Image Source: http://www.rusticblue.com/images/spain_holiday_1126.jpg
Semana Santa is Spain's holy week that includes, but is not limited to, Easter Sunday. We heard that Andalucía in southern Spain is THE place to go because of its extravagant Semana Santa celebrations. As we had two weeks to burn, a group of us decided to confirm this rumor and visit Cordoba, Granada, Cadiz and Sevilla. What follows is an overview of what we did, saw, drank and ate when not experiencing the religious side of Semana Santa:
Cordoba
Scent of orange
Columbus here for money
Alcazar, Roman bridge
Columbus here for money
Alcazar, Roman bridge
(Clockwise from top left: Gardens at the Real Alcazares; Columns from a Roman temple; wrought iron and shadow; Roman bridge at night; The Mezquita; Calle de Las Flores)
Granada
Gypsies, caves and baths
Mountains and free tapas
Alhambra sunsets
(Clockwise from top left: Sacramonte with the Sierra Nevadas in the background, quiet street at night, part of the Alhambra overlooking the city, Sacramonte at night, Reflection at the Alhambra, door to a cave house)
Cadiz
Forts to discover
Walking along the beaches
Romans were here, too
(Clockwise from top left: Boats on La Playa de Santa María del Mar, View of Cadiz from Torre Tavira, Plaza San Juan de Dios, Shadows on Victoria Beach)
Sevilla
Sangria tastes good
Flamenco and Cathedral
Giralda, Betis
Giralda, Betis
(Clockwise from top left: Main entrance of Sevilla Cathedral, Guadalquivir (historically known as the Betis) River at night, La Giralda from the exit of the Real Alcazares, Stained glass shadows inside Sevilla Cathedral, La Giralda, Matador sculpture in front of the Plaza del Toros, Plaza Virgen de los Reyes as gateway to Barrio Santa Cruz)
Things I ate: rabo de toro (braised oxtails), flamenquin, berenjenas fritas con miel (fried eggplant slices drizzled with honey), grilled vegetables, spinach croquettes, gazpacho, mushroom croquettes, fresh tomatoes with garlic chips, meatballs seasoned with cinnamon, leche frita, sesame picos, tortilla de patata, Lamb tagine, migas, spinach and garbanzos, manchego cheese, roscillas (small round sandwiches) with ham, braised pork, ham and solomillo roscillo, montadito (another type of small sandwich) with lomo and almond sauce, patatas alinadas (sliced potatoes with bell peppers an oil and vinegar sauce), huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs) with asparagus and jamon, a barnyard-y and Cabrales-heavy surtido (assortment) de quesos, patatas bravas, jamon de bellota and baked provolone scented with laurel.
Things I drank: tea at various teterias, sangria, Kas Bitter, manzanilla sherry, fino sherry and Pedro Ximenez (sherry)
Eating and Drinking establishments I really enjoyed:
Bar Las Teresas, Sevilla
La Carboneria, Sevilla
El Rinconcillo, Sevilla
Bodegas Mezquita, Cordoba
Bar Santos, Cordoba
La Riviera, Granada
La Bella y la Besta, Granada
Arsenio Manila, Cadiz
El Faro, Cadiz
