20-Day Free and Easy Honeymoon Trip to Spain, Portugal, and Paris (Part 1) - Spain (To Be Continued)

From planning our wedding trip to making it happen, we spent months searching online for various destinations and travel guides. We didn't want to go to crowded places or join a rushed tour group. After much selection, we finally settled on Spain and Portugal, planning a 20-day in-depth exploration of these two countries, rather than a 10-country-in-3-days European tour, hahaha~ As Xiao Li and I's first overseas trip, we were worried but still chose to travel independently, thus beginning a dream journey.

After deciding on the destination, we started preparing. First were passports and visas. After getting our passports, we found an agent on Taobao to help with the visa application. It took about half a month to get the visa, which calmed my anxious heart and allowed me to set off abroad with peace of mind! Next was the specific itinerary: we circled the places we wanted to visit on the map, drew and marked, and ta-da, the travel route was out~~ (Blue route is by plane, green by train, and orange is self-driving) After booking flights, accommodation, car rental, and tickets for some attractions, we packed our drone, camera, tripod, 1000 euros in cash, two large 28-inch suitcases, and two lively hearts, and set off!!!~

Time: 2018.11.25 – 2018.12.16

Route: Harbin - Barcelona - Madrid - Seville - Córdoba - Granada - Ronda - Málaga - Lisbon - Coimbra - Porto - Paris - Harbin (Blue route is by plane, green by train, and orange part is self-driving)

Electronic devices: DJI Mavic Air drone + Canon camera + iPhone + tripod

Most accommodation was comfortable and clean, averaging around 500 RMB per night.

2018.11.26 – Barcelona – Via Augusta Hotel

1. Things to bring:

(1) ID card, passport, visa (we applied for a regular tourist visa valid for 20 days; for convenience and success rate, we used an agent on Taobao, and it came through in about half a month)

(2) Some cash (we exchanged 1000 euros at the bank, preferably in small denominations; otherwise, large bills are hard to spend in Europe)

(3) Since Xiao Li and I were on a wedding trip, we also brought a wedding dress, veil, and a bouquet.

2018.11.25 – Boarded the plane to Barcelona, watching the ground gradually recede outside the window; the long-awaited trip arrived as planned.

2018.11.26 – We landed in Spain in the morning. It was our first time on such a long flight, but the excitement of traveling kept me from feeling sleepy. I didn't even need to adjust to the time difference and was instantly energetic, haha (mainly because I sleep very well and was in hibernation mode on the plane—eat, sleep, eat). Originally, my close friend was supposed to pick us up, but she had a class, so she arranged for a driver to meet us at the airport. Actually, for first-timers, hiring a Chinese driver for airport pickup is a great choice—it helps start the trip faster and more smoothly.

We zipped through the city of Barcelona, looking at the unique scenery outside the window, and only then did we realize we had flown over 10,000 kilometers to Europe, to Spain, to this passionate city—Barcelona~ The driver was super nice and had been living in Spain for over a decade. On the way to the hotel, he even helped us break a 500-euro bill, saving us the trouble of finding a place to exchange cash. That was really great~

During our few days in Barcelona, Manzi took us to eat local delicacies, taught us how to buy metro tickets in Spain, and taught us "hello" and "thank you"~~~ We visited Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, Casa Milà, and Park Güell, a few iconic buildings, and were deeply impressed by the genius Gaudi. Hundreds of years ago in Europe, he had already created such exquisite and stunning architecture. The Sagrada Familia, started in 1882, is still not finished. Its detail and grandeur leave you speechless when you stand beneath it. Stained glass and the holy cross—even though it's a tourist attraction, there are still areas reserved for worshippers to pray. We unconsciously walked in, found seats, and felt the peace and devotion of that moment. By 2026, which also marks the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death, this church spanning three centuries will finally be completed. I really hope I'll have another chance to see her without the tower cranes. The biggest regret in Barcelona was not watching a football match at Camp Nou; a football dream was left behind~

Hotel: Via Augusta Hotel

Clean and cozy, it was our first hotel in Europe, and it felt great.

In the afternoon, after settling at the hotel, my Manzi came to find me. We first went to Casa Milà, where I experienced the charm of the artistic genius Gaudi for the first time.

In the evening, she took us to our first Spanish dinner. It was quite delicious, except that we were almost overwhelmed by the rich foie gras. Xiao Li's pain face, haha~

2018.11.27 – Today's itinerary: La Rambla + Sagrada Familia + Camp Nou

Sagrada Familia (tickets need to be booked in advance)

Actually, my connection with Sagrada Familia started in a university architecture class. Our group chose to make a model of the Sagrada Familia. At that time, I was amazed by the pictures of the building and its story. I never thought that years later I would stand beneath it, quietly looking up at it.

