ANDALUSIA, DURING THE EXTRA-HOT 2003 SUMMER

We start at dawn, me and my boyfriend, from Malpensa Airport, after leaving the car in a parking lot a few miles away. away.

At the time of booking, there were no direct flights to Seville, so we opted for a flight with a stopover in Brussels.

Both punctual flights, Brussels Airport very beautiful, one of the best seen so far.

 

1st day, SEVILLE

Punctual to arrive in Seville, and after my trolley withdrew almost completely destroyed in flight, we head to the bench of car to pick up our car booked months before and then begin our journey, planned entirely by ourselves.

The route is composed of 7 steps away about 100/150 km. from each other. The streets are comfortable, a great journey. The movements are fast, leaving plenty of time available for visiting the city.

We head to our hotel in Seville, reserved, like all the other hotels of the trip, via the internet thoroughly after visiting their home pages.

Hotels in Andalusia, like many other things, cost significantly less than in Italy, for this reason we chose a range of unique accommodation, gender completely different from each other, going from modest to luxurious Parador hostel.

Finally we start the sightseeing, terribly hot in August, including in one of the hottest summers in history. But the enthusiasm of the trip gives us the strength to endure the situation, balancing the moments of the visit with the cooler periods of the day (the whole morning and evening).

Caution: In Seville, as in other Spanish cities, on Monday all the museums are practically closed to turn, so we be content to visit the outdoors.

The charming district of Santa Cruz, where you will find our hotel, with its beautiful streets, and lots of colorful piazzettine characteristic restaurants. Sin that is too hot to sit outside. Better look for places with air conditioning inside!

Visit also the first in a long line of Plaza de Toros (bullring arena) and dinner on the grounds of "Tapas" of fish (tapas = small portions of food or taste different).

2nd day, SEVILLE

Finally Tuesday! The museums will open today!

First we visit the beautiful Plaza d'Espana. Even with some work in progress is particularly striking. We particularly fascinate the many Azuleios (mosaics made of tiles decorated) devoted to major Spanish cities. From there we move all'attiguo Maria Luisa Park, where we give a walk between the lakes and fountains. Return by taxi to the old city and finally we visit the Royal Alcazares, will visit that impressed in our memory for the beauty and splendor of the place. We are enchanted by arabesques that decorate the walls and the whole beautiful fountains. Avoid visiting the interiors of the famous Cathedral of Seville because of the long tail and especially the price of the ticket we consider to be "unfair" for the visit of a religious place where we are not particularly interested.

We prefer the cathedral's beautiful Casa De Pilate who is in a somewhat decentralized but which deserve a visit. Also decorated in Moorish style, is richly decorated and pleasing to the eye. After that we are dedicated to becoming the first shopping souvenirs: the offer is varied in Spain, you just have to choose (ceramics, fans, jewelry, bulls in peluches, miniature houses, etc.. Etc..).

Dinner at one of the many restaurants in Santa Cruz who offer fixed price menus, rather content (approximately EUR 25.00 for a dinner for 2). Recommended dishes: the classical "Paella" (fish and meat) and "Gazpacho" (cold vegetable past).

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA AND CADICE

Let Seville, Cadiz direction by a stop in Jerez de la Frontera.

Rather disappointing that town does not deserve, in our view, if only one technique.

Visit the pedestrian area with several stores and there is also a small but Alcazar we decide to avoid it because we feel decidedly less than that of Seville.

The main attraction of the city seems to be the factory or distillery of the famous Sherry Tio Pepe, but was not particularly interested in what we get in the car, the direction of Cadiz where we will spend the night.

Cadiz also does not impress us that much: the city of the sea, or rather of the port, streets with shops but no building is worth visiting. Even the sea is not particularly inviting, but the sharp accaldati, we give them in a bathroom and crowded public beach in town.

Cocktails made of good Sangria, which will become for us a pleasant habit, in the pretty square of our hotel and dinner in a large outdoor restaurant. Then nanna, difficult because of poorly functioning air conditioning in the room.

ARCOS DE LA FRONTERA, RONDA

Cadiz leave without regret and we head towards our next stop: Ronda.

First, however, a step recommended by our guide efficient Mondadori: Arcos de la Frontera, a typical pueblo blanco (white village) perched at a certain altitude.

The village is small but nice, we do some photos that will result in particularly bright. I take this opportunity to also purchase a new trolley to replace my destroyed by zealous scaricabagagli of the airport. Resume the journey, crossing beautiful places in the middle of the Sierra: semi-desert landscape, so green, but suddenly appears before our eyes in lakes of a particular blue.

We arrive in Ronda, and we remain impressed by the beauty of the place. A charming and very high bridge old divides the old from the new city, both gracious.

