Las Fallas dates back centuries, and no matter what else is going on in the world, Fallas persists.

The scent of gunpowder blended with sugary churros and hot chocolate permeates the air. Children throw firecrackers to the ground, giggling with delight when they pop.

Last year was our first Fallas. In our second year, somehow, we’ve made our peace with the noise and have mostly slept through the live music drifting into our apartment from the street below. (Let’s not even get into the mortar-style fireworks exploding all around us.)

This past weekend, we rounded up the kids and went on a scavenger hunt for monuments near the city center. We were dazzled by them last year, but this year? The monuments were even more elaborate, and the political messages were clear, with Trump dominating much of the imagery.

This is probably our final year remaining in Valencia while the city burns—at least for now. Peace with the noise only goes so far. With an elderly dog, kids, and the general 40-something desire for a good night’s sleep, unless you’re part of it, even most Spanish people will tell you to leave. (My neighbors did and advised us to do the same.) The party stretches well into the wee hours of the morning, with live concerts beginning at midnight, fireworks exploding, and drunken partiers shout-singing off-key.

It takes months and millions of euros to build these monuments, only to watch them burn—symbolic of renewal.

I took the photos below with my iPhone on a gray and gloomy Saturday (using Lightroom to highlight their artistry), but you can see how much effort goes into their creation and why the Valencians are so proud of their city’s tradition.

Feliz Fallas!

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I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

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The past couple of weeks have been crazy busy, and things aren’t going to get much slower until school is out in late June.

And I had a realization.

My son will be in eighth grade next year.

What?!

My sweet boy was off to kindergarten just a moment ago, and now, here we sit at the precipice of the last year of middle school, prepping for high school.

And my youngest? She’s starting middle school and going into sixth grade.

Time waits for no one, which means the window for traveling and doing activities with our kids is shortening fast.

When we moved to Spain in 2024, one of the carrots we used to get the kids (kind of) on board was a promise to visit Disneyland Paris. But we haven’t made it yet, and not too long ago, my son asked me, “Mom, when are we going to go to Disney?”

It hit me that we’re coming up on two years in Europe, and we’ve really only traveled in Spain, which has been wonderful, and there are so many more places I want to see here.

But.

I want to show the kids the world. It’s a big reason we moved here, and as that time starts to slip through my fingers, I recognized that it’s time to do some of these trips we promised our kids when we moved.

So when my son asked when we were going to Disney, I had a moment of panic. I looked at Will and said, “I’m about to go into ‘f**k it’ mode.” He asked what I meant. “The kids are asking when we’re going to do Disney. Do you realize we only have about four-and-a-half more years before our oldest turns 18? Time is running out.”

And then I got a little weepy, sat down, and booked the flights to Paris.

Later, I booked the hotel, and we are well on our way to a Disneyland Paris adventure this summer.

There’s another trip I’ve always wanted to take, and luckily for me, the rest of the family is on board, although my daughter has her own agenda with this one because it involves horses. (Of course it does.)

As an adult, I’ve long wanted to visit Finnish Lapland, particularly at Christmastime, but I couldn’t figure out how to afford it. I thought that once we were based in Spain, it might be more affordable, but lemme tell ya: Lapland at Christmas isn’t cheap no matter where you happen to be traveling from.

I don’t discuss it much here, but I’ve been playing the credit card points and miles game for years. I picked up the hobby after we took the kids to Disney World in Orlando and realized there had to be a cheaper way to travel with a family. Since then, we’ve taken multiple vacations funded partially by points. And in Mallorca, we stayed at a hotel we wouldn’t have been able to afford (or justify) without using points.

So about a week ago, I started searching Google Flights, taking stock of flight costs, activity options, and what we could expect to pay for lodging.

Flying to Rovaniemi, Finland from Valencia is kind of like flying from Nashville to Seattle—not a short flight, but not quite as long as flying across the Atlantic from the East Coast. And I don’t think there is such a thing as a “cheap” flight during the Christmas season.

Cash was not an option.

Looking at the points cost, though, it started to come together as a possibility. Eventually, I found tickets that worked for our school break, and I booked them, paying a total of about $345 for the taxes and fees and 104,000 Avios.

If you've been curious about the points game, the Chase Sapphire cards are where most people (including me) start. Here’s my referral link if you want to get started.

My bucket list trip is starting to take shape, and while there is still a lot of research to do, I cannot wait to tell the kids. (It’s a surprise for now!)

