AWESOME ANDALUCIA

I’m finally talking about Spain and specifically SoSpa, my affectionate nickname for the Southern region of this incredible country. For many who live here or visit, the laid back pace of life, beautiful beaches and healthy dose of sunshine are reminiscent of going off on an escape or a little spa retreat.

Living is Spain is ripe with its perks. There’s the obvious privilege of learning a new language and meeting new people. There’s the close proximity to North Africa and other European nations so all my travel bugs and wanderlusts know what time it is. Of course there’s also the fascinating world of tapas, good wine and Real Madrid fútbol.

We moved here one year ago and have visited a number of cities that make this region so distinct and echo the history of its former inhabitants. My husband and I decided to prioritize exploring our region of Andalucía, before visiting other parts of Spain and Europe. Therefore, the following are reviews of the towns within the Andalusian region. I’ll feature additional excursions within Spain, including outlying islands on another post in the "Spain" travel guide section. Until then, welcome to awesome Andalucía.

While this post highlights the various towns of Spain’s Southern region, check out this post for a helpful guide on why to visit and what to expect.

Cádiz

The first major historical site we visited shortly after arriving to Spain was Cádiz. This town is brimming with history and significance as one of the oldest continuously inhabited European city settled by the Phoenicians. One of my husband's coworkers and his wife took us out there to do a little sight seing and I really liked it. It felt so cute and compact and more of what I imagined people meant when they described a European town. We grabbed a bite to eat, walked around the Castillo de Santa Catalina and continued along in the well manicured Genovese Park. Cádiz is accessible via ferry though we drove over the Constitution Bridge and parked underground in the city center. The weather was pleasant in February when we went and Cádiz is also known for its Carnival, a tradition similar to the U.S. Mardi Gras festivities.

Where to stay

We live 30 minutes away so we didn’t stay the night.

Where to eat

Mercado Central

What to do

Explore the Fort - Castle of San Sebastian
Monument to the constitution of Spain
Cadiz Cathedral
Walk through Genovese Park
Get lost in the little streets and eat sea urchin or little shrimp
Go to the little market and marvel at the giant sword fish - Mercado Central

Trip Highlights

It was so nice to see a little Moroccan food stall with Arabic writing. We ordered a few items from the menu and reminisced on our Arab Foodie love. We had heard of the Sea Urchin festival, so my husband decided to buy one from the street vendor. He said it tastes muddy. After ambling through the fort, we stumbled upon an artist enclave where on of the artists was busy at work with my girl Amy Winehouse belting in the background.

Jerez

Jerez, home of sherry wine, is the closest major city to us with an airport. It also has the vibe of a milder big city, so if you want to escape from the costal cities, but don’t have time to trek it up to Madrid, Jerez isn’t too bad of an option. They even have an Ikea, where I purchased my first piece of Ikea “ready-to-assemble” furniture - a bookshelf. I’ve been to Jerez a few times. One trip included a group tour of the Tío Pepe Sherry Bodega where you learn the history of Sherry and the Sherry wine making process. For example, the beverage is named Jerez, but was renamed to Sherry because the British couldn't properly pronounce "Jerez". While on the tour, you also ride on a cute little train to the bodegas where barrels of fermenting wine are held until the right time. Let’s just say I almost got a contact buzz from all the barrels. The samples are delicious and range from dry to dessert sweet. I love Tío Pepe’s little mascot with the red hat, blazer and guitar, in case you want someone to serenade you as you enjoy a sip of Sherry.

