As part of a vacation to Andalucia, my partner and I based ourselves in the town of Torremolinos along the sunny but heavily built up and very touristy Costa del Sol. To see and really understand the real Andalucia, you need to head away from the Mediterranean and explore the historic cities and small towns that are scattered throughout the interior.
Andalucia is the southernmost autonomous community in Spain, and is also Spain’s most populous region. Its coastline comprises both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, while its fertile interior is comprised of olive farms, white painted villages, large cities and the Sierra Morena and Baetic mountain ranges. Andalucia is the birthplace of the flamenco, and is filled with architectural remnants from the 700 years that the Moors ruled the Iberian peninsula. Bullfighting is a popular sport here, and considered an art form.
As you head inland from the coast, the scenery of Andalucia changes dramatically, leaving the urbanized sprawl of the Costa del Sol behind, welcoming open rolling hills covered with olive and almond trees, pink and white oleander, and sunflowers. The hills are dotted with whitewashed villages, old abandoned stone farm houses and fortresses, with mountains as backdrop. We visited a number of interior Andalucian towns and cities during our stay. Unfortunately, we only had one day for each, and I highly recommend at least a couple of days for the larger cities such as Seville and Grenada to see everything that they offer. Tours and activities in all of the cities and towns listed below can be purchased ahead of time at Viator.
Cordoba
We drove north along Highway A-45 for approximately two hours before reaching Cordoba, a beautiful city built along the Guadalquivir River. Our main destination would be the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba, known as La Mezquita, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Near La Mezquita is the old Jewish Quarter, called La Juderia, consisting of narrow alleys and streets built during the medieval period. Cordoba has a strong history of Judaism, and the community thrived during Muslim rule. A medieval synagogue is located within this district and open to the public, but was closed when we arrived. One characteristic of many of the buildings in Cordoba are the interior courtyards, developed to act as a cool oasis during hot summers. Throughout the city are lovely gardens, parks and fountains that help to provide relief during the summer heat. One of the most popular is the garden at the Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos (Alcazar of the Christian Monarchs).
La Mezquita – Originally built as a mosque in the year 784 when Cordoba was the capital of the Muslim controlled region of Al-Andalus, it featured a huge columned prayer hall, and expansions occurred over the next several centuries. During this Muslim period, Cordoba was considered a world leading center of education, and by the 10th century, Cordoba was the second largest city in Europe. As you walk throughout the immense space, you see hundreds of columns supporting white and red bricked arches that were constructed as part of the mosque to support the prayer room. In 1236, it became a Catholic Church, and an ornate Renaissance style nave was added in the 17th century. During this period, the minaret was converted to a bell tower.
Alcazar de los Reyes Cristianos – This palace built by Alfonso XI in the 14th Century was home to Catholic Monarchs, who received Columbus and planned the reconquest of Granada. The palace was later used by the Court of Inquisition. The interior includes the Hall of Mosaics, featuring Roman mosaics from the 2nd century. The palace also includes extensive and beautiful gardens.
Priego de Cordoba
South of Cordoba, on a bluff over the Rio Salado, is the beautiful town of Priego de Cordoba. This small city was prosperous in the 18th century from a thriving silk industry, and the former wealth can be seen in the baroque architecture of its buildings containing ornate wrought iron balconies. A few blocks from the center of town sits Parque Fuente del Rey, a beautiful park set below the surrounding white buildings, with a large, terraced baroque fountain containing a statue of Neptune. We visited the town on a Monday, and unfortunately most businesses were closed, and the streets nearly empty. If I ever come back to this part of Spain, I would definitely like to visit this town on a livelier day.
Granada
Granada probably has the most Islamic character of any city in Spain, once containing 30 mosques. The palace of Alhambra is its most well known and popular tourist site. We used a tour company (Bookyourtour) to visit Granada, which cost us about $80 per person. Once we arrived in Granada, our tour guide walked us to the Plaza de Bib-Rambla, a busy square filled with outdoor cafes. The day of our tour happened to be on the celebration of Corpus Christi, a Spanish holiday held nine weeks after Easter that celebrates the Eucharist. It’s celebrated throughout Spain, but there are unique aspects and traditions in different cities. Thousands of people filled the square and the surrounding streets strewn with hay, where they were awaiting a religious parade. Our tour guide gave us a few hours to explore the city before regrouping to tour the Alhambra.
We walked through the Old City, traversing through narrow alleys where vendors sold spices, and restaurants served North African dishes such as Tagine. An expansive view overlooking Granada can be found at an observation deck named Mirador de San Cristóbal. It’s located on the north side of the city. We walked up a number of steep narrow roads from the city center to reach it, but it was well worth it to see the lay of the city and the view of the Alhambra in the distance. Our walk back to the Plaza de Bib-Rambla took us along the Darro River, offering great views of the Alhambra above us. As we came back to meet our tour group, we were able to catch the end of the religious procession, where the faithful were well dressed, and a group of men carried an elaborate container that held the consecrated host.
