Seville, Cordoba, Granada
Being the mild temperatures in October, my husband and I have opted for a one-week vacation in Andalusia. Travel destinations
SEVILLE CORDOBA and
GRANADA.
Departure on 07/10/2007 Vueling to fly from Rome Fiumicino airport direct to
SEVILLE, the first two nights had already been booked in
GRANADA on Octopustravel. Upon arrival in
SEVILLE first and only incident, the last train of the day from the Santa Justa train to
GRANADA was complete panic ... do ...? After a quick search, we hired a Fiat Punto all'Avis, the only company that asked us a fair price, Euro 135 for two days. Loaded the luggage in a hurry we have "thrown" to the highway in the direction of
GRANADA, aware of arriving exhausted after 150 km run from Grosseto (where we live) for the airport, drawn for the flight and its flight and to refine the All other 250km to reach the home for rest, as soon as we approached the city traffic has given the coup de grace, to 21.30 in Spanish cities is now leading among motorcycles, pedestrians, cars, buses, ambulances and traffic lights are fixed 15 minutes I thought did not come out alive. After an hour search we found the hotel fairly central paid 158 euros including breakfast plentiful, the rooms but nothing that we did when we regard the case because his eyes were already closed!
The next day we visited the Alhambra and the Generalife without booking in advance through the file, this allowed us to have the other half of the day to visit the Albaicin and the city center. All missed !!!!!
On Tuesday morning we left with our point and back to
SEVILLE, also here at the entrance to the city chaos, due to an incident we did an hour in a row with a helicopter over his head and waving to us with the TIR We lacked only ascend the hood!
Return the car we booked (this time there has cheated Renfe) the train to
CORDOBA on Friday.
We easily found the Don Pedro booked on Venus located on Calle Gerona in the Macarena quarter near the center and paid 82 euros per night per room (not very dear than others), the hotel is very distinctive because the rooms are accessed from the patio discreetly and is furnished, has no breakfast but free hot drinks to the machine offers, in addition to 300 mt there is the most famous pastry shop in town (the Bell) meals and cakes for the taste and a delusion for the view. Don Pedro only flaw is that the going of tenants at all hours of day and night is quite noisy!!
Tuesday afternoon we got familiar with the city center and visited the area around the famous all'Università e Hotel Alfonso XIII and the Murillo Gardens.
Wednesday visit to the Cathedral and Giralda, Real Alcazar (explosion of colors) and Archives of the Indies, Santa Cruz. Flamenco at 21 o'clock at the House of Memory also very attractive because the small space makes the relationship very intimate artists and spectators.
Thursday we visited the Plaza del Toros, Gold Tower, Triana neighborhood where they sell the fantastic pottery wholesale, I could not resist and we loaded coconut Coccini ... ... but that fatigue brought into the hotel! Afternoon Piazza di
Spagna (to see safely) and Parque Maria Luisa. Proven to 20.00 's experience Arab baths ... we enjoyed. An hour and 20 minutes of pure pleasure 3 pools of different temperatures in the environment suffused with music relaxing salt bath, turkish bath and Jacuzzi with aromateraphy deadly draining simultaneously thighs, buttocks, back, stomach and arms! We came out relaxed and pain in the legs and feet disappeared. We needed! Technical information: take only the costume, towel and slippers will provide them oh I forgot also the 1 for the cabinet would not close.
Friday visit to
CORDOBA reached after only 1 hour away by train, visiting the beautiful Mezquita able to express well the power that Islam was in southern Spain in the past. The rest of the day is spent walking in the lovely center where we tracked the wonderful Patios, brick arches, colorful tiles, orange and lemon trees and flower pots enrich this quiet corner, hidden, people intentionally leave the door ajar, try if no one answers a knock at the door slightly open sometimes the surprise is delightful!
Saturday last day: shopping. Shopping around Calle Sierpes where traditional shops and chains are known. In traditional shops (Diaz Foronda) purchase of silk shawl and stole Pintado a Mano (30 euro not so much), fan Pintado hand at the request of my mother and castanets. For this chain, we opted for the Spanish, Blanco and Springfield for me for my husband. The supermarket, we also got three bottles of wine up production Andalusian tasted earlier in "Taparica, dry, strong, fruity .. to take home for some partying!
Latest acquisition: the Convent Santa Ines (near our hotel) we bought the sweets made by nuns .. great! You must enter a courtyard and ring the bell, if the sisters are not in prayer (the day before did not respond) sell the candy through an impenetrable compartments with sliding windows, you put money in a magazine and get the candy in the other ! The list is next to the doorbell and found a steady customer that the nun usually employees "publicly" named Hermana and cupcakes are the best biscuits in Santa Ines. Also I would become steady customer, too bad that Herman is so far away ....
Saturday, October 13th for the birthday of my husband we were given a dinner with paella, fried and sweet con queso, all washed down birrone, the restaurant is located in Santa Cruz near Alcazar is called La Cueva and is located in a small square between the more features, so that while we ate, well 7 married couples have pictures and movies on the bench next to us! I recommend it, we eat well, he's cute, do not spend much (55 euros for 2) ... and the menu in Italian.
The other nights we dip to eat some tapas bars, two in particular El Rinconcillo on Calle Gerona's oldest city, and La Giralda my favorite (next to the monument) abundant and tasty small plates (the top is called Flamenco) the account write it with chalk on the bar and away!
The trip was also about the beautiful weather always sunny and warm (32 degrees) that we attended.
The memories of the holiday as always are in small details: the ceramic tiles with their particular patterns and bright colors, patios, flowers fragrant, lemon trees that are everywhere in the streets in the squares and narrow streets, the bustling rumor girls who go to school in uniform with plaid knee-length skirts, knee socks and loafers, the joy of the Spanish-speaking locals rent out until late at night, it makes this unique place for their typicality.
Enjoy your trip and the next by March and Simon