My Journey Through Spain: Valencia

First stop; Valencia! After spending a little over two weeks in Murcia, it was time to get going. Our bags were packed and the world was waiting. It was time to begin our interrail journey through Spain.

For those wondering what interrailing is, let me explain. Interrailing is basically travelling countries by train, whether it be through Europe, the U.S. or one country alone. You have a tonne of options and you can plan a route to suit you. You buy a pass which gives you a certain amount of travel days to be used up within a period of time. For example, myself and my boyfriend bought the Youth Spain Pass for four days within one month. It was perfect for the route we had planned. It came to €154 each with the addition of €10 reservation fees for each of the high speed trains. We bought our passes from Interrail.eu which I'd highly recommend. By the end of our trip we realised just how much money we actually saved with these passes. They are a must!

We had to get two trains as the nearest station to Condado was Alhama de Murcia which is where all the short journey trains go through. It was about a twenty minute trip before we arrived at the main train station in the city of Murcia, Murcia del Carmen. We didn’t want to waste a travel day on our interrail pass so we paid for a ticket to our first destination. Altogether we paid about €30 each one way for the whole journey from Alhama to Valencia. It was a very reasonable price for the distance we were travelling. 

I’m not going to lie, I was a bit skeptical about Valencia at first. I had never heard of it to start with and thought it couldn’t be that great if no one I knew I had ever been. Just as we were coming into the train station after our two and a half hour train ride, all I could see was what looked to be a small slum area with high rise apartment blocks. I couldn’t help but think what have I got myself into! I had done very little research about the city and didn’t really know what to expect. Fortunately, as soon as I stepped off the train I was pleasantly surprised. I walked outside to find a gorgeous city that I instantly fell in love with; the architecture, the buildings, the streets. Just amazing! It was very modern and new but when searching for our hostel, we moved into the older part of the city. It was definitely more traditional Spanish with narrow streets, small shops and little restaurants. It was so nice and the atmosphere in the evening was just lovely especially around our hostel.

As for the hostel itself, we spent about two hours looking for it. We walked opposite ends of Valencia trying to find it and I’m pretty sure we passed it several times. We even had the locals trekking around with us trying to find the place. Eventually, we found it and were looking forward to seeing what €12 a night gets you. The name of the hostel was Feet Up Backpackers Hostel and we were instantly made feel very welcome. The receptionists gave us a map and marked all the best places to go, named all the things to do and showed us the most popular bus routes to help us get around. First impressions were good. It wasn’t a five star hotel but it felt homely and fun. We didn’t have much to compare it to since it was the first hostel we'd ever stayed in but it seemed pleasant. We were staying in a six bed mixed dorm which was all good except for the fact we had no air conditioning. The room had fans and we had a huge window looking out onto the street but that didn’t help with the heat whatsoever, making it very hard to sleep. On top of being dripping in sweat, the fans were extremely noisy. So noisy I’d wake up during the night and anyone that knows me says I am the heaviest sleeper. Not even an alarm could wake me but somehow the fans managed to do so. Let’s just say I didn’t look forward to trying to get to sleep at night. Other than that, the hostel was great. We were staying with lovely people, it was clean, there were hot showers, a kitchen, a bar and vending machines. The hostel also offered loads of tours and had lots of events running whilst we were staying. We did plan on doing some of the tours but unfortunately four days just wasn’t long enough. Instead, most days, myself and my boyfriend roamed the streets of Valencia. It was just us and our map. We walked and walked until we found somewhere we recognised again. It was such a beautiful city. I really loved it. 

My boyfriend is an art lover and is obsessed with graffiti. He loved Valencia just as much as I did and if any of you have any interest in street art, it's the place to be. Now I don't mean people tagging their names on every wall they can find. This stuff is really cool and brilliantly done. Our hostel even offered a graffiti tour during the week. It was something we really wanted to do but once again just didn't have the time.

