Spain - Our Top 10

Over our four weeks in Spain we were able to cover a lot of ground, visiting Madrid, Barcelona, and a number of cities in Andalusia with a short stopover in Lisbon part way through. Here are our favorite sites, most memorable meals, and must see attractions from our time in beautiful Spain!

Mezquita 

If you've had a chance to read up on our visit to the Mezquita in Cordoba, it's probably not a surprise that it took the top spot. From our first steps inside we were captivated by the forest of red and white arches, while the detail of the Mihrab and the stunning Renaissance chapel and alter rendered us speechless for the duration of our visit. 

Segovia

A popular day trip from Madrid, Segovia grabbed out attention with it's stunning aqueducts and held it throughout the afternoon with a display of breathtaking viewpoints, a fairytale like alcazar, and an incredible gothic cathedral.  

 
 

Markets Galore 

Travis may go for the food and Calli for anything kitschy, but in the end cheap prices and people watching is the great equalizer. We've found wonderful markets throughout Spain, from La Boqueria in Barcelona to San Miquel Market in Madrid, and wonderful small flea markets throughout Andalucia, we definitely got our fill of window shopping.

 

 

Alhambra 

The last and greatest palace complex of the Moorish civilization in Spain is not only Granada's crowning jewel but a definite must see as well. The lines may be long, the admission process a bit convoluted, and the site expansive, but any confusion and sore feet are immediately forgotten upon entering the Nasrid Palace. 

 

Seville's Alcazar 

Like much of Andalucia, the beauty within this building lies in the seamless melding of Islam and Christianity. Rennaisance ceilings in some rooms, intricate tile work in others, and a central garden and reflecting pond made famous by Ridley Scott.

 

Gaudi 

Gaudi devoted over forty years to shaping Barcelona's architectural landscape and today, the city, and millions of tourists each year, pay homage to his creative genius. With seven of his buildings categorized as protected UNESCO World Heritage sites there are plenty of chances to contemplate his unique style. 

 
Prado Museum 

Although the French Impressionists at the Thyssen topped our list of Top 10 Art - Spain and Portugal, the Prado museum won us over in the end. With a seemingly endless collection of paintings and sculpture it's possible to spend a week here and still not see everything.

 
Madrid's Architecture 

From the Cathedral to the Royal Palace to the Piazza Mayor to the Gran Via, no city thus far (except maybe Zagreb) has put on such a display of architecture. Wandering through the city we didn't know where to look next, or where to focus the camera.

 

 

Plaza de Espana 

Hearing it was a worth a look, we decided to wander towards Parque de Maria Luisa one morning during our time in Seville. We ended up spending half the morning exploring and photographing the amazing Plaza de Espana. In a city boasting one of the largest cathedrals in the world and the only alcazar still in use in Europe, the Plaza has some heavy competition and it definitely holds its own.

 

 

Atletico Madrid Match 

We had a blast walking around the stadium, watching old people scream at the players, and laughing as a young guy paced up and down the aisles "coaching" the players and yelling instructions to the (actual) coach across the stadium. Oh and seeing a 30 yard volley to win the game in the 94th minute wasn't too bad either.

 

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Toledo Daytrip - Cathedrals, Art, and a Train Station

If you've had a chance to read up on our day trip to Segovia. you are already aware that we also decided to visit Toledo during our time in Madrid. If you weren't aware, sorry to have ruined the surprise.

We arrived in Toledo mid morning and were immediately impressed as our train pulled into the station. Our first real taste of Moorish inspired architecture, the station's brick facade is rivaled only by it's intricately tiled interior complete with original wood carved ticket windows and stained glass. 

Exterior with clock tower

Carved wood ticket counter and tile floors

Tiles walls, arched windows, and stained glass

Upon exiting the station we were met by the regular row of taxis and open-top tour buses offering transportation for 6-10 Euros. Although more affordable than most transportation offers we've encountered, being frugal and fit we chose to start walking and see where we ended up. The choice was a good one, as Toledo is only about 5 minutes be foot from the train station (albeit uphill), and the walk offers some great views of the city walls and the Tagus River. 

