hen I first composed my bucket list (almost 2 years ago), the first item I wrote down was to spend a week in a number of cities and Buenos Aires was one of them. At the time, I still had a strong affinity to city life; but I’ve found that it has gradually been fading. These days, I find it harder and harder to enjoy the urban rhythm; it’s fast-paced, disconnected from nature and there are lots of things that don’t make much sense to me.

Still, I had heard so many nice things about Buenos Aires that I was really looking forward to spending a few days there. Most people said that it was such a cosmopolitan place, a very European looking city (some like to say it’s the Paris of South America) with cool neighbourhoods and great nightlife. Everyone I know who has visited, pretty much loved it. So I had high expectations.

When I first arrived from the airport, I was quite disappointed with its looks: the buildings looked gray and plain and it reminded me of the ugliest parts of the Eixample Esquerra in Barcelona. However, as I walked around Palermo it didn’t take long to find cool cafés, restaurants and shops; the mood there was more similar to Berlin, with the street art and all. And for me, that was one of the few redeeming aspects of Buenos Aires: the abundance of high quality street art murals.

There were of course other things that I enjoyed: watching tango aficionados from all over the world dance their hearts out, strolling down the San Telmo Sunday market to people watch, and the awesome food (yes, specially the steaks and empanadas!). But I couldn’t help noticing the harden looks on some of its inhabitants’ faces; regardless of all its cosmopolitan grace, Buenos Aires seems to be a tough place to live in if you cannot afford to enjoy its fancier perks.

After a few days in this massive metropolis I wanted out, fast! It probably didn’t help that I almost got robbed in the subway, I managed to avoid loosing my wallet, smartphone and camera; because I quickly realised what was about to happen, if it’d taken me 2 more seconds they’d have been gone. However, I did loose my beautiful vintage sunglasses and my laptop’s case when I forgot them at a table in two separate incidents; I know it was due to my careless mistakes, but I can’t help thinking that in other places they would have been returned to me.

In the end, I had a good time in Buenos Aires because of the people I met there; but I really didn’t enjoy the city that much with the exception of the street art and a couple of favorite places. When I left, on the longest bus ride that I have ever taken, I was once again happy as I woke up to the view of the open plains as I made my way south to Patagonia.

Have you ever been to Buenos Aires? How did you like it? Let me know in the comments below!

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hen I first moved to Barcelona in late 2003, I immediately fell in love with the vibrant spirit of the city; I just loved finding so many colourful graffitis covering the walls of the old city center. For me, a city without good street art is boring and uninteresting, really. These first encounters with street art were the beginning of my obsession with photographing  these ephemeral creations.

For a couple of years after my arrival, Barcelona was a great place for urban art; a location where artists from all over the world would come to leave their prints. My favorite artists at the time included locals such as Pez, one of Barcelona’s most celebrated and happiest street artists, featured on the opening photo of this post; and Miss Van, an artist from Toulouse who paints sensual female characters with slanted eyes.

However, things started to change in 2005 when Barcelona’s politicians decided to crack down on graffiti because they view it as an antisocial act that contributes to the deterioration of the urban landscape. Soon, the streets of Barcelona went from featuring a polychromatic anarchistic look to being covered with the ugliest shade of brownish gray; in my opinion, it was a big lost for the city’s bohemian character.

Nowadays, urban artists have very limited options to display their work without getting in trouble and there are fewer murals around Barcelona. From what I saw during my latest visit, most of the street art is now relegated to doorways and metallic shutters from small businesses; they’re commissioned works by the owners that provide some breathing space for street culture. However, the policies of Barcelona’s local government are so anti-graffiti that at some point they were even threatening to fine both owners and artists for this practice.

As a result of this, some artists have adopted the craft of paste-ups, a form of street art in which they create their work on paper and then glue it to walls, kind of like a poster; in part because it’s quicker to apply to walls, lowering the chances of getting caught. One of my favorite local paste-ups artists is BTOY, who has a distinctive style and you can see many of her works around Barcelona.

