Visiting towns and cities across Spain, travelling to the Andalusian heart of the country in Seville and Cordoba. The Moorish architecture of medieval Spain’s castles,palaces and churches are the highlights of the journey. There are 7 World Heritage Sites on this trip.
(Picture shows patio at Palacio de Viana, Cordoba)
HOW TO GET THERE
The trip inside Spain could just as easily start anywhere within it, and you could do it in a car staying in hotels or other accommodation*. Headed from the UK or Northern Europe you have plenty of options on land routes and stops on the way across France. Alternatively there are ferries into Santander and Bilbao from the UK. We took two weeks to complete the main trip loop, and a further week in total on the outward and return journeys across France taking the ferry from Dover(UK) to Calais(F).
* We completed this trip in a car with a towed caravan. Please see notes on travelling with a caravan or motorhome underneath the header 'Caravanning' next to 'Home' above.
ROUTE ORIO Start the trip from just inside the border of north-east Spain and France. This is in the Basque region, with some interesting towns. We stayed at Orio, a small fishing town with a good campsite and a nice sandy beach. The star attraction in the area is San Sebastián which is 12 miles/20km away. This is a gastronomic haven, renowned for its tapas and pintxos snacks, set in a beautiful bay with classic 19th century architecture. |
| SAN SEBASTIÁN |
The resort town of Zarautz is a 15 minute drive away, a very neat small town with a beautiful sea front and a mile and a half of sandy beach. This is a proper Spanish local resort rather than a 'must see' international tourist destination and is well worth a visit. A 45 minute scenic drive up into the hills above the coast will take you to the spectacular Sanctuary of Loyola at Azpeitia, marking the birthplace of the founder of the Jesuit religious order. The buildings and interior decor are in the extravagant Baroque style. BURGOS The ancient city of Burgos is a 2.5 hour drive from Orio. The centre is dominated by the magnificent UNESCO world heritage site of the Cathedral.  |
| BURGOS - CATHEDRAL |
This was built between the 13th and 15th centuries with ornate masonry carvings outside and beautiful wood carvings and other decor inside. The city centre is easy to walk around and has some nice squares, parks and pavement cafes/bars. A lovely promenade, the Paseo del Espolon, skirts the river Arlanzon that runs through the city centre.
CACERES Travelling on to Caceres, it’s a journey of just over 4 hours from Burgos. Although some way off from the modern province of Andalusia further south, you’re now well into the ancient Moorish kingdom of Al Andalus which covered the greater part of modern Spain. This beautiful old town has UNESCO World Heritage Site status. There are many Moorish influences inside the town’s walled circumference, alongside classic squares and churches. The walls of the old town are mainly of Moorish construction, although |
| CACERES |
parts are of Roman origin. In the Spring you’ll see storks nesting amongst the many towers and spires around the town. You will be spoilt for choice amongst the viewpoints at ground level and higher up on the walls and towers all round the old town. Beneath the Caceres Museum, housed in the Palacio de las Valetas, you can see the huge Moorish cistern, the largest medieval water tank on the Iberian peninsula. SEVILLA It will take you about 3 hours to get from Caceres to Sevilla, depending on where you are staying. Sevilla is the capital of Andalusia. There are many sights in this grand city, so you’re going to have to choose a reasonable handful and hopefully return at a future point to see some more of what is on offer. You probably will not want to miss out on the following sights on an initial visit:
- the Cathedral and La Giralda tower [UNESCO World Heritage Site] , which was originally the minaret to call the Moors’ Muslim faithful to prayer and now offers you fabulous views over the city.
- the Alcazar palace and its fabulous gardens[UNESCO World Heritage Site].
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| SEVILLA - ALCAZAR |
- the Toro del Oro at its pretty riverside location. This is a 13th century defensive watchtower from the Moorish dynasty.
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| SEVILLA - TORO DEL ORO |
- the Plaza de Espana, which is a relative newcomer to the city as it is just coming up to its 100th birthday, but a landmark nevertheless which picks up architectural themes from across the city and over many centuries. There is a large park,boating lake and 2 museums to enjoy along with the extravagant architecture and decor of the semi-circular plaza.