On our second day we ventured out of the city and discovered a huge park. Strangely enough it was once a river that is now completely dried up and is currently being converted into a park. We met a lot of people who had rented bikes for their trip and this was the perfect place to go for a cycle. The park leads to the 'City of Arts and Sciences' in Valenica. This is a complex which consists of the Opera House, the Principe Felipe Science Museum, the Pixar Exhibition, the Aquarium, the Agora, the Imax Dome Theatre and more that is now in the process of being built. This place has to be seen to be believed. With pools of crystal clear water and state of the art buildings, your eyes are in for a treat. When I visited I felt like I was in a different world; so modern and futuristic. Myself and my boyfriend's main concern was getting to the Pixar exhibition and the Aquarium but we purchased a ticket that gave us access to almost everything; the Science Museum, the Imax Dome Theatre, the Aquarium (including a midnight dolphin show) and the Pixar exhibition. I think it costed around €36 each and allowed us to use it over a two day period.

The first evening we went to the Aquarium, known as L'Oceanográfic. Our slot was at around eight o'clock as we all had to be seated before twelve for the dolphin show. You can guess by the four hours being given how big the place actually is. It is an outdoor and indoor aquarium and housed over 500 species of sea creatures and wetland birds. There was a thunder storm when we were there so as you can imagine we didn't spend a lot of time outside. It still took us around three hours to get through the whole thing and by the end I was about to burst with excitement. I couldn't wait for the dolphin show. I loved the fact it was at midnight too. I had never been to anything like it before but it was exactly like they do it on TV. The trainers got the crowd warmed up just before we were introduced to the synchronised swimmers. They performed a routine before being joined by the dolphins themselves. The way they followed instructions and the tricks they carried out were unbelievable. They're such amazing, intelligent creatures. After swimming with sea lions in Murcia, one day I would love to be able to do the same with dolphins.  The show went on for a little over an hour and by the time we got out and back to the hostel I was fit for bed.

The following day we returned to 'The City of Arts and Sciences'. We got the bus down to save us some time. We started off in the Imax Dome Theatre where we had to choose and book a movie the previous day. We randomly picked 'The Hidden Universe'. On our way in to the dome shaped cinema we were given head sets which narrated the movie in our chosen language. The movie began and before I knew it, I felt as if I was in outer space. As the visuals moved around the dome it gave a 3D effect and you couldn't help but feel you were there. 'The Hidden Universe' was more of a documentary than a movie but for someone who has no interest in science whatsoever, surprisingly enough I really enjoyed it. I'd highly recommend paying a visit to this rare type of building as it isn't something you come across very often and if you have an interest in learning something about space or the universe this is a great way of doing it.

Next we moved on to the Science museum which I don't have a lot to say about. As I mentioned above, I have no interest in science whatsoever so this wasn't exactly my cup of tea. A lot of it was in Spanish too so we weren't able to understand most of it. One good thing I'd say is that there was a lot for people to get involved with and you were able to interact and experiment with the contents of the museum. I definitely think children would love it here.

We left the best for last; the Pixar Exhibition. It showcased twenty-five years of animation, with the original drawings and sketches of movies such as Finding Nemo, Monsters Inc., Up, The Incredibles, Toy Story and Ratatouille. There were also TVs spotted around the gallery showing how animation works and how the movies are made. It was such a great experience and was definitely my favourite part from the City of Arts and Sciences.

Now if your a bit of a shopper Valencia has plenty for you. Right opposite the City of Arts and Sciences, there's a huge Carrefour shopping centre. It has all the shops you need as well as a cinema and a food court. If you don't want to stray this far from the city that's okay because there are plenty of shops to choose from in the city of Valencia.
There is something for everyone in Valencia and it is definitely somewhere I'd consider going again. I wish we had spent more time there because there was so much more to do, but we had to move on to our next stop; Madrid. 

