Trip report: Malaga to Seville 12 days
Mar 27th, 2006, 12:47 PM
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Trip report: Malaga to Seville 12 days
Thanks to all the great advice from this site and others (notably TripAdvisor for hotel reviews and Maribel's guides) we just returned from a fabulous trip to Andalucia. (March 2006)
First some general comments:
1. Plan out your trip if driving with Via Michelin maps where you can print out specific directions from hotel to hotel from city to city.
2. Take washcloths (not provided in Europe) and possibly a decent sized bar of soap! Conditioner was not very common in hotel rooms, although shampoo and bath gel were always provided in the places we stayed.
3. Hotel rooms have very little lighting so it can be quite dim at night if trying to read guidebooks or pack!
4. We don't like to eat late, so we had our 'big' meal at 3pm (restaurants open around 1pm to 4pm for lunch) after a large breakfast. At night we loved the local wine, bread and cheese. Not too keen on tapas as the bars seemed to be very smoky.
5. Don't even think of matching road numbers with the numbers on the maps. 378 could be posted 376, for example, and this was a little weird at first. Always know the few towns ahead of where you are going as sometimes they are the ones posted on the roadside signs.
6. If possible pick up maps ahead of time as it is difficult to find the Information place without a map!! We first stayed in Granada, and the Alhambra tourist office had all the maps for cities and towns in Andalucia free of charge. We picked up maps there for all the places we visited. In other twons they charged 60 cents for out of town maps, but it would have been worth it.
7. All the public restrooms were very clean, and we used 'aseos' in hotel lobbies with no problems.
8. Everyone was very helpful, and I do not speak Spanish. I had the basic phrases but be aware that Andalucian Spanish Spanish is different from Spanish spoken in Mexico!
Day 1
We had been in England so flew from Manchester to Malaga for 25 punds one way on BMIBaby. Great flight and we went from snow in northern England to beautiful weather in Malaga. We rented a car for 9 days from Crown. It cost more because we got an automatic. It turned out to be a Ford Mondeo. Just another note...the basic level cars do not necessarily have a spare tire. They come with a 'repair kit'. We had a tire!! We felt safer in a larger car, but they are more of a problem when it comes to parking, and occasionally when driving down narrow streets. We drove immediately to Granada, skipping Malaga altogether on the advice of other Fodorites. Thanks to great directions (and a huge roadside sign) we got to the Hotel Guadalupe with no issues. This is a great location and we had a very nice room with a jetted bath and a 6 inch balcony. It is located just outside the Alhambra, so we didn't have to go through town at all. We were within a few yards of the ticket office, and we used the bus into town (1 Euro each way). The bus stop was right by the ticket office and it is easy to walk downhill to the city which we did once.
First some general comments:
1. Plan out your trip if driving with Via Michelin maps where you can print out specific directions from hotel to hotel from city to city.
2. Take washcloths (not provided in Europe) and possibly a decent sized bar of soap! Conditioner was not very common in hotel rooms, although shampoo and bath gel were always provided in the places we stayed.
3. Hotel rooms have very little lighting so it can be quite dim at night if trying to read guidebooks or pack!
4. We don't like to eat late, so we had our 'big' meal at 3pm (restaurants open around 1pm to 4pm for lunch) after a large breakfast. At night we loved the local wine, bread and cheese. Not too keen on tapas as the bars seemed to be very smoky.
5. Don't even think of matching road numbers with the numbers on the maps. 378 could be posted 376, for example, and this was a little weird at first. Always know the few towns ahead of where you are going as sometimes they are the ones posted on the roadside signs.
6. If possible pick up maps ahead of time as it is difficult to find the Information place without a map!! We first stayed in Granada, and the Alhambra tourist office had all the maps for cities and towns in Andalucia free of charge. We picked up maps there for all the places we visited. In other twons they charged 60 cents for out of town maps, but it would have been worth it.
7. All the public restrooms were very clean, and we used 'aseos' in hotel lobbies with no problems.
8. Everyone was very helpful, and I do not speak Spanish. I had the basic phrases but be aware that Andalucian Spanish Spanish is different from Spanish spoken in Mexico!
Day 1
We had been in England so flew from Manchester to Malaga for 25 punds one way on BMIBaby. Great flight and we went from snow in northern England to beautiful weather in Malaga. We rented a car for 9 days from Crown. It cost more because we got an automatic. It turned out to be a Ford Mondeo. Just another note...the basic level cars do not necessarily have a spare tire. They come with a 'repair kit'. We had a tire!! We felt safer in a larger car, but they are more of a problem when it comes to parking, and occasionally when driving down narrow streets. We drove immediately to Granada, skipping Malaga altogether on the advice of other Fodorites. Thanks to great directions (and a huge roadside sign) we got to the Hotel Guadalupe with no issues. This is a great location and we had a very nice room with a jetted bath and a 6 inch balcony. It is located just outside the Alhambra, so we didn't have to go through town at all. We were within a few yards of the ticket office, and we used the bus into town (1 Euro each way). The bus stop was right by the ticket office and it is easy to walk downhill to the city which we did once.
Mar 27th, 2006, 01:15 PM
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We got the bus to see the Alhambra from down below at sunset and later it was so beautiful lit up at night. Just ask the driver for San Nicholas (I think Bus 31) which is the observation point.
Day 2
We spent the day at the Alhambra, eating lunch at the Parador. We were the only ones in there at 3:30pm. We took the three course meal which had a limited selection of starters, entrees and desserts. The meal was very good, but my lamb stew was a little cold. The wine list was VERY reasonable, and we got a very good bottle of wine for 10 Euros. We got our tickets on line which was just as well as even in March the earliest time available was 1pm. We went in all the other areas before one, stayed in the palaces until 3 and then ate. Afterwards we went to the Generalife.
At night we walked down hill into town again. We managed to get a parking place on the street outside the hotel for both days, so this saved us 24 Euros in parking fees.
We stayed a second night at the Hotel Guadalupe, and paid $68 a night (no breakfast).
