Ours was a quick trip through Andalucia, with just a few days in each spot. It’s not our usual weeks + in one place, but we covered a lot of ground and enjoyed many major attractions. Still with our friends Ann and John, we visited the three major cities in Andalucia: Granada, Córdoba and Seville. All three were beautiful and interesting.
The Essence of Andalucia: Two Points:
Point #1: Moorish Heritage: For hundreds of years, from 711 to 1492 CE, Muslims controlled most, at times nearly all, of the Iberian Peninsula, what is now Spain and Portugal. During those years, under Muslim rule, Christians and Jews were relatively free and tolerated. Nevertheless, Christian forces often tried to retake control – what is today referred to as the “reconquista” — to re-establish Christian rule, in God’s name of course. The Muslims called their land “al Andalus” from which we derive the term “Andalucia,” referring today to the southernmost part of Spain, where the Muslims were strongest and ruled the longest until forced out of the country. While Christians had retaken most of “al Andalus,” Granada was the last to surrender, in 1492.
Once Christians, in this case Roman Catholics, again ruled all of Spain, many Muslims left. Those who remained, and especially the Jews who remained, became the target of religious persecutions known as the “Spanish Inquisition.” Meanwhile, with Muslim artisans working within the Christian nation, a new style combined elements of both the Moorish and Christian. Called the Mudejar (pronounced MOO-de-har) style, it is prominent throughout Andalucia.
Why the history lesson? To help you recognize and appreciate the Moorish/Islamic influence, especially strong in southern Spain. Moorish architecture is everywhere in Andalucia, but especially in the Alhambra of Granada, the Alcazar of Sevilla, and the Mezquita of Córdoba.
Point #2: FLAMENCO: Just picture it: the loud stomping feet, the graceful woman dancing, the clack of the castanets, and the lightening-fast fingers on a Spanish guitar. That’s Flamenco, a unique art form originating here, in southern Spain. And if you don’t yet recognize the Moorish/ Islamic influence, just add the plaintive voice of the singer, with a sound that often recalls the Muslim call to prayer.
Since Flamenco is known worldwide as a Spanish art form, it’s popular and widely available for tourists all over Spain. Sara and I saw our first Flamenco performance two years ago in Barcelona. But that’s not the source. Granada, Sevilla and Cordoba all can – and all do — lay claim to Flamenco. So we chose to attend a performance at Sevilla’s, “Flamenco Museum.” Recognizing the Moorish roots of Flamenco helps us to appreciate its unique sound and history.
And please remember, Flamenco has nothing to do with a long-legged, pink bird found in Florida. It is NOT flamingo. It’s FLAMENCO, pronounced flah-MENG-ko, NOT flah-MING-go.
Granada (grah-NAH-da): May 20-24
- High on a hill above the city of Granada is The Alhambra (al-HAHM-bra), for good reason the biggest tourist sight in all of Spain. Built by the Nasrid rulers of the Emirate of Granada, it was a self-contained city, with a mosque, six palaces of the Nasrid rulers, the Alcázar Fortress to protect the complex, and all amenities of a Muslim city of the time. Massive and beautiful gardens, called the Generalife, surround the complex. We were so glad to have booked a local guide for our visit. His warmth, humor, and wealth of knowledge truly enriched our tour.
- When we returned to experience “The Alhambra by Night,” we saw nothing new, but with smaller crowds and the wonder of moonlight, all the sights took on a new kind of tranquility and beauty.
- After the Reconquista, the Christian rulers Ferdinand & Isabella made their Royal Court here in the Alhambra. And yes, this is where Christopher Columbus convinced them to support his quest to find the western route. That’s why Granada features a large monument down in the center of town, with Columbus making his plea to Queen Isabella.
- We so enjoyed our tour of the Alhambra, we arranged to meet that same guide for another tour, this one through The Albayzin, an older area that features the narrow lanes of the medieval Moorish town. Today the Albayzin offers plenty of churches, cafes, and nightlife.
- We enter the Albayzin climbing up along a hillside which parallels that on which the Alhambra sits. That’s why the Albayzin offers so many great viewpoints, or “miradors,” from which to photograph the Alhambra. The Mirador de San Nicolas is one of the most famous and popular. From here you can get a great shot of the Alhambra. If you catch it with a beautiful sunset or a clear moonlit night, your image will be a stunner!
- While enjoying dinner at a sidewalk café just below the Albayzin, we were entertained by local buskers who set out a small platform to practice their Flamenco skills with only a guitarist to support them.
Sevilla (seh-VEE-ah): May 24-28
Sevilla is a fantastic city with so much to offer. We often choose cities or countries to visit based on recommendations from others. Sevilla was high on our list of places to visit in Spain based on recommendations from our friend, Julie, who lived there for several months. Sevilla is the capital of Andalucía and the cultural and financial center of southern Spain. It’s home to three UNESCO World Heritage sites and famous for its churches, palaces, Moorish buildings and flamenco dancing.
- The Alcazar de Sevilla is the royal palace. The Moors built a residential fortress, or Alcazar, on this site, but that was destroyed when the Christians conquered Sevilla in 1248. Built (1364–1366) under Christian King Pedro I, (“the Cruel”), the Älcazar of Sevilla” today is a stunning showcase of the Andalusian Mudejar style. It also features large and beautifully maintained gardens. The Alcazar and the Sevilla Cathedral were designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987.
- Adjacent to the Alcazar is the Barrio Santa Cruz, the medieval Jewish quarter of the city. There’s a lot of history and legend in these narrow, rambling streets, so we were glad to explore them with a knowledgeable local guide.
