Bienvenidos Sevilla: three UNESCO World Heritage Sites in one city!

Basilica de la Macarena



When we arrived in Seville, it was 41 degrees. By the time we left, it was 45. Needless to say, it was HOT. But even so, we had to make the most of our day and a half there as we had quite a few places to see. Seville is the capital of the region of Andalucia and is the cultural and financial centre of southern Spain. It is also home to three UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Alcázar palace, the Cathedral of Seville and the General Archive of the Indies. The Seville harbour, located about 80 km from the Atlantic Ocean, is the only river port in Spain. How’s that for credentials?!

One can get around in the centre of Seville (and other major cities in Spain) via bike. We actually took the bus and the system was fairly easy as well. The first site we visited was the Basilica de la Macarena where the image of the Virgin of Macarena, the patron of bullfighters, is revered. It was not as grand as the Cathedral, but still a good place to say a prayer or light a candle.

We had some tapas for dinner at around 8pm and only because the Bar Plata in Macarena accommodated us.  Keep in mind that a lot of the stores close for siesta (afternoon nap), usually from 2pm to 5pm or so. The restaurants in the area of Alameda de Hercules opened at about 830pm, the earliest. Hubby and I usually have early dinner. So, around 7pm, our stomachs were already growling. Thank goodness we were served at 8pm or we might have fainted! The tapas of Bar Plata were okay (it was a hit and miss sort of thing) but it was the hot chocolate which was just divine. Despite the heat, we just had to try their hot chocolate which seemed to be one of the restaurant’s specialties. They even had a separate menu just for the chocolate.

Plaza de España

The next day, we started early with a visit to the Plaza de España, the Spanish pavilion from the 1929 World Fair. The architecture was just majestic and romantic. It was even used as a set in one of the Star Wars movies. I kept expecting Jedi masters to walk around the corner. We also passed by the Parque María Luisa with its landscaped gardens beside attractive buildings and monuments. The city was lovely.

We then embarked on a walking tour which began with the first of the UNESCO World Heritage sites we saw--the Cathedral of Seville. It is the largest Gothic cathedral in Europe and the 3rd largest in the world. I love Gothic architecture! So you can just imagine how I walked in and around the Cathedral in awe.

It also contained the remains of Christopher Columbus (or maybe his brother?) in a tomb carried by four figures representing the four kingdoms of Spain during his time.

Tomb of Christopher Colombus

 We then walked to the Jewish Quarter (in Barrio de Santa Cruz), a very charming area with gardens of orange trees. The fragrance from the orange trees slightly masked the vapors of dog poo (no poop and scoop, as we had discovered) being heated on the pavements. Some say these were most likely the scent of fertilizers used in the many gardens of Seville. Um, well… I guess that was a better way of looking at things.

After, we went to the 7th century Moorish palace, the Alcázar. Its architecture was quite extravagant. Outside, there were lavish fountains and lush gardens. It was very picturesque and filled with history.


the Alcázar

 We also went into the Archive of the Indies where we watched a video of the development of this once significant port and its transformation from a merchant’s chamber of commerce to housing the documentation of the trade with the Indies. Despite all these tours and visits, we had enough time to check out the Bull Ring (Plaza de Toros) and do some shopping in the area (there were several stores open during siesta! Wahoo!). We then caught our bus in front of El Corte Ingles, a mall which we found in practically all the Spanish cities we visited.

Plaza de Toros

 In the evening, we watched a Flamenco show at El Patio Sevillano. Admission included a drink and a 90-minute fiery Flamenco performance of skilled dancers showing their mastery of castanets and fans, as well as their skirts. The dresses were beautiful and the dancing was awesome. As for the drink, however, it might have been better if I ordered a cerverza (beer) instead of sangria (wine-based cocktail), which was a bit watered down.