Living in Europe certainly has its advantages, and the proximity of places like Finnish Lapland is a big one.

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I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.

If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.

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Last year, 2024, was our first Christmas living abroad, and we were all missing what felt familiar. Ordinarily, we’d spend our evenings driving through neighborhoods looking at Christmas lights, baking holiday treats, and, on Christmas Eve, we’d travel to my brother’s house in Kentucky for a traditional holiday meal.

To combat the homesickness pangs, I decided we were due for a little adventure.

I had no idea where to go, but I knew it was too late for Christmas markets in other European countries, so I started investigating the best Christmas lights in Spain. As it turns out, there are several, and the ones that kept popping up were:

• Vigo (The mayor is a Christmas fanatic.)

• Malaga

• Madrid

• Barcelona

Despite having passed through Madrid a handful of times via plane or train, we’d never spent any time in the city. It was only two hours away from Valencia by high-speed train.

That’s how I decided this was where we'd have our Christmas adventure.

Situated steps from Plaza de España, our aparthotel got us off to a good start, putting us within walking distance of a small holiday market in the plaza. Just a little farther away was the Royal Palace and Plaza Mayor. We were in a prime location for exploring.

On our first night, we settled into our rental and then ventured out to Plaza de España for vittles and to gawk at the holiday lights. To our surprise, the temperature change from Valencia to Madrid was significant, and we all quickly learned we’d have to layer up while we were there.

I had several things planned over the next few days, culminating in the light tour on top of that bus. But the first night? That was all about settling in, getting used to our surroundings, and relaxing.

The next day, Will, the kids, and I were all ready for a day of exploring.

Madrid has several Christmas markets scattered around the city, and they’re a lot of fun to explore. This is where you’ll find the crowds – and the souvenirs – and there’s a buzz of excitement in the air. The largest market is Mercado Navidad Plaza Mayor, which is where we traveled to first.

Admittedly, the market was loud, busy, and … underwhelming. I don’t know exactly what I expected. Maybe more local goods for sale? Instead, much of the merchandise at the stalls felt like copycats of one another.

From Plaza Mayor, we were off to lunch at Cantina Canalla Centro, a highly-rated Mexican restaurant near the Royal Palace. (I am always on the hunt for a great Mexican restaurant in Spain!)

After lunch, we spent the afternoon wandering, eventually ending up back at our aparthotel to rest before venturing out for churros and the light tour.

My original plan was for us to have churros and chocolate at the famous Chocolatería San Ginés. In business since 1894, it’s the oldest churro shop in Madrid. However, when we saw the ridiculously long line snaking around the building, Will and I decided we didn’t have time to wait if we were going to make our light tour.

We pivoted.

In business since 1902, Churrería Chocolateria 1902 was also busy, but the line was shorter and moving quickly. We hopped in line and, within 30ish minutes, had churros and chocolate in front of us.

No regrets. No notes. It was phenomenal.

Stepping back into the chilly night air, we began making our way toward the light tour departure point. We were going to be early, and to our delight, we discovered that the departure point was situated right next to the Mandarin Oriental Ritz hotel.

Will and I looked at one another, and he said, “Drinks?”

Don’t mind if I do.

We spent the next 45 minutes killing time and enjoying drinks at the swanky Ritz bar, listening to live piano music and gazing at the ornate Christmas decorations.

Bliss.

Leaving the warmth of the Ritz bar and moving back out into the cold again, we made our way to the bus stop, where a line was forming.

This was the Naviluz tour, which was operated by the city of Madrid but is now run by Alsa. The buses traverse the most well-lit streets, showcasing Madrid’s elegant Christmas lights while you sit on an open-air, double-decker bus.

As is always the case when we travel with our kids these days, we were late and had to squeeeeeeeze onto the bus just in time for it to leave. None of us brought enough layers (or heavy coats!), so we found four seats together toward the back and huddled up. It was 35ºF (about 1.6ºC), and the wind tunneling through the top of that bus was teeth-chatteringly cold.

But it’s hard to focus on the cold when you’re being dazzled by incredible lights.

Madrid probably isn’t on your radar as a great place to spend Christmas, but let me reassure you. If you think New York City is giving Christmas, try Madrid’s Gran Vía. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it feels as though every square inch is lit up in shades of red, green, pink, blue, white, and yellow. On the double-decker bus, you pass under the lights close enough to touch them.

If we did nothing else while in Madrid, this was the highlight. Watching my kids’ awe at the lights like they used to do in the car as we drove through neighborhood after neighborhood made the entire trip worth it.