City walls and Alcazar

Bridged entryway

We spent a few hours exploring the narrow streets before stumbling onto the Cathedral, where a zumba group of about 250 people was part way through their workout routine in the main square. With techno blaring from the surprisingly large speakers, it was quite a sight to see tourists, old and young, joining in on the fun. All the commotion made entering the Cathedral a bit of an ordeal; however, once inside we found solitude, with only the faint rhythm of some Coldplay drifting through the main doors. 

The interior was impressive, an over-the-top gold alterpiece with multiple floor to ceiling organs as well as a second, ornately carved and painted Baroque alterpiece, all surrounded by richly decorated chapels. In addition to the stunning alters, the Cathedral features a small museum of original paintings, with multiple notable works by El Greco. 

Gilded Cathedral Alter

Exterior steeple

Smaller gated entry

Toledo had a lot to live up to after our jaw dropping visit to Segovia the day before, and perhaps our expectations were unfairly high as we felt a bit let down in the end. However, it's worth noting that Toledo also offers an Alcazar and many other churches to explore, we simply chose not to part with our hard earned Euros for a glimpse inside. Overall, both cities complimented each other well, but if we only had one day we'd head for Segovia. 


*A reminder, we post our full photo sets on Flickr, often thirty or more photos - accessible at the photo tab atop this page!

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Segovia - More than Aqueducts

We love day trips - the opportunity to expand the area of exploration while leaving big backpacks back at the hotel - travel doesn't get much better. After rather successful day trips in both Kotor (to Perast) and Split (to Trogir), we were ready to try our hand again in Madrid.

Although the five days we had could have been dedicated solely to Madrid, and we still wouldn't have seen everything, the outlying destinations reachable in under and hour and a half are staggering and well deserving of a look too (Wikitravel's Madrid page is a good jumping off point when planning). After much discussion we settled on Segovia and Toledo and started pulling up train schedules.

Less than thirty minutes (and 21 Euro RT) from Madrid by train, Segovia won us over with the promise of ancient Aqueducts and an Alcazar so grand as to inspire Walt Disney (it's rumored to be the model for Cinderella's castle). After a short, yet bumpy, bus ride from the train station, we were dropped off in the main square where the aqueduct looms overhead at it's highest point (28 meters) - a pretty impressive greeting to the city. 

Our first glimpse of the aqueducts

Shadows on the square

A church peeking through

The aqueduct is spectacular, originally built by the Romans in the late 1st Century AD to supply water to the military fort on the hill, and if it was the only sight in Segovia we'd still highly recommend a visit - but it's not. The little city is full of winding cobblestone streets, charming cafes, and shops to explore. Segovia is also home to an enormous gothic style Cathedral, and although we couldn't find an entrance the exterior easily rivals anything we've seen to date.

Quiet Segovia streets

Morning paper in the park

Looking back on the Cathedral belltower

The Cathedral and it's amazing architecture

Finally, when you're completely smitten with the little city you come to the Alcazar. Perched on the side of a hill, with views out over the surrounding countryside, the Alcazar is what ever little girl dreams of when playing princess. Built sometime around the 11th Century, it's uses have varied throughout history and include home to the royal court of the Trastamara Dynasty, residence of Isabella the Catholic, site of the wedding of Phillip II, home of the Spanish Artillery Academy, and now currently a museum and Military Archive. Although we were a bit to stingy to pay the 6 Euro entry fee, the exterior offered plenty of photo opportunities and there is a shaded park out front with plenty of places to sit and rest before the hike back to the main square. 

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Alcazar and lovely little gardens

Close up of the turret details

Overall, our day trip to Segovia was a roaring success, and set the bar high for our visit to Toledo the following day. The city was easily explorable in just one day and a nice change from the busy streets of Madrid. 
 

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