My travel in Andalusia
Self-service travel, cheap flights Vueling and Ryanair, budget 700, the excellent Carlos V Hotel in Granada
Back in Andalusia (Seville-Cordoba-Granada)
(27 March-5 April 2008)
of Ferny Forner
Was 30 years that I wanted back in Andalusia, Rita and I finally have decided to make the trip.
Since January we booked via internet flights and hotels (after reading the stories and travel reviews on hotels in tripadvisor and other sites), the entrance all'Alhambra (important).
FIRST STEP: SEVILLE
27 March: 9 am departure from Turin by bus to Malpensa (EUR 18 a head), where we expect the flight with Vueling (euro 107 in two), departing at 12.30 arriving in Seville at 14 (in advance).
Collected your luggage, take the bus (overflowing) to the city (3 euros each), the arrival is near the Parque Maria Luisa, had calculated that it was about 800 meters from the hotel, despite the phone with the navigator can wrong way, and end up in the middle of the large Parque Maria Luisa, but not all evil comes to harm, in fact, we start the tour early (with the trolley and sadly ... jacket .... was 25 °) we see the Plaza de Espana, bella piazza a semicircular shape, so we are half a mile of road, the route takes place along the Guadalquivir river on Paseo de las Delicias and Paseo de Colon, however, do a stop in a nice student bar, near the gardens of St. Telmo, then resume the journey, we pass in front of the Torre de Oro, at the Maestranza Theater, where he plays the symphony and opera season of the city and the Plaza de Toros, on the other side of the river you see the white houses in the Triana district.
Finally we arrive at Calle Reyes Catolicos, where is located our Hotel Becquer.
The hotel is rated 4 stars, (128 euro per night) is in the center, near the most important monuments and streets, our room is on the sixth floor, medium size, but big blind bathroom, wardrobe for 2 small people, lounge area, satellite TV (you see rai 1) telephone to get another towel, we shall ensure the immediate delivery, but we have not ever seen, we find that in the bathroom there is scopino, just call, but this time we meet that the hotel is not expected (but ... ..), no wifi, then discover that there is a place in the hotel, a stratospheric prices (3 euro for 15 minutes), the staff recommends that you contact an internet point at 30 meters, which make (1.5 euro per hour).
To 20.30 after a welcome shower, we prepare for a first exploratory walk down Calle Reyes Catolicos, Calle San Pablo immediately notice the Iglesia de la Magdalena, (open until late) of the seventeenth century, exterior very simple but impressive, classical baroque interior, with the Madonnas, a chapel known in art mudejar (la Capilla de la Quinta Angustia)
In this regard, remember that art is the art mudejar of Arab artists, which after the Christian reconquest was permitted to remain and work is a style of art of Islamic art, which is seen only in Spain.
Around 22 we go to dinner at the restaurant Casa Manolo, who had recommended a few friends, but it is also indicated in some tourist guides between cheap restaurants.
The location is very simple, popular with local clientele, the menu has only Spanish cuisine, the waiter speaks only Spanish, but helps us to choose drawing on paper plates menu, we order soup, esparragos with jamon, tortilla de patatas, natillas de la casa, fruit salad, all well done, spending 26 euros in two including wine and coffee and bread (must order it as if it were a scope).
Friday, March 28: After having breakfast in a bar, try a newspaper, we see that, contrary to Granada, it is difficult to find Italian and foreign newspapers, newsagents treat local newspapers, we will find them, by chance near the Barrio Santa Cruz.
We head towards the Alcazar Real, running along the street Saragozza and narrow alleys (also circulating public minibuses), we arrived at the Plaza Nueva, a beautiful and large rectangular square, surrounded by palm trees, with the monument to St. Fernando, from this square starts the avenida de la Constitution, where there is the Ayuntamiento, an imposing edifice of 1500, with a beautiful facade, Plateresque style, an architectural and decorative style born in Spain in the fifteenth century, used to facades and windows, the building has a beautiful facade with historical and legendary figures such as Julius Caesar, Hercules.
So we come down to Los Reales Alcazares (ingresso 5 euro, free for students and seniors), the oldest royal residence, it is still partly used as a residence of the kings of Spain, the building consists of several buildings, built with different architectural styles, Arab ranging from art to the Renaissance, through the Gothic.
The first palace was built in the tenth century by the Arabs as the governor's palace, after the reconquest, the Christian king enlarged the building, with the help of Arab artists, which presents different styles, the exterior looks like a wall of a fortress , also for the presence of crenellated towers.
We come to the Puerta del Leon, and accompanied dall'audioguida (essential, euro 3.5) we visit the palaces, admiring the magnificent patio, with its elegant arches and sculptures and in particular we look at the Patio de las Doncellas (the one I liked more), including the fantastic azulejos (mosaics), the Patio de las muñecas, the Salon de Dona Maria de Padilla and the Salon of the Embajadores, with columns that come to the ancient Arab palaces, I have to say that the visit was a real feast for our eyes.
In the Palazzo Gotico we look in particular in the living room carpet, and then we visit the magnificent gardens, which are not original, in fact, were, so to speak, restored giving the current shape between the sixteenth and the twentieth century, here a sequence of patio and gardens, very pleasing.
The 14 exit and go eat some tapas.
In the afternoon we visit the Barrio de Santa Cruz, I think one of the most famous neighborhoods in all of Spain, former Arab and Jewish neighborhood, with no connotation today.
We wander among narrow streets, with small houses with low within a small courtyard (patio) surrounded by arches with azulejos on the walls, and the old typical fountains.
We stop with its Plaza de Dona Elvira, on the walls of the typical azulejos, center a garden with orange trees and a fountain, beside the tables of restaurants, then go to the hospital de los Venerables, an old shelter for elderly priests , the Plaza de Santa Cruz con al centro la Cruz de Cerrajeria (emblem of the neighborhood), the medieval church of Santa Maria la Blanca, but the best thing was to walk without haste, between these pathways and to appear these and other beautiful places and beautiful corners.
As is our habit we buy a transport card, so we can visit places and neighborhoods, which would otherwise be ignored.
Back to calle Reyes Catolicos, we take the small bus C5, (C stands for circular, circulars are 5) the minibuses that make the tour of tourist attractions, including roads passing very close, do the whole tour.