The Alhambra – Probably the biggest highlight of our Andalucian trip was a visit to the Alhambra. The Alhambra is the best preserved medieval Arab palace in the world, and dates to the 14th century. The name translates to “The Red”, noting the color of the materials used in its construction. The Alhambra was the capital of the vast Emirate of Granada up until 1492 when eight centuries of Arab rule ended in Spain. It was then expanded, modified and used by the Catholic kings of Spain. After years of decline, restoration began in the late 19th century. The Alhambra comprises the Royal Palace, the Alcazaba (fortress), and the Medina, where up to 2,000 members of the Royal Family lived, as well as formal gardens. Our three hour tour took us throughout all areas of this magical place, and my favorite part was the Royal Palace which included areas of official business, courts, and the harem. The adjacent Generalife Gardens include pools, fountains, and landscaped formal gardens filled with a variety of tree, plant and flower species, including fragrant orange trees.
Ronda
After a grueling experience of trying to park our compact car in a very compact underground garage, we set out to explore the beautiful mountaintop city of Ronda that is set against a deep gorge called El Tajo. The gorge separates the new town (which actually dates to the 15th century) and the old town that dates to Moorish rule. A tall stone bridge completed in 1793, called Puente Nuevo, spans the gorge at its deepest point, connecting the two sides, and is the most photographed part of the city.
After lunch at an outdoor café on Plaza del Socorro located in the new town, we walked to the Mirador de Ronda lookout point, which offers breathtaking views of surrounding mountains, the gorge and Puente Nuevo. We passed the city’s bullring before walking across the Puente Nuevo which offered stunning views of the gorge and buildings perched on its edge. As we entered the old town, we meandered our way through narrow alleys and plazas. There are numerous sites that I would have liked to explore, but didn’t have time, including the Arab baths, a 13th century bathhouse.
Seville
We used a tour company (Civitatis) to travel to Seville, which cost us about $80 per person. Seville is the capital and largest city in Andalucia with a metropolitan population of 1.5 million people. It is known for its flamenco dancing, beautiful architecture, bullfighting, and the Seville Cathedral. Our tour focused on two key attractions, including the Plaza de España, and the Seville Cathedral. We were also provided free time that allowed us to explore the city’s alleyways, plazas and grand streets. We ate a very good lunch of tapas at The Universal People Bar, a quaint restaurant tucked in an alley in the historic center. I had Salmorejo, a delicious cold smooth tomato cream soup with ham, followed by Iberian pork tenderloin in a garlic whisky sauce.
Plaza de España – Near the Seville Cathedral, Plaza de España was built as a centerpiece for the 1929 Ibero-American Exhibition. The plaza includes a u-shaped colonnaded building designed with a variety of architectural elements including Baroque Revival, Renaissance Revival and Moorish Revival. The building consists of colored ceramics and 48 tiled alcoves, each representing a different province of Spain. A canal measuring 1,500 feet surrounds the building, making it referred to as ‘the Venice of Seville’. It has been used for the location of a number of films including Lawrence of Arabia and Star Wars.
Seville Cathedral – The massive Seville Cathedral, completed in the early 16th century, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a must see destination in Seville. It is the fourth largest church in the world, and the largest gothic church. The interior of the cathedral is lined with 80 individual ornate chapels. Within the cathedral is a monument to Christopher Columbus. His tomb is held aloft by four allegorical figures representing the four kingdoms of Spain during Columbus’ life, Castille, Aragon, Navara, and Leon. The tomb was installed in 1899, after being moved from Havana after Spain lost control of Cuba. The cathedral bell tower, called the Giralda, stands 343 feet high, and is the former minaret of the mosque that stood on the site during Muslim rule. It was designed to resemble a minaret found in Marrakech.
Metrosol Parasol – The Metropol Parasol, also nicknamed ‘the Mushrooms’ due to its appearance, was completed in 2011. It was built to revitalise the Plaza de la Encarnación, previously considered a dead spot between more popular tourist destinations in the city. Constructed from crossed wooden beams, it is said to be the largest timber-framed structure in the world.
The White Towns
Throughout Andalucia are attractive and quaint villages and towns with whitewashed buildings, surrounded by picturesque farmland. Due to their size, they can also be very quiet, with only a few opportunities for eating or drinking. Some of the most attractive are those that are built on hillsides. Often the surrounding roads and pull off areas provide good opportunities for photographing them. During our stay, we visited numerous white towns, including Olvera, Setenil, and Gaucin. Setenil, built within a ravine, was the most touristy of them, due to the fact that its building roofs were formed by overhanging rock. I enjoyed Olvera the most. It’s narrow streets climbed a hill that is the base for the Iglesia de la Encarnacion. We sat and had coffee at a small café just below the church, and then paid a small admittance to tour the church.
