Spain & Portugal Trip October 13, 2025 to November ??, 2025

 We began our plan nine months ago onboard an Azamara cruise when we received a notice that our next trip would include six free nights, WiFi, a $1300 cash credit, and an upgrade from Veranda balcony to a Suite balcony. Within a few days we booked an eight day cruise from October 17 to 25, 2025 from Barcelona Spain with stops at Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga, Gibraltar, Seville and disembark at Lisbon Portugal. 

Between golf games, dinners, shopping, 2pm vodka tonic dailies, and plenty of good times during unbelievable sunny and warm weather during most of our summer in Southern Ontario the planning is completed. 

[A thought just hit me too late: that is to monitor time on the computer, listening to friends and family's suggestions, and other details that require time and energy to get to one day before flying to Barcelona.] 

Our Air Canada flight is thirty hours from now and there are 6J seats, 5Premium and 10Economy available. Our hope is 2 of the J's will be ours on Monday's flight to BCN.

On board AC820 an advance email indicated we have been assigned to 12E and 12E in Premium Economy. Hoorah and off we go on a trouble free flight, arrival October 14 at 09:30, and no questions asked before Immigration officers rubber stamped our passports in Barcelona BCN.

The taxis were lined up perfectly and after a thirty minute ride on a smooth road to the Sercotel hotel in Sitges Spain, we checked in and slept for two hours. It was a sunny day when we walked to a Super Market to purchase two beers and two bottles of wine and back to the hotel on the beach. Lining the outer side walk and roadway are numerous restaurants some with white table cloths and tables set with cutlery and white embroidered cloth napkins. We jumped into one of them and enjoyed a classic seafood paella with complimentary sparkling wine and little bites of Spanish delicacies while enjoying the sights and sounds of this well attended restaurant and scenario.

And the next night we dined at Moreno Major and enjoyed this dish of Carmelized Foie among other Tapas selections: 

After this delightful experience at Moreno Major we walked back to Sercotel Kalma Sitges hotel prior to another small walk on the beach to an outdoor bar named Pique-Nique for the atmosphere, a little music, the pleasant night air and a splash or two before hitting the hay.

The next night we dined at Al Tamar (on the beach) and had (one) 3 course meal of a noodle dish with bacon bits, a nice piece of Salmon about 6" x 1" x 1" high nestled on a tasty couscous topped with dill sauce, a small steak croquet and finally a piece of cake with a caramel sauce. We were completely satisfied and enjoyed the food, wine, beer and service to the Max. All of which cost 31euros.

Sitges is a haven for Barcelona citizens driving 45 minutes to a city filled with beach activities, hotels and dining establishments all year long. Mind you some will partially or completely shut down for their winter. The chamber of commerce is hard at work making this trip very worthwhile for any person, couple or group to have a pleasant time in its surrounds.

Several years ago we stayed in Barcelona for four days before another Azamara Cruise. We liked the layover then and enjoyed this one too.

Tomorrow we'll drive to Barcelona and the World Trade centre south port arriving at noon to make ready for this cruise of the eastern coastline of Spain to Valencia, Cartagena, Malaga, Gibralter (United Kingdom), Seville and disembark at Lisbon, Portugal on October 25, 2025. 

So Long Sitges we enjoyed our visit with you.