Spain
Seville Cathedral at night from my hotel balcony; the third largest church in the world
Trip Taken Dec 2003
Europe is a no-brainer for a vacation, Spain included. But I have found that many people choose to go to the two or three big cities that are most popular, leaving the actually historic and some of the most architectural marvels behind. Although it is true that Barcelona and Madrid showcase plenty Spanish culture and hold enough monuments from ages ago sprinkled through out the city, the beauty of the country side paints a much more diverse picture than those these cities portray.
This was my first trip to Europe, and in planning it I was eager to roam as much as possible and see as much as possible, and if time is money, to stretch each dollar out to the penny the best I could in 10 days; and so I think I did. From reading about the entire country, the focus was going to be south of Spain.
Driving on E-15, an all white town with a fort on top
Let me outline our road map before going into the why and what of it. We landed in Barcelona, drove down highway E-15 to Valencia for a night, then to Granada to see Alhambra Palace and the surroundings for a couple of days, then to Seville for a couple of days, Toledo for a night, on to Madrid, then back to Barcelona for New Years and the last few nights there before we flew out. So yes, we drove the whole south of Spain, by the coast, through the smallest towns, many of which left me with unanswered questions. Grab a map, follow the signs.
Valencia is a quaint small fashionable town off the highway. It was the maximum drive for the day but it was a gradual opening into what was to come. The buildings are old and streets are lined with small boutiques. The downtown is busy but opens up into a square that sells flowers and food by evening, where people gather to have their glass of wine and relax after a long day.
Really don't know what these are.. but looks like people live there
The drive to Granada introduced us to small towns with all the houses painted white, quite opposite from the colorful buildings of Valencia. One of such towns had a fort on the top of the hill, a reminder of small kingdoms from long ago, or maybe of forts built to keep vigil of ships coming from the ocean. Also, there were some mud houses built into the sides of mountains here and there. The picture I put up has a shack under this structure and clothes that were hung out to dry, but I have no idea if they are regular houses. That was something I never read or heard of until I saw it.
The Palace of Alhambra sits on a hill and one can see the Muslim architecture at its height in Europe. The city of Granada lies below it, a wonderful sight from the bell tower of the palace grounds. It’s an extensive walk and should keep you busy for a few hours at least.
The Court of Lions in Alhambra Palace
On the drive to Seville, the highway E-15 goes to the bottom tip of Spain and there are signs to drive down to a point where you can see the rock of Gibralter. It is not a far detour, so cross that off your list if you’re driving.
I have to say Seville was my favorite part of Spain. There is so much to see and the central historic quarter still has cobble stone roads and the Spanish food in small restaurants lining the narrow streets and small shops selling Spanish clothes and items. The town has succeeded in maintaining the aura of a rich prosperous cultural centre.
There are many monuments, museums, parks and gardens. A real art piece to behold is the Plaza De Espana, now used as a government building. The gothic influence comes to life in gigantic size in the Seville Cathedral, the third largest church in the world. An interesting fact: it is also the burial site for Christopher Columbus.
Rock of Gibralter
If you have time, see a Flomenco dance to complete the beautiful picture of Seville. This is one place I wish I could go back to and spend a few relaxing days just walking around, taking in the sights.
Toledo is a small town little off the beaten path close to Madrid. It is located on a small hill next to the Tagus river. The whole town has been declared a World Heritage site and has maintained the look and feel of a medieval city from the swords and shields to the pottery and art that is sold there.
City of Granada from Alhambra Palace
Truth be told, after going through such historic and ancient places, a sudden burst into the city of Madrid turned me off. The plan was to stay there for a night and day, but not wanting to loose the wonderful taste Spanish culture, I drove right through it to Barcelona. It just wasn’t for me at that time, but obviously if I drove the other way, I may have enjoyed it as the first place to stop!
Barcelona is a fast developing city and a commercial hub of activity. From the latest fashion to street markets to art museums, it holds the modern side of development gracefully along with the old structures. Its easy to spend money there: lots of goodies to carry home, and at great prices when it comes to ladies’ wear from clothes to boots. I ended up buying two pairs and thought I was being lavish only to come home to my mother who asked why I didn’t buy two of each pair!
Europe is never a cheap vacation. But we got inexpensive hotels to balance out the rental car through out the trip, although we turned in the car as soon as we got to Barcelona since there is a lot of walking to be done and cabs are plenty. Personally, the drive was a better idea to be able to stop at some off beat places even for just a meal or to take in the sights. Not much in the form of food other than local dishes are available in the small towns, but I see it, food is an integral part of any culture and I am willing to experiment to get a complete experience of the land I visit, so it wasn’t a big deal. Being from India, Spain was the first place I went to that offered as much diverse history as India does and made it an educational and wonderful experience over all.
