loving) ethos and be centred on food and hiking. Because that’s what I do.
So to start, I’d like to do a rundown of my wonderfully dry, minerally rich, sweltering hot time in Southern Spain. A list of highlights. And wonderful lessons learned.
If I were going to Spain, would I do much differently? Nope, I had a perfect time here. I focused on small towns. This is where things are at.
What would I recommend? Focusing on a region. Andalucia (in the south of Spain) would be my pick, absolutely. It’s mad and wild and relatively poor and basic. But herein lies it’s beauty. Artists and hikers and foodies and conquerors and Kings and Queens have gravitated here. I can see why. You will too.
What else? Get away from the ocean into the hills… only really 30 minutes from the beaches.
But to some highlights, blow by blow… and in some sort of order.
Malaga
- Eating sardines cooked in a boat (they use an old tinnie and pile it with coals and grill the fish on the beach in front of you). Simply head out east toward Pedregalejo from the main part of town. Look out for Las Acacias… apparently the most authentic place on the beach. The servings are huge!
- Doing a tapas tour with Casey from Biznaga Travel Company. She’s an Australian who went wandering and found herself in Malaga… eating. She now runs boutique foodie tours of the south of Spain. She works with Frank Camorra, the big guy from Melbourne’s Movida restaurant.
- Eating fouie caliente con huevo frito (foie on a potato stack with a fried egg on top) at Danni Garcia’s La Moraga. Danni is like Spain’s Jamie Oliver and worked at El Bulli. Also, his “Burger Bull” – bull’s tail cooked osso bucco style…on a burger bun (I ate without the bun). These are tapas… I drank with a Pedro Ximenez.