Saying goodbye to heat, bikinis and starry nights requires some adaptation. But autumn, which seems to be fully here, bursts in loaded with interesting plans. These are some proposals in different corners of Spain to face the arrival of the most melancholy of the seasons:
Cocktails and brunch with vermouth in Barcelona
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Yes, all this at The Hoxton, the hotel that has revolutionized Barcelona. Accommodation that reflects the spirit of the Poblenou neighbourhood, which has managed to recycle its old industrial face to become a benchmark on the alternative scene. With its wonderful roof terrace with pool, Balinese beds and views of the Sagrada Familia, its taqueria in the heights and its Detroit pizzeria at street level, The Hoxton is a great plan at any time of the year.
But more so now, in the autumn season, when his schedule is generous. So, if you don’t make it to the Barcelona Cocktail Experience (until October 9), where you can enjoy the perfect drink accompanied by events, activities and good music, there will always be the famous Saturday Brunch, where two concepts come together: vermouth, with its pickles and croquettes; and the brunch one, with its eggs, sweets and cocktails.
Like Don Quixote in Campo de Criptana
Nothing like a spoon dish for the first cold autumns. And even more so if it is washed down by the good wines of the La Mancha Wine Route. This is what we can do (among many other towns) in Campo de Criptana, in Ciudad Real. But there is a plan that is ideal for these coming months, where the windmills inspired the most famous scene in Don Quixote.
It is about attending a traditional grinding in one of these giants, declared an Asset of Cultural Interest. They take place on the first Sunday of each month and are a privilege to see how it works, just as it used to be. With the movement of the blades and their thunderous sound, surely the confusion of the famous hidalgo can be understood.
A session of authentic relaxation in Madrid
Because we will have time to stress ourselves, let’s treat ourselves to a bath of absolute well-being like the one that the Hammam Al Ándalus promotes through the thermal bath and massage. A contemporary reinterpretation of the ancient baths of Al Ándalus, with spectacular water gardens and a captivating atmosphere. It is located in the very center of the capital and you come out of it totally renewed.
In autumn, its service (it changes with each season) connects with nature. It is a bridge between what falls, like the leaves of trees and ripe fruit, and what rises, like ferns and mushrooms. Massages, rituals and moments that, with the help of water, allow us to get back in touch with the tangible in these times of excessive virtuality. Nothing like this experience to feel completely happy.
The putxera of Balmaseda
It is celebrated on October 23 and is a must for lovers of good food. We are referring to the famous International Putxeras Contest, the big day of the San Severino festivities that take place in Balmaseda. Here, in this town in Bizkaia, half an hour from Bilbao, numerous groups gather to prepare the traditional putxera, a hearty stew of beans, bacon, chorizo and black pudding.
This tradition dates back to the end of the 19th century, when on the long journeys of the Tren de la Robla one of the train drivers came up with the formula to eat rich and warm: a small stove that allowed succulent stews to be made using the steam of the railway. Today this railway pot (as it is also called) is cause for celebration.
A walk through the Castañar Montánchez de Cáceres
Of course, a forest could not be missing among the autumn plans. And even more so if it is a chestnut tree, now that it is the season for these tasty and nutritious fruits that can be eaten raw, roasted, in delicious soups or succulent desserts.
For this we propose a tremendously bucolic Extremaduran forest: that of Montánchez, in the province of Cáceres, which can be explored in a short walk of just two kilometers that starts from the town square. A comforting experience under the palette of yellows, browns and reds that paint the trees these days.