We used Orbitz, TravelNow, A1, Rusticae to make hotel reservations. We first selected the hotels and then price shopped.
Day 3
We drove from Granada (around the ring road to get out of town) to Jaen. This was our first experience with underground parking (agghh). We first parked on the street but then realized that someone was ticketing all the cars so we moved. We got terribly confused with directions, but eventually got the hang of the lay out of the town.
Day 2
We spent the day at the Alhambra, eating lunch at the Parador. We were the only ones in there at 3:30pm. We took the three course meal which had a limited selection of starters, entrees and desserts. The meal was very good, but my lamb stew was a little cold. The wine list was VERY reasonable, and we got a very good bottle of wine for 10 Euros. We got our tickets on line which was just as well as even in March the earliest time available was 1pm. We went in all the other areas before one, stayed in the palaces until 3 and then ate. Afterwards we went to the Generalife.
At night we walked down hill into town again. We managed to get a parking place on the street outside the hotel for both days, so this saved us 24 Euros in parking fees.
We stayed a second night at the Hotel Guadalupe, and paid $68 a night (no breakfast).
We used Orbitz, TravelNow, A1, Rusticae to make hotel reservations. We first selected the hotels and then price shopped.
Day 3
We drove from Granada (around the ring road to get out of town) to Jaen. This was our first experience with underground parking (agghh). We first parked on the street but then realized that someone was ticketing all the cars so we moved. We got terribly confused with directions, but eventually got the hang of the lay out of the town.
Mar 27th, 2006, 05:31 PM
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Cont.
The Arab Baths and the Naif Paintings (at the same location) were great...and free admission. The funny thing was that they tookk your ticket and tore off sections at each of the three areas (the third being antique farm implements). It was a fascinating place. We went into a pastry shop and got atun (I looked in the dictionary at great length to find out that this was tuna) and tomato pasties (empanada type of pastry) and they were good. Also purchased a baguette to munch on (we love our bread!!). The cathedral was lovely as they all are and we wandered the streets. We found the convent where the nuns sell the sweets and are behind the revolving screen so that they do not view the outside world.
Another great tip: we went to the post office and puchased the Internacional prepaid phone card for 5
Euros. This gave us 120 plus minutes to the US...can you believe that?? Every hotel allowed this to be used from the room as it had a toll-free access number so we called the US and England every day. What fun!!! Forgot to mention that the Hotel Guadalupe had free Internet...what a bonus!! After wandering we collected the car (no additonal dents..what a wonder!). It seemed that underground parking costs about a Euro per hour ($1.20 approx). We drove on to Ubeda where we had booked the Palacio de la Rambla suite!!!!! Wow...
We drove in and got lost but soon found the hotel. They had parking for 2 small cars so couldn't take the Mondeo. We unloaded and the guy at the desk said to go to the main plaza underground parking. Mu husband got lost in the one way system so parked on a small square several blocks from the hotel. We went and checked it out and no parking restrictions so left it there rather than pay a fortune in the underground parking which was equally as far away. What a find of a hotel!! This is really what I would call a stately home. It has private quarters for the Marquess and 8 rooms (one of which is a suite which we booked for $144 including a wonderful breakfast for one night. This is all we could book for..the followoing night was sold out. There is a family chapel. several incredible public roons (photoes of the family with the Pope on display)and a beautiful interior courtyard. Ubeda is so much more interesting than the larger cities and has several 'artesan' shops, the best of which was by the Palacio (our hotel) where the owneers took us down to the basement to see the old stone wine vats. We ate a fabulous meal (3 courses 16 Euros and a pitcher of wine $6 Euros) plus gorgeous nibbles of the inevitable olives, sausages and salted almonds. These were the best of the whole trip. This restaurant was across the square from the hotel and we were the only customers!!
The Arab Baths and the Naif Paintings (at the same location) were great...and free admission. The funny thing was that they tookk your ticket and tore off sections at each of the three areas (the third being antique farm implements). It was a fascinating place. We went into a pastry shop and got atun (I looked in the dictionary at great length to find out that this was tuna) and tomato pasties (empanada type of pastry) and they were good. Also purchased a baguette to munch on (we love our bread!!). The cathedral was lovely as they all are and we wandered the streets. We found the convent where the nuns sell the sweets and are behind the revolving screen so that they do not view the outside world.
Another great tip: we went to the post office and puchased the Internacional prepaid phone card for 5
Euros. This gave us 120 plus minutes to the US...can you believe that?? Every hotel allowed this to be used from the room as it had a toll-free access number so we called the US and England every day. What fun!!! Forgot to mention that the Hotel Guadalupe had free Internet...what a bonus!! After wandering we collected the car (no additonal dents..what a wonder!). It seemed that underground parking costs about a Euro per hour ($1.20 approx). We drove on to Ubeda where we had booked the Palacio de la Rambla suite!!!!! Wow...
We drove in and got lost but soon found the hotel. They had parking for 2 small cars so couldn't take the Mondeo. We unloaded and the guy at the desk said to go to the main plaza underground parking. Mu husband got lost in the one way system so parked on a small square several blocks from the hotel. We went and checked it out and no parking restrictions so left it there rather than pay a fortune in the underground parking which was equally as far away. What a find of a hotel!! This is really what I would call a stately home. It has private quarters for the Marquess and 8 rooms (one of which is a suite which we booked for $144 including a wonderful breakfast for one night. This is all we could book for..the followoing night was sold out. There is a family chapel. several incredible public roons (photoes of the family with the Pope on display)and a beautiful interior courtyard. Ubeda is so much more interesting than the larger cities and has several 'artesan' shops, the best of which was by the Palacio (our hotel) where the owneers took us down to the basement to see the old stone wine vats. We ate a fabulous meal (3 courses 16 Euros and a pitcher of wine $6 Euros) plus gorgeous nibbles of the inevitable olives, sausages and salted almonds. These were the best of the whole trip. This restaurant was across the square from the hotel and we were the only customers!!
Mar 28th, 2006, 07:29 AM
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Forgive the typos..we got back Sat. night so I am not quite over the jet lag! Wandering around was the activity of the evening and the next morning we had the aforementioned breakfast.