Fortunately, the street art scene hasn’t entirely died and we can still find works by internationally renown artists, such as the Parisian C215, who creates intricate stencil art; Italian artist Alice Pasquini, who’s works can be seen in many European cities; and Broken Fingaz, Israel’s most famous graffiti crew.

Still, the situation is less than ideal, specially when other cities across the world are actually embracing street art and finding innovative ways to give it some space; like for example: Berlin, Bologna, Buenos Aires, Toronto and Lisbon. Perhaps, the situation in Barcelona will change someday. At the moment there are different initiatives that aim to engage the local government in an open dialogue to change its policies.

This year, there are a couple of documentaries coming out that tell us about how the situation has shifted in Barcelona. First there’s the feature length documentary Las Calles Hablan, which is premiering next Saturday April 27th at NIU in Barcelona (by invitation only). The producers behind this documentary have also organised an online petition to ask the local government to review its policies regarding street art in Barcelona.

The other documentary soon to be released is Bcn Rise and Fall, by local artist Aleix Gordo Hostau, which also gives us some insight into the changes that have shaped the urban art scene in Barcelona. I sincerely hope that both of these initiatives would reverse the situation in Barcelona and restore the city to its former glory.

For more street art photos from Spain, you can visit my gallery. Also, please consider signing up the online petition at change.org and share it with your friends. Finally, if you love street art and are on Facebook you can subscribe to my Street Art interest list for updated links.

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t’s been a while since I last posted anything about music; which is a shame since I really love to have a soundtrack during my travels. However, I have to confess that lately I’ve been using music more as a barrier to avoid annoying noises than as a pure source of pleasure; basically, it’s what keeps me sane during long flights and bus rides.

Anyway, yesterday I was browsing through Aurgasm, a music blog where I’ve found many artists that I like, and I came across the music of Willy Moon; a young singer from New Zealand with a sharp retro look who mixes nostalgic sounds with modern styles creating a very interesting fusion. One of my favorite tracks is Railroad Track, check it out!

For more travel music inspiration, check out my profile on Spotify!

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ast month, I finally did one of the trekking adventures I’ve always wanted to experience in Colombia: the hike to Ciudad Perdida (meaning the Lost City) in the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, an archeological site that’s estimated to be about 650 years older than Machu Picchu.

The trip started with a ride from Santa Marta to the village of El Mamey, the entry point to the trail. On the way there, we faced some unexpected difficulties when our ride suddenly stopped on the middle of the road due to an empty gas tank! Apparently, there was some problem with the tank sensor and it wasn’t possible to know that we were running low on fuel. However, we weren’t delayed for too long; plus, it was a good opportunity for our multicultural group to bond while making jokes about our predicament.

The hike itself is challenging enough when the weather is dry, because there are many steep highs and lows on the way and some of them last for long stretches. During our trip, we had some rain during the first couple of days; which turned the trail into a muddy and slippery mess. The ascent became harder as our feet would slide on the mud under our weight, and descending was made harder since there was little on the way to stop us from sliding down on some of the steeper sectors.

Thankfully, it wasn’t all pain, sweat and mud; there was plenty of beautiful scenes that made the whole experience worth the effort. We saw strange looking butterflies and exotic flowers. At some point, I met a little cat sitting by the road that reminded me of my lovely Makita; the little thing fell in love with me as well and wouldn’t stop rubbing itself against my head. There were also the super cute Kogi children who ambushed our group demanding that we empty our bags of any sweets we were carrying. We also found plenty of breathtaking waterfalls to take rest stops, they were so perfect that they looked they came out of a fairy tale.

By the end of each day, we were all exhausted; we just wanted to take a shower, eat some warm food and rest. The different campgrounds were all well organised and comfortable enough considering that we were in the middle of nowhere. We also met a few interesting characters there, like our friend ‘Lawrence’ the Kogi guy who told us a bit about their way of life and who let us taste some coca leaves from his poporo. There was also the ginger three-legged cat who ruled over the other cats of its campground with a kind but authoritative stance.

