Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain

In the village of Meaño, near Spain’s Atlantic coast, you’ll find a great little hotel called Quinta de San Amaro. This is the kind of place to get away from it all. Here’s a look at the swimming pool and main building:

Swimming pool and main building at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Swimming pool and main building at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Although in the countryside, Quinta de San Amaro is only a short drive to Santiago de Compostela and many of the interesting towns along the Atlantic Coast. I stayed in a standard room that you see next:

Standard room at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Standard room at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

The bathroom was also spacious and comfortable:

Bathroom in standard room at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Bathroom in standard room at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

You’ll also find a good restaurant here with seating inside as well as outside that you see in the next photo:

Outdoor seating at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Outdoor seating at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

And take a look at this unique “solar sauna” as I call it:

"Solar sauna" at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

“Solar sauna” at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Inside it was warm and refreshing, a comfortable place to relax, read a book, or meditate:

Inside the "solar sauna" at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Inside the “solar sauna” at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Of course then you’ll want to take another dip in the swimming pool, so here’s another view of that looking out to the vineyards:

View of the swimming pool and vineyards beyond at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

View of the swimming pool and vineyards beyond at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

You’ll have no trouble sleeping here. It was perfectly quiet, the way you’ll want it after a day of sightseeing or sampling the many delicious wines of the region.

A Meal in the Country, Spain

Many of the small hotels I like have their own restaurants, most of which are outstanding. Sometimes, given the location, I prefer to eat at the hotel rather than drive into town for a meal. Such was the case at Quinta de San Amaro in Meaño, Spain. Here you can dine inside or out. We decided to sit outside. Soon enough, the waitress brought this starter which got our taste buds excited.

Starter at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Starter at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Then we enjoyed a very typical dish of grilled vegetables.

Grilled vegetables at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Grilled vegetables at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Then there were two entrees, one a whole fish fresh from the sea:

Whole fish at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Whole fish at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

There was also some nicely cooked pork loin:

Pork loin at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Pork loin at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

As with every meal in Spain, why not enjoy a bottle of wine! In this case, another local albariño was the perfect fit with the meal.

Albariño at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

Albariño at at Quinta de San Amaro, Meaño, Spain.

This was a very relaxing and leisurely meal, enjoyed outside within just a few yards of the vineyards. One of the joys of traveling is to take your time. Don’t rush it.

Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago (2014)

As long as we’re on the subject of food in Santiago de Compostela, let’s stop in to Cerveceria Rua Bella.

Cerveceria Rua Bella in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Cerveceria Rua Bella in Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

You can sit outside in the front or back, as well as inside:

The bar at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

The bar at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

They serve all your favorite dishes here including this ensalada italiana as they call it:

Ensalada italiana at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Ensalada italiana at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

That salad was big enough to share and share we did. And if you like chipirones, check this plate out:

Chipirones, beer, and salad at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Chipirones, beer, and salad at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

There was also a nice dish of sausages cooked in wine that you see next:

Sausages cooked in wine at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Sausages cooked in wine at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Of course, we must have the local desert, Santiago cake with an ice-cold Coca-Cola.

Desert at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Desert at Cerveceria Rua Bella, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

What a great meal, served by friendly people, and enjoyed to the max. Another example of Spanish local flavor that you can enjoy in this famous city. Try as many as you can.

Antollos, Santiago de Compostela (June 2014)

For pinxtos, tapas, and vinos in Santiago de Compostela, Antollos is the place! This is a relatively small joint, usually jammed with locals and a few tourists on the road to Santiago or just food lovers like me. And here’s the reason why:

Tapas at Antollor, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Tapas at Antollor, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

On those two plates you have a variety that is both delicious and creative. There is the tortilla española on the left with a typical bocadillo, but also an empanada. On the right you have various fish concoctions as well as another tortilla. But there’s more such as this pair:

More tapas at Antollos, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

More tapas at Antollos, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

And there was even more, but I was too busy eating to take photos. The guys behind the counter will wander the floor, bringing out fresh, hot items for you to try with the ones you already selected. Of course, there’s plenty of wine to be had. Take your time, enjoy it all!