I had a few more activities planned – more typical tourist activities – and over the next couple of days, we did those, including:

• Royal Palace of Madrid tour

• Catedral de Santa María la Real de la Almudena

• Puerta del Sol

• Mercado de San Miguel

While those were fun, nothing quite lived up to the brilliance of the light bus tour … except maybe watching the sunset on the grounds of the Royal Palace of Madrid.

I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.

If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.

We like to wander. If you enjoyed this piece, don’t miss these:

Just before school started in early September, we took a mini-holiday to Girona, a city nestled in the heart of Catalonia and bordering the Pyrenees Mountains.

Famous today for its starring role in the hit show Game of Thrones, Girona is steeped in history dating back to Roman times. It is also at the heart of Catalunya’s independence movement, as well as a town popular with cycling enthusiasts. Girona also made it on our short list of potential cities when we were considering a move to Spain, so it was a location I’d been longing to see for quite some time.

This trip wasn’t our original plan. We were supposed to be in Asturias, exploring the Picos de Europa National Park, visiting Oviedo and Gijón, taking scenic mountain drives, and visiting towns only accessible by funicular.

In other words, I had an entirely different plan when the wildfires of this past summer threw a curveball. Unsure if the fires would subside by the time we were set to travel, I began canceling plans in Asturias about two weeks before our departure, just in time to avoid massive cancellation fees or a total loss.

Still desiring cooler temperatures (Valencia was in the last throes of the “Satan’s front porch” part of summer), I decided to pivot to the Pyrenees and base us in Girona.

I scrambled to put a plan together, eager for that last getaway before the school year began. Basically, I needed three things:

• Accommodation

• Transportation

• A few activity ideas

Beyond that, I left the door wide open for anything interesting that crossed our paths. I hadn’t had much time to research the city or the area, so I leaned on ChatGPT to fill in the gaps.

After securing an aparthotel on the River Onyar with views of the colorful houses lining the river, I scheduled a car rental and worked from there.

Arriving in Girona felt a bit like traveling back in time. Our aparthotel was situated right off Rambla de la Llibertat, steps from the historic city center, shopping, and numerous cafés and restaurants. We also found ourselves right around the corner from the famous Pont de les Peixateries Velles (Eiffel Bridge), designed by Gustave Eiffel’s company before it worked on the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

My kids love ice cream, so one of the first orders of business in any city we visit is to find our go-to ice cream shop. I think it’s safe to say Chimney Cake Girona won the contest, but Rocambolesc Gelateria was a close second. (Note: Valencia does not have a Chimney Cake location, but it does have a Rocambolesc Gelateria inside Hotel Las Arenas.)

With ice cream procured, it was time to explore.

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If you like to wander, Girona is your kind of town.

The city center is a maze of cobblestone streets, winding past centuries-old buildings and medieval walls. The Jewish Quarter, El Call, dates back to the 12th century and is one of the best-preserved Jewish quarters in Europe. I loved this part of town, following the cobblestones up narrow stairways past ancient doorways, wondering who lives there now and how many hundreds of people have walked those same steps before us.

El Call is also where we discovered crowds of tourists, cramming into the streets and nearly bumping into one another on the narrow paths.

Girona is small, and I’d say you could do the entire town in a couple of days. Knowing that it was meant to be our base, rather than our only destination, we ventured outside the city and into the mountains. I used ChatGPT to create a route with switchbacks and mountain views, similar to the route we drove in France during our trip along the Route Napoléon. (Scenic drives are my jam.)

The drive brought us right up to the French border, near the Vallter 2000 ski resort, which was closed but still offered panoramic views of the surrounding Pyrenees Mountains. As we walked around the resort grounds, we could hear cows with bells on their necks grazing away in the surrounding fields.

I’ve learned over the years that too much planning can turn into a not-very-fun trip. A crammed itinerary often means cranky kids and even grumpier parents. After our excursion into the mountains, we were due for a rest day. We decided to spend another day in Girona, exploring the city's sights and discovering more of the old town.

Will and I left the kids to sleep and rest, and we wandered into town, looking for a mini-adventure. First, we stopped at Espresso Mafia Coffee (thanks to Jonathan Hall for the recommendation) for breakfast and café con leche, which I highly recommend if you’re ever in Girona. After that, we had no plans, so we wandered into the old town until we stumbled upon Girona’s famous Muralles de Girona (medieval walls). Not knowing exactly what we were getting ourselves into, we walked up the steps to enter.

