One day - El Escorial or Cordoba?
Dec 20th, 2008, 01:23 AM
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One day - El Escorial or Cordoba?
If you are limited to one day to visit either El Escorial or Cordoba, which would you choose?
We are already planning on visiting Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Marbella and Barcelona.
Thanks for any advice.
We are already planning on visiting Madrid, Toledo, Granada, Seville, Marbella and Barcelona.
Thanks for any advice.
Dec 20th, 2008, 02:53 AM
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As you know El Escorial is a monastery , huge.It is linked mainly to Philip II, also in a minor way to his father Charles V and also shows the coming of the Bourbons into Spain.
Mainly it shows Philip II 's Imperial Spain at its height.
On the other hand Cordoba is a city, with a long history under the occupation of Spain by the moors .The occupation lasted many centuries and the Mesquite de Cordoba is fascinating to visit.
As the capital of el ANdalus Cordoba became a great center of learning and a great trading center.
I would choose Cordoba because if it true that everyone who visits Cordoba comes for the Mesquite you should spare some time to explore as much as you can the city itself.
Inside the Mesquite, Charles V in the XVI century order the construction
of a Coro and Capilla Mayor , that is, a church inside a small part of the huge mesquite.
In summary I guess you cannot compare the visit to a monastery palace even as important and fascinating as El Escorial with a visit to a City with such a past as Cordoba.
In Cordoba near the Mesquite , the Restaurant El Caballo Rojo, if one of my favorites in all Spain.
Mainly it shows Philip II 's Imperial Spain at its height.
On the other hand Cordoba is a city, with a long history under the occupation of Spain by the moors .The occupation lasted many centuries and the Mesquite de Cordoba is fascinating to visit.
As the capital of el ANdalus Cordoba became a great center of learning and a great trading center.
I would choose Cordoba because if it true that everyone who visits Cordoba comes for the Mesquite you should spare some time to explore as much as you can the city itself.
Inside the Mesquite, Charles V in the XVI century order the construction
of a Coro and Capilla Mayor , that is, a church inside a small part of the huge mesquite.
In summary I guess you cannot compare the visit to a monastery palace even as important and fascinating as El Escorial with a visit to a City with such a past as Cordoba.
In Cordoba near the Mesquite , the Restaurant El Caballo Rojo, if one of my favorites in all Spain.
Dec 20th, 2008, 12:16 PM
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There is a small town, San Lorenzo, (I think) that's the name, that is where El Escorial is located and after spending a few hours exploring the monastery, we had lunch and shopped in this town. It was basically a pit stop on our way from Madrid to Segovia. It was a relaxing way to spend most of that day. The royal tombs there were very impressive, and pretty eye popping, especially if you're a girl from Kansas! Nothing like it here!
I have to agree with Grazi, that 1 can't compare with the other. Cordoba has a great historic center to explore, with an amazing Mezquite, an Alcazar with beautiful grounds and a small sinagoga from the times of the Inquisition that is still intact, which in Spain usually isn't the case. There is some important Jewish history there, in that Maimonades, an ancient doctor & Rabbi was born there.
There are also really good affordable galleries with some real talent. It's not just tourist junk. I have to say a word about the restaurant referred to by Grazi & Maribel.
I think we ate there, and had heard so many good things about it that we decided to use this as our "special" reastaurant. This was a girls trip, financed by hardworking DH's, so we were trying to watch our pennies and not spend much on food. We ate well, just inexpensively. Wine, bread, salads and a few tapas top share were our usual meals.
So we walk in and go upstairs, (I'm talking about the El Caballo Rojo) right? You go upstairs and there's a Maitre de and beautifully set tables and we sit down and order wine and the waiter brings us complimentary appies. Gazpacho, as I recall. Looking good so far, and we are excited. Finally, a great meal! I decided to get the house vegetarian special. I won't even go into what my friends ordered, just me. It was suppose to be Artichokes with Beans and a Secret Sauce. Yum!!! Now, regrettably, I am not a gourmet, but I have been around now for 57 years so I know canned beans when I see them. On top of the beans were canned artichoke hearts and the amber colored sauce kind of swimming on top. I kept saying, "I don't know what this mess is, but it's familiar." So I pass the plate around and we figured it out. Pancake syrup! Yup, that was the secret sauce. I'm assuming this restaurant is the one that was recommended, right across from the Mezquite?
I have to agree with Grazi, that 1 can't compare with the other. Cordoba has a great historic center to explore, with an amazing Mezquite, an Alcazar with beautiful grounds and a small sinagoga from the times of the Inquisition that is still intact, which in Spain usually isn't the case. There is some important Jewish history there, in that Maimonades, an ancient doctor & Rabbi was born there.
There are also really good affordable galleries with some real talent. It's not just tourist junk. I have to say a word about the restaurant referred to by Grazi & Maribel.
I think we ate there, and had heard so many good things about it that we decided to use this as our "special" reastaurant. This was a girls trip, financed by hardworking DH's, so we were trying to watch our pennies and not spend much on food. We ate well, just inexpensively. Wine, bread, salads and a few tapas top share were our usual meals.
