Road-trip to Andalusia! (Part-1)

My brother and I decided to undertake a road trip, our first in the EU this summer. The entire idea for this trip was based around the question- what can be seen in 2 weeks time WITHOUT having to use too much from personal vacation days. In Germany, there are usually several public holidays during May and June, and by taking just a week off + some accumulated over hours, one can actually plan a trip of 12-14 days!

After extensively checking the map for the possible road routes, flight fares, ease of accommodation, and avoiding overly touristy places, we zeroed in on Spain. Upon further research, we decided to cover the Andalusia region, which is the southernmost autonomous community in Peninsular Spain.

I had heard about it from colleagues who had visited the region, and a little background check from our end, with constraints mentioned as above, gave us the impression that it was indeed the place to go. We decided to do a quadrilateral trip and combined major cities like the vibrant city of Seville, to the birth place of Picasso, Malaga, to the hilly city of Granada, and the lovely city of patios, Córdoba, further doing day trips wherever possible which led us to coastal city of Cadiz and Marbella, the the unique town of Ronda, the cave city of Nerja and passing through the several charming ‘white villages’ and stunning coastlines in between. Too much, I know right? ;)

Photo: TripSavvy / Michela Buttignol

That is the perk of not having to rely solely on public transport. While most cities in the EU are well connected with public transport, it certainly comes at the cost of having more travel time. We made the realization that we could visit some remote places and villages this time, which we normally would not have been able to, either because of the time constraint or simply because it was a big detour from a major city.

A little historical background about the Andalusia region- The region was invaded and conquered by the Moors, who ruled from the 8th-15th centuries. These were primarily Arabs and Berbers (North African Muslims) who established the entity of Al-Andalus (Andalusia). The Moors were known for a culture of tolerance, and as a result, the Jewish and Christian communities also flourished in the region at that time. Their rule ended in 1492 with the Christian forces overtaking the kingdom in the city of Granada.

What stood out personally for me was the co-existence of religious places in this region. Normally, when the invaders attack, they destroy the old architecture and artifacts. But in Andalusia, it was quite interesting to see a former mosque, surrounded outside by a cathedral, giving a unique blend of Islamic and Christian elements. The fusion is evident in the Horseshoe arches, intricate patterns on marble and tilework, huge patios, which one mostly relates to Islamic culture, and then right next to it, one sees bell towers and high wooden ceilings, which are more associated with Christian style.

Some well-preserved landmarks are - Granada’s Alhambra palace, the Alcázar castle in Seville, the present capital city of Andalusia state, and Córdoba’s Mezquita (Mosque-Cathedral)

If I go into detail, this post will get too long, and for brevity's sake, let’s stick to the Alhambra in Granada city, which stood out as the most magnificent monument from my POV.
(Hopefully, there will be a part 2 to this when I can cover a bit more about the region)

The Alhambra (The Red Fortress) is situated on a hilltop, with the vast Sierra Nevada ranges in the background. It was initially designed as a military zone, but eventually the Alhambra became the royal residence of Granada in the mid-13th century after the establishment of the Nasrid Kingdom by the founding king Mohammed Ben Nasr, better known as Alhamar.

During the Nasrid era, the Alhambra was a self-contained city separate from the rest of Granada city below. It contained most of the amenities of a Muslim city, such as a mosque, hamams (public baths), houses, artisan workshops, complete with a sophisticated water supply system.

The city was taken over by the Catholic Monarchs in the 1500s, and the site became the Royal Court, and the existing palaces were partially altered. Charles V commissioned a new Renaissance-style palace in direct juxtaposition with the Nasrid palaces, which is now called as the Palace of Charles V.

Visitors can now visit the fortress complex and see the most famous and best-preserved palaces, such as the Mexuar, that served as the entrance wing of the Comares Palace, which was the official palace of the sultan and the state, The palace of lions, based on the notable lion sculptures around the central fountain, and The Partal Palace. The complex now is surrounded by a beautifully maintained Garden, The Generalife, which would have been the solace of the Granadian kings once!

One can also see the indelible mark of Arabic culture on the region's culture, which stands out from the typical European culture, especially in architecture and Arabic-style markets. The influence is further evident in its music, food, and language as well. (to be continued...)