Southern Spain around the holidays
December 11, 2022 9:10 AM Subscribe
Planning a trip to Southern Spain over the Christmas and New Year holiday. Malaga, Seville, Granada.
Arriving in Malaga 12/26, leaving 1/7. Mid 30s queer couple, plus my brother for part of the trip. We like: wandering, eating (but not into really fancy eats), ancient architecture (love the Moorish influences in Southern Spain! also would be into Roman ruins), outdoorsy stuff. Speak okay Spanish.
Here's the idea so far:
12/26: Arrive in Malaga, wander around
12/27-12/30: Based in El Chorro for rock climbing. Also planning to hike the Caminito del Rey.
We'll have a car during this time, so we're also open to other things to do in this area or day trips along the Costa del Sur.
12/31: We will be making our way toward Seville, but we'll still have the car so it seems fun to do a bit of a road trip along the way-- maybe stopping in Ronda, or other stops?
Also trying to decide where to stay overnight for New Year's eve-- Seville or a smaller town somewhere. We are mid-30s and it sounds fun to get a low-key NYE drink or gather in the square for grapes and champagne, but it sounds like a lot of the celebrating is either 'gatherings at home with family' and/or 'getting really dressed up and standing in line for the clubs from 2am-5am' with not a lot in between. Is it worth being in Seville if we don't want to really go all-out? Had also considered going out of our way for an overnight in Cadiz-- Cadiz itself seems to be a bit polarizing as a tourist city but the old-ness of it appeals to me.
1/1-1/3: Seville. Nothing too specific planned yet here. My brother is living there so we'll probably have him show us around. Open to suggestions!
Question: At this point, we will still have a car. Due to the one-way fee, it would be more expensive to return it in Seville versus keeping it the rest of the trip. Is it going to be a huge hassle to have it in Seville and Granada? Not planning to drive it at all within the cities, really, but would need to park it somewhere.
1/4-1/5: Granada: we have tickets for the Alhambra. Otherwise nothing much planned yet. The Arab baths look cool, as do the Sacromonte Caves. Open to suggestions.
1/6 and 1/7: Granada/make our way back to Malaga for our flight in the afternoon of 1/7. Considering stopping in Nerja or somewhere else along the coast but not sure if this will be fun in January!
Looking for answers to my specific questions, or ideas about what to do, or general feedback on the plan so far. Still open to changing the itinerary if there's a destination we shouldn't miss.
Arriving in Malaga 12/26, leaving 1/7. Mid 30s queer couple, plus my brother for part of the trip. We like: wandering, eating (but not into really fancy eats), ancient architecture (love the Moorish influences in Southern Spain! also would be into Roman ruins), outdoorsy stuff. Speak okay Spanish.
Here's the idea so far:
12/26: Arrive in Malaga, wander around
12/27-12/30: Based in El Chorro for rock climbing. Also planning to hike the Caminito del Rey.
We'll have a car during this time, so we're also open to other things to do in this area or day trips along the Costa del Sur.
12/31: We will be making our way toward Seville, but we'll still have the car so it seems fun to do a bit of a road trip along the way-- maybe stopping in Ronda, or other stops?
Also trying to decide where to stay overnight for New Year's eve-- Seville or a smaller town somewhere. We are mid-30s and it sounds fun to get a low-key NYE drink or gather in the square for grapes and champagne, but it sounds like a lot of the celebrating is either 'gatherings at home with family' and/or 'getting really dressed up and standing in line for the clubs from 2am-5am' with not a lot in between. Is it worth being in Seville if we don't want to really go all-out? Had also considered going out of our way for an overnight in Cadiz-- Cadiz itself seems to be a bit polarizing as a tourist city but the old-ness of it appeals to me.
1/1-1/3: Seville. Nothing too specific planned yet here. My brother is living there so we'll probably have him show us around. Open to suggestions!
Question: At this point, we will still have a car. Due to the one-way fee, it would be more expensive to return it in Seville versus keeping it the rest of the trip. Is it going to be a huge hassle to have it in Seville and Granada? Not planning to drive it at all within the cities, really, but would need to park it somewhere.
