We flew to Seville from Lisbon and decided to spend the bulk of our time in the Andalusia region. Our last visit to this part of Spain was in 2002 and we were very curious to see how much it had changed in the two decades since. Highlights of Seville included the Plaza de España, Royal Alcázar and the Seville Cathedral. After picking up our rental car, we drove towards Arcos de la Frontera and then to Ronda. Situated at the top of El Tajo Gorge, Ronda was just as picturesque as we remembered. From here, we hiked the amazing Caminito del Rey trail before making our way to Málaga. The next stop on our tour was Granada and the main highlight here was undoubtedly the magnificent Alhambra. Even though it was our second time touring the complex, it was still as impressive as our first visit. Córdoba was up next and we ate our way through this town trying local specialties. Our repeat visit to the Córdoba Mosque-Cathedral did not disappoint and the peppermint candy cane arches were just as eye catching as the first time. One thing we didn’t remember in Córdoba were the flower pots hanging on the walls everywhere. It was a nice touch since the flowers were in bloom and made Córdoba look absolutely beautiful. After dropping our rental car back off in Seville, we hopped on a budget flight to Barcelona to catch up with our travel buddy Rebeca. Barcelona is a fabulous city with lots of good food and drink options and we enjoyed our short stay here. Next stop is Albania as we take advantage of the budget flights around Europe.
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The most famous plaza in Seville, the Spanish Renaissance Plaza de España was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American exhibition
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Colorful hand painted tile bridge; Plaza de España in Seville
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Detail of the azulejos (Andalusian tiles); Plaza de España
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Seville on a rainy morning
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Inner courtyard of the Royal Alcázar of Seville
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Patio del Yeso (Courtyard of the Plaster); Royal Alcázars of Seville
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Patio de las Doncellas courtyard
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Another view of Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens); Alcázar of Seville
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Islamic decorations on this massive portal at Alcázar of Seville
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It is easy to see why the Royal Alcázar of Seville earned UNESCO world heritage status!
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14th century access gate to the Ambassador’s Room; Alcázar of Seville
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Ceiling of the Hall of Ambassadors; Alcázar of Seville
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Beautiful wisteria in bloom at the Alcázar of Seville garden
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This duck is happy to sit outside in the pouring rain overlooking the gardens of Alcázar
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Visiting the Seville Cathedral, the largest Gothic cathedral in the world
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View of Seville from the top of Giralda bell tower; Seville Cathedral
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Tomb of Christopher Columbus; Seville Cathedral
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Carved Kings and Bishops; Seville Cathedral
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Wooden panel next to the Sacristy; Seville Cathedral
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Mirror image of the ceiling of the Great Sacristy; Cathedral of Seville
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One of over 80 chapels inside Seville Cathedral, the 3rd largest church in the world!
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Bishop’s Tomb (Gothic monument of Juan de Cervantes in the Capilla de San Hermenegildo); Seville Cathedral
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Detail of a gem adorned crucifix in the Sacristy and Treasury section of Seville Cathedral
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Detail of a gem adorned crucifix in the Sacristy and Treasury section of Seville Cathedral
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Church of San Pedro; Arcos de la Frontera
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Clay flower pots line a wall in Arcos de la Frontera
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Apple door knocker; Arcos
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Jamón Serrano for sale at a supermarket
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Double rainbow on our drive from Arcos de la Frontera towards Ronda
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Interior of La Verdad, a popular breakfast eatery for locals; Ronda
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Bullfighter statues; Ronda
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Cliff view of Ronda from Alameda del Tajo Park
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Ronda boasts one of the most spectacular settings in Spain, straddling a 100 meter (328 foot) gorge
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Narrow building with a million dollar view; Ronda
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Cascada de Ronda, a waterfall beneath Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) in Ronda
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Baños Árabes (Arab Baths) in Ronda are considered some of the best preserved Moorish baths in Spain
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A flock of sheep in search of food; Ronda
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Puente Viejo (Old Bridge); Ronda
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Steps leading down to Puente Viejo; Ronda
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Gorge view of Puente Nuevo; Ronda
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Hiking along “Caminito del Rey” (The Little King’s Path). Hard hats are now mandatory after 5 deaths on the old hiking trail
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Once considered the world’s most dangerous footpath, the dodgy cliff paths were replaced with brand new boardwalks in 2015; Caminito del Rey
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View of Caminito del Rey above the Guadalhorce River
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View of the new boardwalk with the original path below; Caminito del Rey
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Taking a photo on the glass platform of Caminito del Rey
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View of the iconic bridge at the end of the Caminito del Rey trail
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Robby smiles after a fantastic day hiking the Caminito del Rey
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Colorful street art; Málaga
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Calle Larios, a pedestrian street in Málaga
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Spanish Baroque building on Plaza del Obispo
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Bird’s eye view of La Malagueta, a building in Málaga
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Sunset view of the city from the hilltop near the Castle of Gibralfaro; Málaga
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Caretaker at the Hermitage of San Miguel; Granada
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Great views of Granada from the Hermitage of San Miguel
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The picturesque city of Granada is located at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains
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Gypsy families carved cave houses out of the hillside in the Sacromonte district of Granada
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Master bedroom in a Sacromonte cave house; Granada
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Sacromonte (aka “Gypsy Quarter”) neighborhood where flamenco dominates once the sun goes down
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One of many flamenco venues in Sacromonte
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Modern frescoes inside San Nicolás Church; Granada
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Wall mounted flower pots; Granada