While we were admiring the ruins at the top of Ciudad Perdida, we heard that the helicopter which brings monthly supplies for the military base that guards the archeological site was arriving soon; so we decided to stick around to watch it land. It turned out to be quite an impressive sight to see this massive machine standing on top of the ruins, I had no idea it’d be so big and wondered if its weight would cause any damage to the terraces of the Lost City. It did make for a kind of cool photo op, though!

In the end, the trek to Ciudad Perdida was all I was expecting and more; it was an unforgettable experience to spend a few days deep into the Sierra Nevada of Santa Marta, one of my favorite places in Colombia. Yet, I have to admit that the trek was a bit more physically demanding than I was expecting; and after almost 5 days of intense walking I was pretty much exhausted! But the landscape, the people I met, and learning more about the indigenous cultures of Colombia made it all worth it. In fact, I’d do it again :)

The trip to Ciudad Perdida was sponsored by viventura, as part of our ongoing collaboration; however, all opinions are strictly my own. To see my post in Viventura’s blog, go here. You can also check all of my photos from Ciudad Perdida at my gallery.

Have you done the trekking to Ciudad Perdida? How did you like it? What’s your favorite trekking experience in South America? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on my journey :)

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y first destination of 2013 was Colombia. Since I started my nomadic lifestyle, Colombia became my base of sorts since this is the place where my mom lives; and I’ve ended up spending more and more time there. So much in fact, that I decided to get my Colombian nationality sorted out; and, for the first time in years, I’m now traveling with a passport other than my British one (it turns out to be a big advantage when traveling in South America).

This time, I spent three months in Colombia; from early December 2012 to early March 2013. Most of the time, I stayed at my mom’s in Barranquilla (a bit of a challenge for me, because that city kind of drains me); and I also visited Nabusimake, Cartagena, Taganga, Tayrona NP and I got to do the hike to Ciudad Perdida, the definite highlight of my time in Colombia. Below, you’ll find my top 10 Instagrams (the ones with the most ‘likes’) from this trip, I hope you enjoy them!

10. Castillo de Salgar
Located on the coast just 20 minutes away from Barranquilla by car, it’s one great spot to watch sunsets. It was built in 1848 by the Spanish and throughout the years it’s been used for several different purposes; such as customs office, jail, school, among others. Today, it’s used to host cultural events and there’s a restaurant on the second floor.

9. Tree view at Tayrona NP
The Tayrona NP i s one of my favorite places in Colombia; I just love spending time surrounded by its magnificent nature. The trees in particular are really awesome, I spotted this one by the hiking trail that goes up to Pueblito, an old settlement for the Tayrona tribe.

8. Carnival in Barranquilla
One of the cool things of visiting family during holidays is that I get to see my niece’s school shows; it’s nice to see the kids keeping up with folkloric traditions. This show was for carnival, the most important event in Barranquilla. Can you guess which one is my niece? :)

7. The colors of Cartagena
If you go to Cartagena, you’ll surely spot this women in very colorful outfits carrying a big pot of fresh fruits on their heads. These are the palenqueras; and for just a few thousand pesos they’ll fix you up with some juicy fresh fruit and will happily pose for you, like this lady did!

6. Getting dirty en route to Ciudad Perdida
The trek to Ciudad Perdida in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta is one of the best hiking experiences that you’ll find in South America. Just one thing though, you shouldn’t mind to get soiled! Never in my life, I’ve as dirty nor stinky as when I did this hike :) It was so much fun!

5. The Clock Tower in Cartagena
This is one of the iconic sights that you’ll see in Cartagena, Colombia; which is located on the main gateway that access the walled city center. I just loved the contrast between the bright yellow of the tower and the beautiful blue sky that you get most days in Cartagena.