We also visited the Hammam Andaluz baths. Ok, so. The ambiance is nice. I love how this little spot is tucked away in an area that you might miss if you weren’t looking for it. In some ways, that is in synch with the mystery and allure of Moroccan and and some Arab spaces. The baths feature 3 different pools, one ice cold, luke warm and “please and thank you” hot. These are to be enjoyed on rotation as if in a circuit and aide in blood flow and vitality. Now, I was okay with the baths. I didn’t linger in the cold. I don’t think I even put more than an ankle in the cold, but the others receive a prune award for turning my skin into a prune after I sat in for so long. Then I started thinking like a public health nerd and worried about things that one shouldn’t stress over when enjoying a relaxing spa date with your mate. So, forgive my snobbery on this one, but no really, I have to keep it real. The massage was nothing more than someone glopping oil on your back and using the pressure of a feather to smooth it in and knead out the knots. I kept telling my lady to apply more pressure. I said it in Spanish, “Mas fuerte por favor.” I’m sure I said it wrong because she didn’t apply more pressure and I left in a fit of giggles because Chris was also dumbfounded when we finished my couple’s massage and his face didn’t hide it.

Where to Stay

Our visits to Jerez have been brief day trips. So I don’t have any concrete recommendations at this time.

Where to eat

Tapas restaurants. There are plenty. Unfortunately, there’s one place that was a crime to eat at. As in, they should be ashamed, but I don’t remember the name so I can’t tell you to avoid said establishment. If I can figure it out, I’ll provide the update.

What to do

Tío Pepe Sherry Tour
Hammam (for the baths)
Go to Ikea

Highlights of the trip

Walking through their central plaza is fun, especially if you're a people watcher. It's not fun if you don't like being watched ;) .
We also had fun tapas hopping!

Sevilla

Sevilla is a gem. The first and only time we went was for “Semana Santa” or “Holy Week.” Holy Week is a big to do here in Spain so we visited via group tour and made our way through the growing crowds and labyrinth. We saw a lot of different processions featuring wooden floats carried by members of Christian Brotherhoods as an act of honor. The men how are selected to carry these floats are given a once in a lifetime invitation and they take it serious. Semana Santa is also the week where you’ll see folks wearing hooded robes of various colors as well as toys, candies and candle holders of the same type. It’s not a KKK recruitment or memorial parade. These hoods are designed to cover ones face out of shame for sins and grievances, an act of penitence. This tradition and practice has been around for centuries when people were required to wear colored hoods according to their crimes and walk around not unlike Hester Prynne donning a scarlet letter.

Given the fact that our experience in Sevilla revolved around a day trip to witness Semana Santa, I will say that my feedback is limited. BUT, even in that one 12hr excursion, I know I REALLY like Sevilla. The architecture is distinct and Sevilla makes me think of a renaissance town. Not too big, not too little…just right.

Where to Stay

If we manage to take a staycation here, then I will have a great lodging recommendation .

What to do

Amble around Plaza de España
Check out Semana Santa Processions. Word to the wise, it gets intense and crowded during Holy Week so consider the time of year when you visit. You might be lucky enough to snag a hotel along a route with a balcony facing the street for a nice view.

Highlights of the trip

Getting lost in Seville during Semana Santa. Yes, we got lost and almost got left behind in Seville. We did everything right. We put our phones on battery save mode, we dropped a pin at the pick up point before heading off on an excursion. We saved our guide’s number. We even set out an hour before our departure time to ensure we had enough time to get back and not get lost. What got us was the GPS signals. Our phones kept putting us on a route that would essentially force us to join the parade. Of course that wasn’t happening, but everywhere we turned, we found ourselves backed up into a procession or lost down the same street. It was stressful, our phones were dying and at one point, we had less than 10 minutes to get to a bus that was all the way on the opposite end of our location. By the grace of God and the still functioning muscles on my chicken legs, I was able to run to the bus, trailing behind Chris but not too far behind. We arrived at the bus, exasperated and upset, at 11pm on the dot, the exact time we were told the bus would take off and leave. Never.Again.

If we had been stranded, we might have had trouble finding a hotel since most would have been booked plus we didn’t have our car. Also, within hours of us getting out of doge a group of foolish people caused a stampede and chaos after pretending to be a member of a terrorist group.

Málaga & Torremolinos

Home of Picasso and in close proximity to the coast, Málaga is for the art lovers and beach goers and all that are in between. We spent our anniversary weekend in Torremolinos and Málaga and met up with friends while there. The weather was perfect, the drive was smooth and the sights were beautiful.

