Spain is one of the most popular holiday destinations in Germany. The most popular places are those close to the sea. Of course, because in summer, it offers cooling when temperatures are high. My family and I traveled around Andalusia this spring. The temperatures are still very pleasant in March, and Andalusia offers many attractions that are not by the sea. We started and finished in Seville. On our round trip, we visited Ronda, Granada, and Cordoba.
Sevilla
We were in Seville two weeks before Easter. In hindsight, we were very happy about that. In the week before Easter, all hell breaks loose there and in the rest of Andalusia. Semana Santa (the holy week) is celebrated. As a result, there are many tourists in Spain and many Spaniards traveling, leading to significantly higher accommodation costs. However, we have already felt some of the effects of this important week on our trip. The grandstands were already set up in almost every town and there were already activities to be seen in one place or another.
Seville itself is a beautiful city. In the city center, you will find some beautiful churches and the Casa Pilatos, a townhouse from the 16th century. However, I liked the Parque de María Luisa best with the Plaza de España. It is an impressive building built for the Ibero-American Exhibition in 1929. There is a small niche for each Spanish region in which the region is briefly presented. Unfortunately, we had far too little time in Seville. We will therefore have to come back at another time and get to know the city even better.
Ronda
The first time I was in Ronda was in autumn 2016 and the reason for the trip was work-related, so we didn’t have the opportunity to explore much. Ronda’s surroundings were not especially focused at that time. But it also has a lot to offer. There are some beautiful so-called white villages. These are villages whose houses are all painted white. These villages are beautiful to look at from afar and offer many romantic views through the narrow streets. We were able to visit two of them. Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema. Both are beautiful places, although I liked Zahara de la Sierra better. It is larger and has small alleyways and an old castle.
Both towns are located in the Sierra de Grazalema, the first national park in Andalusia, and on the way from Grazalema to Zahara de la Sierra, you drive over the Puerto del las Palomas pass. It is a wonderful route for mountain lovers, motorcyclists, and cyclists. The route is not only full of bends but also offers very beautiful scenic views. If we had more time, this region would also be very suitable for hiking.
Ronda is, in my opinion, a jewel among all the cities I have known so far. The location alone is unique and Ronda also has many old walls. The most famous is the bridge between the old and new town. The view to the west is predestined for beautiful sunsets.
Granada
It takes about 2 hours by car from Ronda to Granada. The Laguna di Fuente de Piedra is on the way. Up to 40,000 flamingos normally breed here. Unfortunately, there wasn’t enough water in the lagoon this year, so we could only admire a few flamingos. Nevertheless, it was worth a break because we could learn more about the lagoon and the animals that live there.
Granada is a completely different city from Seville and Ronda. Granada may be smaller than Sevilla, but it feels bigger. Visually, the city is dominated by the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada behind it. The Arab past is evident in the old town. Many small alleyways are livened up by shisha bars and tea parlors. In the center is the beautiful cathedral, crowned by the Alhambra. The Alhambra is huge and it took us a day to visit it.
The Nazrite palaces are the most worth seeing. You can literally feel the history and stories. I recommend that everyone who comes here visit the Nazrite palaces.
Cordoba
On the way from Granada to Cordoba, we made a short stopover in Baena. The main reason was the olive oil museum housed in part of an old olive oil factory. Small but nice. Unfortunately, we got a little lost in the little town. We suddenly found ourselves in a street that was so narrow that we had to fold in the side mirrors, and there was only 10cm of space to the left and right. Ultimately, we were lucky to get through and leave a scratch on the hire car.
Cordoba is a marvelous city in which Arab and Western cultures are even more mixed than in Granada. The central building is the Mezquita-Catedral de Córdoba. A former mosque into which a church has been integrated. Archetectonically, this looks a little strange, as it doesn’t really fit together. However, you can breathe history here and see how the rulers designed or remodeled the city according to their taste.
Cordoba lies on the edge of a low mountain range, and the people of Cordoba like to go cycling. Our accommodation was in the mountains and we experienced first-hand why the people of Cordoba like to stay outside the city. While the temperatures in the city were close to 30°C, the temperatures in the surrounding countryside were 5°C lower thanks to the many trees. Which was quite pleasant.
Like the other cities in Andalusia, Cordoba also has many small alleyways. However, it is also characterized by its many courtyards, most of which are beautifully designed. There are also plenty of small restaurants and bars.
Conclusion of the round trip through Andalusia
A week was a little short because all the cities offer enough attractions to spend more than just 2 days there. The weather in March is good for a city trip. To be honest, I can’t imagine traveling like this in summer. In Andalusia, the temperatures are more suitable for a beach holiday. I will come back again to catch up on the things we missed and visit Cardiz.