Day 4
We left and tried to find a wine producing village (which we never did locate), visited Sabote and then went on to Baeza to do the town's self-guided walk. These visits were very short and it was the afternoon. A warning to those who may be going to Spain for the first time: many museums and monuments close from 2 until 5pm. Remember that we were there in March so had cool weather. I gather in July and August it is so hot that you would not want to be sightseeing in the afternoon! We loved the smaller towns and villages, and were happy to wander and explore. Shopping was not a high priority, and to be honest there were so many tourist souvenir shops throughout this trip that we rarely shopped at all. I will mention the high points of shopping. One was definitely the pottery in Ubeda. Each region of Andalucia had different ceramics and I loved the green and rust of Ubeda. We also loved the local grocery shops and supermercados..more later.
We drove on to Cordoba and found the hotel eventually. We learned from our error in not planning our city entry in detail. From then on we would look at the city map and the Via Michelin directions and align the two before we entered the next town. The Hotel Conquistador was in a terrific location and appeared before our eyes (eventually).
This hotel was $114 including a fabulous breakfast. We could almost touch the wall of the Mezquita from our 4 inch balcony!! The balconies got smaller but being able to open the French windows and at least have a foot on the 'balcony' was wonderful! We ate dinner at the hotel..so-so. Afterwards we visited the Bodega down the street (just a shop) to taste sherry. The first of many tastings I might add.
Day 5
The day started with a visit to the incredible Mezquita (cathedral bult within a mosque). An awesome sight to behold and so vast. A hint to you all: the Mezquita is free daily (not sure about Sunday) between 8:30am and 10:00am saving 8.5 Euros per person admission. After this we stepped back into the hotel for breakfast which included many pastries and cakes, one of which was a Cordoban apple pie which was delicious! My husband had just recovered from parking the car the night before!!! He refused the help of the bellboy (big mistake!). When we checked in the underground parking was right next door..a big plus. The bell boy reached for the keys but no, Phil had to park it. Those garages are a sight to behold and I swear it took him 45 minutes plus two weeks off his life span. Never again did we park our own car in hotel underground parking. The parking was 11.5 Euros a night If I recall correcly. Parking was approximately this amount at each hotel except where we parked on the street.
Another nice touch, most of the museums and monuments had free admission of Fridays which happened to be the day we were there. Cordoba was one of the few towns where the tourist office had a list of the opening times of each sight, so we could plan accordingly. Some museums happened to be open in the afternoon so that was a plus for our scheduling.
To be continued......
Day 4
We left and tried to find a wine producing village (which we never did locate), visited Sabote and then went on to Baeza to do the town's self-guided walk. These visits were very short and it was the afternoon. A warning to those who may be going to Spain for the first time: many museums and monuments close from 2 until 5pm. Remember that we were there in March so had cool weather. I gather in July and August it is so hot that you would not want to be sightseeing in the afternoon! We loved the smaller towns and villages, and were happy to wander and explore. Shopping was not a high priority, and to be honest there were so many tourist souvenir shops throughout this trip that we rarely shopped at all. I will mention the high points of shopping. One was definitely the pottery in Ubeda. Each region of Andalucia had different ceramics and I loved the green and rust of Ubeda. We also loved the local grocery shops and supermercados..more later.
We drove on to Cordoba and found the hotel eventually. We learned from our error in not planning our city entry in detail. From then on we would look at the city map and the Via Michelin directions and align the two before we entered the next town. The Hotel Conquistador was in a terrific location and appeared before our eyes (eventually).
This hotel was $114 including a fabulous breakfast. We could almost touch the wall of the Mezquita from our 4 inch balcony!! The balconies got smaller but being able to open the French windows and at least have a foot on the 'balcony' was wonderful! We ate dinner at the hotel..so-so. Afterwards we visited the Bodega down the street (just a shop) to taste sherry. The first of many tastings I might add.
Day 5
The day started with a visit to the incredible Mezquita (cathedral bult within a mosque). An awesome sight to behold and so vast. A hint to you all: the Mezquita is free daily (not sure about Sunday) between 8:30am and 10:00am saving 8.5 Euros per person admission. After this we stepped back into the hotel for breakfast which included many pastries and cakes, one of which was a Cordoban apple pie which was delicious! My husband had just recovered from parking the car the night before!!! He refused the help of the bellboy (big mistake!). When we checked in the underground parking was right next door..a big plus. The bell boy reached for the keys but no, Phil had to park it. Those garages are a sight to behold and I swear it took him 45 minutes plus two weeks off his life span. Never again did we park our own car in hotel underground parking. The parking was 11.5 Euros a night If I recall correcly. Parking was approximately this amount at each hotel except where we parked on the street.
Another nice touch, most of the museums and monuments had free admission of Fridays which happened to be the day we were there. Cordoba was one of the few towns where the tourist office had a list of the opening times of each sight, so we could plan accordingly. Some museums happened to be open in the afternoon so that was a plus for our scheduling.
To be continued......
Mar 28th, 2006, 04:36 PM
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Oh, I am so enjoying this. I remember that parking lot at El Conquistador! Oh my, I was so glad I didn't have to park the car---DH did!!! The bellboy didn't offer to park it for us or I'm sure we would have obliged (well, I would have, DH might have been a different story.) We drove right to the hotel somehow, but I didn't realize they had a restaurant. Just as well, 'cause we had a fantastic meal at El Caballo Rojo--hope you got there too.
I loved Cordoba and am anxiously waiting for the rest of your visit there.
I loved Cordoba and am anxiously waiting for the rest of your visit there.
Mar 28th, 2006, 07:17 PM
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"A hint to you all: the Mezquita is free daily (not sure about Sunday) between 8:30am and 10:00am saving 8.5 Euros per person admission."
Ah yes - I remember this now. Thanks for the money saving tip. Worth a few tapas in real currency!
Ah yes - I remember this now. Thanks for the money saving tip. Worth a few tapas in real currency!
