It all started with a couple of glasses of wine and a quick discussion on where to go for the next girls’ trip. We just happened to be drinking a red Spanish wine blend, which got my friend Wendy talking about when she lived in Spain during college and how she’d like to return. That’s all it took — Spain, here we come!

With Wendy as our travel guide, we began figuring out where and what to do in Spain. Our focus was going to be the southern coast, flying in and out of Madrid. We landed on securing VRBOs in Seville and Malaga with a hotel in Madrid.

The next major decision was to book a car or plan the trip by train. The train system in Spain is excellent; high-speed and local trains would get us to all the destinations. However, we opted for a car; we planned to drive immediately after departing from the airport for 5 hours to Seville. The car gave us flexibility (or so we thought) to come and go as we pleased.

Day Two (after an overnight flight)

A car squeezes through the narrow streets of Old Town, Seville. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We landed in the morning, found our car, and were off.

We got to Seville just before dark; the directions to our apartment were sketchy at best. We had a garage for the car, and you could only get to it from a one-way street. If you put the actual address in GPS, it would take you to a street that was too narrow to drive through (mind you, all the roads in the Old Town of Seville are too narrow to drive through). In fact, we got lost in Old Town’s narrow streets while trying to find our rental. About this time, Wendy reminded us that she stated upfront that she did not want to drive a car in Seville, and my sister accepted the challenge, not quite knowing what she was in for.

It was a comedy of errors as we squeezed through the narrow streets. When we got close, Wendy and I jumped out of the car before we couldn’t open the doors because we were too close to the buildings. Wendy (the only one in our group who could speak Spanish from her college days) asked for directions, and I directed my sister how to move right or left not to hit the walls of the buildings (thank goodness we got the extra insurance on the car). I looked like a flamenco dancer, arms over my head, pointing right and left, mimicking tiny movements in either direction, while people on the street lined up next to the walls, looking wide-eyed at us, hoping we didn’t hit them. Their eyes all read, “stupid tourists.”

We never made it to our garage. We went to the train station and parked the car.

That night, my sister told us about the Fun Scale, the Three Types of Fun. Type I: fun the whole time you are doing it, can’t wait to do it again. Type II: not fun while doing it, but you are glad you did. Type III: not fun at all, and you should never voluntarily do it again. Driving through Seville was Type III, but it becomes an excellent after-story. We decided we would measure the trip with Fun Scales.

Day Three

Seville, the capital of Andalusia, is the fourth largest city in Spain and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, including the Alcazar Palace and the Cathedral. We started our adventure in Seville with a walking tour to get an overall feel of the city. We visited the Alcazar, the royal palace of Seville (still in use), built over 3000 years ago. The complex is the oldest of its kind in Europe, comprising several palaces and gardens from different eras and cultural styles. Its beauty is reflected in the distinct style of architecture throughout the ages. It started as a Muslim fortress to protect the city. This site location has been used for films, including Lawrence of Arabia and The Game of Thrones. Fun fact: If you look at paintings of women in the 16th century, you notice an enormous forehead, and the women would shave their foreheads to show they had bigger brains –I always wondered why, and now I know.

The Cathedral in Seville is the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. It was initially a mosque that was taken over by the Christians in 1248. The original mosque was built in the late 1100s and was the main mosque for the city. The prayer hall consisted of seventeen aisles oriented southward. The Christians changed the religious orientation, closing off exits and archways and creating family worship chapels and stained-glass windows. The Tomb of Christopher Columbus is housed in the Cathedral.

The view of Seville, Spain, from the Giralda, the bell tower of Seville Cathedral. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

The Giralda, the bell tower of Seville Cathedral, Spain’s most famous monument of Moorish architecture, was built in the 9th century as a Mosque minaret. In the 14th century, the Christians turned it into a bell tower; in the 16th, this tower was given a new Renaissance look with a cross and bells. To reach the tower’s top (97 meters), you must ascend 34 ramps (and a few stairs at the top). The ramps were built so horses could ride up the tower. The views at the top are spectacular and worth the climb (they have a lookout for rest spots on the way up.

Day Four

We left the car still in its happy place (the train station) and hopped the train to Jerez. Jerez (Sherry in Spanish) produces domestic and exported Sherry and is home to the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. We started with a tour of the Royal Andalusian School grounds and museum.

A horse mid-flight at the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art in Jerez, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

The school, dating back to the 18th century, focuses on performance, a ballet performed by horses and riders. The school’s horses are exclusively purebred Spanish and Lusitano horses. The school houses a palace, a show area, 60 horse stables, a veterinary clinic,  a training center for farriers, saddlery, and a driving school.

From there, we had a date with a local bodega (located in an old horse stable) to taste Sherry. The bodega and Sherry brand is Fernandez-Gao, founded in 1750, one of the oldest bodegas in the Jerez region. Bodega Fernandez-Gao produces a limited production of Sherry and Brandy. We tasted Sherry (sweet to dry) and brandy, from 25 to 15 proof. They had a barrel on site that was over 200 years old and 250 proof (illegal to drink – but they said they had small tastes for the holidays). Of course, we left with bottles in hand.

