Catriona Rowntree would 'travel miles' for this one dish 'loved by the King'
Pack your bags my fellow hodophiles (NEW WORD - someone who has a love for travel and adventure!) because it's time to tackle the second half of our adventure along the Iberian Coast.
The first half saw us sample the sweet Portuguese tarts in the kitchens that actually invented them.
Pastéis de Belém uses a secret recipe handed down from generation to generation, the warm crunch is addictive and possibly the only thing yummier than the smooth custard were the beautiful ladies you can watch cook the tarts up.
READ MORE: 'Absolutely magical' moment on board cruise in the Arctic
It's time to tackle the second half of our Scenic Eclipse cruise along the Iberian Coast. Supplied
From there we boarded our sleek Scenic Eclipse where I had to stop myself from talking like Robin Leach reporting on 'Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous', it's just so glamorous.
The joy to this vessel though is its compact size that grants you easy access to the trickiest of spots. No FOMO here.
READ MORE: These sights have been voted the world's 10 most underrated landmarks
We cruised to Portimão and did a little shopping before heading up to the town of Silves - a historic area where scenes for Game of Thrones was filmed, sadly John Snow had left the building but I was still enamoured.
Seville took me by surprise, to cycle past the actual building that once housed the tobacco factory which inspired the opera Carmen, gave me chills.
The stylish locals had me doing double takes and I must say I was so impressed by how easy it was for us cyclists to slot in with everyone else using the roads. I think I'm moving to Seville in my next life.
Oh and Cordoba didn't disappoint, a visual, historical feast, with so many pockets of beauty and stories to be told.
Cordoba was a visual and historical feast. Supplied
Now, are you ready to cruise to one of Spain's most historic (big call I know) towns? "All aboard" for Cartagena.
This town was conquered by the Romans back in 209BC and even today there are buildings dating back to that time. It's a wonderful visual lesson in history where architecture reeks of stories.
If you make it there, ask for my new favourite tipple, an 'Asiatico', a sweet coffee with a swift kick of local alcohol. I'd say it's too strong for brekky, but who are we kidding. 'Do as the locals do' I say.
The city of Cartagena in Spain is home to one of the most historic towns. Getty Images/iStockphoto
Cruising between towns had me mesmerised by the ever changing view and onboard I have a soft spot for the Observation Lounge where you can curl up with a good book over a cuppa (Asiatico upon special request) or play a board game with a fellow traveller.
When I saw that Ibiza was on our itinerary, I was both excited and nervous. After years of being obsessed with the music from here and reading about the bohemian lifestyle in Hello Magazine (hello Jade Jagger!) would it meet my expectations?
Sure enough, it does have a soul, which we discovered by wandering through its historic villages (give yourself time to shop) and having lunch at an organic farm. Every island, every port is just so different on this cruise.
Cycling was a great way to explore many of the European cities. Supplied
When we docked in Mallorca we decided to head up, high up into the hills, to explore a town that made its fortune from growing and trading citrus, Soller. Once again, it's the architecture that reveals the stories. It's so quietly impressive that even the train station had a Picasso exhibition, alongside his artist friend Miro who called Soller home.
The embarrassment of riches continued as we decided to have an olive oil tasting in a family mill that dated back to the 16th century. The owner was so chuffed to have guests who appreciated his life's work that he took us to his grove (as you do) and for once I was left speechless due to the view. A rare phenomenon my family has never experienced.
We visited a family mill that dates back to the 16th century for an olive oil tasting with a side of views. Supplied
Menorca was much greener than its neighbour Mallorca. It is far less developed and is quite famous for its stunning coastline and unspoilt beauty. On the western side of the island is the small town of Ciutadella where I got to try the local speciality - lobster stew.
It's said the Lobster stew was the favourite meal of the former King of Spain, who'd sail across from his holiday home at ritzy Mallorca, just to have lunch here. I'm with the King, it's so darn yummy I'd travel miles for it too.
In Ciutadella I got to try the local speciality - lobster stew. Supplied
Back on board, you're wrapped up in cosy luxury, even the wool carpet feels lovely to sink your toes into, but our travelling feet were soon to hit the well worn cobblestones of Barcelona and I truly think one of the best ways to explore this historic, buzzing city is on an e-bike.
It's so easy to get around, gliding through the pretty streets, through the cool of Cuitadella Park, gazing up at Gaudi's creations, stopping to share stories with your guide and of course earning your lunch of tapas.
This cruise allowed me to experience first hand the power of these ports, location and easy access is everything.
I now completely understand the lure of the sea for our earliest navigators, explorers and traders. So many have fought over these access points, that today still offer us 'hodophiles' a constant stream of inspiration. The Iberian coast has my heart.
Brought to you by Scenic.
You can view Catriona's Scenic Eclipse Iberian Discovery cruise on 9Nowor catch up on 9Now Saturdays at 5:30pm on Nine for more exciting travel adventures.