Mar 28th, 2006, 08:03 PM
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And so..after the latish breakfast, on to the Alcazar and the museums. The Archeological Museum was so beautiful; the surroundings and the display. We went to the Synagogue also and the other museums. I am not going into a lot of detail about the sights per se, just commenting on what I would like to know regarding planning. Okay, we left the museum and encountered our first rain. I felt so sorry for fellow tourists standing in the entry way who were commiserating about having three hours until their train left Cordoba!! We got soaked walking back the short distance to the hotel. It was then that I realized how wonderful the REI brand and Columbia pants are. I had bought the pants for Peru, but happened to be wearing them. They do get wet through, but they dry off so quickly. They are the kind which zip off into shorts. Of course, I won't admit to the fact that I tried to iron a pair (states no iron on the label) and melted them earlier this year. Anyway, as well as being great for the heat we also found them great for rain. They also help when covered knees are required in Cathedrals (zip legs on and off).
It finished raining (kind of..just dripping a little) and we ventured out to a cafe recommended by the information office ("Salinas" I believe). We shared the local gazpacho with ham and boiled egg for a starter. It is like a cold tomato cream soup; very unlike traditional gazpacho. Can't say I was overly enamoured but so glad I tried it. My husband loved the atmosphere of the local cafe, but I was in the mood for a little more upscale. However, the food was good and the prices extrememly reasonable. More to come.....
It finished raining (kind of..just dripping a little) and we ventured out to a cafe recommended by the information office ("Salinas" I believe). We shared the local gazpacho with ham and boiled egg for a starter. It is like a cold tomato cream soup; very unlike traditional gazpacho. Can't say I was overly enamoured but so glad I tried it. My husband loved the atmosphere of the local cafe, but I was in the mood for a little more upscale. However, the food was good and the prices extrememly reasonable. More to come.....
Mar 29th, 2006, 09:32 PM
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Our son has inherited our love of travel, and is in Costa Rica right now. I am busy arranging the trip to Indianapolis 4 hours after he returns from Costa Rica, for the NCAA championship in Indianapolis. He is a student at UCLA so good thougts for Saturday (semi finals) as he flies out there on Monday (hopefully to see his team in the final). Tomorrow I plan to continue with Cordoba!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Many thanks for all of the encouraging responses!!
Mar 30th, 2006, 08:58 AM
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Day 6
We went over for one last look at the Mezquita and left for Ronda. Our car had acquired some scratches in the parking garage (11.5 Euros a night). I had taken out excess coverage insurance, so I wasn't too worried. Fellow travelers looked at me in horror when I told them this, as they said that all car rental companies in Spain expected scratches and the automatic coverage was fine for any damage. I was more at ease, however, knowing that all was taken care of in case of any problems. I was happy to pay for the peace of mind! The bellboy, needless to say, brought the car up and we started off with great directions. We reached Ronda by lunch time and followed the signs to the hotel until we found the square torn up (also happened in Cordoba and Jerez...resurfacing off season I suppose). However, our handy dandy map was excellent for taking an alternate street and we parked at the entrance to the hotel garage at the Hotel Maestranza. Cases were unloaded and the car parked for us!! The hotel was extremely well located as were all of our hotels. The tariff was $76.40 a night with no breakfast. Our room looked out towards the bull ring across the street, and Internet was 1 Euro for 20 minutes (a bargain compared to some of the other hotels). We ate at Pedro Romero which had a great ambiance, but the chairs were hard and the waiters not overly friendly. The meal was fine (not memorable) but I was getting tired of local Andalucian stews by this time.
It was raining so we went across to the bull ring and paid for entrance to the ring and the museum. It was quite interesting. The location of Ronda is stunning with the view and the gorge and we walked all over town. I might interject that a many of these towns were hilly and had a lot of steps in some areas. Ronda was a prime example! We visited a local supermarket at the end of our 2 hour walk, and wandered back to the hotel.
Day 7
Sunday came with torrential rain and this was our day to tour the Pueblos Blancos by car! Out came the map and we went to Grazalema, Benomahoma, El Bosque and Ubrique. The rain had almost stopped by the time we arrived in Ubrique so we walked around with a site map from the tourist office. In the square two elderly men were walking around with umbrellas and were desperately trying to tell us something. They were so excited. I heard 'toro' and the name of a town beginning with what I thought was a "b". When we walked back into town I went to the tourist office and asked the girl whant was happening with a bull in a town starting with B which had a long name. She looked at me strangely until the light dawned and she said there was a bull fight scheduled for 5pm in Villaluenga (El Cordobes and 5 other matadors no less!). She kindly called to reserve tickets, but was told that everything was cancelled due to rain. We saw nowhere to eat there, so drove on to Benaocaz where we did find a restaurant and had a good lunch. After wandering around (and driving the wrong way on the one way street(meeting a car and a van no less)we went off to Villaluenga, which does have a great bull ring, then back to Ronda via Grazalema. It is a wonderful circular drive and we enjoyed it immensely despite the weather and the white knuckles on the one way street.
Phil was determined to get some gelato, so that was the next stop after the car had been delivered to the hotel garage (not by us!!). He wandered around while I had some much needed 'down time'. I would highly recommend staying in Ronda as a base.
We went over for one last look at the Mezquita and left for Ronda. Our car had acquired some scratches in the parking garage (11.5 Euros a night). I had taken out excess coverage insurance, so I wasn't too worried. Fellow travelers looked at me in horror when I told them this, as they said that all car rental companies in Spain expected scratches and the automatic coverage was fine for any damage. I was more at ease, however, knowing that all was taken care of in case of any problems. I was happy to pay for the peace of mind! The bellboy, needless to say, brought the car up and we started off with great directions. We reached Ronda by lunch time and followed the signs to the hotel until we found the square torn up (also happened in Cordoba and Jerez...resurfacing off season I suppose). However, our handy dandy map was excellent for taking an alternate street and we parked at the entrance to the hotel garage at the Hotel Maestranza. Cases were unloaded and the car parked for us!! The hotel was extremely well located as were all of our hotels. The tariff was $76.40 a night with no breakfast. Our room looked out towards the bull ring across the street, and Internet was 1 Euro for 20 minutes (a bargain compared to some of the other hotels). We ate at Pedro Romero which had a great ambiance, but the chairs were hard and the waiters not overly friendly. The meal was fine (not memorable) but I was getting tired of local Andalucian stews by this time.
