Jane S
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Barcelona and Madrid are NOT Southern Spain. Neither, technically, is Valencia, and, sorry, hate to tell you this, but all those cute little towns along the coast....gone! Well, they're still there, they just haven't been cute or terribly Spanish for a long time! They are overrun with tourists. For the most part, you should probably stay away from the major tourist spots...spoiled.
If you DO want a Costa del Sol, truly Spanish experience, I understand that Nerja is still unspoiled, but most of the rest of the coast has been built up with high rise hotels. Really uninspiring.
Now, if you don't really have to have Mediterranean beach, there's TONS to do and see along the Atlantic coast, from Cádiz to the Portuguese border. This area, the Costa de la Luz, is much less spoiled.
If you are interested in NON beach Spain, your first stop MUST be Sevilla. You can do the high points in about two days, or you could spend a year there, and not see everything! Cathedral and tower, park, Alcázar are the most important points. Stroll along the riverfront, wander the streets, get lost in the Barrio Santa Cruz. Even people who LIVE in the Barrio get lost there! Have tapas at a café, with a nice, cold, glass of Fino (sherry) to wash them down. And just watch the party go by in the evening. Join in after dark.
Granada is NOT TO BE MISSED! The Alhambra takes about half a day. Buy your tickets online, and avoid a VEEEEEEEEEEEERY long line, especially during the Spring/Summer. Then check out the Catehdral, there, and the tombs of the Reyes CatĂłlicos.
Ronda is an often-missed gem! Just GORGEOUS! And you can take the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos from there to Sevilla (or the other way, depending on your route).
If you still have time, there is CĂłrdoba, again, a Cathedral to not be missed, but the rest of the town...if you don't have time, it's probably okay. Or if you choose to stay there, lots of corners to explore!
Even MORE time? Check out some of the smaller towns...Carmona, Jerez de la Frontera, where they make that Fino, and all the other sherries...been trying to take a tour for thirty years, now. Keep hitting the town on holidays! Cádiz is worth a look, Huelva, Arcos de la Frontera...just a bunch of great towns.
That is, of course, if you didn't mean the beaches. I would DEFINITELY recommend the Atlantic coast over the Med. |
dinodino
|
Seville, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda, Huelva, Malaga, Jerez de la Frontera, Arcos de la Frontera are in the South. Madird, Barcelona, Valencia are NOT Southern Spain. |
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