Jewels of Andalusia

We have always enjoyed our trips to Andalusia, Spain. The 3 great cities of Andalusia are Seville, Granada and Cordoba. Of all the cities we have toured in Spain, Seville has always been a favorite, so in the back of our minds, Granada and Cordoba were calling for equal time. Staying in Marbella, we booked a tour to Granada through The Savvy Traveler.

Granada is the home to the Alhambra Palace and the Generalife Gardens, a UNESCO world heritage site. With an average of 7,800 visitors per day, this is one of the most popular places to visit in Spain. To handle this traffic, only so many tickets a day are permitted and the visitors go in by timed entry. Many prospective visitors have found themselves disappointed by simply showing up to learn that, even after standing in long queues, tickets are sold out for that day. Taking a tour is your best way to guarantee your entry and eliminate long waiting lines.

And you will be glad you came. The Alhambra Palace is exquisite. The Moorish architecture with detailed designs, colorful tile and symbolism galore are an incredible site to behold. Our guide through the Alhambra was very knowledgeable and gave us a very complete tour. Including the beautiful Generalife Gardens, the tour lasted 3 hours. Afterward we had a relaxing lunch with time to further explore the city of Granada.

That went so well that we booked another day in the 3rd city of Andalusia, Cordoba. Here we visited two interesting sites, the Mezquita or Cathedral of Cordoba and the Viana Palace. The Cathedral has a long history, beginning as a church and then razed in 785 AD to be re-built as a Mosque. But this was not just any Mosque - it was the most important sanctuary of Western Islam. The massive structure is filled with colorful details and designs that are simply awesome. Perhaps because of it's grand beauty, when the Christians regained control in 1236, it was converted back to a church but within the mosque. The result is an outstanding blend of architecture from the two great religions. The individually designed chapels and the main chapel, transept and choir are all works of art.

To get another view of life in Cordoba, head to the Palace of Viana. Here you can tour a 14th century palace complete with 13 courtyards or patios. Each courtyard is unique and the gardens are lovely. The Palace is furnished with antiques, porcelains and works of art. There is a tour for each section and you get a feel for the aristocratic life.

So if you find yourself in the Costa del Sol, be sure to visit these memorable cities. While there, you may also want to check some other tours, including Seville and a trip to the picturesque little hill town of Ronda and the Tajo Gorge.