Exploring Closer Comforts.

by Saskia Campbell (United Kingdom (Great Britain))

I didn't expect to find Spain

Heralding from the UK, I have grown up in the fortunate position of having European travel hotspots on my doorstep. Depending on the time of year, I can get to major cities and bask in their culture, beauty, and sun for as little as £30. And yet, until last October I rarely seized them. For the last 7 years, I have been fuelled by an innate desire to put as much distance as possible between myself and this curious cobweb of countries. I have preferred to add noughts to the cost of my air-fare and hours to my travel time. I considered myself a long-haul specialist; immune to the lure of Europe's crystalline waters. Unless it had a layover, I wasn’t interested. When struggling to pick a destination for a much needed sun-fuelled getaway, a friend suggested I try Spain. I had to consciously unravel the sneer that had materialised on my lips and goad myself into entertaining her pitch for Andalusia. Within 5 minutes, my facade had given way to genuine enthusiasm and intrigue, and a few Pinterest boards later I had booked my flight to Seville. It only took me a few hours to realise that perhaps Seville was the gateway to changing my travel habits. The city itself is a nexus for eateries. Tapas restaurants overflow from the pastel, shutter-clad terrace buildings and street-sides are awash with tables, chairs, and menus. It can be an overwhelming task picking a place to rest one's feet and recharge and while every random restaurant selection we made was exceptional, one, in particular, deserves special note. Tucked away, in a district slightly overshadowed by the epicenter of the city, Eslavas is a pearl for your palate. It’s a marriage of conventional Spanish food and innovation. A simplistic alcove in a city lauded in traditional tiling and gothic architecture, it's not uncommon to be waiting over an hour to dine in its sanctity. Thankfully, time is the only sacrifice you will have to make for its pleasures. Somehow, the joint has remained humble despite world-class service and Michelin-star food and retained its street-market price tag. The average cost of a plate is €3, and given the richness of their offerings, it's hard to spend more than €40 on a sitting (including wine). If you take anything from this article, please let it be Eslavas. Transport is a doddle. The legalization of Bird scooters meant we had the leisure of the city and its tapestry of streets at our fingertips and were flexible to flit about the metropolis as we pleased. Seville is an intricate web of landmarks; the cathedral, the Royal Alcazar and Plaza de Espana are must-sees for anyone descending on this southern Andalusian gem. Even so, four days in Seville was enough so we hired a car and headed south towards a coastal whitewash mountain-top town called Vejer De La Frontera. If you’re thinking of hiring a car for any road trips in Spain, make sure it’s a small one. The Fiat 500 was our chariot of choice and while small in stature, was the pint-size perfection we needed for negotiating the cobbled streets of mountain-top municipalities. Bursting with boutique hotels, Vejer De La Frontera is an artisan hub a short climb away from the mainstream attractions of Cadiz, Seville, and Granada. Splurge on a stay at Hotel V for panoramic rooftop views of the district and treat your tastebuds to a tour of Morocco at El Jardin del Califa. Admitting you’re wrong is a challenge for even the most woke of humans. Having my hopes dashed for a Maldivian getaway last October was the best thing to ever happen to me. I didn’t expect to find a region as diverse as Andalusia a stone's throw away from home and the 10 days I spent there have successfully re-wired my attitude towards the club of continents at my fingertips. Save yourself the money and time it takes to swap hemispheres and take a chance on what’s in the back garden. You never know, you could be pleasantly surprised.