Where to Stay

We stayed in Torremolinos at Hotel Fenix

Where to eat

Vintage 8
Craft beer bar - Cerveceria Arte & Sana Craft Beer Cafe
La Taberna de Cervantes

What to do

Picasso Museum
Flamenco show
Local rock festival (Torremolinos)
Visit Alcázaba and Castillo del Gibralfaro
Relax at the beach
Plaza del Merced
Visit Casa de las Navajas
Play mini-golf

Highlights of the trip

The flamenco show where I had to tell Chris to “Hold my Sangria,” so I could ask a group of people to shut up. I did this in Spanish and felt like I had achieved a certain status since I knew how to quiet folks in Spanish. #holdmysangria
Beating my husband at my first attempt at miniature golf
Visiting the Casa de Las Navajas and getting an inspiration for my dream home or business facility.

View of La Alhambra from Mirador San Nicolas

Granada

Two words. La Alhambra…nothing else. That’s the primary, and some may argue the only, reason for visiting Granada, although there are many others…

Granada was the last bastion of Arab power in the Andalusian Region. It’s the place where Queen Isabelle and King Ferdinand received the keys to La Alhambra before Boabdil, the last Emir of Granada was scorned by his mom. “Do not cry as a woman for what you could not defend as a man,” are the words his mother, Aixa, allegedly spoke as her son relinquished his role as the Emir of this great region.

Granada is magical. There’s rumor that some of the first families of the flamenco tradition dug their roots deep in the region, establishing powerful dynasties. The Sierra Nevada mountain range stands majestically in the background, welcoming all who are willing to traverse the snow. We visited during the Christmas holiday season, when the town is probably less busy with international tourists and the main attraction, La Alhambra, doesn't require purchasing tickets 12 weeks in advance to secure a spot. We bought our tickets the week before we planed to visit. We almost missed out, but thank heavens for incognito search on Google Chrome. I found a way to disable my browser cookies and get the system to release the tickets that were allegedly unavailable and held up by...me.

Where to Stay

Eurostar Washington Irving - right at La Alhambra. We saw La Alhambra right across the street outside our bedroom window and were able to roll out of bed and get to the entrance without feeling rushed or worrying about parking. It's the place to stay of you're trying to visit La Alhambra and it's not too far from the main town, maybe 15 minutes walking. This place has a GREAT Breakfast spread with a lovely Spanish Guitarist playing in the background and superb staff. And let me say they had one of the BEST beds I can recall sleeping on. I slept like a milk drunk baby, no lie.

Where to eat

Restaurante Arrayanes (Moroccan Restaurant) - I always enjoy a well seasoned meal and this place did not disappoint. Plus the gaudy Christmas decor was a bit entertaining as was the owner who did his part to bounce around to every table and check on the guests.
Cueva la Rocio for a Flamenco show. The show is performed in a cave. You can opt to enjoy the show sans a meal, but we knew we’d be hungry and our hotel was high up on the mountain at La Alhambra, so we paid for dinner and a show. That said, if you choose to stay at Eurostar Washington Irving OR if you are able to plan it right, you can probably get a bite to eat before you head to the show. The food was decent but not something to rave about. The show was well done and mesmerizing and I was invited to dance at one point with a Flamenco dancer (Bailadora del flamenco).