Flamenco show at El Patio Sevillano

 It was a whirlwind of a visit in Seville, considering we saw a LOT in such a short time. But we did get to see what we wanted to see, and more!

the gardens of the Alcázar

La Mancha and Cordoba

On our way to Cordoba, we stopped by the very quaint region of La Mancha, made famous by Cervantes’ Don Quixote. As can be expected, souvenir shops would have anything and everything Don Quixote and his sidekick, Sancho Panza—from the usual magnets and key chains to apparel and figurines. But more than that, La Mancha is also known for producing the finest saffron in Spain. And as it was quite expensive, the small containers of this spice were kept under lock in glass display cases, unlike the Don Quixote merchandise.

In Cordoba, we visited the Mezquita or Mosque-Cathedral, called such because the original Mosque was converted into a Cathedral after the Reconquista (where King Ferdinand conquered this Muslim stronghold).

The structure was just magnificent, with beautiful Moorish arches leading into the Renaissance Cathedral within. Countless columns representing palm trees in the oases of Syria and made of several materials (including marble and granite) filled what was the prayer room.

You would actually think you were inside a Mosque until you see the richly gilded altars and chapels along the walls and the magnificent organ leading into the nave of the Cathedral. And inside the Cathedral, you wouldn’t even see a glimpse of the Muslim structure beyond. The ceiling of the Cathedral dome was so intricately crafted that you can marvel at it for hours without regard for a stiff neck. Note that you cannot be walking and looking up at the same time or you will either be tripping or bumping into the hundreds of other tourists who have also become lost in the beauty of the architecture. The fancy woodwork of the choir area, whose artist lay buried in the middle, told stories from the Bible. And the Baroque pulpits reminded me of St. Peter’s Basilica, although not quite as grand.

Outside on the courtyard, orange and palm trees lay below the bell tower which was constructed to cover the minaret. Atop was a statue of St. Rafael, Cordoba’s patron saint and source of the name of the thousands of Rafael’s and Rafaela’s in Cordoba. Beyond the Mezquita, there were also many cafés and stores selling beautiful ceramics and glassware.

In Cordoba, one is not only treated to history and architecture, but also eating and shopping. What more can you ask for?

Holy Toledo!

About an hour from Madrid, we saw one of the loveliest cities in Spain (at least for hubby and me)--Toledo. Approaching the walled city brought about some oohs and ahhs as we marveled at the towers (dating from the time of the Visigoths) and beauty of the houses and structures sprinkled on the mountains.  It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its extensive cultural and monumental heritage. Christian, Muslim and Jewish cultures used to co-exist here. Amazing!

We went on a walking tour of Toledo where we visited the Church of Santo Tomé. Here we saw one of El Greco’s most famous paintings – The Burial of Count Orgaz. The detail was so amazing and well-explained by our guide, it felt like I was listening to an audio of Annotated Art.

one of the walls honouring El Greco

We then walked along the Jewish Quarter where cobbled streets had ceramic tiles containing Jewish icons along the path.  

We also visited the Synagogue which had some replicas and quite a few well-preserved materials with intricate designs.

As we continued on our walking tour, we passed a couple of bakeries selling mazapán, an almond pastry made by the nuns. Some were made into very fancy shapes and they were simply delicious! 

There were several religious orders and convents in Toledo—highlighting the city as a Catholic centre. In fact, one of the most magnificent structures we saw was the Cathedral of Toledo with its richly decorated, big Gothic doors. Holy Toledo, indeed!

We also checked out a small factory/workshop, whose artisans demonstrated how to make swords and Damasquinado jewellery. Toledo is the world’s largest centre of production of Damascene art, in which metals are decorated with gold or silver, usually with designs originating from the region’s Muslim heritage. There were also geometric and other modern designs, not just Arabesque. The price of the products would depend on whether it was a master who created the piece or if it was an apprentice. The cheapest, of course, would be the machine-made ones.