4. Sunrise in Cartagena
Anywhere I go, I try to wake up at least once in time to watch the sunrise and take photos. One of the best spots to watch the sunrise in Cartagena is on top of the walls that surround the old colonial city center. It was well worth waking up early for this shot, don’t you think?

3. Moon rising over Tayrona NP
I’m not really a morning person, so waking up before sunrise is sometimes hard for me. Fortunately, there are also good photo opportunities when the sun sets and the moon rises; like this time I was at Tayrona NP and saw the full moon rising through the branches of a tree.

2. The New Year starts in good company
The start of a new year is kind of important for me; it’s a good time to reflect on what happened the previous year and see where life is heading next, so it’s great when there’s good company around to share all this with. In this shot I captured the silhouettes of my mom and her dog, Hera.

1. Sunset view at Tayrona NP
So far this is my most popular shot on Instagram :) It’s the first time I manage to get 100 likes, which for me it’s a big number! I took this one at sunset at Tayrona NP, in one of the nicest beaches in Colombia; a place that’s well worth a visit!

So there you have them, my best Instagram shots from Colombia! Next, you’ll get to see my best shots from Argentina :) I hope you enjoyed them and got some inspiration for your own travel adventures. For more, don’t forget to follow me on Instagram!

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ast time I visited Cartagena, I wasn’t expecting to find that much street art. Inside the old city walls there is little space for graffiti given its status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site; however, the Getsemaní district is a different story. In colonial times, this was the area where the African people who were brought as slaves used to live. When slavery was abolished, the neighborhood retained its working class status.

Today, in Getsemaní that working class character is still present; but there is a major shift happening as a growing number of hostels, restaurants and bars are flourishing in the area and are attracting foreign travelers, those who can’t afford or prefer not to pay the much higher prices of accommodation inside Cartagena’s old city walls. Some of that is reflected on the walls of Getsemaní, as calls encouraging resistance.

Also, many of the graffiti that I saw pay tribute to Pedro Romero, a Cuban artisan of African descent who played a key role in Cartagena’s struggle for independence from Spain. A couple of centuries after his lifetime, his memory lives on today in Getsemaní on many of the murals found in Calle de la Sierpe (Snake Street; or calle 29 if you ask Google Maps).

Another cool find on that same street, are the faces of London based artist Fin DAC; who during a recent trip to Colombia went around adding some color to some of the most neglected barrios in Colombia. According to his own words, “I create my art to keep myself happy. If others like it then that’s a great by-product”. For more information about Fin DAC’s work in Colombia, check out the article at This is Cartagena. If you’d like to see more photos of my time in Cartagena, you can visit my gallery.

Have you been to Cartagena? Have you seen some more cool street art? If you have an interesting link, let me know in the comments below.

Also, don’t forget to follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for the latest on my South American journey!

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or some unforeseen reason, Barranquilla (the city where my mom lives in Colombia) has become my base of sorts; I didn’t intend it to, it just happened. It was one of the first stops when I started my nomadic journey, and since then I’ve come back to see my family at least once a year; one of the luxuries that my freedom allows me. However, for one reason or another, I’ve always ended up missing the carnival celebrations, a colorful feast that has been declared by the UNESCO as one of the Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.

But this year, I finally stayed around long enough to find out what all the fuss was about. You see, Barranquilleros are crazy about their carnival; they start preparing for it months in advance, during carnival everyone is out on the streets having fun, and they mourn it once it’s finished. So for my first time in Barranquilla’s carnival, I decided that the best way to experience it was to really live it, like they say here:

Quien lo vive, es quien lo goza

Which translates to those who live it, are the ones who enjoy it best. And what better way to live it than to actually participate in one of the parades? Plus, I’d cross item number 42 off my bucket list. It all worked out beautifully, and after a couple of calls (and paying 150,000 COP) I was set to shake it with Disfrázate como quieras, one of a couple hundred comparsas (the different groups that dance together) at La Batalla de Flores, the main parade in Barranquilla’s carnival.