Thank you so much for reading and hopefully you'll continue to follow my journey through Spain. Mwah!
Holly X

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My Journey Through Spain: Condado de Alhama, Murcia

Hi guys! I am finally back on home ground. For those who don't know, I'm not long back after spending six weeks in Spain. I was hoping to write my posts as I went from one city to another but I wasn't able to connect to the internet everywhere I went so it is a bit overdue, but as they say better late than never!

Last Summer, my parents decided to buy an apartment in the resort of Condado de Alhama in Murcia. I was yet to see it so decided to start my journey here. I flew over on the 2nd of July to my mam, sisters and brother who had all arrived the day before. I had never flown on my own before so to say I was terrified was an understatement. I was so scared I was going to get lost in the airport (even though I know if off by heart, having worked there the year before). I was convinced I was going to miss my plane. I was waiting at my gate nearly two hours before my flight. Instead of sitting there like a loser I thought I'd waste some time. One quick trip to WH Smith for a magazine and some choccy and I return to find my flight gone off the screen. Just my luck! I started to panic but little to be known, my gate number had only been changed. So off I went hauling my suitcase up to the gate. Not long after I was on my two and a half hour flight to sunny Spain.

And sunny it was! A warm welcome was surely got when I stepped off the plane. In a blink of an eye I was out the other end of Murcia airport. It was probably one of the smallest airports I have ever seen. I had a taxi booked so without delay I was on my way to Condado de Alhama. There wasn't much to take in on the half an hour journey except for dried up land, dead looking plants and small Spanish houses until I came to the drive up to Condado de Alhama itself. With palm trees trekking up either side of the road for about a mile it was a sight for sore eyes. I arrived at our apartment and was happy to just chill out and relax with my family for the evening.

There are thirteen gardens with our type of apartments in the resort, each with a pool. Most days I'd go for a swim or lie in the shade (my pale skin hates the sun) but there was not a lot to do in the area. At the entrance of Condado, there is a golf course and a plaza called Al Kazar which consists of a couple of small shops including a supermarket, a few restaurants, bars and a beauty salon. Other than this everything is a good half an hours drive away. Luckily, there is a bus service that runs daily to different places such as Port de Mazzaron, Terra Natura (Water and Wildlife Park) and the city of Murcia. 

When my boyfriend joined me in the second week, we paid a visit to Mazzaron, a lovely little port town. We went to one of the many beaches in the town. It was probably one of the

busiest we'd seen due to the inflatable water park with trampolines, slides and activities. They also had a dance instructor for anyone wanting to work up a sweat in the already sweltering heat. When we arrived, it looked like a flash mob taking place. A bit of fun for everyone. After our trip to the beach we strolled through the town and along the port. There are lots of shops, stalls and a huge choice of restaurants. There are even boat trips that take you out and around the port. Plus, for those looking for a bit of night life I was told this is the place to be on a Saturday night. Unfortunately, I didn't get to experience it for myself as €35 one way in a taxi from Condado was just a little too steep for me, but maybe next time.

As well as getting the bus to Mazzaron, myself, my boyfriend and my little sister spent a day at Terra Natura. We bought tickets from the Condado Club at a discounted rate which I'd highly recommend as you get the cost of the bus and your entry into Terra Natura for a great price. Even better, you can come back the next day with the same ticket at no extra cost. We started off with the wildlife park as we didn't want to be walking around with wet hair and damp clothes. It was amazing! One of the best zoos I've ever been to. They have so many activities on throughout the day which allow you to get involved with the animals. Keep in mind some of the talks or activities were at an extra cost. We found a lot of the things we wanted to do were at the same time so we made a decision to swim with the sealions instead of feeding the giraffes or meeting the lemurs. Its not often an opportunity like this comes around. It really was a once in a lifetime experience. As well as that you were able to interact with a lot of the animals such as the meerkats, deers, and ducks as they were in a very open environment. The whole Wildlife park took about three hours to walk around leaving us with loads of time for a bit of lunch and the water park. The water park isn't the biggest I've ever seen but it was a nice size with a good variety of slides to choose from. There was also a lazy river and a kids section with small slides and a shallow pool. Something for all the family. As we waited for a bus to arrive, we discovered a set of stables full of horses at the entrance of the park. My sister is a horse lover so she was in her element. We all had a great day out and I'd highly recommend it to anyone. We would've definitely been back the following day if the bus was going.