- Cathedral of Saint Mary of the See, better known as The Seville Cathedral, is huge, the fourth largest church in the world, and the largest Gothic cathedral of all. They say it includes 80 chapels, as well as the magnificent tomb of Chrstopher Columbus. We also climbed La Giralda, the very tall bell tower, which offers phenomenal views above the city.
- Las Setas ( lahss-SAY-tahss): Just blocks away from our AirBnB was a more modern installation, Las Setas de Sevilla (translated as the “Mushrooms of Seville”). Initially named the Metropol Parasol, Las Setas is a huge wooden structure completed in 2011. For a fee, you can ride to the top and then stroll along the walkway that provides panoramic views across the city of Sevilla. We visited at sunset one evening to see and photograph the city from above, along with a hundred others, all busy with their phones/cameras. No solitude, but plenty of gorgeous views.
- Flamenco Museum: We chose this “Flamenco Museum” for a more authentic experience, and it included an interesting historical collection of Spanish guitars. The venue is small, and we sat right next to the small stage. There were only three performers. The woman who danced was both graceful and powerful, and even changed her elaborate dress for different songs. The older man who sang conveyed the Moorish sound of the music, even with his fading voice. The handsome guitarist played impressively through every piece, clearly providing the backbone of the performance. Evan, of course, was fascinated by all, but especially enjoyed watching the guitarist.
- The Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa is beautiful structure reflecting the varied architectural styles historically seen in Spain. Built for a World Fair, the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, it’s a huge plaza perfect for housing large city events. On the warm, sunny day of our visit, it was busy with lots of families, strolling through the promenades, applauding the work of local buskers performing Flamenco, or paddling in small boats on the canals. This one is not to be missed.
Córdoba (KOR-do-bah): May 28-31
Córdoba is smaller than Granada, but we enjoyed its charm walking through both the older and newer parts of town. In our limited time we could only enjoy exploring the older parts of town and taking in the marvels of the Mezquita-Catedral.
- Realizing that he had left his Kindle on the train, Evan contacted the RenFe Train System to confirm that it was found at the train’s final stop in Malaga. In order to retrieve it, he had to take a round trip: a few hours down to Malaga, a few hours at the Malaga train station, and another few hours back to Córdoba. But in the end, Evan was happily reunited with his beloved Kindle/Library.
- Sara felt ill on the day of our scheduled tour, so she stayed in to seek help from a doctor. With help from the hotel staff, she had a tele-visit with a doctor who provided the necessary prescription. Meanwhile, Ann, John and Evan enjoyed a great tour of Cordoba, the old sections of town, and especially of the Mezquita-Catedral.
- The Mezquita-Catedral (The Mosque-Cathedral): This is the must see in Cordoba, once the leading city in Spain during the Moorish period. The original mosque of Abd al-Rahman I, built above the remains of a sixth-century Christian temple, was rebuilt and enlarged over the centuries. With the re-conquest of Córdoba, the mosque was re-consecrated as a Roman Catholic church. Today the Mezquita-Catedral beautifully maintains both its Muslim and Christian heritage. Moorish architecture defines this large complex, but within it are the paintings, icons, and statues, the altars, chapels, crucifixes, angels and saints of the Roman Catholic Cathedral. It is stunningly beautiful.
- Since Sara missed the tour, Evan insisted on taking her back when she felt better, happy to re-visit this remarkable site. Needless to say, she loved it as well. We also walked through the Jewish Quarter and the old parts of town, but on the recommendation of our guide, we did not visit the Alcazar.
- Just below the Mezquita is the Puerta del Puente, a Renaissance gateway that replaced the Roman gates to the city. Below that gate is a Roman bridge, the “Puente Romana,” that crosses the river Guadalquivir.
Madrid: May 31 – June 3
Leaving Andalucia, we headed north to Madrid for just three nights before flying back to the USA. Madrid is huge, with so much to offer. We stayed in the walkable city center, a good location, in a quirky little Air BnB, up five flights, with two small bedrooms. The elevator was tiny and unreliable, as workers were renovating the building. Once we settled in, we walked up to the Plaza Mayor where we found a lovely outdoor restaurant. The weather was lovely throughout our stay.
- We spent most of our days walking in Madrid. We walked through the parks and along the Gran Via (Great Way), the most prominent street through the city, with plenty of restaurants, malls, and high-end shopping. We passed on the shopping, but we really enjoyed taking in all the fantastic architecture.
- The neoclassical Fountain of Neptune in the center of Plaza de Canovas del Castillo, right near the Prado.
- Tour of the Prado, one of the world’s greatest art museums. We’re so glad that we hired a private guide to take us through this fantastic museum, featuring the works of Bosch, Velasquez, El Greco, Goya –from Renaissance to Realistic to Romantic Art styles. Iker was a charming guide who helped us really appreciate the Prado’s many artistic gems.
- Parque de El Retiro: We spent hours one afternoon walking this large park. Along the “Statue Walk” are many statues of the former Spanish kings. Large gardens are beautifully maintained. It’s popular and busy, so local buskers often provide music and entertainment. Visitors can also row small boats in a large lake dominated by a massive monument to King Alfonso XII.
Heading Back Home: On the day before our flight, we visited the airport to familiarize ourselves with the trip and to get our Covid PCR tests that were required on flights back to the States.
We said our goodbyes to Ann and John at the airport, since they were headed back home to Florida, and we headed back to New Jersey.