On top of the walls, you’ll see arrow slits all along the top, alongside stunning views of the surrounding area. The walls were quite busy with foot traffic, and from where we entered, we passed by the Arab Baths and Girona Cathedral, eventually ending our walk in a small garden next to the cathedral.

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We returned to our aparthotel to pick up the kids, find some lunch, and take them out for more exploring. First stop: the cathedral. Will is a big fan of Game of Thrones, and he immediately recognized both the cathedral and the surrounding buildings from the show. During my research into this church, I discovered that it has the widest Gothic nave in the world. The building was dedicated in 1038, and construction was finally completed in the 18th century.

When they say it has the widest nave in the world, they aren’t kidding. It is spectacularly large. Photos don’t really do it justice. But perhaps my favorite part of this cathedral was the cloister. It was serene and nearly silent despite the mobs of tourists clamoring to get inside the cathedral.

Our last stop in Girona was the Arab Baths, nestled at the foot of the Girona Cathedral. Built in the Romanesque style, the baths blend influences from Roman baths, Arab baths, and Jewish mikvahs. There were several rooms to view, each with a particular purpose for those participating in the baths. It turned out to be a much more sophisticated system than we expected and a surprisingly interesting stop on our Girona wander.

Being so close to the Costa Brava, we would’ve been remiss not to take a drive down the coast. Starting in Roses, we made our way down to Cadaqués and Port Lligat, where the renowned painter Salvador Dalí spent a significant portion of his life. It’s not hard to see why this part of Spain would inspire artists. It is the quintessential picture of Mediterranean living, complete with the bright colors and sparkling waters. I could’ve easily spent two or three days in Cadaqués, wandering its picturesque streets.

When we initially arrived in Girona, the directions to our aparthotel weren’t totally clear. Google Maps doesn’t exactly warn you when you’re about to drive into the center of a medieval city with horse-drawn-carriage-width streets. In our mid-size crossover rental, we just baaaaaaarely squeezed through some of the roads, folding in side mirrors, gritting our teeth, and dodging pedestrians all the way. It was a hair-raising drive through town, but it was also one of our memorable experiences, where we caught our first up-close glimpse of Girona Cathedral, which Will immediately recognized.

Girona is a charming city with an über European vibe. I’m glad we didn’t move there for several reasons, but it was an awesome place to visit, and one I wouldn’t hesitate to return to again.

One note: Spanish is not the primary language in Girona. Catalan is, and you will hear it far more often than Spanish, although everyone does speak Spanish. Will went to Mercadona early one morning to gather some supplies when we first arrived, and he reported back that he wasn’t hearing Spanish in the store at all.

Catalonia itself feels very different from the other parts of Spain we’ve visited. It is undoubtedly its own culture, complete with its own language and distinct identity.

In the end, Girona wasn’t the trip I planned, but it was exactly the one I needed — a lesson in how life abroad keeps unfolding poco a poco.

I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.

If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.

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At our hotel in Mallorca, we walked past rows of Germans sunbathing like pros. They weren't in a hurry – unless you count the urgent shuffle to the bar for another drink. Meanwhile, we were rushing back and forth from our hotel to various other parts of the island, anxious to see everything we could while we had the oppor…

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1. I don’t like water.

2. Beaches are not my jam.

I suppose the two go hand-in-hand, but there it is. As a kid, I once had a bad experience with water, and it soured me on all things water for life.

Anyway, for spring break this year, we traveled to Mallorca, Spain, where water reigns supreme.

This vacation was not my idea. My husband, Will, is an eternal water lover, proving once again that opposites attract. He loves lakes, rivers, oceans, and seas, and his idea of a good time is a walk on the beach or an afternoon on a jet ski. Will has always wanted to go to the Caribbean for those gorgeous turquoise waters, and I reminded him that we didn’t have to go to Jamaica to see it. It was right here in Spain. (Note: He didn’t believe me.)

I prefer mountains. Luckily for me, Mallorca has both in abundance.

We stayed just outside Palma, the main city on the island, in nearby Portals Nous at the Lindner Hotel Mallorca Portals Nous. It’s a golf resort, but we had no plans to hit the course. Instead, we’d spend time exploring the island and finding adventure. The Lindner has everything you could want in a resort, including a spa, indoor pool, hot tub, and more. The location was just a few minutes from Palma, making it a great place to stay as a home base.

