El Rompido
On February 1st, Mark, Maya, and I left Lisbon in a rental car and joined our friend Patti at her rental house along the Piedras River in El Rompido. We stayed for the final two weeks of her three-month stint there.
Welcome to Spain!
While the setting and views were lovely, the weather didn’t cooperate. Long beach walks and outdoor happy hours were off the table.
(Hover over or click on photos in galleries to read their captions.)
That said, whenever sunshine was in the forecast, we made the most of it — heading into the Algarve of Portugal for day trips to visit my parents or explore with our friends Heather and Jon. One particularly good morning, our little group — three people and three dogs (Patti has two of her own) — managed to get some exercise along the river beach and through the nearby forest.
The house itself was spacious but cold. Luckily, we had a small electric heater in our room, which made it possible to warm up and get cozy under the covers. Patti, on the other hand, prefers cooler temperatures — a difference we definitely noticed. 🙂
Despite the chilly, rainy conditions and busy days, our evenings were enjoyable and social.
We indulged in home-cooked dinners, fabulous wine and port, and great conversations. At night, we sometimes watched the Winter Olympics together. Our trio even hosted an Indian curry lunch for one of Patti’s friends and were invited to a traditional Spanish tapas and tortilla meal at a neighbor’s house.
Cádiz
Patti had bought a car in Spain, which needed to pass inspection in Cádiz. Since it was a 2.5-hour drive each way, she appreciated having company. With questionable weather in the forecast, Mark stayed behind with Maya and Koozie, while Patti, Pekoe, and I turned it into a day trip.
After the morning inspection, we wandered through Cádiz’s historic center — a place I had never visited before. Despite gray skies and occasional rain showers, I really enjoyed the city’s architecture and charm.
For lunch, we headed to the local market and created our own tapas feast by picking bites from different stands. To my surprise, we easily filled five hours just strolling through the old town and visiting a cool museum and two forts.
My favorite moment was walking along a causeway being battered by waves to reach a small fort out at sea. Timing our steps to avoid getting soaked became a game — one we didn’t entirely win. We got drenched. Twice. But it was worth it.
Ayamonte
On a another gray-turned-sunny day, Mark, Maya, and I drove towards the Portuguese border. After briefly checking out the first town across the line, we crossed back into Spain to visit Ayamonte.
At first glance, it seemed like a fairly large town without much going on. But after a quick look at Google Maps, Mark guided us to the historic center, which we immediately liked.
We found a charming area with beautiful tilework, a relaxed atmosphere, and inviting pedestrian streets. Our stroll along the waterfront and through town turned out to be a pleasant surprise.
Seville
Patti had to leave a couple of days before us. As an American following the “Schengen Shuffle,” she was nearing her 90-day limit and needed to exit the EU for the UK. We helped her get ready and said our goodbyes before sunrise, hoping our paths will cross again soon.
Our next destination was Benalmádena on Spain’s Mediterranean coast, about a four-hour drive away. Since the sun came out and we were in full tourist mode, we decided to break up the journey with a stop in glorious Seville.
The city letters sit under Las Setas
Knowing we wouldn’t have time to visit the Alcázar of Seville, we planned a three-hour self-guided walking tour instead. Little did we know that the annual Seville Marathon was happening that very day. To say it impacted our visit would be an understatement.
Still, we managed to explore much of the city and take in its highlights — despite the crowds, road closures, and general commotion.
Seville impressed us with its cleanliness, stunning architecture, lively squares, and fascinating history. It’s definitely a place we’d love to return to someday — ideally with our next camper, whenever we find it.
Next up: Andalusia, Part Two – The White Villages of Málaga Province.
Curious about a previous ten-year chapter in our nomadic lives, which includes eight years aboard a 35-foot sailboat in the tropics with dogs? Check out my compelling, inspiring, and refreshingly honest travel memoir:
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March 25, 2026 at 7:09 am
Liesbet, your travel is always enhanced with friends and family. As always, I learn something with each post. For instance, I didn’t know Spain and Portugal are connected by such an elegant bridge.
I hope sunshine prevails for you; the architecture looks spectacular with light glancing off the walls. We are planning a trip to the Mediterranean, so we’ll miss Spain and Portugal. It certainly looks inviting. . . maybe another time!
March 25, 2026 at 10:37 am
Hi Marian,
I remember you mentioning going to the eastern part of the Med on vacation soon. Spain is on the western side of the Mediterranean Sea, so maybe a destination for the future? We are trying to figure out which of the two countries we like best (for long-term travels and stays), Spain or Portugal. After being down here for eight weeks, we finally have a favorite! 🙂
March 25, 2026 at 11:04 am
It looks like you made the best of it despite the challenging weather at times. I’m impressed by how clean everything looks. You mean running in a marathon wasn’t on your itinerary? 😊 I’m sure it will be a relief when you find your next camper. I imagine the cost of car rentals adds up fast.
