This concludes the travel blog series of my recent trip to Spain. In this post, I will take you to southern Spain traveling through the Andalusian region. From Sevilla to Granada, discover the birthplace of Flamenco and the mystical lands where the spectacular Alhambra Palace was built.
Red and yellow dome roof of The Real Alcazar in Sevilla
Sevilla
The train ride from Barcelona to Madrid and from there to Sevilla was long, but at least I had a great book to read. One thing for sure, the minute we got off the train I was delighted by the delicious orange blossom smell. As the taxi rode through the narrow streets to get to our hotel, I gazed at the colorful and cute architecture of the Jewish quarter. I immediately felt like I had traveled back in time to discover the heart and soul of Spanish culture.
First Stop: The Cathedral of Sevilla
Built in 1506, the Cathedral of Sevilla or “Santa Maria de la Sede’’ is the world's largest Gothic Cathedral. It was constructed upon the mosque of the Moorish dynasty that was there during the 12th century. Now only certain parts of the Mosque remain, including the Giralda, but somehow this makes the cathedral unique by its mixture of religious architecture.
After visiting the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, it seemed to me that Gaudi had gotten inspiration from this Cathedral. Maybe? Impressive columns, rich architecture, and prestigious ornaments garnish the inside of the Cathedral and can leave anyone in awe.
Besides all the captivating religious art of each chapel in the Cathedral, the Tomb of Christopher Columbus is the main attraction. Sent by the Catholic monarchs to travel across the Atlantic Ocean and having successfully initiated the European colonization of the New World, his remains now rest in the Cathedral of Sevilla.
The exterior of the Cathedral holds its own beauty: The Orange Tree Courtyard. We accessed it through what was the former entrance to the Mosque, the Gate of Forgiveness. With the sweet smell and the beautiful view, I felt like I could just lay there and dream myself away…
Walking and exploring the city
Sevilla is all about walking and exploring the city streets, filled with an eclectic mixture of architecture, from old synagogues to modern structures.
A stop for the BEST CHURROS IN SPAIN!
I spent a whole evening in the hotel room looking for what was the best place to eat churros in Sevilla and I nailed it! Bar El Comercio has been open since 1904 and is THE place to go for fresh churros dipped in chocolate. We sat down and admired the cook prepare churros while the bartender whipped us up some hot chocolate and delicious tapas. A small business that takes a while to find through the labyrinth streets, but is totally worth it!
Flamenco, the rythmic pulse of Sevillans
How was I going to leave Spain without assisting an authentic flamenco show? Impossible! Although one of the particularities of Sevilla is that you can stumble upon flamenco guitar players just by walking through certain neighborhoods of the city, I wanted to see a complete show. So we went to ''Casa de la Memoria’’, a flamenco museum where they presented affordable shows every evening and offered a small exhibition.
The Real Alcazar of Sevilla or Dorne from Game of Thrones
Calling all Game of Thrones fans! Remember the other sites from my previous posts where a couple of Game of Thrones seasons were filmed? The Real Alcazar is where they filmed the beautiful scenes of Dorne. I was waiting so anxiously for this visit and it sits right next to the Cathedral of Sevilla.
The Real Alcazar is known by locals as the mini-version of the Alhambra Palace and by visiting it I understood why. One thing for sure, they both have their unique charm. The Alcazar is the oldest royal palace in Europe still in use today by the Spanish royal family. Entering each room and exploring the outdoor gardens can easily take up to 3 hours or more. It is a spectacular place to enjoy!
Granada
We have arrived at our final destination in this travel blog series of my trip to Spain. I hope you have enjoyed the walkthrough with me! In this final stop, Granada, prepare for your jaw to drop to the floor, it is truly a unique breathtaking experience.
In the meantime, here is a song by Loreena McKennitt that held the concert ''The ancient muse’’ at the great Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain to set you in the mood of this magical voyage:
The hilltop neighborhood of Albayzin
Nowadays hippies and gypsies fill the streets of this ancient Moorish medieval neighborhood. To have the best view of the Alhambra Palace, it is the place to go!
The cobbled streets form a labyrinth of white houses that are decorated with beautiful tile art, lead you through a path rich in history and culture that has been there for over a century.
The Alhambra Palace
As the big fat cherry on top of the delicious Spanish sundae, I deliver you the great and wonderful, Alhambra Palace. Thinking about going to Spain anytime soon? Please, take the time to visit the southern part of the country and live this incredible experience. Discover the Arabesque Palace built by the Moors on Roman remains and I guarantee you’ll be mind-blown.
In fact, my words, photos or videos cannot render justice to the experience you may have when you lay foot on this beauty. You must go there, to feel it. Have each and every mandala, wall inscriptions and gardens spiral you into a dream of The Thousand and One Nights.
