Hi, we are on our way to Andalucia, a place I love and have been around several times. The itinerary is as follows and
I shall appreciate Fodorites favorites places to eat, visit, anything special to be done within this itinerary,
2 nights in Parador Jaen
2 nights in Parador Ubeda
1 night in hostal in Cordoba
1 night in hotel in Osuna
1 night in Parador Carmona
5 nights in hotel in Seville

We shall be arriving to Jael by train leaving from Seville to Madrid, and driving for a week. Thank you.

Toping

CARMONA
The restaurant in the Casa de Carmona hotel is a nice change from Parador food.

CORDOBA
Casa Pepe : try the eggplant with honey
There

SEVILLA
Taberna de Albardero : upstairs is fancy and more expensive. Downstairs is less formal, but very good as well.

Enjoy!

Jaen is a working town rather than a tourist town. There's a cathedral & the Arab baths & an Olive Oil shop & not much else other than normal bustling town shops. Not easy to drive around either, with narrow windy one-way streets etc but we did find a Public Parking lot. We found the people very friendly to confused tourists. We ate lunch in the street - take out from a bakery.

The Parador sits on top of mountain ridge & since we didn't want to attempt that road at night (and the twisty route into town), we ate both dinners in the parador's very good restaurant & just staggered back to our room.

Since it was June & broiling when we were there, a good place to siesta was at the parador's pool. The view is incredible.

Buy some olive oil!

Ian

In Sevilla, try the Bar Estrella for dinner - a short walk from the Cathredral. Very good. Very original. Bring your translation book, because the menus are Spanish & the staff speaks no English - which also makes it an adventure. We arrived at 9 & were the first customers. It was packed by 10 & so they set up tables in the alley. 27 Euro including a bottle of Rioja crianza - the house wine.

A site to see in Sevilla that's often missed is the Casa Pilatos. A villa - 15 minute walk from Cathredral - built in the 1800s & stuffed with stolen Roman busts & great tile work. A little crumbling, but worth the trip. Very few people visit which makes it very pleasant.

Ian

One of the best dinners I had in Spain was in Cordoba at El Caballo Rojo acorss from Mezquita. The garlic soup was amazing and the lamb shank with honey delicious. Great atmosphere too.

Also, catch the flamenco show at Los Gallos in Seville.

Here's another vote for the flamenco show at Los Gallos.

Woody

Thank you all. I put everything in my "sacred list", I shall report when we are back by the end of Feb. Tks again.