March 29, 2026 at 7:10 am
Hi Pete,
Finding a new camper online in Europe (that suits our needs and requirements), or even elsewhere in the world, has been a battle. But, since we are still on the road it’s also hard to jump on potential opportunities as we would have to check them out in person. That’s why we have to switch to a higher gear and 100% focus once we arrive in Belgium the end of April.
This whole current trip was started around an affordable two-month car rental we found in Lisbon ($640 in total), while we were staying at an Airbnb in Santiago de Chile. This car rental contract was the beginning of a route and plan for the southern Iberian peninsula. On April 4th, we have to return this small car and the stress and luggage hauling will begin… How to get Maya to Belgium without flying?
March 25, 2026 at 1:15 pm
At least there are blue skies in the second half of your post! The towns / cities all look interesting with beautiful architecture.
March 29, 2026 at 7:11 am
Hi Anabel,
We’ve been truly enamored with all the cute villages and cobblestone streets. For some reason, as a European, I didn’t expect that. Time to explore closer to home! 🙂 I’m happy to report that we finally have consistent sunshine, these weeks. Hurray for spring!
March 29, 2026 at 7:32 am
Lucky you! Still wind and rain here 🙁☔️
March 29, 2026 at 7:34 am
I’m sorry to read that. I know Belgium had a nice and sunny spell last week. Fingers crossed for the glow of sunshine in Glasgow!
March 29, 2026 at 8:06 am
We get the odd nice day occasionally. And even today we had 10 minutes of sunshine before the rain and wind started howling again. Maybe we’ll get another 10 minuted before bedtime!
March 30, 2026 at 6:15 am
Wow. Very variable weather. Maybe you two should move south after John reaches his milestone birthday. Well, for the winter times anyway. 🙂
March 30, 2026 at 6:45 am
Sunny today! Still a howling wind though. I’ll just have to put up with it, being a Glasgow girl through and through.
March 30, 2026 at 9:16 am
Yay!!! I guess you just put more clothes on. 🙂
March 25, 2026 at 2:03 pm
Gorgeous architecture! I’m surprised that even on the nice sunny days, there don’t seem to be too many pedestrians in your photos (except on race day, of course). Did you have to work hard to exclude them? Or is it just a quieter, less-populated area?
March 29, 2026 at 7:14 am
Hi Diane,
This time of the year, most of southern Europe seems pretty benign crowd wise, which suits us just right. Especially during the week. Just like you, I prefer photos without people, so sometimes I wait for the right moment to snap the pics. I guess my actions have been trained on that for many years. Compared to South America, some of these towns and areas have been much busier than we are used to, like coastal Spain and the Algarve in Portugal, but more about that later. We cannot imagine what the summer would bring. Not us, that’s for sure!!
March 25, 2026 at 2:07 pm
Glad you had company and some nice sunny days near the end there. I’m with Patti – give me the colder weather.
March 29, 2026 at 7:16 am
Hi Alex,
It’s such a bummer that perfect weather doesn’t seem to exist anywhere. It’s either too cold or too hot for our bodies. But when it’s finally sunny and warming up, we are not so keen on opening all the windows and letting the fresh air replace the collected warm air inside, haha. That being said, if I had to pick between a hot and humid or a cool climate, I’d probably go for the last one.
March 27, 2026 at 6:19 am
Cooler temperatures are for me, too. I think I’d get on with Patti.
I visited Seville once, but during the height of summer. It almost killed me, but at least there were no marathons going on.
I hope getting drenched on the way to the fort didn’t spoil the walk. There is so much to see and I think you’re there at the right time. before all the tourists arrive, which will start as soon as Easter arrives.
No loud motorbikes or fireworks, though. That’s a good sign. Maya looks very happy.
March 29, 2026 at 7:22 am
Hi Hugh,
I think Wales is just the place for you, weatherwise. It sounds cool enough with just the right amount of sun and warm weather in the summers. It’s interesting you mention you’d get on with Patti regarding cool weather, since she just LOVES the UK (she’s American). She recently discovered Cornwall and is keen on spending six months a year down there from now on. She got me excited to visit, too!
Crowd wise, it is the right time to visit this area. Some popular cities and sites are touristy and busy, but in general it’s been manageable. We have to realize that Europe is just more crowded and popular than South America. I’m not looking forward to Easter on the road…
Maya seems happy enough (we just had another short neck pain bout but things seem to be fine again now), as long as she is with us. But she has many comfy beds and couches to rest on and is still curious and in good shape when we go for walks and explorations.
March 30, 2026 at 7:58 am
Cornwall is a beautiful part of the UK, Liesbet. I have visited it many times. However, it’s very crowded during the school summer holidays, so I would avoid it between mid-July and the second week of September.