It was raining so we went across to the bull ring and paid for entrance to the ring and the museum. It was quite interesting. The location of Ronda is stunning with the view and the gorge and we walked all over town. I might interject that a many of these towns were hilly and had a lot of steps in some areas. Ronda was a prime example! We visited a local supermarket at the end of our 2 hour walk, and wandered back to the hotel.
Day 7
Sunday came with torrential rain and this was our day to tour the Pueblos Blancos by car! Out came the map and we went to Grazalema, Benomahoma, El Bosque and Ubrique. The rain had almost stopped by the time we arrived in Ubrique so we walked around with a site map from the tourist office. In the square two elderly men were walking around with umbrellas and were desperately trying to tell us something. They were so excited. I heard 'toro' and the name of a town beginning with what I thought was a "b". When we walked back into town I went to the tourist office and asked the girl whant was happening with a bull in a town starting with B which had a long name. She looked at me strangely until the light dawned and she said there was a bull fight scheduled for 5pm in Villaluenga (El Cordobes and 5 other matadors no less!). She kindly called to reserve tickets, but was told that everything was cancelled due to rain. We saw nowhere to eat there, so drove on to Benaocaz where we did find a restaurant and had a good lunch. After wandering around (and driving the wrong way on the one way street(meeting a car and a van no less)we went off to Villaluenga, which does have a great bull ring, then back to Ronda via Grazalema. It is a wonderful circular drive and we enjoyed it immensely despite the weather and the white knuckles on the one way street.
Phil was determined to get some gelato, so that was the next stop after the car had been delivered to the hotel garage (not by us!!). He wandered around while I had some much needed 'down time'. I would highly recommend staying in Ronda as a base.
Apr 1st, 2006, 01:07 PM
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Day 8
On Monday morning we left in the rain to drive to La Linea to visit Gibraltar. This detour added a few hours to our drive, as we could have driven on to Arcos the previous day and gone on to Jerez from there. However, I wanted to see Gibraltar. I am glad we went but would have no reason to return, unless it was to buy that Cartier watch tax and duty free!! We parked on the street right opposite the road going to customs at the border. We paid 5 Euros for a 6 hour parking ticket, but were back within 4 hours. It was so simple to walk across, show our passports and stop by the info. office at the border. It was here that we booked the 90 minute "Rock" tour by taxi. It cost 8 pounds per person plus 8 pounds per person for entry fees. This is based on 4 people. There were only two of us, so the total cost ended up being 50 pounds (a lot!!). Remember that we are now out of Spain and dealing in English pounds, although they took credit cards and Euros. We had read that the taxi drivers all have a fixed price. Had we known that the taxis were mini-vans, we might have waited a few minutes to see if another couple came by wanting to share. (I originally thought 4 people in a small car would be too cramped.) The tour was fixed and standard with stops at all the sights. The rain had ceased, and the views over to North Africa were incredibly clear. It was interesting, and we asked to be dropped off at the main street where we bobbed into Marks and Spencers, a LLadro shop or two and some jewellers. There is a bus back to the border,(1 Euro), but we walked it in 10 minutes once we reached the end of the main street. It was a lot of fun as you have to walk across the main runway of the airport to leave Gibraltar. When we entered the taxi drove across the runway. Designated 'lanes' are labeled for pedestrians, but when a plane is coming access is blocked. We reached our car and drove on to Jerez. We stopped for lunch in a "restaurant" off the highway, and had fun trying to translate the menu, but the food was only passable (not inexpensive either). The Hotel Bella Artes in Jerez de la Frontera was well signposted, and we actually reached the hotel by following the signs. It is situated across from the cathedral, a few minutes from a couple of bodegas and next to the police station. It was lovely with a gorgeous terrace on the roof top. We wandered around Jerez in the evening, (another torn-up square!!), and stopped at a local bar for a sherry and tapas.
On Monday morning we left in the rain to drive to La Linea to visit Gibraltar. This detour added a few hours to our drive, as we could have driven on to Arcos the previous day and gone on to Jerez from there. However, I wanted to see Gibraltar. I am glad we went but would have no reason to return, unless it was to buy that Cartier watch tax and duty free!! We parked on the street right opposite the road going to customs at the border. We paid 5 Euros for a 6 hour parking ticket, but were back within 4 hours. It was so simple to walk across, show our passports and stop by the info. office at the border. It was here that we booked the 90 minute "Rock" tour by taxi. It cost 8 pounds per person plus 8 pounds per person for entry fees. This is based on 4 people. There were only two of us, so the total cost ended up being 50 pounds (a lot!!). Remember that we are now out of Spain and dealing in English pounds, although they took credit cards and Euros. We had read that the taxi drivers all have a fixed price. Had we known that the taxis were mini-vans, we might have waited a few minutes to see if another couple came by wanting to share. (I originally thought 4 people in a small car would be too cramped.) The tour was fixed and standard with stops at all the sights. The rain had ceased, and the views over to North Africa were incredibly clear. It was interesting, and we asked to be dropped off at the main street where we bobbed into Marks and Spencers, a LLadro shop or two and some jewellers. There is a bus back to the border,(1 Euro), but we walked it in 10 minutes once we reached the end of the main street. It was a lot of fun as you have to walk across the main runway of the airport to leave Gibraltar. When we entered the taxi drove across the runway. Designated 'lanes' are labeled for pedestrians, but when a plane is coming access is blocked. We reached our car and drove on to Jerez. We stopped for lunch in a "restaurant" off the highway, and had fun trying to translate the menu, but the food was only passable (not inexpensive either). The Hotel Bella Artes in Jerez de la Frontera was well signposted, and we actually reached the hotel by following the signs. It is situated across from the cathedral, a few minutes from a couple of bodegas and next to the police station. It was lovely with a gorgeous terrace on the roof top. We wandered around Jerez in the evening, (another torn-up square!!), and stopped at a local bar for a sherry and tapas.