Toledo is also known for its steel, reputed to be unusually strong. Several stores displayed beautifully handcrafted swords. And as it was known for its swords, it was only logical that the swords from “The Lord of the Rings” would be crafted there.  Yes, including Aragorn’s Andúril. And as we could not bring these back home, we just took pictures—lots of them.

España and some interesting spots to check out in Madrid

Hubby and I flew about 5,000 miles and 11 hours (with layover) to embark on an 1800km ride around Spain. We had always wanted to go to Spain, as it was one of the European countries we missed during our honeymoon trip 10 years ago. So, despite news of economic crises and rising rates of petty crimes in

several cities, we decided to still give it a go. And boy, were we glad we did! There were repeated warnings to beware of pickpockets but as we were as vigilant as we would have been in any other major city, our trip went without incident. Whew! Sure there were homeless people and gypsies on the streets, but that was not as different as what you will find, let’s say, in Paris. Well, except maybe that everything was translated into Spanish, even Broadway shows.

The sights, the food, the architecture, the culture and the history were so rich, the trip was well worth the risk. We first arrived in Spain's capital with very low expectations. A couple of folks had told me that Madrid was much like Manila so we were not really expecting anything new. But while Plaza de España and Puerta del Sol, the city’s hub, were packed like the nightmarkets of Greenhills in December, it was not quite like Manila. Grand fountains and buildings with statues atop actually made us feel like we were in Italy. Sure graffiti was everywhere, but that was also how it was in Rome when we were there. 

On our first day, we checked out the Cathedral and the Palace (though apparently not used as the King's residence). 

Almudena Cathedral

Gardens of the Royal Palace

We also went to Plaza de Colón with giant monuments on which there were inscriptions of several quotes. Beside it, they had the pretty Gardens of Discovery. This plaza commemorates the discovery of the Americas by Christopher Columbus (or Cristóbal Colón in Spanish). As we walked in the main square, the red and yellow flag of Spain flew half mast in memory of the victims of the train crash a week before we arrived. 

Plaza de Colon

We had tapas (a variety of appetizers or small dishes) and wine at Cinco Jotas at a street nearby. We started off with some jamón (ham), gazpacho (tomato-based cold soup), croquetas (breaded potatoes filled with meat or vegetables) and vino tinto (red wine). Speaking of wine, it should be noted that while I love wine, I’ve never had so much in a short span of time. We would have wine practically with every meal! Not that I’m complaining but it will explain why hubby (who has a low tolerance level for alcohol) was red most of the time—not that he is mestizo! 

The next day, after an excursion to Toledo, we tried to go to another of the must-see’s in Madrid, the Museo del Prado, one of the top museums in the world, containing works of masters such as Goya. But as it was Sunday (and supposedly free on that day), the line up reached all the way to the Jardin Botanico (Botanical garden)! We did not have a lot of time so, sadly, we had to skip this one. The Reina Sofia Museum, another attraction which at that time had an exhibit of Dali, was also sold out. 

Museo del Prado

So, instead, we walked along the Gran Via and went to another “museum”—Museo del Jamón. This deli chain was called such most likely because of the rows of ham legs “exhibited” all over the store. “Eat me,” they seemed to say! So, eat we did! We got some Jamón Ibérico de Bellota or pata negra (cured ham leg of a black pig). The paper-thin jamón simply melted in our mouths. At €16 for a mere 200g, it was pricey but it was SO heavenly. It was not overwhelmingly salty and had hints of nuttiness—a hands-down winner over our more commonly available prosciutto. We also got some bread and wine (of course!) to complete our meal.

But wait, our meal wasn’t quite complete at that point. We had to have some dessert! Churros, a fried pastry dough, is commonly eaten for breakfast or snack. But I eat it anytime, even for dessert. So, we went to D’Ch for our dessert--churros con chocolate. The churros was light and not oily and the hot chocolate (for dipping) was decadent. 

This meal set the tone for what we would eat during our whole trip. This would also explain the extra pounds I brought home with me—and it is not my luggage.

Madrid on Dwellable