Some of these groups practice their choreographies for many weeks ahead of carnival and most of them dress in the traditional costumes that are the trademark of Barranquilla’s particular folklore; it’s not so with Disfrázate Como Quieras. As their name implies (it means Dress Up as You Want), members are encouraged to dress up in whatever strikes their most extravagant fancies, the same goes for the dancing.

In fact, they warn you in advance that if your costume is not up to their standards you won’t be allowed to go with them. That’s when I knew I had to get creative, so I raided my little niece’s closet and found some spiky headdress, I borrowed my sister’s fake rainbow eyelashes and bought a mask; I wore matching comfy clothes and voilà!

La Batalla de Flores takes place on the Saturday before Ash Wednesday and it’s one of the most popular events of carnival in Barranquilla, attracting thousands and thousands of people. A couple of hours before the parade begins, the groups gather at their assigned posts and small warm-up parties start to form. There’s music, dancing and refreshing drinks; all to make up for the scorching heat and the lack of shade, and to get people in the carnival spirit, of course.

The waiting time is also perfect for walking around to check out the costumes and take photos; the place is packed with people happy to strike a pose for my camera, most seem to be more at ease posing for someone who is also in disguise and I get lots of smiles. Also, it’s more comfortable for myself to shoot behind my mask; as I walk around, I notice I’m not the only one.

By the time I’m done taking photos, I’m drenched in sweat and on the verge of quitting this place, it’s that hot! But the parade starts to move slowly forward; and, frankly, the concoction of rhum and coconut water that’s being served at the comparsa is doing it’s job and I’m feeling fresher and lighter. The dancing and music help, too!

To give you a better idea of what it was like to participate in La Batalla de Flores with Disfrázate, I shot some videos. Beware, though! I’m not the steadiest camera holder and not the smoothest video editor; so the result is a bit rough around the edges, but you’ll get the point :)

Dancing in La Batalla de Flores was one of the highlights of carnival 2013 for me; it was fun and liberating to be part of this free spirited crowd and I would definitely repeat the experience if I’m ever back in Barranquilla for carnival! If you’d like to see the rest of my photos from carnival, check out my gallery.

Have you taken part in a parade before? How did you like it? Would you do it again? Let me know in the comments below!

Also, don’t forget to follow me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for the latest updates on my journey :)

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uring my travels, I’ve grown used to saying yes whenever anyone suggests I should do/visit something; sometimes it has led to some interesting and out of the ordinary experiences. The latest came about at one of our weekly family lunches, when my cousin Joe told me about his idea of going to Nabusimake at the insistence of one of his stepfather’s friend, who’s a mamo (an indigenous spiritual leader and priest). After googling images of the place, I knew I had to make sure I had a spot on that mission.

Nabusimake is a remote indigenous village in the heart of the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta, it’s the cradle of the Arhuaco culture and the capital of their nation; I’ve written more details about it on the viventura blog. Getting there was not easy, the road that goes from Pueblo Bello to Nabusimake is the worst road I’ve ever seen; even worse than the road we took on our last visit to the Sierra Nevada a couple of years ago. It was like driving on a dry river bed, with big rocks and deep cracks; I can only imagine how bad it must be in the rainy season; at some points, we could see the leftovers of landslides.

Inside the truck, it felt like we were driving though a war zone, the only things missing were the fire and the sounds of explosions. At times, I thought we wouldn’t make it; I could see us getting stuck on one of those crevices and having to walk a fair bit to get help.

During some of the worst bits, I had to close my eyes just so that I wouldn’t scream. When my cousin realized that I was about to freak out, he paused and explained that he had pimped his truck (a.k.a. La Baby Girl) for precisely these type of roads and insisted that there was no way we would get stuck. And he was right, we didn’t get stuck but we did get lost; as there are no signs to Nabusimake after Pueblo Bello, the last town on the road leading to the village. After wandering around for almost an hour, we bumped into a guy driving a truck who was heading to Nabusimake and followed him.