The old town is peaceful, romantic and white, and calls to stroll inspecting each lane. Mondragon Palace visit, I welcome in particular the interior courtyards, small gardens and the unfailing source of water. In the city there are other old buildings to visit, but for reasons of time and cost we have to make choices and so move on to visit the new city with pedestrian streets full of shops and restaurants. We choose the restaurant for the evening, with outdoor tables along the way but first we stop at the bar of the Parador for local grant a small luxury. The Paradores are a typically Spanish hotel chain, with its luxury hotel located in beautiful historic buildings (hotels, convents, historic houses, etc..).

But our accommodation Ronda is no exception: a cheerful farmhouse in a comfortable and charming, with a small swimming pool surrounded by flowers, bed with mosquito net, furniture in poor art, natural products with breakfast in the garden

MARBELLA, MALAGA

The first stop of the day is Marbella. We decided to stop at a tourist place so poor and culturally, just because, documentation, we learned that Marbella has an interesting old town. In fact, the old town amazes us for fun and colors: painted houses, flowering plants to the walls and luxury shops, however, arranged with some taste and an eye to local tradition. Let's leave out completely the part the town and we rely on the march.

On our trip, planned months before a table after having studied thoroughly at least 4 travel guides and countless internet sites, was characterized by alternating days with stops at beautiful days less attractive.

Today is the turn of the stage a little interesting.

Malaga unexpectedly reveals a decidedly modern city.

The only thing worth visiting is the Alcazaba: the remains of an old building marked by ancient walls, columns and a bath.

The center, however, is depressing: decidedly modern and crowded by a mass tourism in search of fun just typical of the Costa del Sol

So we withdraw our luxurious Parador, where there console with a nice bath in the pool, with the luxuries of the beautiful room and with Pantagruel breakfast difficult to forget that next

GRANADA

Today should be the turn of the stage "beautiful", and so is: Granada.

The main attraction of Granada is the famous Alhambra, a set of buildings of different eras and styles, which dominates the hill above the town. Following the suggestions of some tourist guide book months before entry tickets via internet, so we have no difficulty at no loss of time.

Visit the building one after the other but our attention is drawn from the palace with arabesques in relief on the walls, with beautiful fountains and large water tanks and gardens of the Generalife.

Generalife is characteristic of the continuous noise of water in the background: sound of water everywhere coming from the beautiful fountains that characterize the garden full of flowers and plants.

The city of Granada is not evil, beautiful views and many characteristic shops that invite shopping.

Our hotel tonight is located in a charming historic building located in an alley, with wooden balconies and lovely patio (inner courtyard with arches).

BAEZA, UBEDA, JAEN

Travel nicely for about 100 km, completely surrounded by orderly rows of Olives. Olives and olive trees as the eye could see, interspersed with some lovely white farmhouse.

Initially, we visit the two towns of Baeza and Ubeda, close to one another but which are quite disappointing and not very interesting after the glories of Granada, although they are defined by the guide as "pearls of the Renaissance." Boh!

We are moving towards Jaen, where mapping completely to visit the city center to head towards our beautiful Parador located at the Castle of Santa Catilina.

The castle, in truth, consists of only ruins, but the adjacent Parador, built with stones of the same castle, turns out to be an amazing place.

A real castle built with large rooms with fireplaces and period furniture.

Refreshing dip in the swimming pool and luxurious dinner in the restaurant of the Parador.

CORDOBA

Cordoba is the most colorful cities of Andalusia. Completely in Arabic style is characterized by numerous patios full of flowers, terracotta pots hung on the walls. Each store souvenirs and each restaurant has its own patio decorated in imaginative style locale. We visit almost all are wasting your photos and filming with the camcorder. The patio was once the cool of the house, an interior courtyard where cool away from the torrid temperatures. We visit the famous Mezquita and we remain impressed by the richness of the decor. The Mezquita is a mosque, partly destroyed to give way to a Christian cathedral. In the same building as the blend two different cultures, giving the viewer an alternation of styles to say the least spectacular.

In the afternoon, drag my reluctant boyfriend to the Arab Baths.

Experience, at least for myself: the Arab baths are characterized by a series of basins of different temperatures. We move from the cold so the first tub, the warmth of the second, until the third boiling hot bath. But the atmosphere is what is most striking: local all arched, light candles, scents of incense and a silence that is hard to maintain, as we are taken away by the experience.

But alas it is our last day and the sadness begins to break hearts.

That is our last night in an original Andalusian Hostal in Arabic style.

CORDOBA AND RETURN

Before you head to the airport in Seville, we still have some 'time. Visit this way, early in the morning early, the Alcazar of Cordoba. The Alcazar is not particularly interesting, but the gardens are lovely, well maintained and full of fountains. We appreciate so our last visit cultural and we head to the airport for the return which fortunately held without setbacks. We appreciate the nell'ordinatissimo airport stopover in Brussels, full of beautiful shops c'intrattengono nicely between flights.

Here we are at home, vacation over.

The only thing left to console us with the many pictures taken, but we are happy to have spent a wonderful vacation you completely - by - you. We were no good?

Certainly some stage or type Cadiz Malaga could save money, but we have gained a more complete view of Andalusia.

DANI AND MAX
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texts by Daniela
Photos of Max