Apr 4th, 2006, 07:01 PM
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Day 9
We went to see the Dancing Horses of Jerez at noon at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre. We booked our tickets on the Internet in advance and picked them up before the show. It was raining but we walked over and checked out Sandemann's bodega first. The tickets were 23 Euros each (this price was for the first two rows and we were right next to the VIP section). I think the other tickets are around 17 Euros. I am not a horse person but it was remarkable, and well worth seeing. The horsey people also enjoyed the training sessions. Performances are Tuesdays and Thursdays, but check out the web site especially if you are off season. Afterwards we popped in the Sherry Shop and tasted. Our hotel made a reservation for us at a phenomenal, very small place close to the Real Escuela. All the other diners were local business people. La Mesa Redona is kind of hidden but we found it. The meal was one of the best, and very reasonable. We shared an appetizer of prawns on circles of toast with a mild curry sauce. It was a huge serving. My pork was fabulous and Phil had fish. The desserts were delicious and we ended up with a half bottle of white with dessert (in addition to the red)! We spent from 3pm until 5pm eating and then walked over to the Gonzalez Byass bodega for the tour (Tio Pepe and Crofts are their big labels). It cost 8.5 Euros for a long tour including a boring film. I could have done without the mouse on the ladder...you have to see it to believe it. At the end we went to sit at tables and the tasting consisted of a half bottle of fino (dry) sherry for the two of us and a small glass of Crofts (also chips). Other sherries were also available when we went on to the shop. We personally like sweeter (dulce) sherries so we did a little more tasting. We bought a half bottle and some glasses as souvenirs. It was a great shop for gifts as was Sandemanns. I also got a canvas bag with 6 compartments for bottles (wine, sherry whatever). It had Tio Pepe embroidered on one side and cost 10 Euros. We wandered back to our hotel (about three minutes from the exit). The place is huge and the entrance is way around the other side from the Alcazar so it takes longer than you expect to get to the start of the tour. We wanted something to nibble on, and asked a local about a market. We were directed to a small local shop up a few streets from the hotel. what a find. I couldn't see bread or cheese and the owner spoke no English but motioned for us to wait. Maria, a flamenco dancer who is American but lives in Jerez, came over with the owner to translate. The owner, Pepe, wore a white apron and had the most twinkling eyes I have ever seen! He brought three glasses of sherry out from the back after Maria went back home, and we all drank a toast!! I think it was the most expensive cheese I have ever bought, but we went up on the roof terrace, had bread and wonderful cheese, and gazed at the cathedral which was lit up at night.
We went to see the Dancing Horses of Jerez at noon at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Ecuestre. We booked our tickets on the Internet in advance and picked them up before the show. It was raining but we walked over and checked out Sandemann's bodega first. The tickets were 23 Euros each (this price was for the first two rows and we were right next to the VIP section). I think the other tickets are around 17 Euros. I am not a horse person but it was remarkable, and well worth seeing. The horsey people also enjoyed the training sessions. Performances are Tuesdays and Thursdays, but check out the web site especially if you are off season. Afterwards we popped in the Sherry Shop and tasted. Our hotel made a reservation for us at a phenomenal, very small place close to the Real Escuela. All the other diners were local business people. La Mesa Redona is kind of hidden but we found it. The meal was one of the best, and very reasonable. We shared an appetizer of prawns on circles of toast with a mild curry sauce. It was a huge serving. My pork was fabulous and Phil had fish. The desserts were delicious and we ended up with a half bottle of white with dessert (in addition to the red)! We spent from 3pm until 5pm eating and then walked over to the Gonzalez Byass bodega for the tour (Tio Pepe and Crofts are their big labels). It cost 8.5 Euros for a long tour including a boring film. I could have done without the mouse on the ladder...you have to see it to believe it. At the end we went to sit at tables and the tasting consisted of a half bottle of fino (dry) sherry for the two of us and a small glass of Crofts (also chips). Other sherries were also available when we went on to the shop. We personally like sweeter (dulce) sherries so we did a little more tasting. We bought a half bottle and some glasses as souvenirs. It was a great shop for gifts as was Sandemanns. I also got a canvas bag with 6 compartments for bottles (wine, sherry whatever). It had Tio Pepe embroidered on one side and cost 10 Euros. We wandered back to our hotel (about three minutes from the exit). The place is huge and the entrance is way around the other side from the Alcazar so it takes longer than you expect to get to the start of the tour. We wanted something to nibble on, and asked a local about a market. We were directed to a small local shop up a few streets from the hotel. what a find. I couldn't see bread or cheese and the owner spoke no English but motioned for us to wait. Maria, a flamenco dancer who is American but lives in Jerez, came over with the owner to translate. The owner, Pepe, wore a white apron and had the most twinkling eyes I have ever seen! He brought three glasses of sherry out from the back after Maria went back home, and we all drank a toast!! I think it was the most expensive cheese I have ever bought, but we went up on the roof terrace, had bread and wonderful cheese, and gazed at the cathedral which was lit up at night.
Apr 30th, 2006, 06:54 AM
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Day 10
One more last zip around the square and off to Seville! We decided at the last minute to go via Arcos de la Frontera as we didn't have to have the car returned until 5pm in the city of Seville. Arcos was lovely and we walked around following the map of the sites obtained from the tourist office. Underground parking (!!) but a lot of spaces so okay. We stayed a couple of hours, but to be honest I was ready to leave off the car and enjoy 3 nights in Seville so was not wowed by arcos, although it is purportedly the finest of the white villages.
