Guest blogger Nilmari Donate shares with us all the details about her romantic vacation with her husband in which she visited three amazing European destinations.
Taking a road trip in another country should be in your couples’ “bucket list”. Even more, if that trip is during the Holiday Season! Here is our review of one of the most amazing trips we have taken together.
Our plans were to stay in Barcelona and head to the Basque Country but as with any trip, you should come with an open mind as things may change.
First, pack lightly! We had one carry-on bag and one personal item (purse and small book bag) each. If you are an American citizen you won’t need a visa to enter Barcelona if you stay 90 days or less.
Spain
We arrived on a Sunday to Barcelona and rented a small car. We paid 5 euros per day but get ready to pay a lot in insurance! The insurance for the week was over 500 euros. You may decline the insurance but if you are doing a road trip like us, make sure you ensure your car. Also, remember that the Euro has more value than the dollar. We exchange US $500 at the airport and received 383 euros.
The first night we stayed in a hotel very close to the airport and headed out to “Las Ramblas” for dinner. Las Ramblas is like a commercial street with lots of vendors, food, and street performers. We had some tapas (croquetas, calamares) paella and sangria. You must have a sangria while in Barcelona! The wine selection is amazing.
The next day we visited “La Sagrada Familia” Europe’s largest and most visited basilica. Even if you are not religious, make sure you visit this landmark. It has been in the making for 128 years and it’s expected to be finalized in 2026 in commemoration to Gaudi’s 100 years of death. Gaudí is the designer of the basilica. You must make reservations online or in the hotel in order to visit the church.
After lunch, we had the opportunity of visiting Picasso’s museum, another must-do. The museum has over 4,000 of Picasso’s art pieces from his childhood until his death. Funny moment, I found myself in one of Picasso’s paints.
On Tuesday we went to Zaragoza, the capital of Aragon. Zaragoza is approximately 3 hours from Barcelona by car. While there, you must visit the Alfajeria, a place built by Arabs about 1,000 years ago. Later it became a palace for the king and queen of Aragon. Before heading out of Zaragoza, you may want to grab some cheese and jamon ibérico for the road.
We spent Tuesday night at San Sebastián (Basque Country) about 3 hours from Zaragoza. While there we learned about a movement against tourism due to gentrification and the displacement of the local population. Because of this, on Wednesday morning we decided to head out to Toulouse, France.
France
The drive to Toulouse was approximately 3.5 hours and you don’t need to cross any border controls. You can pay tolls with a card. Prepare to pay over 100 euros if you follow the same route we did though.
Toulouse is an amazing town full of life. The spoken language is French but some people speak Spanish and English. While in Toulouse we visited the San Sermin Basicila which was free. We also spent about 2 hours at the Christmas market. What a beautiful experience!
To end the night, we had dinner in a small restaurant in front of the market. Dinner in France was more expensive than any other place we visited during our trip.
Andorra
On Friday we headed out and decided to stop on Andarron la Vella. Andorra is the 16th smallest country in the world. You don’t need a Visa to enter and border control was super easy. No need to show a passport.
Andorra, without doubt, is one of the most amazing places on earth. Andorra la Vella is the capital of Andorra. To really enjoy the trip we recommend you come via France. You will pass through amazing mountains full of snow. Be prepared for the weather. Andorra is well known for its ski resorts and shopping experience.
Shop until you drop without paying any taxes! Duty-free! Make sure you leave all of your shopping for Andorra as we got some things in Barcelona that we found 50% cheaper in Andorra. The most recommended experience in Andorra is the Caldea Spa. The largest spa in Europe. You can spend up to 4 hours getting pampered or in one of the most amazing thermal pools I have visited in my entire life.
You can find lots of hotels in Andorra. We used the HotelTonight app for our entire trip.
Leaving Andorra was one of the most amazing experiences of the entire trip. We headed south to Barcelona and it is the complete opposite of the north of Andorra. Lots of mountains full of Fall and Winter scenes.
Park your car on the road and take lots of pictures!
We arrived in Barcelona on Saturday night and took a plane back to Chicago on Sunday morning.
1 week, 7 hotels, car and insurance for the week, 2 plane tickets, 4 countries (Spain, Basque Country, France, and Andorra) and tons of unforgettable moments- approximately $2,700
Useful Links:
Plane tickets via Hopper
Car rental via Travelocity
Hotels via HotelTonight
About the Author
Nilmari Donate is a travelholic. She lives in Chicago with her 3 travleholic children and her travelholic husband. When she is not traveling, she is managing her company: Happy Kids Chicago.
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