Travel |

September 4, 2017

El Rastro Market and Shopping

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The most popular open-air flea market in all of Spain, El Rastro is held throughout the year on Sundays and public holidays, and is the perfect place to go if you are hoping to do some shopping in the city. Whether you are looking for antiques and curiosities, or fashion and accessories, you will find all of this and more at the El Rastro Market.

When to Visit
As mentioned above, El Rastro is open on Sundays and public holidays, but, if you want to be able to beat the crowds, you do need to time your visit quite carefully. The market is open from 9am until 3pm, and it is around noon when the crowds really start to swell, making it best for you to start exploring the market before this time. While the crowds do add to the overall atmosphere so much, they can also make it quite difficult for you to properly navigate the stores. However, there is one exception to this rule, and this is for those who are hoping to bag a good bargain. If this is the case, then you need to arrive near closing time, as this is when many vendors tend to shave around 20% off of their original asking price.

A clothing stall at El Rastro Market in Madrid, Spain

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Trying on Clothing
You will find such an incredible variety of clothing for sale at El Rastro Market, and these vary from traditional Flamenco dresses to vintage designer goods to kitschy tourist t-shirts. With so many different types of clothing brought in from countries all over the world, you can imagine how varied the sizes are between them. However, unlike at many other markets around the world, the vendors at El Rastro are happy for customers to try clothing on, meaning that you can ensure that it really does fit before making your purchase.

Explore the Side Streets
In addition to the actual market stalls, there is plenty of other shopping to be done around El Rastro. The side streets may be small, but they are often filled with so many different types of unique stores, as well as more vendors sprawled out across the pavements. Calle de los Pintores, which means Street of the Painters, is one that art lovers should not miss, as there is so much artwork for sale here, while Nuevas Galerias and La Galeria Piquer have some truly one-of-a-kind individual stores.

Crowd at El Rastro Market in Madrid, Spain

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A Bite to Eat
El Rastro is located in Madrid’s La Latina district, which is known for its Spanish restaurants and bars. There are many tapas restaurants to be found here, making this a great opportunity to try a few authentic tapas dishes. Alternatively, if you are not in the mood for Spanish cuisine, you will find everything from Indian restaurants, such as Bombay Blue, to Arab tea houses here.

El Rastro Market is always an exciting place to head to for a spot of shopping, as you never know what you will end up finding. From rare vintage designer clothing to souvenirs that you can take back home with you, this is a market that appeals to both tourists as well as locals.

Travel |

April 3, 2017

| OROGOLD

Explore Puerto Banus Street Market, Marbella

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Held every Saturday near the Nueva Andalucia bull ring, the Puerto Banus Street Market is always a bustling event, packed with incredible deals and bargains. From local fruits and spices to traditional handicrafts to souvenirs, this is a shopping spot where you are bound to find just about everything that you could imagine.

Visiting the Puerto Banus Street Market
While the Puerto Banus Street Market officially opens at 9am, the majority of the stalls are not completely up and running until around 10am. Nevertheless, it is still definitely worthwhile heading to the market as early as possible, especially if you are visiting during the summer months, as the heat can become quite intense as the morning progresses. With the main section of the market being held around Centro Plaza and its roundabout, it is easy to imagine just how clogged the streets become later on in the morning. If you are driving to the market, you would be best off parking slightly further away and walking over, which would also save you from the parking fee that is required on market days.

Local Spices
One of the highlights of the Puerto Banus Street Market are the stalls that sell local spices, as you will find an incredible variety of these here at prices that are far more reasonable than anywhere else in Marbella. If you are looking to pick up something rare and prized, make sure to buy some saffron, which is sold at a number of stalls at this market.

Local Handicrafts
The spectacular array of local handicrafts available at the Puerto Banus Street Market is another of its strong points, as these Spanish crafts make for fantastic gifts to buy for friends and family back home. From ceramic plates to linen tablecloths to speciality olive dishes, many of these items cannot be found anywhere else in the world.

Negotiating for a Discount
As with the majority of street markets around the world, negotiating for a discount is a must, especially if you are visibly a tourist. While this is much harder to do in the mornings, those of you who hang around the area until the end of the day will find it much easier to bag a few bargains, as the vendors will be trying to sell as much of their stock as possible before closing up for the day.

Food and Drink
With the market becoming increasingly crowded as the day wears on, your best bet for grabbing breakfast or lunch would be to head to one of the cafés or restaurants nearby. Centro Plaza itself boasts several different cafés with outdoor seating, meaning that you can relax in the sun and continue to soak up all of the atmosphere from the market. Alternatively, head to La Tahoma for some freshly baked pastries, or to Pasta Café for a glass of local wine.

The Puerto Banus Street Market has always been popular with both locals and visitors, and is definitely a must-see when in Marbella. However, keep in mind that, with such large crowds of people around, pickpocketing can often occur, so be sure to keep all of your valuables safe.

Travel |

November 14, 2016

| OROGOLD

Helpful Tips for Exploring the Philippines

With English being widely spoken and locals known for their friendly nature, the Philippines is a relatively easy country to explore. However, for those who want to ensure that absolutely no mistakes are made, these are some tips that should help with your travel plans.

Visas
Visiting the Philippines is extremely easy, no matter where in the world you are from, as citizens of just about every country will receive a 30 day visa, free of charge, upon arrival. For those that want to stay longer, visa extensions are easily available, and can be obtained from Manila.

When to Visit
Weather is usually one of the most important factors that people take into consideration when choosing the time of year to visit a destination, but with the Philippines experiencing hot temperatures throughout the year, this is not too much of an issue. However, with the coolest months being between December and February, this is considered to be high season, and many resorts will triple their rates during this time.

Getting There
When it comes to actually traveling to the Philippines, the country has three main international airports. The Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila is the most popular, and has several connecting flights to other spots around the country. The airport in Cebu is great if you are planning on heading to the Visayas or to northern Mindanao, while Clark airport is where you will find the majority of the budget flights landing in the country.

Health Risks
Even the healthiest of travelers should consider taking out travel insurance, no matter where in the world they are traveling to, but, if you don’t, you will find the hospitals in the major Philippine cities are modern and easy to navigate, with affordable health care. While traveling around rural areas does pose the risk of infectious tropical diseases, these are not likely to cause any serious health risks, but you should still be equipped with a first aid kit in case any emergencies arise.

Where to Go
The bustling city of Manila is likely to be your first point of contact with the Philippines, but,from here, there are thousands of destinations to choose from. Nearby to Manila is Tagaytay with the famous Lake Taal, as well as the coastal town of Anilao. Further afield you will find Banaue, where you will be able to explore the region’s famous rice terraces that date back over 2000 years, as well as the historic colonial city of Vigan, with its architecturally unique Mestizo District. Of course, the idyllic islands of the Philippines are not to be missed, and some of the best can be found around Palawan, which in itself has been voted as the best island in the world for many years now.

The Philippines is becoming an increasingly popular tourist destination, and with such a wide range of attractions, this is not much of a surprise. An easy country to travel to and explore, the Philippines should definitely be on your bucket list if you have not yet paid it a visit.