We arrived on the outskirts of Seville and what a disaster. We found out later that some of the bridges have two completely different names, so our directions did not make sense. We veered off course for a few miles (away from the cenre of the city) and I swear only due to divine intervention did we end up on a street name I recognized and followed directions from there. We stayed at the Melia Colon Hotel and I highly recommend it. It was around $144 a night including taxes and breakfast (more on this later). Anyway, the streets are so tiny and narrow and we got to a point where we were lost again and in the middle of a small square type of area blocking traffic in all directions! I ran out of the car to ask a bellboy in front of a hotel where to go and lo and behold the hotel was the Melia Colon. They removed a barrier and we pulled the car in just exhausted. Check-in went fine but the concierge was not too helpful and we had to return the dratted car. All up to room..we need your car to be moved! I had directions printed out but of course we got lost going to the car rental return. We had the street address but that was all. Well, the street was huge and we assumed return would be at the railway station on this same street. No! We filled up with gas and the attendent pointed us towards a street at a 90 degree angle which was a continuation of the same stree name. We must have driven up and down 3 times but no apparent car rental return. By this time the afternoon was almost gone, and we went back to the railway station and to another car rental return. The person there pointed to a large hotel and told us the white building behind it. Try again! Around the one way train station traffic and back to the area he pointed out. Nothing. We parked in a lot in a miniscule place and I asked the self-appointed traffic director (you know what kind of a person I mean...somewhat of a rum looking character!) where the return was for Crown Car Rental. Bear in mind I asked for directions back in malaga but there were none...lucky I had even the street name. And there it was....a small office on the ground floor of a multistorey building and no lot in sight. Also, no attendant. I walked back to where my husband was guarding the car and told him I had found the office but it was locked. I went back and there the attendant was..he had been at the lot...never did find out where it was...and he asked me to bring the car to the office. I outright refused (very politely) as there was no way I was going (or rather my husband was going!) to drive that car one inch further. At one point Phil had suggested dumping car and keys anywhere in Seville as we had insurance!!! It took a couple of hours to return this car!! All was well and he showed us where to get a taxi. No way..we had been stuck in a car and would walk back. This turned out great as we ended up Casa de Pilatos (closed for the evening but at least we knew where it was) and passed several 'sights' in that area of the city. Had dinner at a disappinting restaurant..will try to recall the name..have misplaced my notes.
PS
No luggage yet from our Amazon trip (it has been impounded by US customs in Miami according to LAB airlines who took it off the plane when we departed Manaus as the plane was overweight)!! We returned over a week ago.
One more last zip around the square and off to Seville! We decided at the last minute to go via Arcos de la Frontera as we didn't have to have the car returned until 5pm in the city of Seville. Arcos was lovely and we walked around following the map of the sites obtained from the tourist office. Underground parking (!!) but a lot of spaces so okay. We stayed a couple of hours, but to be honest I was ready to leave off the car and enjoy 3 nights in Seville so was not wowed by arcos, although it is purportedly the finest of the white villages.
We arrived on the outskirts of Seville and what a disaster. We found out later that some of the bridges have two completely different names, so our directions did not make sense. We veered off course for a few miles (away from the cenre of the city) and I swear only due to divine intervention did we end up on a street name I recognized and followed directions from there. We stayed at the Melia Colon Hotel and I highly recommend it. It was around $144 a night including taxes and breakfast (more on this later). Anyway, the streets are so tiny and narrow and we got to a point where we were lost again and in the middle of a small square type of area blocking traffic in all directions! I ran out of the car to ask a bellboy in front of a hotel where to go and lo and behold the hotel was the Melia Colon. They removed a barrier and we pulled the car in just exhausted. Check-in went fine but the concierge was not too helpful and we had to return the dratted car. All up to room..we need your car to be moved! I had directions printed out but of course we got lost going to the car rental return. We had the street address but that was all. Well, the street was huge and we assumed return would be at the railway station on this same street. No! We filled up with gas and the attendent pointed us towards a street at a 90 degree angle which was a continuation of the same stree name. We must have driven up and down 3 times but no apparent car rental return. By this time the afternoon was almost gone, and we went back to the railway station and to another car rental return. The person there pointed to a large hotel and told us the white building behind it. Try again! Around the one way train station traffic and back to the area he pointed out. Nothing. We parked in a lot in a miniscule place and I asked the self-appointed traffic director (you know what kind of a person I mean...somewhat of a rum looking character!) where the return was for Crown Car Rental. Bear in mind I asked for directions back in malaga but there were none...lucky I had even the street name. And there it was....a small office on the ground floor of a multistorey building and no lot in sight. Also, no attendant. I walked back to where my husband was guarding the car and told him I had found the office but it was locked. I went back and there the attendant was..he had been at the lot...never did find out where it was...and he asked me to bring the car to the office. I outright refused (very politely) as there was no way I was going (or rather my husband was going!) to drive that car one inch further. At one point Phil had suggested dumping car and keys anywhere in Seville as we had insurance!!! It took a couple of hours to return this car!! All was well and he showed us where to get a taxi. No way..we had been stuck in a car and would walk back. This turned out great as we ended up Casa de Pilatos (closed for the evening but at least we knew where it was) and passed several 'sights' in that area of the city. Had dinner at a disappinting restaurant..will try to recall the name..have misplaced my notes.
PS
No luggage yet from our Amazon trip (it has been impounded by US customs in Miami according to LAB airlines who took it off the plane when we departed Manaus as the plane was overweight)!! We returned over a week ago.
Sep 4th, 2006, 10:44 AM
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After all these months I continue...I must complete what I started!!
Well, the luggage did arrive 12 days later and all basically intact, apart from a broken zipper on a suitcase. We were fortunate to receive it as customs had apparently demanded it be returned to Manaus. LAB decided to send it to me instead!!
Now, the mediocre dinner was at Casa Robles in Seville. The ambiance was fine and indeed we were lucky to have gone just early enough to only have to wait 20 minutes for a table. I would not go back.
Day 11
Breakfast at the Melia Colon was fabulous. All you could wish to eat and splits of champagne on ice on a table close to the buffet (which were included in the bed and breakfast rate!). The location of the hotel was such that we could walk everywhere.