On the way back, we jumped off the train and went to Plaza de Espana, the Spanish Square of Seville. The Plaza was designed for the lbero-American exhibition of 1929. The Plaza building is a semicircle building with Spanish Renaissance style décor – a stunning setting. At the foot of the building are 52 areas of 7,000 mosaic tiles depicting the 52 Spanish provinces. The Plaza has a large fountain in the middle surrounded by canals and bridges (row boats). Carriage rides are also available. The goal of the exhibit was to make symbolic peace with its former American colonies.

Day Five

Inside the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We hopped on a quick high-speed train ride to Cordoba, another World Heritage site. The city reflects the Roman past with the coexistence of Christian, Islamic, and Jewish cultures throughout its history. Cordoba is famous for the Mezquita-Cathedral, the Great Mosque of Cordoba, built in the 8th century. Historians believe the site was first a Roman temple; the temple was converted into a church in 572. The church was transformed into a mosque. The mosque was expanded over two hundred years. The prayer hall was filled with two-tiered columns with symmetrical arches, with the focal point being the horseshoe-arched mihrab (or prayer niche) with an ornate shell-shaped dome ceiling carved from a single piece of marble. Although Christians made many architectural changes, the columns and open space’s strength still dominate this incredible structure.

While in Cordoba, we stopped to see the Roman Bridge across the Guadalquivir River, built in the 1st century BC. This bridge was used in Game of Thrones as the Long Bridge of Volantis.

Day Six

We finally returned to the car (still at the train station) and drove to the coast for our next VRBO in Malaga with a garage for the car – tight squeeze but doable. The drive from Seville to Malaga has terrace farming on the steep hills and greenhouses lining the way. The number of olive trees in the region is overwhelming – it is hard to imagine how they pick the olives on the steep hills; it has to be labor intensive.

We decided to stop in Ronda on our way to Malaga (about an hour and a half from Seville by car).

Ronda, Spain, is known for the Puente Nueva “New Bridge” that was built in 1793 (collapsed several years later), and a new bridge started in 1759 and was completed in 1793 (height 98 meters). The bridge connects the two sides of the village from a 100-meter-deep gorge. The two sides of the town are picturesque, with a series of white-washed businesses and houses perched on top of the Gorge between the bridge. The site is breathtaking.

The bull ring in Malaga, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We also stopped at The Plaza de Toros; the bullring was the first constructed in Spain in the late 18th century and is entirely made of stone. My sister spent the rest of the trip trying to find a t-shirt with a circle and slash through the bull. To our surprise, in Madrid, she did manage to find a protest on cruelty toward bulls; we lost her for an hour.

Day Seven

Inside the Alhambra in Granada, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We drove to Granada (1.25 hours from Malaga by car) to tour the famous Alhambra palace and fortress, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Alhambra is perched on a rocky hill — a fortress surrounded by Sierra Nevada mountains. Alhambra’s name comes from an Arabic word meaning “red castle,” derived from the red stones on the towers and walls surrounding the compound. The vast complex housed beautiful gardens, palaces, citadel, sultans, high government officials, and elite soldiers – the tour was three hours, and I am sure we didn’t see everything.

Like many things in Spain, it started as a Muslin Medieval City and became a Christian court in 1492. This became the last Moorish stronghold in the Iberian Peninsula. Seeing this complex’s preservation and beauty is “must do” when visiting Spain. Be sure to order your tickets ahead of time; it sells out.

Day 8

It started raining the night before, and the weather report stated it would continue the next day. The loud rain woke most of us up during the night. Today was supposed to be our adventure to Morocco; needless to say, we canceled the ferry and tour. What we found out is that the storm hit hard and ended up taking some lives in towns we were very close to — a sad day for Spain.

Instead, we chose to stay in Malaga and toured the Picasso Museum and his childhood home. Many of Picasso’s earlier works depict Malaga and how it left a mark on his work at this museum (bulls, dancers, etc.). The museum has over 50 paintings/drawings from his childhood and early youth, along with other Malaga artists. Picasso’s birthplace museum housed Picasso and his family from 1881-1884. This museum has illustrated books by Picasso (and other artists) and notebooks of his preparatory drawings (cubism), lithographs, and ceramic pieces. After the museum, we walked along the shore/marina with sidewalk vendors and ogled the massive private yachts.

Day 9

An entrance to the Alcazaba in Malaga, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We stuck around Malaga and visited the Alcazaba, which comes from the Arabic word “Al-qasbah,” which refers to a fortified palace. The fortress was built during the 10th century on a hill in the city’s center that overlooks the port. Alcazaba has been dubbed the most beautiful fortress in Spain. The fortress blends Roman, Spanish, and Moorish architecture with arches, vegetation, and exotic plants in and around the compound and courtyards. Most of the palace was reconstructed or restored in the 20th century using the archeological remains. There are three courtyards: Patio de los Naranjos (courtyard of the Orange Trees), Patio de la Alberca (Courtyard of the Pool), and Patio dei Aljibe (named after a cistern built under it).