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Business is booming for restaurants in Granada (especially on a nice, sunny day)
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Wandering around the Albaicín neighborhood of Granada
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Old city walls of Granada
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A wide variety of tea for sale; La Alcaicería market
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Spices for sale; Alcaicería Souk
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Ceiling view of Granada Cathedral
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Fountain of Neptune at Plaza Bib-Rambla; Granada
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There was a long line out the door at this ice cream shop; Granada
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The Mexuar Oratory (small chapel for private prayer); Alhambra
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Archway leading to the Patio de los Arrayanes (court of the myrtles)
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Patio of the Lions is the most famous place in the Alhambra, with 12 lions spouting water in the middle of the patio; Nasrid Palaces
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Another view of the ornate Palace of the Lions
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Ceiling of the Hall of the Abencerrajes; Nasrid Palaces
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Detail of the Hall of the Abencerrajes; Nasrid Palaces
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Ceiling painting of 10 Nasrid Kings in the Hall of the Kings; Nasrid Palaces
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Daraxa’s Mirador (Mirador de Daraxa); Nasrid Palaces
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The Albaicín neighborhood as seen from the Nasrid Palaces
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Partal Palace reflection pool; Alhambra
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The Oratory of the Partal; Alhambra
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Heavy bronze ring at the Charles V Palace; Alhambra
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Crape Myrtle flowering outside the Alcazaba
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The Alcazaba (fortress) is the oldest part of the Alhambra
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Court of the Water Channel (Patio de la Acequia) in the Generalife
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Decorated Generalife balcony
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The Generalife was a summer palace and leisure place for the kings of Granada when they needed a break from official duties
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Church of San Gil and Santa Ana; Granada
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Royal Church of Santa Marina de Aguas Santas; Córdoba
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The Manolete monument is dedicated to bullfighter Manuel Laureano Rodríguez Sánchez; Córdoba
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Statue of a woman watering plants; Córdoba
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Locals taking a group photo in a popular restaurant; Córdoba
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Calleja de las Flores - the most popular tourist street in Córdoba
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Red and white striped arches are popular in Córdoba
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Narrow streets with hanging flower pots are a common sight in Córdoba
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Entrance to the Great Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
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Door of St Stephen (Puerta de San Esteban); Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba
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Puerta del Puente is a gate near the Roman Bridge of Córdoba
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The Roman Bridge of Córdoba was originally built in the early 1st Century BC across the Guadalquivir River
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The Alcázar of the Christian Monarchs; Córdoba
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Statue of Ibn Rushd; Córdoba
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Flowers hang outside Restaurante El Churrasco, a traditional Spanish eatery in Córdoba
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Caracoles (snails in a tomato based sauce), found March to May at Magdalena Plaza in Córdoba
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Snapshot of a fraction of the 365 red and white striped horseshoe arches in the Great Mosque of Córdoba
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Amazing mosaic detail above the Mihrab - notice the stylized plant motifs on the blind arcade and the Kufic inscriptions; Córdoba Mosque
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The famous arched mihrab (prayer niche) of Córdoba Mosque. It is unique because it does not point in the direction of Mecca!
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The beautiful Mihrab dome of Córdoba Mosque is covered in gold mosaic
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Carved mahogany choir stalls; Córdoba Mosque
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Partially destroyed figurines; Córdoba Mosque
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The Mudéjar-style Capilla Real (Royal Chapel); Córdoba Mosque-Cathedral
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Double tiered candy cane colored arches of Córdoba Mosque
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View of the Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba from the bell tower
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Taberna Gongora, an old school bar decorated with hunting and bullfighting trophies; Córdoba
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Trying “rabo de toro” (bull tail stew) at Taberna Gongora
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Plaça de Catalunya, the central square in Barcelona
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W Barcelona, a luxury boutique hotel next to Barceloneta Beach
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Head sculpture by Liechennay at the Villa del Arte; Barcelona
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Carmela (cast iron sculpture of a woman’s face) by Jaume Plensa in Plaça de Lluís Millet; Barcelona
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Our delicious meals at TOKE; Barcelona
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Casa Vicens was Gaudí’s first masterpiece in Barcelona
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Barcelona’s Arc de Triomf (triumphal arch)
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Julia (a life sized woolly mammoth) has called Ciutadella Park home for the past 100 years; Barcelona
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Excavated city ruins from the 1700s are on display at the old market hall; Mercat del Born
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Santa Maria del Mar; Barcelona
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Walking the narrow streets in La Ribera district
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Feminists and Rebels mural; Barcelona
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Roman Temple of Augustus; Barcelona
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Interesting facade on this building in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona
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Bishop’s Bridge; Barcelona
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Palace of the Generalitat on Saint James’s Square; Barcelona
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Columbus Monument at the end of La Rambla; Barcelona
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Plaça Reial in the Gothic quarter of Barcelona is one of Barcelona’s busiest night spots
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The Gran Teatre del Liceu, an opera house on La Rambla
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Iberian ham for sale; La Boquiera market
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Dried chillies, spices and fruit for sale at La Boqueria
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Fish market section of La Boqueria
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The Sagrada Família has been under construction for over 140 years