We spent a lot of time wandering the Barrio Santa Cruz. We came across (or rather she came across us!!) an elderly well-spoken English lady who asked for money as her friends had been delayed in returning to Seville, and although she had a key to the apartment there was no food. It sounded like the exact same person mentioned in Frances Mayes' latest book. I think it is "A Year in the Life". We went to the Cathedral (the third largest in the world) and climbed the minaret: the Giralda Bell Tower (both must-sees). We enjoyed eavesdropping on the guides as they discussed the DNA testing on Christopher Columbus, whose remains are purportedly interred there. This claim is disputed by Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, and from my analysis the latest conclusion is that part of his body is in each of the two places (according to Spain).
The weather was cool but starting to get sunnier. We appreciated the cool weather on this trip as the last day in Seville was so much warmer and walking was much more tiring in the heat (not that it was hot!!).
We went to lunch at La Taberna del Alabardero at Zaragoza 20. This is a cooking school, and although it is quite ritzy and expensive upstairs, we ate downstairs from a fixed menu with a few choices for each of the 3 courses served by culinary students. The 19th century mansion is lovely, and there is a bar (the wait for a table can be quite long). There are no reservations downstairs.
I cannot remember what we did for dinner, but we did go to the 5 star Hotel Alfonso XIII to look around. By the way, we could have got a room there for Friday night for 150 Euros on one of the internet sites. However, even with that super deal of a room rate, I wasn't about to change hotels for less than a day!
Day 12
After our fill of champagne and fabulous food, we walked to Casa de Pilatos, an early 16th century mansion. It was well worth a visit and do take the tour if you go. The gardens are lovely and the Moorish tiles gorgeous. The furnished upstairs rooms are part of the guided tour. They are beautiful with some great art pieces, but the tour times are quite infrequent so check these out before you go.
We then wandered through the side streets visiting a couple of local churches and wandered across the bridge to Triana. We had a late lunch in a hotel restaurant. There was a business gathering, so the waitress stopped by our table (we were the only ones in the restaurant) so that we could sample all the hors d'oeuvres before the trays were taken into the lobby area. No-one spoke English, but there was a translated fixed price menu which was surprisingly good. After lunch the pottery and tile places slowly began to open (no rush in this area and no adherence to opening times posted for the late afternoon!). I wasn't tempted to buy anything. I much preferred the pottery in Ubeda, and I was still moving my one purchase from there from hotel to hotel!
My husband visited the Museo de Bellas Artes which he liked very much. I wandered around the shops...no purchases.
We had to pack,and can you believe that the hotel had us order a complimentary breakfast from room service as we had to leave so early the next morning. The flight to London on Iberia was uneventful, and we connected to our Los Angeles flight.
It was an unbelievably wonderful vacation, and we are already considering a drive through Portugal next year.
Well, the luggage did arrive 12 days later and all basically intact, apart from a broken zipper on a suitcase. We were fortunate to receive it as customs had apparently demanded it be returned to Manaus. LAB decided to send it to me instead!!
Now, the mediocre dinner was at Casa Robles in Seville. The ambiance was fine and indeed we were lucky to have gone just early enough to only have to wait 20 minutes for a table. I would not go back.
Day 11
Breakfast at the Melia Colon was fabulous. All you could wish to eat and splits of champagne on ice on a table close to the buffet (which were included in the bed and breakfast rate!). The location of the hotel was such that we could walk everywhere.
We spent a lot of time wandering the Barrio Santa Cruz. We came across (or rather she came across us!!) an elderly well-spoken English lady who asked for money as her friends had been delayed in returning to Seville, and although she had a key to the apartment there was no food. It sounded like the exact same person mentioned in Frances Mayes' latest book. I think it is "A Year in the Life". We went to the Cathedral (the third largest in the world) and climbed the minaret: the Giralda Bell Tower (both must-sees). We enjoyed eavesdropping on the guides as they discussed the DNA testing on Christopher Columbus, whose remains are purportedly interred there. This claim is disputed by Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, and from my analysis the latest conclusion is that part of his body is in each of the two places (according to Spain).
The weather was cool but starting to get sunnier. We appreciated the cool weather on this trip as the last day in Seville was so much warmer and walking was much more tiring in the heat (not that it was hot!!).
We went to lunch at La Taberna del Alabardero at Zaragoza 20. This is a cooking school, and although it is quite ritzy and expensive upstairs, we ate downstairs from a fixed menu with a few choices for each of the 3 courses served by culinary students. The 19th century mansion is lovely, and there is a bar (the wait for a table can be quite long). There are no reservations downstairs.
I cannot remember what we did for dinner, but we did go to the 5 star Hotel Alfonso XIII to look around. By the way, we could have got a room there for Friday night for 150 Euros on one of the internet sites. However, even with that super deal of a room rate, I wasn't about to change hotels for less than a day!
Day 12
After our fill of champagne and fabulous food, we walked to Casa de Pilatos, an early 16th century mansion. It was well worth a visit and do take the tour if you go. The gardens are lovely and the Moorish tiles gorgeous. The furnished upstairs rooms are part of the guided tour. They are beautiful with some great art pieces, but the tour times are quite infrequent so check these out before you go.
We then wandered through the side streets visiting a couple of local churches and wandered across the bridge to Triana. We had a late lunch in a hotel restaurant. There was a business gathering, so the waitress stopped by our table (we were the only ones in the restaurant) so that we could sample all the hors d'oeuvres before the trays were taken into the lobby area. No-one spoke English, but there was a translated fixed price menu which was surprisingly good. After lunch the pottery and tile places slowly began to open (no rush in this area and no adherence to opening times posted for the late afternoon!). I wasn't tempted to buy anything. I much preferred the pottery in Ubeda, and I was still moving my one purchase from there from hotel to hotel!
My husband visited the Museo de Bellas Artes which he liked very much. I wandered around the shops...no purchases.
We had to pack,and can you believe that the hotel had us order a complimentary breakfast from room service as we had to leave so early the next morning. The flight to London on Iberia was uneventful, and we connected to our Los Angeles flight.
It was an unbelievably wonderful vacation, and we are already considering a drive through Portugal next year.