Palma has plenty to do: shopping, historic sites, restaurants, and anything else you could want to do in a European city. But the biggest cities also tend to attract the biggest crowds, which we discovered in the city center. The streets were teeming with crowds of people. It was only mid-April, and if this was busy, what did summer look like?!

Knowing we aren’t a family that wants to stay in the city the entire time we’re on vacation, I made plans to do things all around Mallorca, giving us a taste of what we might like to do again when we return. Mallorca is incredibly mountainous, which we didn’t expect. It reminded Will and me of our trip to Ireland many years ago, with dramatic cliffs and misty overlooks. Our drive to the Formentor Lighthouse was just as jaw-dropping as the one on the Pacific Coast Highway. And Es Trenc beach was perhaps the most stunning any of us had ever seen, with its white sand and clear turquoise waters.

Mallorca is also more than daytime jaunts and beaches. I had an inkling that we might be able to do some great stargazing on the island, away from all the twinkling city lights. Some of those peaks turned out to be ideal for stargazing. One clear evening, despite our exhaustion and desire for a good night’s sleep, we decided to head up to Coll de Sa Gramola, one of the island’s best stargazing spots. As we gazed at the sky in complete darkness – with only the very occasional car driving by to break up the night with its headlights – the silence was, as they say, deafening. It was one of my favorite moments of our trip.

Mallorca was a pleasant surprise. It was unexpectedly diverse, not at all the typical island paradise I thought it would be. Instead, it had something for everyone, and despite my general dislike of crowds, I could see why it was a popular destination. If you want history, you can find it. If you want a relaxing time on the beach, Mallorca has that, too. Looking for nature? Check. And if you’re into luxury, there’s more of that than you’ll know what to do with.

In no particular order, here is my must-do list if you head to Mallorca.

📍 Es Trenc beach
📍 Drach Caves
📍 Coll de Sa Gramola
📍 Palma’s Old Town
📍 Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca
📍 Cala Comtesa
📍 Alcudia Sea Explorer
📍 Platja des Coll Baix
📍 Mirador de Es Colomer
📍 Far de Formentor
📍 Cala Murta
📍 Cala Sa Nau

I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.

If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.

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Fallas is in full swing in Valencia. I’m told that all evidence of this lively celebration will be gone by Thursday, which is wondrous considering that it’s celebrated on nearly every corner.

This UNESCO-recognized cultural celebration is also noisy.

As someone who suffers from anxiety when things stay too loud for too long, I’ve had to develop some coping mechanisms, and I now understand why people asked if we would remain in town while it was going on. With many Fallas activities occurring – quite literally – at our doorstep, we’ve had front-row seats to the celebrations. We’ve seen concerts that begin at midnight and go until 4 a.m., paella cooked in giant pans on the street, a monumento fallero on our street, and more fireworks and firecrackers than I ever saw in all our years in Tennessee (and let me tell you – Tennesseeans love their fireworks). There’s even a churrería stand where you can buy just about any variety of churro.

I’m so glad we’ve been able to experience this fantastic spectacle. We live on the 11th floor of our building, and we can see fireworks shows every night just by stepping onto our balcony. The city feels alive with its own sort of unique energy right now. This past weekend, we wandered over to the city center to view some of the monumentos falleros and experience the sounds of the mascletà. It was buzzing with excitement, and we were in awe of the work put into building these sculptures that will – at the end of Fallas celebrations – be burned during La Cremà.

As exciting as all this is, taking Leo out for potty breaks has been challenging with the crowds. Thankfully, noise isn’t as much of an issue for him, which is the case for many dogs. I’ve had some difficulty sleeping with the concerts going on steps from our apartment. Will and I have decided that we may escape Valencia with the kids and Leo next year and take a mini vacation. The kids don’t have school during the biggest days of Fallas, which would allow us to do that while still enjoying the sights and sounds of it in the weeks before the biggest celebrations.

Despite my difficulties with the noise (and yes, I did know what I was getting into when we moved here and was very aware of Fallas), I love the energy surrounding us right now. It’s a lot of fun – like a rave or a giant party that brings the whole community together. It’s almost like we live near Disney World and get an exciting show every evening.

However, being a tourist during a big festival like this is much different than living amidst it. But I wouldn’t change it for the world. After all, where else can you see something like this?

I write here about building a life abroad—slowly, imperfectly, and with a lot of trial and error.

You can subscribe to receive new posts by email, or support this work with a paid subscription, one-time contribution, or just hit the ❤️ button below to help others find poco a poco.

If you’d like to reach out directly, you can find me at jen@jeninspain.com.

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