Eventually, we made it to the village just before sunset; we barely had enough time to register in town before it was time to go to bed. Our time in Nabusimake was short but sweet and I would definitely would love to go back and stay for a few days so that I can get more into the culture.

For more information about Nabusimake, check my post on the viventura blog. Also, for more photos you can visit my gallery here.

What’s the most remote place you’ve ever been to? How was it to get there? Let us know in the comments below!

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By all standards, 2012 was an amazing year for me, full of travel and adventure; just as I like it! It was my second year of continuous travel and now that it’s over I have a chance to look back on lessons learned and get some inspiration to make 2013 even better thanks to the initiative Travel Bloggers’ Best Dozen started by Lash from Lash World Tour.

My friend Leyla, the brain behind Women on the Road, nominated me to take part on the project; so without much further ado, here they are!

1. Most Popular Post: Bologna – Street Art
I had some fun going around Bologna, Italy during my stint at BlogVille taking photos of some of the best street art that I’ve found during my journey; so I’m very pleased that this post is the most visited on my site so far. It sure as hell beats the one from 2011, which was about my LASIK surgery!

2. Most Helpful Travel Tip: Avoiding the Crowds at the Pena Palace in Sintra
Sintra is a very popular day trip destination for people visiting Lisbon; so every summer, it is packed with tourists. Really packed. Not surprisingly, people sometimes fail to see its charms. However, there are plenty of places to get lost and scape the crowds. I stayed in Sintra for most of the summer in 2012 and really enjoyed my time there.

3. A Post that was Surprisingly Successful: A Preview of the Festa di Santa Croce
I never thought a post about this peculiar festival in a small Italian village would go that far; but every once in awhile I get people commenting about it and I also saw a couple of shares that surprised me. However, it does look like a very unique celebration and I’d love to see when it takes place again in 2015!

4. A Post I Thought was Underrated: British Columbia – Rock Climbing in Skaha
Anyone who knows me a bit, would have hear me at one point or another raving about rock climbing; and Skaha was one of the highlights of my cross Canada road trip adventure. However, this post didn’t get much visits or enough internet loving; but it brings me a lot of nice memories of happy times.

5. Most Controversial: On How to Cook a 10€ Mushroom
There is not really that much controversy around my blog, but I did get quite a few people questioning my mental sanity for paying 10€ for a single mushroom. But, you see, in Italy there are so many tasty and exquisite that I can’t stop myself all the time, sometimes you just have to give in.

6. Most Amusing: Rock Climbing in BC, Canada
Another rock climbing post… When I arrived to Squamish, I had a bit of trouble adapting to the new climbing conditions there. I was very nervous and I did end up breaking down a couple of times; but in the end I managed to conquer my fears and get better at it.

7. The Post I’m Most Proud Of: The Mille Miglia as a Solo Woman
Before going to Italy, I didn’t know anything about the Mille Miglia, a classic cars race that is sometimes refer to as the most beautiful car race in the world. Well, I happened to be in Bologna at the time it was happening and got to stamp the cards from the participants, most specially the one for Silvia Oberti, a remarkable woman.

8. Best Travel Story or Travel Perspective: Traveling Around Colombia on a Motorbike
During my journey, I have learned that the way one travels influences the kind of experience that we have. It was most obvious to me when I traveled around Colombia on a motorbike; we ended up as far away from the beaten track as we could have gone and because we were directly out there, local people had different reactions to us.

9. Best Travel Adventure: Hiking Mission in Anvil Island
Eventhough the summit in Anvil Island is not really that high, getting there is a bit of an adventure. Just finding someone to bring you over and pick you up can be a thrill; so it’s not something most people get to do. Also, the hike is steep and by the time you reach the top you are drenched in sweat. But the view and the pleasure of saying I’ve been there, make it all worth it!