So we walk in and go upstairs, (I'm talking about the El Caballo Rojo) right? You go upstairs and there's a Maitre de and beautifully set tables and we sit down and order wine and the waiter brings us complimentary appies. Gazpacho, as I recall. Looking good so far, and we are excited. Finally, a great meal! I decided to get the house vegetarian special. I won't even go into what my friends ordered, just me. It was suppose to be Artichokes with Beans and a Secret Sauce. Yum!!! Now, regrettably, I am not a gourmet, but I have been around now for 57 years so I know canned beans when I see them. On top of the beans were canned artichoke hearts and the amber colored sauce kind of swimming on top. I kept saying, "I don't know what this mess is, but it's familiar." So I pass the plate around and we figured it out. Pancake syrup! Yup, that was the secret sauce. I'm assuming this restaurant is the one that was recommended, right across from the Mezquite?
Dec 20th, 2008, 12:31 PM
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I've not been to El Caballo Rojo, but the recipe for what sounds like a similar dish is on their website; cane sugar and raisins provide the sweetness.
I cannot link the actual recipe here, but you can access it through this site:
Hearts of Alcauciles (this is a new word for me--I would have called them alcachofas!!), with beans, raisins and pine nuts
http://www.elcaballorojo.com/
What is pancake syrup--maple syrup?
I cannot link the actual recipe here, but you can access it through this site:
Hearts of Alcauciles (this is a new word for me--I would have called them alcachofas!!), with beans, raisins and pine nuts
http://www.elcaballorojo.com/
What is pancake syrup--maple syrup?
Dec 20th, 2008, 12:36 PM
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Hi zwho and escrunchy,
I think that's the dish that you may be referring to, "hearts of alcauciles"-the picture and ingredients listed on their web page. El Caballo Rojo specializes in Sephardic and traditional Hispano-Arab recipes, some which have honey, cane syrup or raisins as ingredients.
I think that's the dish that you may be referring to, "hearts of alcauciles"-the picture and ingredients listed on their web page. El Caballo Rojo specializes in Sephardic and traditional Hispano-Arab recipes, some which have honey, cane syrup or raisins as ingredients.
Dec 20th, 2008, 01:18 PM
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Yep, it's a synonym, comes from Arabic.
I've only seen it used in Andalucía.
Around Tudela, Navarra, where the most wonderful artichokes come from, they're alcachofas. We had the best dish of them I've ever had in my entire life, just last month at a fantastic new chateau hotel/winery Pago de Cirsus.
www.pagodecirsus.com
Put this one HIGH on your list (including their wines, especially the barrel fermented chardonnay)!!
I've only seen it used in Andalucía.
Around Tudela, Navarra, where the most wonderful artichokes come from, they're alcachofas. We had the best dish of them I've ever had in my entire life, just last month at a fantastic new chateau hotel/winery Pago de Cirsus.
www.pagodecirsus.com
Put this one HIGH on your list (including their wines, especially the barrel fermented chardonnay)!!
Dec 21st, 2008, 11:16 AM
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AND pine nuts! Thats what I was forgetting. As I said I'm not a gourmet. It sounded good, it just didn't taste good. (To me). Thanks Ekscrunchy and Maribel for explaining the menu. Pancake syrups like Mrs. Butterworth or Log Cabin, fake maple syrup. I have to look at the restaurants web site. Even though we didn't personally enjoy our meals, we have great memories about the restaurant and just how odd (WE) thought the food was. Sometimes you just have to laugh. The service was great though!
Dec 21st, 2008, 03:42 PM
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Another vote for Cordoba! You really can not miss the Mezquita!!
We are very fond of Cordoba as our best friend in Spain is from there. This is our 3rd winter in Andalucia and we love it.
We took family to El Caballo Rojo and everyone loved the food.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2007/0...rojo.html#more
They also enjoyed La Mezquita!
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2007/03/la-mezquita.html
Don't miss it! Unique in this world ( and we have seen a lot!).
We are very fond of Cordoba as our best friend in Spain is from there. This is our 3rd winter in Andalucia and we love it.
We took family to El Caballo Rojo and everyone loved the food.
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2007/0...rojo.html#more
They also enjoyed La Mezquita!
http://www.soultravelers3.com/2007/03/la-mezquita.html
Don't miss it! Unique in this world ( and we have seen a lot!).
Feb 22nd, 2009, 06:17 AM
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If you go to Toledo (instead of Cordoba) you can easily go to El Escorial in the same day. They're close together. You would also have time to go to Valle de los Caidos which is also very close. Toledo is at least as interesting as Cordoba, IMHO. You'll have plenty of time to see all three in one day. Cordoba, on the other hand, is MUCH farther south and a substantial distance from El Escorial. Given a choice between Toledo and Cordoba, I think I'd still opt for Toledo. Better yet, stay an extra day and see both.
Feb 22nd, 2009, 06:58 AM
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I was a Spanish teacher in a previous incarnation. 
I went to El Escorial. Unless you are really interested in dead Spanish monarchs and, IMO, rather ugly architecture (if memory serves, that trip in the previous lifetime was >30 years ago), I would go to Cordoba!
I went to El Escorial. Unless you are really interested in dead Spanish monarchs and, IMO, rather ugly architecture (if memory serves, that trip in the previous lifetime was >30 years ago), I would go to Cordoba!
