In 2023 I ‘rediscovered’ the for Belgians traditional holiday destinations of France and Spain. And in France, I mostly stayed in what was traditionally more Latin or Iberian than the France which we associate with Paris, Bordeaux, Nice, Brittany, Normandy or the Champagne. In 2023, I explored areas with a more or less fiercely independent state of mind: Occitania, the real independent Andorra, Catalonia and Andalusia.
Helped by fair late summer and autumn weather, the regions presented all their charm. The sites, the culture, the history, the food, the general vibe. There’s no surprise why they’re popular destinations.
As we wrote previously, certainly in Spain and in Andorra the very customer-friendly hospitality in hotels is very inviting. What a contrast to the ‘less service for more money’ attitudes in France or the United Kingdom.
So, this motives to visit the Mediterranean Sea destinations more often.
2023 Occitania – Andorra – Catalonia Road Trip
- TOULOUSE-BLAGNAC AIRPORT | Arrival, ID check, car rental and unusually strict security at departure.
- REVIEW | Novotel Toulouse Purpan Aéroport.
- Circuit Andorra.
- HOTEL REVIEW | Eurostars Andorra.
- REVIEW | Caldea hot spring spa and treatments in Andorra la Vella.
- Andorra la Vella & Escaldes–Engordany.
- QUEER ANDORRA | Entre Nous, the only gay bar in the village.
- ANDORRA PARLIAMENT HOUSE | Casa de la Vall.
- Andorra.
- Llívia, Spain’s exclave in France.
- LE TRAIN JAUNE TERRITORY | Mont-Louis and Villefranche-de-Conflent.
- REVIEW | Dali Hôtel Perpignan.
- Perpignan during the Visa pour l’image international photo journalism festival.
- PERPIGNAN | The Palace of the Kings of Majorca or Palais des Rois de Majorque.
- North Catalonia, Northern Catalonia or French Catalonia: Catalan presence in France.
- FRANCE | Carcassonne and its Counts Castle.
- REVIEW | Neméa Appart’Hôtel Toulouse Concorde.
- TOULOUSE | Aeroscopia aerospace ‘Airbus museum’.
- Touring Toulouse.
- 2023 Occitania – Andorra – Catalonia Road Trip.
2023 Andalusia Whirlwind Tour
- PRELUDE | Visiting Gibraltar in 2013.
- REVIEW | Eurostar Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Paris in 2023.
- PARIS | Restaurant Le Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon.
- REVIEW | SNCF TGV inOui from Paris-Gare-de-Lyon to Barcelona-Sants.
- REVIEW | Hotel Barcelo Sants.
- INTERMEZZO | Spain saw a surge of Belgians visiting in the first quarter of 2024.
- SPAIN | Renfe Sala Club or Club Lounge at Adif stations.
- REVIEW | Renfe AVE in Premium from Barcelona-Sants to Córdoba.
- SPAIN | The Mezquita or Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
- CÓRDOBA | The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos or Castle of the Christian Monarchs.
- REVIEW | Hotel Eurostars Palace Córdoba.
- ANDALUSIA | Half a day in Córdoba.
- TRAINS IN SPAIN | Iryo in Infinita class from Córdoba to Seville.
- ANDALUSIA | Real Alcázar of Seville.
- ANDALUSIA | Seville Cathedral or Catedral de Santa María de la Sede de Sevilla.
- REVIEW | Hotel Posada del Lucero in Seville.
- ANDALUSIA | Half a day in Seville ft. Plaza de España and Las Setas or Metropol Parasol.
- TRAINS IN SPAIN | Renfe Avant regional ‘local’ train on high speed lines.
- GRANADA | The Alhambra and the Generalife.
- REVIEW | Hotel Catalonia Granada.
- ANDALUSIA | Granada on Día de la Hispanidad.
- INTERMEZZO | Spain demands your personal data before you travel there.
- ANDALUSIA | Málaga ft. the Alcazaba and the Cathedral.
- REVIEW | Restaurante Matiz, Málaga.
- REVIEW | Hotel Barcelo Málaga.
- REVIEW | TUIfly Fly Deluxe Málaga to Antwerp.
- 2023 ANDALUSIA WHIRLWIND TOUR | Climate change travel habits, roaming by train and top hospitality mentality at hotels.
Trip By Trip 
You had posted a few weeks ago about the new hotel regulations in Spain. For us it’s not much different because we always had to show our passports. Now though hotels also make you sign a form, some ask for email or phone. Apartment rentals usually have an on-line form to complete including attaching a passport picture, and email or phone. Most are pretty simple and only take a minute. Even the remote check in apartments have them and are very easy. It’s also new to them so they usually ask as soon as you book to make sure it gets done.
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Aha! Thank you for the update. So at the moment in practice nothing has really changed…
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