Hello Fellow Fodorites,
My wife and I recently returned from a wonderful trip to Seville, Cordoba and Granada. Thought I would post this report, and invite anyone considering a visit to these beautiful cities, to write with any questions you might have.
Here's a summary of what we did:
Spent 4 nights in Seville, visiting: the Cathedral (climbed the Giralda bell tower - quite a view!), the Royal Alcazar, the Hospital de las Venerables, the Fine Arts Museum, took a tour of the bullring, the Flamenco Museum and strolled the winding cobblestone streets of the Santa Cruz Barrio. We also took a day-trip to the Roman city of Italica (an easy 30 minute bus ride), and upon returning to Seville later that day, stopped in at the Archeological Museum. It made the artifacts in the museum (mosaics, statues, etc.) more interesting, having been to the place where they created and displayed, 2000 years ago! We spent some time in the Maria Luisa Park / Plaza de Espana area as well.
We took an early train to Cordoba, where we spent the next 2 nights. Visited the Mezquita (unbelievable!), the Alcazar de los Reyes, the synagogue and the medieval Jewish quarter, and walked along the walls, towers and gates surrounding the old city. Stopped in at the Archeological Museum, which was actually built upon the ruins of a Roman theater. Visited the Calahora Tower, which lies across the river from the Mezquita, at the other end of the Roman Bridge. There is also the ruins of a Roman temple near the city hall area, and I unexpectedly discovered (on my walk to the bus/train station) a 2000 year-old Roman Mausoleum on the side of the road!
We took a bus (2.5 hours) to Granada, where we spent our final 3 nights. We had booked tickets in advance to the Alhambra, and although we spent 5 hours there, there were still areas we didn't get to explore. Visited the Cathedral, as well as the old Moorish quarter, the Albaicin. We had planned to see the Palace of Madraza (an old seminary from the 1300's), but it was closed for renovation.
The people were friendly, the Gazpacho was great, the weather was warm and sunny - and the history, architecture, and art were facinating.
All questions and comments welcome!
Larz

Wow Larz you are my kind of traveler. I see you like to really see the cities not just breeze through.

Were there any restaurants you particulalry liked?

"particularly liked"

sounds so good. did this some 6 years ago and thought it fantastic. did you see the noria waterwhhels in the river at Cordoba (the original roman ones just maintained for 2000 years)?

hoping for more,

regards, ann

Hi

For the benefit of Fodorites hoping to visit in the near future (like me ) please tell us what hotels you stayed in and whether you would recommend them.

yes please do!

There are no particular restaurants that stood out. Some of those in Seville were housed in former centuries-old Arab baths, so that was certainly unique! Many of them did seem a bit on the expensive side, for the size of the portions they offered(and of course the value of the dollar didn't help matters!)
We did see several ruined water-wheels in the river by the Roman Bridge in Cordoba. The hotels we stayed at were quite nice, and their location was excellent: in Seville - Hotel Simon, in Cordoba - Hotel Gonzalez, and in Granada - Hotel Guadalupe.

Thanks for the info...my husband and I leave in less than two weeks and I'm in the middle of planning our day to day itinerary. My biggest concern are the meals....are restaurants opened at 7:30 PM or should we stick to tapas? Did you eat at 10? and did you find a lot closed stores/sites mid day?

thanks!

SashieZ, you may need to "adapt" to our schedule...it´s more fun, I reckon. Dinner at 19:30 is just way too early for us, and we don´t really understand why someone would want to dine at such early hours. Restaurant opening time will be, at the earliest, nine or nine thirty. Normal time for dining out is ten or ten thirty. Most restaurants are also bars. So go for a stroll, have a wine or two in our bars, have some tapas before dinner, enjoy the atmosphere of the city...we love life on the street. Tapas dinner is not considered in Spain, it´s done before dinner or lunch, but not a meal.

Thanks Mikelg- as much as I would love to adapt to late night dining at 10:30 and lunch at 3PM, I doubt I will be able to do it...especially since I will probably have to dine alone since the husband will be in bed. So any suggestions for early dining would be appreciated. Thanks again

hi sashiez,

i sympathise.

although I quite like late dining, DH's digestive system won't take it. we do much better [especially when it's hot] doing our serious sightseeing in the morning, having a [long] lunch, a nap, then wandering around in the evening when it's cooler enjoying a variety of bars and the tapas they sell/give out.

this works in the cooler seasons too - instead of napping after lunch, you can do more sightseeing, shopping etc.

most restaurants offer a "menu del dia" at lunch-time which is noticably cheaper than eating a la carte in the evening. also as it's warmer, you have the best chance of being able to eat outside at lunchtime, if that's what you like doing.

depending on where you are, tapas may be free or subject to a charge.

have a great trip,

regards, ann

bookmarking

thanks Anhig

That is pretty much our plan except without the nap. Did you have favorite areas for dining (tapas)?

sashiez - where are you going?

Then you may just to stick to having some raciones or pinchos, depending on where you´re going. 13:30 is a bit early, but restaurants will be open and serving food. And 21:30 will also be an opening time for most restaurants. But tapas, raciones and pinchos are served all day long.

We are going to Barcelona, Seville, Granada and Ronda. I just read Maribel's Barcelona guide and found it very helpful with regard to where to dine early. I'm hoping the Granada and Seville guide will be the same. Annhig- I'm enjoying your Barcelona trip report.

Mikelg - sorry, not sure what raciones and pinchos are.

Sashiez,

Make Vineria San Telmo one of your first tapas stops in Seville - fantastic! It's in the Barrio Santa Cruz neighborhood. Bring a Google map printout - the neighborhood has a lot of tiny winding streets and alleyways. Highly recommended.

http://www.vineriasantelmo.com/

http://www.fodors.com/community/euro...ing-siesta.cfm

I´ve posted this info on the differences on raciones, tapas and pintxos... (check on the thread)... "tapa" is a word not used in many parts of Spain (although everyone knows what it is), as you didn´t provide info on where you were going.

Hope it helps.

hi sashiez,

thanks for the appreciation - it helps to spur me on.

apart from Barcelona, i can only really help with granada, where we stayed in the Hotel Guadelupe, right opposite the alhambra. I ought to be on a cut, the number of times I've recommended them, but I have no hesitation in doing so again. you can park at a discount in the huge car park opposite, catch buses down to the town from right outside, the rooms are large and ours had a lovely big bathroom.

as for tapas bars in granada, in a street just off the square there were any number - one specialising in jamon, another very nice bar with different tapas della casa handed out with each drink, and a pupperia which served every type of octopus or squid dish you could possibly imagine. that should start you off.