What to do

Visit La Alhambra, first thing in the morning. We purchased the last available tickets for 2017 on the website. Our entry time was for 0830 and it was perfect. Small line, no crowds, bright and early. I took so many pictures without a hint of other people that when I posted to my Instagram and Facebook accounts, I got comments about there not being people. I had to do a double take because the photos weren’t teeming with other tourists and almost looked professional or photoshopped. The architecture is incredible. The artwork, the carvings, the careful and reverent thought that went into every detail of this treasure as if creating it for The Almighty. I’m amazed that it has stood the test of time and remains in a beautiful state. We didn’t go to every part of La Alhambra, but we did cover a lot of grounds before the crowds came in. This is a MUST SEE sight and I advise you purchase your tickets in advance here or here.
Take the little hop-on hop-off train around town. This was so precious to me. If you’ve ever done a hop-on hop-off tour bus, you’ll get the concept. This is a smaller, 4-car train that goes around town and can hold 20 passengers per car. It’s much more narrower and designed to snake through the narrow cobble stone streets of Granada with multiple stops at landmarks.
Go to Mirador del San Nicolas. This is where to go if you want the postcard perfect landscape photo with views of La Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada mountains, which are snow capped in cooler months . There are crowds of people there, some performers, some tourists, all enjoying the scene.
Go to a flamenco show in a cave. Yes, it’s a treat. Yes, you get pretty warm inside, so you might enjoy it better in the winter than if you’re visiting in the summer months when it might feel like a flamenco show in the sauna. You may get a late night foot tour of the area and return to Mirador de San Nicolas to see La Alhambra at night, like we did. I didn’t know that was included in the flamenco show and a meal. I would have liked to see things at twilight instead of after dark, but it was a nice treat and you don’t have to get off the bus to tour if you don’t want.
Grab a Pio Nono (named after Pope Pius IX) at a cafe. It’s a small custardy dessert that looks like a cross between creme brûlée and flan. Enjoy it with a small cup of coffee and make sure to throw up your pinkie finger as you indulge.
Go to the Cathedral. It’s a nice cathedral. We read somewhere that Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand are buried but we must have missed the signs or got our facts twisted because we didn’t find the crypt. Even if you’re not into going to dank and musty burial chambers, the cathedral overall is beautiful and all the stations are pretty ornate.

Highlights of the trip

After our flamenco show and foot tour of the area, we walked back to our van and out of no where a little miniature trash van truck, because I don’t know WHAT that thing was, whipped around the corner. Chris and I laughed so hard. The sight of this little thing whipping around the corner like it was racing to the finish line had us doubled over in laughter. Thankfully the road was empty and not a soul in the streets otherwise we would have witnessed a terrible accident. But really, who wants to be hit by a miniature truck van thing?

Córdoba

Land of La Mezquita, which translates to “the mosque” in Spanish. This structure is a lasting vestige of the Arab presence and dare I say empire in the Iberian Peninsula. La Mezquita has over 850 pillars supporting signature terra-cotta brown and white striped arches. Its structure has been overcast by the cathedral decor that someone just threw up on it after Christians gained control over this city and Spanish region. There are still sections with the ornate facades and pathways dressed in golds and florets characteristic of Arab decor. I visited just two days after returning from a trip to the U.S. I arrived in Madrid, took the train down to Ciudad Real, famed for its references to Don Quixote and in a quixotic manner, my husband and I found each other, both of us had dead phones and drove to Cordoba. It was hot. We were determined to see this work of art, come jet lag or high water. And we did. But be forwarned that it does get hot in the summer.

Hotel

Eurostars hotel Moises Maymonedes. This hotel is literally across the street from La Mesquite. When I say across the street, I mean you walk out the front lobby and BOOM you are there. No long walks up a hill or hailing a cab. It’s right there.

Where to eat

Garum 2.1. I can’t say enough about this restaurant. I’m not going to go into detail on what we ordered because I don’t remember everything. Well, I remember that dish with the octopus and pig ear and the smoking feature. Order that. It’s a treat and a culinary scientist's dream. What stood out most to me was the hospitality in this place. We arrived a little before dinner hour without reservations. It’s best to have reservations but we didn’t. We knew about this restaurant and figured we’d give it a try and go to plan b if we couldn't be seated. So when the host told us there weren’t any seats, I put on my best Spanish and asked if he was sure. And do you know what he did? He told us to come in, grab a drink at the bar and if something opens, he would gladly seat us. Oh, but it gets better. Less than one minute after placing our beer order at the bar, a table opened up for us. We sat down and were treated like welcome guests. Our waitress, a beautiful woman with curly dark hair, braces and a nose ring, gave us her best smile and got our order right. I highly recommend this place not just for the delicious food, which we thoroughly enjoyed, but for the quality service. They went above and beyond and we were impressed!

