Shubhi and Abhinav – Spain
After a huge, hectic wedding, Shubhi and Abhinav ran away to Spain for a little relaxation and a lot of romance.
Mumbai based Shubhi and Abhinav got married in Shubhi’s hometown, Jabalpur (MP) in a lavish Mughal themed wedding that ranked as one of the city’s best events in 2015. She tells us about their delightful honeymoon.
“We started planning our honeymoon with a million questions bopping around in our heads. We’ve always wanted to explore and travel the world, especially Europe. We were captivated by the beauty of Greece but as soon as we realized the islands of Santorini and Mykonos were shut, we dropped that plan. Then Spain happened!
It is my husband’s dream destination – the parties are legendary, the country produces some of the world’s best wine, there’s Barcelona’s NOU camp for avid football lovers, the hidden beaches, adventures, attractions, Spanish culture… the list goes on! So I planned the entire trip, the highlight being a tour of the NOU camp as a surprise for my husband.”
Honeymoon Highlights
“We landed in the capital, Madrid – the land of kings and queens and stayed at the Hotel Regina which has a view of one of the most beautiful buildings in the world – The Royal Palace of Madrid.
Our next destination was Seville, seat of flamenco dance culture and a city with old world charm. We stayed at the Hotel Don Paco and after that we headed to a balmy island, the Gran Canaria off northwestern Africa. Here we checked into the Best Western Cantur at Las Palmas Island, two minutes away from the beach.
Our last leg of the journey was when we landed in vibrant Barcelona, a city scattered with tiny tapas bars. Here we stayed in a theatre that has been converted into a hotel – the Acta Mimic.
Best meal of the trip
The best meal of the trip was lunch at Catalina Casa De Comidas Y Mas. It was located opposite our hotel Don Paco in Seville. We started with traditional tapas and chilled beer (our little secret to combat the cold temperatures). Great presentation and ingredients, this place is heaven for food lovers.
Make a reservation for lunch or dinner, this place gets booked up at the drop of a hat. The meal not only tickled our taste buds but the service warmed our hearts. We ate al fresco, enjoying the ambience and started with crispy pork rolls stuffed with bacon, cheese and shrimp, served with sweet chilly sauce. Then we ordered a portion of mini potatoes stuffed with goat cheese, herbs and a tiny bit of tomato – the tanginess went well with the beer. After that, a tiny plate of chicken croquettes and beef tenderloin strips sautéed with mushrooms, rocket leaves and cheese.
Catalina Casa De Comidas Y Mas is a must try! It’s a bit expensive but value for money in every bite. And as a final treat, along with the bill, they served us a complimentary gin and tonic.
Most romantic moment
On my birthday, 19th December, we spent the day exploring Barcelona, shopping and learning about Spanish culture. Late in the evening, my husband took me to Salamanca Silvestre, Barcelona’s best seafood restaurant, for a surprise dinner! It’s a fine-dining restaurant with gorgeous interiors and we were given one of the best tables there and a complimentary dessert platter to satisfy our Spanish sweet cravings. And as they say a Spanish day is incomplete without a glass of sangria, so had pitchers of Sangria!
Must-experience
Visit the fancy tapas bars in Spain, a totally unique experience. And of course, the NOU camp tour for football fans.
Advice for couples
Spain has so much to offer, everything is an experience. The saying ‘A picture speaks a thousand words’ holds true in our case; two of my close friends have already planned to visit Spain after looking at our pictures on social media. As I write this, one of the couples is already in Spain celebrating their anniversary.”