Sunlight streamed through the stained glass windows, reflecting the world's colors.

Camp Nou – Living in such a place, it's hard not to love football, right? Unfortunately, I couldn't watch a match, fulfilling my expectations as a pseudo-fan for football.

In the evening, we strolled around the streets~

2018.11.28 – Park Güell + Casa Batlló

At noon, we ate near Park Güell~~

In the afternoon, we went to Casa Batlló.

Gaudi was always committed to creating architecture with curves, achieving what people of that era called "miracles"~

In the evening, we planned to find a small bar~ London Bar, said to have a hundred years of history and a frequent haunt of Hemingway, Picasso, and Dalí~

2018.11.29 – In Europe, mornings get light very late. We went out at 7-8 AM, when it was still a hazy dawn with streetlights on. Facing the slow sunrise of Barcelona, we walked on the empty European streets. At the Columbus Monument Square, we flew the DJI for its first flight in Europe~~ Watching it slowly rise, circle around the Columbus Monument, and overlook all of Barcelona. What impressed me was that a foreign uncle approached us and said he thought the scene of us standing by the seaside at sunrise was beautiful, so he took a picture and asked if I minded. I was startled at first, then immediately nodded and said yes. The uncle smiled at us and continued his walk. Suddenly, I realized how strong their sense of respect is—they even ask for permission to take a photo. This is truly a civilized society in spirit. Most importantly, I regret not asking the uncle for that photo of the two of us, haha~

2018.11.29 – Flew from Barcelona to Madrid. Leaving the warm and comfortable Barcelona, I felt a bit uncomfortable with the hustle and bustle of the capital Madrid. Our accommodation was on Madrid's most famous shopping street, but the sign was so small that we missed it every time we passed by, haha~ On the first night, we decided to try Chinese food. Sure enough, we found the best-tasting Chinese restaurant of the entire trip in Madrid, with the most exquisite decoration. And from then on, I seemed to fall in love with hot and sour soup, haha~

Accommodation: B&B Hotel Madrid Centro Puerta del Sol

We only stayed in Madrid for one day, wandered around a bit, without too many plans. After all, it is the capital of Spain, so it's more bustling. We saw a huge Huawei billboard on the street and felt very proud~~~ Huawei has a great reputation here; everyone loves Huawei phones. Thumbs up~

2018.12.1 – Took a train from Madrid to Seville, one of my favorite places on this trip.

When we arrived at Seville's train station, we rented our first small car in Europe, very excited. Before renting, I practiced repeatedly in English about diesel, insurance, manual transmission, etc., haha, afraid of making a mistake (in Europe, most rental cars are manual, which suits the hilly terrain, so novice drivers should be mentally prepared). After picking up the car from the parking lot and driving onto the city streets, I felt like flying. Driving our own little car in a foreign country, with exceptionally good weather (since Seville is further south than Madrid and Barcelona, the climate was much better. In Madrid, we wore sweaters and coats; here, we could wear short sleeves and skirts during the day). So that afternoon when we first arrived in Seville and got in the car, I felt incredibly relaxed and comfortable. I love this small town~

Accommodation: Puerta de Sevilla Hotel

During the days in Seville, we visited the Alcázar of Seville. Besides being a must-see attraction, it was also a filming location for Game of Thrones. As a huge Game of Thrones fan, I definitely had to come, excited, haha~ Plaza de España, Santa Cruz district~

Notably, we went to the Flamenco Museum to watch an authentic flamenco show~~ Inside was a small theater with five or six rows of seats, each very close together, just like the small theaters in European movies. We could closely watch the dancers' performance on stage. Although we couldn't understand the lyrics, we could feel the passion and charm of Spanish flamenco~ Very impressive. Throughout the show, no photos, no videos~ We focused all attention on the stage. I loved it~

2018.12.2 – Seville → Córdoba → Granada

Stayed overnight in Granada

Accommodation: Hotel Comfort Dauro 2

To be continued.....

Travelogue Table of Contents: 1. Preface 2. Itinerary 3. Accommodation 4. Tips 5. Journey Travel Information Hotel Index Guide Index Ticket Index Website Navigation Travel Index Cruise Index Corporate Travel Index Franchise Cooperation Distribution Alliance Friendly Links Corporate Gift Card Purchase Insurance Agency Agency Cooperation Hotel Franchise Destination and Attraction Cooperation More Franchise Cooperation About Ctrip About Ctrip Ctrip Hotspots Contact Us Careers User Agreement Privacy Policy Business License Security Center Ctrip Content Center Intellectual Property Trip.com Group Algorithm Disclosure