Category: Andalucía

Andalucía / Tourism

You say Sevilla, I say Seville-a

Spaniards’ adoration for Sevilla is unparalleled. When we told our friends either where we were going or where we had been in mid-February, they all made goo-goo eyes and made their jealousy known. Set in the heart of Andalusia, it is certainly one of the most classically Spanish cities… muy castizo, as some might say. Nowhere in the city was this influence felt more strongly than in the Plaza de España, an homage to Spanish design. Initially built for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, this giant monument of stone and tile, along with its surrounding pavilions, were later repurposed for locals and visitors

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Andalucía / Tourism

Encore Córdoba: flamenco, mudéjar, and yes: more patios

Our May visit to Córdoba was so full of interesting sights (and resulted in so many photos) that – somewhat to Doer’s chagrin – Dreamer decided the trip deserved a rare third blog post. You see, courtyards (known as patios in Spain) truly are an ubiquitous part of the city; they can be found just about everywhere. While many of the courtyards we visited were part of people’s homes and are only open to the public during the festival, there are plenty of patio-related destinations that are open year-round, including a palace featuring TWELVE. DIFFERENT. PATIOS. But before we get to

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Andalucía / Tourism

There’s more to Córdoba than patios

Though we went to Córdoba for its famed patios festival in early May, there was no shortage of other, non-related sites. Perhaps the most famous monument in the city is the mezquita-catedral, or mosque-cathedral (that is not a typo, as we’ll explain below). Although it was Dreamer’s first visit, Doer had great memories of seeing the mosque 17 years ago. However, he did not remember where to buy tickets… Finally, we found the ticket booth on the opposite side of the entrance, then returned to the entrance with our entradas in hand. Before it became a cathedral, this was a mosque. But before

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Andalucía / Tourism

Competing courtyards? Yes, please!

Spain brings many images to mind. Bulls, maybe, or flamenco. Paella or sangria, even. Before she ever set foot in the country, Dreamer associated Spain with courtyards. However, when we moved to the Valencian Community, on the eastern coast of the country, we did not find tranquil inner courtyards in abundance. We learned these cool sanctuaries – which have traditionally provided respite from the brutal heat – primarily exist in the south, especially the city of Córdoba. When Dreamer learned the city has a two-week competitive festival devoted to courtyards (called patios in Spain), we couldn’t book train tickets fast

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Andalucía / Tourism

Murcia, F Yeah!

We never thought a dancing sardine with a trout pout would be part of our cultural experience in Europe, but life is full of fun surprises. More on the fish later. In February, we found ourselves in the city of Murcia, the capital of the autonomous region of Murcia, which lies below the autonomous Valencian Community, where we live. It also has a near-miss patriotic name if you’re from ‘Murica like we are. One letter off, darn. After four or five hours on a train – which Doer supplemented with leftover potato salad – the two adventurers arrived in time to find an Indian restaurant for

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