Spain: Coming Full Circle With Our Boys

There’s something special about ending summer with one last adventure, and Spain was the perfect place to do it. It was also our newest addition, John’s, first international trip. Big brother, George, was there to show him the ropes!

We spent the trip soaking up every bit of summer we could, from the beaches and relaxed pace of Lloret de Mar, to the energy and architecture of Barcelona, and finally the charm and history of Madrid. Each stop felt completely different, but together they made for the perfect Spanish getaway.

Lloret de Mar

We started in Lloret de Mar, at Hotel Santa Marta, a place that holds a special place in our story because we had stayed there years ago, before we had kids. Back then, it was just the two of us, enjoying Spain and each other. Coming back this time with George and John made the experience feel completely different.

Hotel Santa Marta is tucked along the Mediterranean, surrounded by beautiful coastline and pine trees, and it was the perfect place to slow down at the beginning of our trip. We spent our time swimming, enjoying the beach, eating, and letting the boys take in their first Spanish adventure.

There was something especially meaningful about watching them enjoy a place that had been part of our lives before they were even a thought. We got to revisit an old memory while creating an entirely new one.

Barcelona

From Lloret de Mar, we headed to Barcelona, where we packed a lot into a short stay. This was our second time in Barcelona, so didn’t need much time there. However, I could spend 3-4 days and still not get enough of the area.

Our first big stop was Sagrada Família, which was just as incredible as we remembered. We followed that with Park Güell, wandering through Gaudí’s colorful architecture and enjoying some time in the park afterward. On the way there, we got lost and ended up hiking with our double stroller for six miles in the back of the park. A word to the wise…there is no public transit to the park, and a double stroller is quite the large load! I hope we can laugh about that adventure one day.

Barcelona was also about the food. We had dinner at Clara Barcelona, a beautiful spot in the Eixample neighborhood, and enjoyed one of those long Spanish dinners where no one is in a hurry to leave.

The city had such a fun energy, beautiful streets, incredible architecture, great food and plenty of opportunities to simply wander.

On to Madrid

The next morning, we boarded the train from Barcelona to Madrid. The three-hour ride gave us a chance to sit back and watch the Spanish countryside pass by before arriving in the middle of Madrid. Two boys and our luggage made for a stressful experience. It’s always hard to juggle trains with all of our luggage. We survived and reminisced about our Europe travel before kids when we didn’t carry all that much (jokes…I have always carried a big suitcase!)

We stayed at Montera Madrid, Curio Collection by Hilton, right in the heart of the city. The location made it incredibly easy to explore Madrid on foot, and we loved being able to walk out of the hotel and immediately feel immersed in the city. They also offer family rooms, which we enjoyed.

That first evening, we kicked things off with a Madrid food tour, which ended up being one of our favorite activities of the trip. We ate our way through the city, sampled local specialties and got a real feel for Madrid through its food and neighborhoods.

And, of course, there were plenty of dinners to remember. We had dinner at Raza Madrid Barquillo, followed by another great evening at Persimmon Madrid. One of the things we loved most about Spain was how much the meals became part of the experience. Dinner wasn’t just dinner — it was an event.

Exploring Madrid

The following day was all about seeing the city.

We toured the Royal Palace of Madrid, visited the Catedral de la Almudena, and stopped for lunch at Mercado de San Miguel, where everyone could choose something different. We also wandered through Plaza Mayor, one of those places that makes you stop and appreciate just how old and beautiful the city is. George was dying to see a real castle, and the Royal Palace did not disappoint.

Our final full day was a little slower and probably one of my favorites. We spent the day at Retiro Park, where we took the boys out on the rowboats and explored the Crystal Palace.

It was the perfect mix of sightseeing and simply enjoying being together.

The Best Part

We saw some incredible places on this trip, ate some unforgettable meals and stayed in beautiful hotels. But what I’ll remember most is experiencing all of it as a family.

There is something really special about returning to a place you loved before you had children and seeing it through their eyes.

Hotel Santa Marta was once a memory of just the two of us. Now, it is a memory of the four of us.

Barcelona gave us architecture, food and adventure. Madrid gave us history, long dinners, parks and plenty of walking. And Spain gave us one last beautiful adventure before summer came to an end.

The boys may not remember every restaurant or every tour. They probably won’t remember which cathedral we visited or how long we walked through the city.

But we’ll remember our last summer getaway before school starts back.

Spain, we’ll be back. 🇪🇸❤️