What to do

Walk the Roman bridge
Visit the history museum
Get fresh juice at the juice stand near the fountain. Stay nearby and drink it out of the glass mason jar and return it to the vendor. How’s that for zero waste! :)
Walk the Jewish quarter
Visit the Arab House (it wasn’t open on the day we went, but if you go, let me know what you think)

Highlights of the trip

Meal at Garum 2.1
Touring La Mezquita

Ronda, Tarifa, Vejer and Arcos - Pueblos Blancos

There are several towns that make decent day trips in Southern Spain.

Take Tarifa for example. It is the southern most tip of Spain and boasts views of Morocco. We stopped by on our way back from Málaga and enjoyed a casual lunch at an Italian restaurant during the famous tuna run season. Many people take the ferry right out of Tarifa to transit back and forth between Morocco. We didn’t do much sight seeing, we just wanted to say a) we could see Africa from across the water and b) we’d been to the southern most tip of Spain.

Our trip to Vejer took place on our way home from visiting the Rock of Gibraltar. We heard about this incredible restaurant, Jardîn del Califa, that specialized in Moroccan food and we knew we had to try it. We were craving some Arab inspired dishes and this spot delivered. We recommend reservations. Did we have one? No, but I have a knack for speaking in Spanish and I’ve noticed that it helps a little. That or we just happen to visit restaurants well before the Spanish 9pm dinner hour, so we usually find a seat. This was the case in Vejer when we arrived a little before 9pm. The host placed us at a table and made us promise to be done before 11pm when the guests with actual reservations were scheduled to arrive. Let’s pause right here. First, yes we were done and got up from our table to pay just as the 11pm dinner guess arrived. Second, who arrives at a restaurant to eat a meal at 11pm!? Apparently folks in Vejer.

Arcos de la Frontera is a small town, also know as a pueblo blanco or all white town based on the fact that the homes and buildings are all washed in white paint. Chris and I drove out there one day after Spanish class to eat a meal. It was a surprise and I was happy that we took the trip out that way. All of these towns are in the cut and you have to drive through narrow cobblestoned roads and up hills to get to your destination. Let’s just say SUVs and super sized pick up trucks know that the struggle is real. While we don’t have an SUV or pick up truck, our car does have “hips” so she’s been scraped here and there (probrecita). Arcos, along with Vejer, hosts the Live Nativity during the Christmas holiday. During this time, the towns transform into old Bethlehem, people dress up, there’s livestock, camels and visitors are transported back in time to the time of Jesus’ birth. Unfortunately I didn’t make it out this year. It rained and the wind showed up and I don’t do rain and wind while walking around outdoors. Not a good look. But I hope to have photos to feature for the Live Nativity 2018 season.

Ronda is known for its white washed houses, grand bridges across the gorges and bull fighting. Our quick trip to Ronda took place after returning home from Granada. I”m telling you, some of these little pueblos blancos are easy to add to a longer road trip. People do stay the night in Ronda, but we didn’t. That said, I’m not above it. There’s this swanky hotel with views of the gorge at Puentenuevo bridge in Ronda and a little path to the bull fighting ring on the other side. Bull fighting season is typically in the summer months and we have yet to go to one.

Where to eat

Tarifa: Restaurante Pizzeria Perbacco was a dream! I wanted to eat everything. The tuna run tuna dishes made my tongue and stomach so happy. I strongly encourage you to visit if you are in Tarifa.

Ronda: A friend of mine recommended Tapas Loco in Ronda. She said she drives the hours it takes from her house to eat there because it is so good. We ate a hearty and late lunch at our hotel before heading back home, so by the time we arrived in Ronda, we didn’t have room for a full meal. But the next time we’re in the area, I plan on setting up a reservation so we can enjoy it.

What to do

Hike the gorge in Ronda
Enjoy the bridge and the views from it
Visit a bullfight if you’re in the area