1/4-1/5: Granada: we have tickets for the Alhambra. Otherwise nothing much planned yet. The Arab baths look cool, as do the Sacromonte Caves. Open to suggestions.
1/6 and 1/7: Granada/make our way back to Malaga for our flight in the afternoon of 1/7. Considering stopping in Nerja or somewhere else along the coast but not sure if this will be fun in January!
Looking for answers to my specific questions, or ideas about what to do, or general feedback on the plan so far. Still open to changing the itinerary if there's a destination we shouldn't miss.
I went to Spain ages ago but I enjoyed a side trip in Jerez. Pretty and pleasant old town and I thought sherry/brandy tasting was interesting.
Gibraltar was way more interesting than I expected it to be.
Cordoba is home to some important sites. It’s less visited than Sevilla and Granada, maybe because it’s very hot in the summer.
posted by vunder at 12:34 PM on December 11, 2022
Gibraltar was way more interesting than I expected it to be.
Cordoba is home to some important sites. It’s less visited than Sevilla and Granada, maybe because it’s very hot in the summer.
posted by vunder at 12:34 PM on December 11, 2022
Re New Year's eve: you've got it right that most of the action is either in people's homes or in night clubs. The main event is to gather in the town square of wherever you are and toss back 12 grapes for each strike of the bell as the clock chimes the hour (there's always at least one death by choking every year). Honestly, I wouldn't go out of my way to be in Sevilla for that. I've never been to Cadiz, but it seems like it might be fun (it's best known for Carnival).
You might reconsider your schedule and try to be in Granada on January 2. That's the "Dia de la Toma", the annual commemoration of the capture of the city (the last outpost of independent Islamic power in the Iberian Peninsula) in 1492. It's an event that's been staged at least since the first decade of the 16th century, and in the past decades has become exceptionally interesting as a site of controversy in contemporary Spanish politics. Here's how Wikipedia describes it: "The Día de la Toma de Granada is a civic and religious festival held each year in Granada on the anniversary of the city's conquest, January 2. In the 21st century, parties of the left have criticised and boycotted the date, instead proposing that Granada's festival be that of Mariana Pineda, a 19th-century heroine. In 2019 and 2020, the party PP celebrated the event, also attended by Vox and the group Hogar Social, distributing Spanish flags, with attendees chanting in praise of Spanish identity, while other groups such as the Revolutionary Anticapitalist Left turned out to oppose the celebration altogether, labelling the conquest a genocide. During the celebration, the Spanish Legion marches with its music band; it has become a rallying point for far-right and nationalist groups that have sparked incidents in late years. The Spanish Socialists shifted their position from removing the celebration to adding also Moor parading as a sign of "cultural encounter"" My favorite part of the event is when the youngest member of the city council steps out onto the balcony to utter the formulaic cry, "Granada! Granada! Granad! Por los inclitos reyes Fernando y Isabel.. etc." and each time the city councilperson says "Granada!" the crowd yells back, "Que?" (What?) But it's a fascinating event all the way around.
Re having a car in Sevilla and Granada: it's a pain in the butt to have a car in the city center. I suppose you might find a parking garage, but they are not cheap (I once parked a car in an underground garage in Sevilla and it was so tight in there that I despaired of ever getting it out again. I barely did and swore never again. Cars are great for smaller towns, but in a larger town, I'll take the bus thanks).
Re Roman ruins: go to Italica, outside of Sevilla (near Santiponce). It's very well preserved.
Granada: it's been many years since I lived in Granada, so much has changed, but I did live there for an extended period. The Alhambra, obviously, and you've already got tickets so that's good. Make time to meander through the Albaicin. Most of the churches in the Albaicin and many of the convents or monasteries are founded on sites where there used to be mosques, and some have lovely moorish-style ceilings. The Sacromonte is a gem, and I'm delighted that it's on your list. I know it very, very well. Keep in mind that all of the "stars of David" that you'll see there are actually Seals of Solomon and have to do with the very strange events that set off the founding of the abbey up there (long story, but it involves 16th century forgeries in Arabic that were being passed off as 1st century Christian documents). I'm not a fan of the cathedral (boring, tidy Renaissance thing), but the Capilla Real is pretty cool -- late gothic architecture, a very fine retablo (look for the depictions of the conquest of the city, the surrender, and forced baptism of the Muslim inhabitants), the graves of Ferdinand and Isabella (yes, the same ones that expelled the Jewish population from Spain and sponsored Columbus's little experimental voyage), and some very excellent Flemish paintings. If you like later stuff, I've got recommendations for that (for example, do like crazy Baroque decor? Head to La Cartuja, near the university), but mostly, make time for wandering the Albaicin (do not attempt to wear high heels. Just don't.)