.jpg)
Thank you for joining me on my first travel blog series. Stay tuned for more posts on past travels and exploring cultures worldwide. In case you missed part 1 and 2 of this series, here are the links:
- Travel to Spain part 1 of 3 - Central Spain: https://steemit.com/travel/@jessicapixie/travel-to-spain-part-1-of-3-central-spain
- Travel to Spain part 2 of 3 - Catalonia: https://steemit.com/travel/@jessicapixie/travel-to-spain-part-2-of-3-catalonia
One more pic from the Alhambra Palace:
Perhaps there never was a monument more characteristic of an age and people than the Alhambra; a rugged fortress without, a voluptuous palace within; war frowning from its battlements; poetry breathing throughout the fairy architecture of its halls.
― Washington Irving, Tales of the Alhambra
You got a 22.22% upvote from @bid4joy courtesy of @jessicapixie!
Wow! What a journey! Now I want to save up and visit this place. Thank @jessicapixie for this very quick tour in Spain.
Your welcome and thanks for your comment :) I encourage you to go. It does not cost that much to visit Southern Spain. Depending on where you live, normally it is the flight that costs the most. But once you are in Spain, I'd say it is one of the cheapest places in Europe. The tickets to enter the Alhambra are expensive but worth every cent!
great trip @jessicapixie, spain is amazing, my travel dream someday.
may the Spanish government not change the very historic buildings for Muslims, although the use of other religious people today and also does not change the literacy of history. until spain is rich in history anyway.
I believe that is one of the most amazing things about architecture in Spain, it respects all the religions that once lived there and its historical monuments. Other countries have a lot to learn about that...
thanks for your information I am very relieved to hear it.
is your travel series in spain gone?
Hi @longberry! Nope, the travel series are all on my Blog. I just posted a new article about a movie review, so all you have to do is scroll down my blog and you can see the other travel series posts of Spain ;)
thanks
This is one of my drem vacation ms.@jessicapixie .... thank you for your amazing photos it feels like I've been there to... have a great day
Ahhh yes, I understand as it was my dream to go there for a long time! There are so many delightful sights in Southern Spain. I hope you can visit one day :) Have a great day too and thanks for the comment!
Superb post, your images really showcase the delights of both seville and Granada. These are 2 of my favourite places in Europe. Thanks for sharing.
Really your 2 favorite places in Europe?! Ohhh you have great taste then! I still have many places to explore in Europe but in time. I love wandering around in ancient villages and medieval towns. Thanks for your comment! :)
Omg! Stunning photographs of seville.
I'm currently and blog also about Spain.
Hope I can come one day
Saw your post tru curie's discord
Voted & followed you
Thank you! I hope you can visit one day too, it is an incredible country. Glad to know you found me on @Curie, it's great!
What a sight to behold! I hear kings used to reside in the 'Alhambra Palace and the name is rooted in the Arabic language. By the way, it's obvious you had a really great time, and I wish I could trade places with you.
Yes exactly! Kings used to live there. So much history, I would totally recommend reading about this place before going and taking a tour with a local guide to be able to appreciate the wonders of the palace.
Source: AlhambraDeGranada.org
Omg, jessicapixie, this is a totally mind blowing post!! 😂 I enjoyed reading and looking at all these clear cut photographs you inserted. Great job, congrats my dear friend!! ps. Many of my friends visited Alhambra Palace and came home posting photos (on good old FB) and telling me it was amazing, but it's never made me feel like I really want to visit there for some strange reasons by just looking at pics, you know what I mean? I guess I have to visit and see the real thing with my own eyes one day just like you said :)
Awww thanks @anna-bella! I was really inspired when I wrote this post. And well, I can't take all the credit for the photos, my boyfriend took some amazing shots I inserted here as well. I totally understand you, before I went I never thought it would be that mind-blowing. But one of my best friends told me that I had to go, see and feel it. It's hard to explain, you just go and feel the magic of the Alhambra ;)
This post has received a 5.88% upvote from @lovejuice thanks to @jessicapixie. They love you, so does Aggroed. Please be sure to vote for Witnesses at https://steemit.com/~witnesses.
Your Post Has Been Featured on @Resteemable!
Feature any Steemit post using resteemit.com!
How It Works:
1. Take Any Steemit URL
2. Erase
https://3. Type
reGet Featured Instantly & Featured Posts are voted every 2.4hrs
Join the Curation Team Here | Vote Resteemable for Witness
You can see apartments calpe spain here https://costablancamelior.eu A good site where you can easily find everything. I’m crazy to my liking, so I recommend you to explore this site yourself