Towards the end of my holiday, myself, my boyfriend, sister and Dad along with a group of others went Go-Karting near Mazarron. I got the impression it was a family run business. There was a man, women and who I assumed was their son. They hadn't much English but they were so friendly and welcoming. You picked your kart by speed but Go-Karting not being my fortay (or anything mechanical for that matter), I hadn't a clue so I left the picking to my Dad. Lets just say I didn't know the brake from the accelerator and to me, both pedals made me go? My first time didn't go so well but second round I found my bearings. We all had such a laugh and left with our adrenaline pumping. At €12 a go, it was a cheap yet fun few hours out.

Now for those wanting to stay in the resort, I found Condado to be real laid back and relaxed. I loved Condado and by the end of my interrailing trip I was looking forward to going back. There was always such a great atmosphere in Al Kazar in the evening. I ate in nearly all of the restaurants but if your looking for a lively night life, this may not be the place for you. The closest you will get to a night out is in El Puerto de La Carta. This is the bar/club where all the staff around Al Kazar head to for a few drinks when finished work at the weekend. There aren't many others apart from a few younger tourists like myself and some Spanish locals. Myself and my boyfriend headed here on the last Saturday of our holiday and found it very quiet as well as over priced compared to everywhere else around the plaza. Don't get me wrong, we had a great night with the people we met but not quite the place you'd be going if you like a big crowd and bit of a boogie. Better for those who prefer a few quiet drinks, mainstream music and a chat with friends.

 There is such a great selection of food to choose from in Al Kazar; American and Spanish to Indian and Bulgarian. I have to recommend Big G's American Diner. I'm pretty sure I popped in nearly everyday for the first week whether it be for dinner, a milkshake, a drink or dessert. The staff are unbelievably friendly. So much so that at their 4th of July party we all ended the night drinking shots together. The food was always delicious and the quality was consistent. I cannot praise them enough. You will not get service quite as good as this anywhere else in Al Kazar. Another place we loved was Funky Monkeys, the Indian tapas bar. We only went here once but the food was to die for. If you're willing to spend a little extra and want to try something different, I'd say pay Bistro Sofia a visit where you will get authentic Bulgarian cuisine. My parents treated us to a meal before we left for Valencia. It was very tasty. 

As for shopping, there isn't many options for you if you are to stay in the resort. There is in fact a market every Saturday evening just outside the entrance. It is your typical Spanish market with knockoff Nike runners, fake Ray-Bans, faux handbags, some handmade jewellery and fresh fruit and veg. If it is shopping centres or high-street stores you are looking for, Cartagena or Murcia are probably your best bet. 

Altogether I spent over three weeks in Murcia; more than two weeks before interrailing and one week after. I definitely plan on going back but probably at a different time of year. The weather was unbearably hot and we had no aircon for the first week. It was torture! I would pick being too cold than be too hot any day. Near 40 degrees everyday is not pleasant especially when your only option is to go down to the pool or sit out in the sun. There is only so long I can spend in the water until I turn into a prune and only so long I can sit in the sun before I get covered in heat rash. I probably seemed like a bit of a recluse towards the end as I didn't want to leave the house during the day because it was just too hot. So if I'm to go back next year it definitely won't be July.

At the end of my first two weeks, my Dad dropped myself and my boyfriend to the train station to start our interrailing journey through Spain. First stop Valencia! But that's for another post. Stay tuned and thanks for reading. Mwah!

Holly X

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