posted by pleasant_confusion at 8:25 PM on December 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
You might reconsider your schedule and try to be in Granada on January 2. That's the "Dia de la Toma", the annual commemoration of the capture of the city (the last outpost of independent Islamic power in the Iberian Peninsula) in 1492. It's an event that's been staged at least since the first decade of the 16th century, and in the past decades has become exceptionally interesting as a site of controversy in contemporary Spanish politics. Here's how Wikipedia describes it: "The Día de la Toma de Granada is a civic and religious festival held each year in Granada on the anniversary of the city's conquest, January 2. In the 21st century, parties of the left have criticised and boycotted the date, instead proposing that Granada's festival be that of Mariana Pineda, a 19th-century heroine. In 2019 and 2020, the party PP celebrated the event, also attended by Vox and the group Hogar Social, distributing Spanish flags, with attendees chanting in praise of Spanish identity, while other groups such as the Revolutionary Anticapitalist Left turned out to oppose the celebration altogether, labelling the conquest a genocide. During the celebration, the Spanish Legion marches with its music band; it has become a rallying point for far-right and nationalist groups that have sparked incidents in late years. The Spanish Socialists shifted their position from removing the celebration to adding also Moor parading as a sign of "cultural encounter"" My favorite part of the event is when the youngest member of the city council steps out onto the balcony to utter the formulaic cry, "Granada! Granada! Granad! Por los inclitos reyes Fernando y Isabel.. etc." and each time the city councilperson says "Granada!" the crowd yells back, "Que?" (What?) But it's a fascinating event all the way around.
Re having a car in Sevilla and Granada: it's a pain in the butt to have a car in the city center. I suppose you might find a parking garage, but they are not cheap (I once parked a car in an underground garage in Sevilla and it was so tight in there that I despaired of ever getting it out again. I barely did and swore never again. Cars are great for smaller towns, but in a larger town, I'll take the bus thanks).
Re Roman ruins: go to Italica, outside of Sevilla (near Santiponce). It's very well preserved.
Granada: it's been many years since I lived in Granada, so much has changed, but I did live there for an extended period. The Alhambra, obviously, and you've already got tickets so that's good. Make time to meander through the Albaicin. Most of the churches in the Albaicin and many of the convents or monasteries are founded on sites where there used to be mosques, and some have lovely moorish-style ceilings. The Sacromonte is a gem, and I'm delighted that it's on your list. I know it very, very well. Keep in mind that all of the "stars of David" that you'll see there are actually Seals of Solomon and have to do with the very strange events that set off the founding of the abbey up there (long story, but it involves 16th century forgeries in Arabic that were being passed off as 1st century Christian documents). I'm not a fan of the cathedral (boring, tidy Renaissance thing), but the Capilla Real is pretty cool -- late gothic architecture, a very fine retablo (look for the depictions of the conquest of the city, the surrender, and forced baptism of the Muslim inhabitants), the graves of Ferdinand and Isabella (yes, the same ones that expelled the Jewish population from Spain and sponsored Columbus's little experimental voyage), and some very excellent Flemish paintings. If you like later stuff, I've got recommendations for that (for example, do like crazy Baroque decor? Head to La Cartuja, near the university), but mostly, make time for wandering the Albaicin (do not attempt to wear high heels. Just don't.)
posted by pleasant_confusion at 8:25 PM on December 11, 2022 [1 favorite]
As a reminder, 6th January is Epiphany and a public holiday in Spain. There are parades the night before, including in Granada, which is probably something you should be aware of, either to visit or to avoid...
posted by scorbet at 8:25 AM on December 12, 2022
posted by scorbet at 8:25 AM on December 12, 2022
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posted by rongorongo at 12:08 PM on December 11, 2022