10. Best Cultural Perspective or Insight: Barcelona – Walking Among the Dead at Montjuïc’s Cemetery
During my last visit to Barcelona, I ventured to a place I’d never been before (even after living in the city for 7 years!): the cemetery in Montjuïc. It turns out, they offer a few free guided visits each month and they give you a tour of some of the most spectacular tombs in the city. It’s amazing what one can learn from a city/culture by the way they deal with their dead.

11. Most Beautiful: British Columbia – Hike to Garibaldi Lake
One of the most majestic place that I’ve ever seen is the beautiful province of British Columbia in Canada. There, you get blue skies, snow peaked mountains and amazingly green and thick forests; not to mention the wildlife! And within that context, one of the most beautiful hikes I did was the one to Garibaldi Lake.

12. Best Photo or Photo Gallery: Parma – Cycling to the Castle of Torrechiara
When I travel, I always try to get on a bike wherever I go as it gives me a different perspective of the place and when I can mix that passion with a bit of cultural explorations, I always get the best experiences. Italy offers a perfect setting for that, with a plus for interesting history. Check out my post about the Castle of Torrechiara for a cool story and some nice photos!

Now, to keep the ball rolling I have to nominate another 5 blogs to share their own best dozen for 2012. So I’m passing it on to my buddies:

• Frankie from As the Bird Flies
• Mariana & Federico from Travel Thirst
• Lauren & Todd from Ephemerratic
• Naomi from Anywhere but Home
• Dale & Franca from AngloItalian, Follow Us!

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or my last birthday, the only thing that I wanted to do was to go rock climbing; anywhere in Spain was fine by me, I just wanted to climb something on that day. When I mentioned this to my friend Peter Parkorr, travel blogger at Travel Unmasked; he said he was heading to El Chorro, a tiny village in southern Spain that has become a classic winter climbing location, and suggested that I come along. He was going there to shoot a promotional video for the Olive Branch, a B&B in the area.

The place seemed perfect to spend a few days away from civilisation, with plenty of options to play outdoors; so naturally, I jumped at the opportunity to tag along. There are about 650 routes with nice features, both single and multi-pitch, with grades to please beginners and experienced climbers alike; making El Chorro a very popular climbing destination in Europe. The area is also famous because of El Camino del Rey, a precarious walkway through the gorge that sometimes it’s referred to as one of the most dangerous in the world.

The Olive Branch is a family run guesthouse owned by British expats Mel & Gary, who also live there with their two energetic children and their lovely pets. With the help of volunteers, they’ve built the perfect place for climbers looking for affordable accommodation in El Chorro. They have many options available for guests: a separate house that can accommodate groups; a variety of private rooms for smaller groups, families and couples; and for the singles there are dorm rooms and camping.

Arriving to El Chorro was easy enough, thanks to the kindness of my friend Wim who gave me a ride all the way from Benalmádena. Unfortunately, I was expecting a little bit too much from the tiny village of El Chorro and showed up without any provisions, thinking that I could just buy everything I needed there. It turned out there wasn’t much in town, there’s just a not so well stocked store by the train station and there’s a small mini market, but it’s way overpriced!

Thankfully, the people at the Olive Branch were super helpful and soon enough I was able to get some food from Álora, a proper town with supermarkets and shops about 12 km away. Besides breakfast, Mel & Gary also offer prepared meals for just a few euros; and on Friday evenings, there’s Clam Friday, a feast including tasty clams, drinking rum shots from shells and singing around the table. If all you need is a boost for your climbing you should try some of Charlie’s cakes, everything I tried was delicious; but my favourite was the lime cake followed closely by the devilish brownies. Believe me, that girl can bake!

Overall, my stay at the Olive Branch was fantastic and I wish I had more time to explore the area. El Chorro turned out to be a great place to get away from civilisation; in fact, after a week in nature among trees and stars, it was a bit shocking to arrive to Malaga’s train station full of artificial lights and bright shops.

My stay at the guesthouse was a courtesy of the Olive Branch; but all opinions and views are my own. For more information and to book your stay you can visit their website. Also, you can view Peter Parkorr’s video here.

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