Surprise Surprise: Our Mother-Daughter Escape to Spain

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Ashley’s Secret Itinerary: I Have No Idea Where We are Going

I was really excited when I planned to visit my daughter Ashley in Italy, where she’s been living for a year. Who knew that the day would start with a bird crapping on Kamren’s chin, lol. That’s supposed to be an omen of luck here in Italy, isn’t it? She’s caught the travel bug just like her mother. So, when I told her I was coming, she surprised me by planning a secret long weekend trip to either Spain, Greece, or Montenegro. She booked our flights and hotel but kept the destination a secret. She even joked about walking me to our gate blindfolded! This post is all about how we ended up in Malaga, Spain, for an unexpected and amazing 4-day adventure together.

Table of Contents

• Let’s Try This Again
• Day 1: The Flight, Tapas and a Turkish Bath
• e-Tuk Tour of Malaga
• Hammam Al Ándalu
• El Pimpi
• Torrijas
• Where We Stayed

Let’s Try This Again

Several years ago, my family traveled around southern Spain’s Andalucia Region for a month. We were supposed to fly to Malaga and take the ferry to Morocco for the day. Then, we would rent a car and drive to Granada, Cordoba, Seville, and Marbella. Unfortunately, we overslept for the 6 am flight. Back then, my family did not do mornings well.

Steven to the rescue. He booked us another flight with an altered itinerary. We flew into Granada, our next stop on our exciting tour of the Costa del Sol– skipping Malaga and a ferry ride to Morocco. This was a small price to get us out of Germany in December.

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So imagine my joy when my daughter booked a long weekend in Malaga, Spain. Although she didn’t know I wanted to take the ferry to Morocco, she packed a bunch of amazing distractions. And now that I know where we are going, I’m planning a few surprises for her, too. Are you ready? Let’s explore Andalucia together.

Day 1– The Flight, Tapas and a Turkish Bath

We flew from Rome to Malaga aboard the discount Malta Airline Wizz Air—the first for the weekend in Spain. I had never flown this airline before. And I’m happy to report it was non-eventful. And I love the pink jackets the flight attendants wear.

The taxi ride from the airport is costly at about 50 Euro. We arrived around 10 am but could only check into our accommodation– a two-room apartment Ashley booked on www.booking.com at 4 pm. So the taxi dropped us off at a luggage storage facility, and we went to the restaurant for a light lunch. We chose a popular tapas restaurant. It turned out to be very convenient from our apartment as well since we visited the restaurant next door the following morning.

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e-Tuk Tour of Malaga

After lunch, we walked to the harbor to meet our e-truck driver for a 90-minute city tour. This turned out to be a fantastic introduction to the city. He gave us a ton of information on Malaga’s history and some great recommendations for tapas and things to do.

After the tour, we went to the Hard Rock Cafe. This is definitely an Ashley thing because she collects the hurricane glasses. Unfortunately, they were out of the one she wanted, so we enjoyed the pretty day with a high-priced lunch and a front-row view of the yachts in the harbor.

We rested for a couple of hours in the apartment. It’s really cute, located in a vibrant neighborhood surrounded by locals and daily life here in the city. Then we took a taxi to Hammam Al Andalus for an Arabian bath experience. This was magical.

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Hammam Al Ándalu

I had an amazing evening at Hammam Al Ándalus in Malaga with my daughter and grandson. A visit to a bathhouses is an awesome adventure for a long weekend in Spain. It started with really relaxing massages that got rid of all our stress from the transatlantic flight jetlag. The place smelled great, too, like essential oils, which made us feel like we were in ancient times. Then, we tried out the hot and cold pools. The hot pool was super relaxing, and it made our muscles feel soft. Jumping into the cold pool after that was a bit of a shock, but it was also really refreshing and made us feel full of energy. Going back and forth between the two was a fun experience. This entire experience was enhanced by the soft, light of candles strategically placed all around the spa. The glow enveloped us, adding to the charm and tranquility of our stay in the bathhouse.

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El Pimpi

El Pimpi is a well-known spot in Malaga that’s been around since 1971. It’s a big deal there because it’s got a lot of local history and culture wrapped up in it. Even Antonio Banderas, the famous actor, is one of the owners. The place is pretty, with an Andalusian feel and great views of the Roman Amphitheater. Regarding food, it’s alright, nothing out of this world. I was looking forward to the spicy potatoes, but they were salty, and so was our waiter, who came off as pretty rude without any real reason.

Torrijas

Before going back to our apartment, we stopped for a traditional dessert. Torrijas are a tasty Spanish dessert, like French toast, that people in Malaga and all over Spain love, especially around Easter. You make them by soaking old bread in milk or wine, then coat the bread in egg, fry it in olive oil, and top it off with honey, sugar, and sometimes a bit of cinnamon. They end up crispy on the outside but nice and soft inside. It’s an intelligent and yummy way to use up bread that’s not so fresh anymore.

Where We Stayed

This Malaga apartment is in the central Malaga area, which is filled with life. It was a small two-bedroom with a sofa large enough for Kamren to sleep on in the living room. My favorite part of the apartment was the Andaluce windows, painted a deep shade of green. We found it on booking.com. Locals fill the nearby parks and markets. You can easily find a spot to enjoy tapas or coffee on the street. It’s a perfect spot for those who want to experience the city’s day-to-day buzz, just far enough from the historic center. Thanks Ashley. I am really looking forward to this surprise weekend in Spain.

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We’ve wrapped up an incredible journey together, and I’m thrilled to have shared every step with you. From unexpected adventures to discovering hidden gems, this trip has been nothing short of amazing. Now, it’s your turn! I’d love to hear about your experiences, tips, or any questions you might have about planning your own surprise trip or adventure.

Drop a comment below or share your own stories. Let’s keep the adventure going—happy travels and until next time, let’s dream about where the road (or Ashley’s secret itineraries) might take us next!

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