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SEVILLA- PLAZA DE ESPANA
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CORDOBA
Cordoba is just over an hour and a half's journey from Sevilla. Although half the size of Sevilla, the charms of Cordoba are many, and if anything gain by being in a more compact area. The Old Town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.The jewel in Cordoba’s crown is the original Moorish Mosque, the Mezquita, dating back over 1200 years and largely preserved together with a bizarrely complimentary Renaissance Christian core.
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CORDOBA - MEZQUITA
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| CORDOBA - MEZQUITA:THE MIHRAB imam's prayer niche |
This mixture of Muslim and Christian architecture and decor can also be seen at some other world heritage sites, notably in Istanbul. Some of the Mezquita’s interior was completed by Mudejar craftsmen who stayed on in Spain after the Moorish occupation was terminated in the 13th century, and who continued the traditions of form and pattern established by the original constructors of the Mosque.
The Alcazar de Los Reyes Cristianos (Castle of the Christian Kings) was completed in the 14th-15th century, with architecture and landscaped gardens that again drew on the strength of Moorish designs used by the Mudejars.
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| CORDOBA-ALCAZAR DE LOS REYES CRISTIANOS |
Tours of the castle allow for great views over the city, and the gardens are a delight. The castle’s royal stables are the venue for a fantastic evening’s entertainment - a flamenco show with accompanying dancing horses - Las Caballerizas Reales.
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| CORDOBA - ALCAZAR ROYAL STABLES: CABALLERIZAS REALES |
The Palacio de Viana is one of the finest palaces in the city, and well worth including on your visit, with 12 beautiful patios to admire and linger within(see photo at head of this post).
Not far outside the town are 2 excursions worth a day trip. The 8th century Almodovar del Rio castle is set high above the river, 15 miles from Cordoba, with a lovely setting and stunning views from the battlements.
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| ALMOVODAR DEL RIO |
The Medina Azahara, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is 5 miles from Córdoba. This is a ruined Moorish palace complex which can still be appreciated for its epic scale and the remaining details of its original construction, set in beautiful surroundings above the Guadalquivir River valley.
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| CORDOBA -MEDINA AZAHARA |
MERIDA Starting on your return journey, it will take about 3 hours to reach Merida from Cordoba. Here you are stepping back in time to the Roman era. Merida was a provincial capital of the Roman empire, and there are more remains of the Roman era left here than in any other Spanish city. This is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Highlights are:
- the Teatro Romano, and the adjoining Amphitheatre, which are still in use today as music, performance and theatrical venues.
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| MERIDA - TEATRO ROMANO |
- the roman viaduct columns just outside the city centre, now used as springtime nesting perches by visiting storks
- the Peunte Romano bridge with its sixty arches
- the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, with many artefacts including reconstructed mozaics
Take an hour‘s drive from Merida and enjoy a day trip to the small and attractive town of Trujillo, which is closely associated with the Spanish conquistadors who colonised Latin America in the middle ages. Although parts of the old town have not withstood the passage of time there are still a substantial main square, towers, mansions, churches and the remains of the castle walls to bear witness to the significance of this town in Spanish history.
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| TRUJILLO |
SALAMANCA
Journeying on to Salamanca will take you around three hours from Merida. Salamanca is home to Spain’s oldest university, with impressive architecture, including a massive central square and an imposing cathedral. Whilst here in addition to these attractions it is well worth visiting the Art Nouveau/Deco museum with its fantastic stained glass and objets d'art. The walk down to and in the vicinity of the river is very pleasant. Tour the old university buildings to see some beautiful quadrangles and a painted ceiling that was only recently rediscovered. The old part of the city is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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| SALAMANCA |
BIDART
To finish off your journey across Spain, a journey of almost 5 hours from Salamanca will take you across the border into the French Basque country, staying at on near the town of Bidart. You are only a 15 minute drive from the chic resort of Biarritz with expensive shops, swanky hotels and a nice promenade high up above the beach and seashore.
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| BIARRITZ |
From somewhere near here you’re probably headed for home.
Have a Safe onward journey!
