Summer in Sevilla

Tiling in the Alcázar of Sevilla

From Córdoba, we headed to Sevilla. A real highlight of the Andalucían trip, Sevilla has everything! We stayed in the old town, full of winding narrow streets. Sevilla is not a city to head out without a decent map, there is no kind of grid system here! The Sevillianos are a fun loving people - there always seemed to be something happening, and it is one of the homes of flamenco, tapas, bullfighting, and captures the spirit of the Andalucían people. During our time here, we visited the Reales Alcázar, the former palace, which is full of beautiful tiling, plasterwork and gardens in the Islamic style, and also the cathedral.

The gardens of the Alcázar


Left: Relaxing in the Alcázar, Right: Elaborate courtyards in the Islamic style of the Alcázar

When building the cathedral, they said "Let's build such a cathedral that for hundreds of years they will be taking us for lunatics!" and it certainly is big. Thankfully, they maintained the beautiful Giralda, formerly the minaret of the mosque which once stood here, the Giralda is now the cathedral's belltower. We climbed up here for the spectacular views over Sevilla. As one must do when in Sevilla, we attended a flamenco performance. This performance was three people, the guitarist, the singer and the dancer. It was a really enjoyable night - fantastic music. We were sorry to leave Sevilla, but ended our visit in style, with an appointment at the Arab Hammam - the Arab baths for some pampering! Fantastic!

Left: the Giralda, and right: the view from the top of the Giralda, toward Plaza del Toros - the Bullfighting Ring

Islamic style courtyard and fountain amongst the maze that is Sevilla, and a flamenco dancer

Andalucían adventures - Valencia and Córdoba

Valencia - our stopover on the way to Andalusia. Clockwise from left: Our view over Valencia, the Lonja, a World Heritage listed monument, and one of many brides we saw in the old town of Valencia that evening.

The main reason I wanted to go to Spain was to visit the area called Andalucía, the southernmost province of Spain. Andalucía is full of spectacular architecture, which largely represents a fusion between Christian and Islamic traditions, as the area was one of the strongholds of the Islamic empire in Spain. Each of Córdoba, Sevilla and Granada served as the capital, resulting in some amazing sights in each of these cities. In addition, there is always flamenco, great food, and finally some hot summer weather!

Left: The Alcázar of Córdoba, and here I am finding solace in the Patio de los Naranjos

Ceiling decoration in the Mezquita

The Patio de los Naranjos and signature red striped arches of the Mezquita in Córdoba

Typical patio in Córdoba, and view of the Patio de los Naranjos within the Mezquita

Our Andalucian trip started in Córdoba. We took the train from Valencia, taking about six hours to travel through La Mancha (Don Quixote country) and northern Andalucía. We arrived in Córdoba around 6pm. It was a hot day, only a few degrees shy of 40, but once we'd found and settled into our hotel, we set out to see the town. Córdoba was once the capital of the Muslim Caliphate, and is the home of the fabulous Mezquita. The Mezquita was originally built as a mosque, was then extended, and then following the fall of the Islamic empire, a cathedral was plonked in the centre of it. Like many mosques, it also has a beautiful courtyard filled with orange trees (orange tree squares, or Los patios de Naranjos became quite a theme in Andalucía). The other fantastic thing about Córdoba was the old city, full of whitewashed buildings, and small winding streets, that you could just wander and lose yourself in. At this time of year, they are at their best - the front doors are opened to show the beautiful tiled courtyards, and the patios are hanging with pots of flowers. The architecture of the homes in much of Andalucía is very Islamic in origin - the homes were built around a central square, usually with a water feature, as the ambiance of running water is very important. We saw these all throughout the area. While in Córdoba, we also enjoyed a dinner of Paella and Sangría for Mum's birthday - celebrating in style!

Mum's birthday dinner in Córdoba - complete with paella and sangría