The Gibralfalo castle was built in 929 AD and doubled in size in the 14th century, adding a connecting wall to the Alcazaba. The castle dominates the city and offers panoramic views of the landscape, La Malagueta bullring, and the Mediterranean Sea.

To get to the castle, walk up (straight up for 30+ minutes) narrow cobbled paths and zig-zag steps (no handrails) to get to the top. It’s worth the walk, the views are incredible, but we realized after we ascended that you don’t have to walk. From the castle, we could see a tourist bus from town driving up the back side of the mountain.

Day 10: Halloween

Friends celebrate the Day of the Dead in Madrid, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

It was time to drive to Madrid, where we would end our memorable journey.

We stayed in Madrid’s theater district, also known as the Literary Quarter, which made walking to all the attractions we wanted to see easy.

The first stop was Puerta del Sol, a lively square in the center of Madrid filled with people and activity. This square is the intersection of many historical sites and main streets and the starting point for all significant radial roads in Spain. Originally, Puerta del Sol was the site of one of the city’s gates.

On our way back to the hotel, we walked through another grand square called Plaza Mayor, which is in the oldest part of the city. The square has restaurants and small shops, and street musicians and artists show their talent.

A costume on the Day of the Dead (Halloween) in Madrid, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

We returned to both squares to experience Halloween in Spain; we had yet to determine if they celebrated the holiday. I bought face tattoos for us to wear. As we left the hotel, we discovered they do indeed celebrate, but it is more about commemorating the dead than the spectacle it is at home. While U.S. kids wear princess outfits or teddy bear costumes, Madrid focuses more on dark, ghoulish looks. People would walk by with tiger scratches across their faces or a knife stuck in their necks. One nurse had a syringe stuck into her skull. This was people-watching at its finest!

Day 11

We set out to see the famous masterpiece Guernica by Picasso at the Museum Reina Sofia. This renowned work of art depicts the suffering inflicted by the Guernica bombing on April 27, 1937, during the Spanish Civil War. The museum is grand, with many floors and art rooms. I especially liked the war poster collection on the same floor as the Guernica.

For the Day of the Dead, the Casa de Mexico Foundation in Spain hosted an Alter of the Dead, the largest in Europe. The line to get in was too long, so we walked by the door, stopped, and saw the alter from the street.

A view of the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain. (Lori Swanson / Pioneer Press)

Palacio Real de Madrid (the Royal Palace), the official residence of the Spanish royal family, is the largest palace in Europe. It has stood for nearly three centuries and is used only for state ceremonies. We did not go inside, but the grounds were lovely, and the palace is twice the size of European palaces, e.g., Buckingham Palace or Place of Versailles.

Right next to the Royal Palace is the Neo-Gothic Cathedral de Santa Maria. This imposing structure was started in 1883 and finished over a century later when it was consecrated by Pope John Paul II in 1993, making it the first cathedral to be consecrated outside of Rome.

Gran Via Street is called the “Spanish Broadway” and is a shopper’s paradise, with popular fashion retailers lining up and down the street. This street is filled with tourists and locals — just about everyone in Spain is on it. It is dubbed “the street that never sleeps,” with places to eat and drink, little squares, and entertainment pockets.

Stopping for a cocktail, we searched for a place called “Fat Cats.” Weirdly enough, we couldn’t find it — no sign out front. Google Maps took us to the place, but nothing there, or so we thought. We ended up knocking on the black door with no windows, and to our surprise, we were there! It is a speakeasy cocktail bar designed to make guests feel like they are at a high-profile 70’s dinner party.

It was a great way to end our trip.

If you go

Food in Spain: We started with coffee, crusty bread, croissants with cheese, and Jamon Iberico ham and jelly every morning. In the late afternoon, we snacked on tapas (small dishes) as our dinner: Paella (rice dish with rabbit, chicken, or plates of seafood), Jamon Iberico (Iberian cured ham), gazpacho (cold tomato soup), pimientos de padron (green pepper fried in olive oil and sea salt), croquetas, fish (fried and grilled), squid (grilled), tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelet with eggs and potatoes). In Spain, a workday extends longer, with most businesses closing for a few hours in the afternoon. It is common for Spaniards to eat dinner between 9-11 p.m.

Back to the Fun Scale: Spain has so much to offer (and we only scratched the surface), and we realize every day was a Type I on the Fun Scale (except for driving the car in Seville).

The Trip’s Overall Cost: We did this trip for under $2,500 per person. Planning the overall trip was a massive job, including reserving a car, housing, timing train tickets, museum tickets, etc. We were lucky to have a person who used to live there, traveling with us, who knew the locations and sites we wanted to see and stay in.

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