written by Matt
One of the best things about Sevilla is its advantageous position in Andalusia, the prominent region in Southern Spain. A litany of day trips surround our romantic town, and in November and December Katie and I took advantage of a few.
First, a group of friends, Katie, and I hopped on a bus which took us through rolling hills, then steep mountains, then hills again until we reached Ronda, a historic Roman city. Ronda is located on a limestone plateau with a deep chasm that runs through the city; to traverse the canyon, Spaniards built an impressive bridge in the 18th century which has become the defining landmark of the city.
We arrived at 11am on Saturday to sunny skies and mild temperatures. Using a route recommended on the city website, we walked past the city walls and old Roman and Arab bath houses to a beautiful walking trail. One element of the city that I found striking was the sharp transition from urban to rural; it took about 30 minutes to walk the entire city from one end to the other, and once outside the city walls the landscape emptied into rolling hills with sparse farmhouses.
As we entered briefly back into the city we noticed a small Moroccan shop advertising cheap green tea and baklava. We sat at some small tables outside, compared notes on our favorite childhood books, and debated whether the boy in The Giving Tree is an antagonist while the church next door let out Saturday mass.
After a bit we followed our walking path to a viewpoint of Ronda’s famous bridge, where we were amazed by the structure in front of us.
We trudged back up to the top of the plateau and had some delicious tapas. On the way I needed to refill my water, and I used the local church’s potable public fountain to do so. Lots of Spanish cities have such fountains, a small amenity that I really appreciate for providing access to free, clean water.
Some ice cream and a last-minute scramble to catch our return bus later, we were on our way back to Sevilla. According to our friends with fit-bits, we walked over 10 miles over the course of the day. Tiring but worth it!
The next week Luca, Kaitlyn, Katie, and I took a short bus to Carmona, a small city just north of Sevilla. We left early and stopped for tostada, jamon, and some coffee in the town’s main square before setting out on some sight-seeing.
On one end of the city we checked out the Alcazar (a name you might remember from our last blog, but this one is different) which is a defense tower positioned with great views of the valley below.
On the other end of the city, we walked through the old Roman Necropolis, which is essentially a glorified graveyard. The history was cool to learn, though, with a variety of burial rituals, afterlife beliefs, and famous families. We even got to climb down into an old Roman tomb.
After a lunch of tapas at an old restaurant in the city, we checked out the city gate, or Puerta de Cordoba. Like in Ronda, Carmona changes quickly from cityscape to farmland, and at Puerta de Cordoba the transition is striking. Walking through the gate felt like reaching the end of the world. We gazed out at the countryside for a while before heading back towards the bus stop.
On our way back into town, we stopped at a castle-turned-hotel, a hidden convent which sold sweets made by nuns, and of course a local ice cream shop. I really loved Carmona, especially for how easy a day-trip it was from Sevilla.
After these two trips, one to Ronda and one to Carmona, I gained a fuller appreciation for the richness of our region in southern Spain. I wouldn’t say that the cities showed me much diversity in food, culture, or aesthetic, but they did deepen my understanding and fondness of the same. This region is gorgeous, in many places almost untouched, and boldly rooted in its history. Sometimes I feel like an intruder, and I’m sure many Spaniards would agree with that assessment. But still others eagerly share their lives with us travelers, and I’m so thankful they have. Que rico! as they would say here.
We will continue to make ourselves more intimate with this foreign place we now call home. And I’m sure more Andalusian adventures are coming soon, including popular destinations Malaga and Granada. I can’t wait to take you all along for those journeys as well!
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