Romance Railway

 Three musicians take the stage in Andalusia’s capital city of Seville. Their haunting voices, hand claps, and guitar chords are just a small taste. When the dancers emerge — a woman in a flowy, ruffled dress and a man in a tailored suit — the vocals and yearning guitar merge with the percussive beats of the dancers’ shoes hitting the wooden floor.

As the ruffles swirl in the air, the musical notes and rhythmic percussion of feet and hands build to an intensity that envelops both the audience and the performers in the flamenco spotlight.

When you have a stage-side seat in Seville, it’s impossible not to be drawn in to the passion of flamenco, named in 2010 by UNESCO to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list.

A trip to the large, southwestern region of Andalusia delivers much of what Spain is known for around the world: flamenco, distinctive gastronomy, bullfighting, seaside resorts, and magnificent art and historic architecture that blend Christian and Muslim influences.

A Region of Rails

Spain’s extensive train system, with both regular and high-speed routes, means you can get to much of Andalusia’s most popular and walkable cities without a car. We used the high-speed AVE trains for visiting Córdoba and Seville. But rail lines can deliver you to other well-known spots like Málaga, Granada, and Cádiz. 

My husband and I stepped onto an AVE train after an overnight flight from the U.S. to Madrid. The transfer from the airport to the train was simple. Our plan was to ride the train, first to Córdoba (about 250 miles from Madrid) and then on to Seville days later, along the same line. We were ensconced in our hotel in Córdoba by early afternoon.

Our 2-night stay in Córdoba was way too short, but we spent our time there thrilling to its patio gardens and the famed Mezquita, or Mosque Cathedral, two things that make Córdoba different from anywhere else in the world.

From ancient times, buildings in Córdoba were constructed with central courtyards to help keep residents cool in the hot, dry climate. Families filled the spaces with fountains and flowers. In 1918, the city began an annual contest to choose the best patio. The contest is in early May, but the patios are so popular that you can see them at other times of the year, too.

We visited in April and it was a delight to explore the courtyards, each with a specific design. On a warm spring morning, a walk through Córdoba’s patios feeds the senses with extravagantly colored blossoms, profuse green plantings, and the more subtle hints of jasmine, citrus, and other floral scents coloring the air. You can hear water gurgling in fountains and footsteps crossing stone streets.

The patio gardens are remarkable, but Córdoba’s outstanding Mosque Cathedral is like no other place. 

According to tradition an ancient Christian church was the first house of worship on the site in Córdoba’s old town. After the growing Muslim empire conquered southern Spain in the 8^th century, Córdoba’s new rulers built a grand mosque and expanded it over the following centuries, including the addition of a soaring minaret. 

When Christian forces of Castile recaptured the city in 1236, the new rulers built a Renaissance-style cathedral inside the mosque. Visitors can pass under its terracotta and white striped arches, typical of Islamic design, and walk a few feet to see the cathedral, with Gothic, Renaissance, and Baroque flourishes.

Next stop, Seville: less than an hour by AVE train from Córdoba.

Sunshine in Seville

Seville is a busy, walkable city with a warm Mediterranean climate, lively dining options and history and culture on full display.

One of our favorite stops in Seville is one of its most popular. The Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa is a huge open space flanked by…

By Terri Colby

EXCERPT ONLY. CLICK TO READ THE FULL ARTICLE

This is an excerpt from the latest issue of Porthole Cruise and Travel Magazine. To continue reading, click above for a digital or print subscription.