March 30, 2026 at 9:18 am
Thanks for the tip, Hugh! I’ll let Patti know about the busy times in Cornwall and we will try to avoid that area during the summer ourselves. Thing is that most places are too crowded during the European summer break, so what to do??
April 1, 2026 at 6:25 am
It’s low season in the `Canary Islands’ from June to September, if you fancy a trip there, Liesbet. Flight and accommodation costs are low, although the current situation in the Middle East may make the cost of flights much higher.
April 4, 2026 at 8:10 am
Thanks for the Canary Islands tip, Hugh. I once visited Gran Canaria with my family when I was a teenager. I’m not sure how comfortable the islands are in the heat of the summer, though. Plus, we don’t like flying with Maya. And we don’t have sailing plans anymore. So, that destination will have to wait until the future. 🙂
March 27, 2026 at 10:36 am
I love Las Setas! Is it just for shading a plaza, or is there another purpose? It’s wild that you can go up into it. These old cities are lovely.
I love that Patti travels with a kayak on top of her car! I wonder how easy it is to drive around Europe with this setup. It looks like her apartment had a lovely view.
Are Spanish tortillas usually served with sauce like the one pictured? We get them sometimes at the grocery store when we are in Mexico, but I don’t think we have ever eaten them with a sauce. I’m sure freshly made ones are yummy.
Did Maya enjoy hanging out with Patti’s dogs? It is so nice that you could join Patti at a dog friendly apartment!
March 29, 2026 at 7:32 am
Hi Duwan,
Las Setas is an architectural structure, an art work, won by this particular architect when a contest was commissioned. It’s a pretty bold design and very big and cool to be a part of.
Patti is an adamant bicyclist and kayaker. That photo of her and her car… There are actually two mountain bikes inside her car and she was on her way to buying a third one. By now, she sold one of those three in England and is still traveling with two. Crazy!
To drive around Spain with that kayak sticking off the back, she needed to buy and rig up a metal sign to be legal. Such a hassle. Many rules in Spain!
I’ve seen the Spanish tortillas in the stores here and they come like you mention in Mexico. I’ve only eaten this dish once and that was with the red sauce in a Spanish household. My guess is that each family has a recipe to make it, hut I’m pretty sure it needs some extra sauce and vegetables (and/or meat) to make it flavorful.
As you know, Maya doesn’t really care about other dogs or people. She did fine with Patti’s dogs and they got along okay but they didn’t really interact. As long as she respected Pekoe’s space, all was good. And you’ll only see her in photos close to Patti’s other dog, Koozie, for that reason.
All our rental apartments are/have to be dog friendly. That makes it a bit harder and more expensive to find good stuff.
March 27, 2026 at 5:44 pm
Enjoy reading about your travels and exploits, Liesbet, in this part of the world. I hope you find the camper soon.
March 29, 2026 at 7:33 am
Hi Annie,
Thanks for continuing to follow along. I’m sure you’ve been to many of the places in Europe that we are exploring now. And thanks for the camper hunt wishes. We do hope to find something before summer. Maybe once we arrive in Belgium and have less other things to deal with.
April 1, 2026 at 8:24 pm
Oh wow, I loved your pictures. What a great time. I’ve always wanted to go to Spain but it’s never been the right timing. I love everything Spanish, especially the architecture and music. 🧡
April 4, 2026 at 8:11 am
Aha, Debby. Spain could be your next winter destination!:) Although, Mexico is much warmer that time of the year… So far, we have enjoyed discovering all the cute towns on the Iberian peninsula.
April 5, 2026 at 8:03 am
What I loved most about this piece is how it quietly shows that travel isn’t made by sunshine—it’s made by moments. The cold house, the rainy days, and those long indoor evenings somehow made everything feel more real and lived-in. And then you contrast that with moments like the drenched walk out to the fort in Cádiz, which felt unforgettable precisely because it wasn’t comfortable. I also really enjoyed how Ayamonte unfolded—you almost passed it by, and then it turned into something special. There’s a nice rhythm here between slowing down and exploring, between the ordinary and the unexpected. Even the goodbye to Patti added a subtle emotional thread that tied everything together. It all feels less like a trip and more like a stretch of life that just happened to take place in Spain. Jim
April 7, 2026 at 11:33 am
Wow, Jim! Your comments are so detailed and to the point and you really seem to understand us and the way we choose to live. Maybe it’s because you and Carmen also stick to an intentional off-the-grid life in Beauty, exploring the north American continent. Or maybe you get it, because you have combined life on the road with breaks, like those glorious three months in Vienna. Either way, I really appreciate you taking the time to read my posts, enjoy my photos, leave thoughtful comments, and “get” what we are doing. Thank you!!