Where do owners of a classy Casa Rural, with beaches just 15 minutes away, lovely restaurants close by, and the tranquillity of the rural slow-life, go for a holiday?

No matter how lovely your own home is, a stay-cation is definitely not a vacation.  We all need time to properly disconnect, unplugging from work routines or domestic chores. Distracted by familiar surroundings, the urge to go off and do the mundane takes you away from your escape when you should be relaxing and enjoying precious time together.

We needed to change the routine, if only for a few days. Besides, it would be interesting to be on the other side of the coin again, on the receiving end of the guest experience. So we decided to take a city-break to Madrid, our adopted capital, and maybe learn a bit along the way.

In the weeks before our trip to Madrid we were the busiest we’ve ever been at our casa rural in Traiguera. Not only were we having our best spring season with guest bookings, but we were completing some major works in the gardens as well as having new photographs done. With a city break holiday in sight the urgency to cram in so much can be overwhelming. 

So it was with great relief that we were finally at the airport sipping a coffee whilst waiting for our flight to Madrid to board. And not just any airport either. Our nearest is Castellon Costa Azahar airport, just 40 minutes away from Casa de Olivos, and it reminds us of how good the flying experience can be. It’s so small, quiet and easy to navigate, we felt like our holiday had already begun.

Madrid airport is of course a rather different affair, vast, and swirling with people. But we were in our holiday groove now, so it barely mattered. After a quick trip on the Metro, we were checked into our hotel and finally able to kick off our shoes. We were on holiday!

Holidays give us the chance to re-connect with the people we love and cherish and Madrid gave us plenty of opportunities to spend quality time in each other’s company. Whether spending a few hours walking in the beautiful El Retiro gardens, taking in masters of art at The Museo del Prado, or enjoying yet more delicious food, we felt so close in our own little bubble.

However lovely the place you’ve visited was, there is still no place like home. We enjoyed our city break to Spain’s capital, but we were excited to get back to Casa de Olivos in authentic rural Spain. Madrid is busy and noisy, like all cities. It’s hard to feel a sense of solitude and escape in a place that is so busy. Coming back here to our hillside idyll, the calm and tranquillity was a welcome change. We kicked off our shoes and breathed in the warm clear air. 

We have lived our slow-life at Casa de Olivos for long enough now that we feel out of place in a city. It was lovely to be somewhere new with different sounds and quicker pace. But only for a while. Now we understand why guests who arrive at Casa de Olivos from Madrid, Valencia or Barcelona find our secluded rural accommodation so restful. Situated between Valencia and Barcelona, we are the perfect place for city-hopping travellers to step off the trail for a while and recharge before moving on.

It’s good to be back, with a few more precious memories to bind us and look back on until our next adventure.

Claire  & Ed

• Get to Madrid from Castellon Costa Azahar airport with Iberia airlines with flights 5 days a week. Just a 40 minute drive from Casa de Olivos, the airport offers free parking and car rental services.
• Travel by train with connections in Castellon or Valencia daily. Renfe runs regular trains from Vinaros to Madrid in less than 5 hours.