When Mamasita Comes to Town

Although my life here in Spain has been filled with good friends and exciting travel, having been away from home for about half-a-year now — missing birthdays and the holiday season — left me longing for my family. However, it didn’t take much time before my mom began planning our very own Mother-Daughter tour of southern Spain! On our trip, we spent nine days together from the 1st to 9th of March, getting to know the cities of Cádiz, Málaga, Granada, Sevilla, and many more hidden gems along the way. Before sharing the details of our adventure, I do have to say just how lucky I was to have shared these moments with my mom who put so much time and effort into making this trip special in every single way, and I cannot wait until we start planning the next one!

CÁDIZ — DAY 1:

With my mini-backpack in tow, I excitedly boarded our city’s bus towards the airport. Even though I arrived sufficiently early to Vigo’s single terminal airport, it didn’t feel like long before I was boarding the plane headed to Madrid with a final destination of Cádiz, Spain. Originally, my connection in Madrid only had 30 minutes between flights, however having sat on the runway in Vigo for an additional 20 minutes only allowed me a 10 minute sprint though one of the world’s largest airports. Wheezing and profusely sweating under my 4 layers of jackets and shirts I could not fit in my pack, I managed to board my connecting flight just in time. Being that the closest airport to Cádiz was still an hour out by train, most of my day was spent traveling and waiting for the moment I would see my mom again!

Finally, having arrived in Cádiz’s city center I was able to reach my mom who had arrived earlier to meet near our Airbnb. Just as a cliché movie scene, we met in the street with a big hug and a few tears. After settling in and dropping off my stuff, we took to the streets. Every year the ocean-front city of Cádiz hosts one of the best known Carnival celebrations in Spain — and we had stopped by just in time! Teeming with costumed people, vendors, celebrations, and singing throughout the streets, my mom and I were able to experience it all. We spend the evening walking throughout the city, enjoying the ocean breeze, sitting down for a cup of tinto, and eating a delicious plate of pescado a la plancha for dinner. As we were both fairly tired from a long day of travel, we decided to turn in and plan for our days to come.

CÁDIZ — DAY 2:

A good night of sleep under our belts, we woke up early and took a long walk around the city. Today, as it was one of the more popular days during Carnival, there were many more costumed people beginning the party even in the early morning. Mom and I walked past the huge Cadiz Cathedral towards the ocean. We walked along the footpath that winded around the peninsula of the city for a bit before we made a detour back towards the center Mercado Central. The indoor market was filled with vendors who sold their early morning catches from the sea as well as all kinds of meat, fruits, and vegetables. We sat in a small café situated above the vendors so that we could people watch and enjoy one of our first cups of café con leche — a very simple, but distinctly delicious cup of coffee that Mom came to love while traveling together.

Leaving the market, we found a couple of churrería stands and bought a bundle of churros to take with us on our walk. We headed back towards the ocean path and followed it around the entire peninsula. On our walk, we visited the Castle of San Sebastián, enjoyed the famous La Caleta Beach, toured the Santa Catalina Fort, walked through many urban parks, picked out own sour oranges from the trees above, and were continually impressed by the many theatrical costumes people wore. Having walked for a large part of the morning, we headed back towards the Mercado and stopped for a small lunch of seafood paella and a couple of cañas con limón.

As I mentioned earlier, Cádiz hosts one of the largest Carnival celebrations in Spain. One of the most common thing to see — more so to hear — around the city are the groups of Chirigotas. These funny groups, ranging from three to thirty people, dress in identical costumes and perform satirical songs that ridicule politicians, celebrities, and institutions around the city as well as Spain. While there are formal competitions that take place in the weeks before Carnival celebrations begin, they perform all around the city at all hours of the day. Mom and I, although at most times their songs were difficult to understand even for me, had a fun time watching the performers and laughing along with the crowd.

After a short break back at our Airbnb, we returned to the main square for a cold glass of tinto verano. Refreshed, we wandered around the many winding pedestrian roads throughout the city. Earlier in the day we were told about a rock concert by Joaquín Sabina that was to take place at one of the large stages around the city. While neither of us were the biggest fans of the music, there were so many people packed in together enjoying the music and odd skits that took place on stage, it made for a great experience. We decided to leave the concert a little early and to find a bite to eat. Sharing a plate of Spanish tortilla and a few croquetas — which mom enjoyed —, we spent the rest of the evening people watching, enjoying the costumes and decorations around the city, and stood in awe at the masses of people celebrating.

CÁDIZ & MÁLAGA — DAY 3:

Another quick breakfast and café con leche later, mom and I spent our last few hours in Cádiz returning to our favorite spots. As it was a sunny morning, we took our time and walked along the coast for a while enjoying the ocean breeze and chatting about our trip so far and what was to come. Although we did not circle the peninsula as we had done before, cut back towards the center and strolled the winding city streets back to our place before packing up.

As it was a Sunday and carnival celebrations were still going strong, all of the trains headed back towards Jerez Airport had been canceled. While we were able to take a train part of the way to the frontera, it seemed as though we were stuck! Instead of paying the ridiculously expensive taxi fees ourselves, we were able to share a ride with two other travelers to the airport — not only did we cut our costs, but we saved a lot of time! Due to the fact we arrived early to the airport to pick up our rental car, we were worried we would have to wait another couple hours before departing. However, Enterprise was able to get us on the road right away! Full of nerves and a bit of stress from taking on these European roads with only a printed off sheet of directions, we set off.

Somehow, we stayed on the right track! After a quick fill of our tank, we made a pitstop for some exploration and dinner at the beach town of Fuengirola. First, we hiked up to the top of the Castillo Sohail right off the coast to get a lay of the land. After some recommendations from the staff at the castle, we walked along the beach in search of food. After many stops, we finally returned to one of our first picks right off the beach. We ordered another round of lemon beers and shared a large plate of mejillones and marisco frito. We ate, drank, enjoyed each other’s company, and looked out on the ocean. As the sun was setting and we were stuffed to the brim, we headed back towards our car and finished the drive to Málaga.

After some difficulty reaching the owner of our Airbnb, we settled in. Looking to stretch our legs and work off our dinner, we crossed the bridge adjacent to our place to reach the historical center of the city. Walking down the pedestrian streets, we enjoyed the night life, saw the cathedral de la Encarnación de Málaga all lit up, and made a stop for gelato. That night, we both tried the city’s typical version of gelato made with rum and raisins — it was delicious! Both tired after a long day, we crossed back over the bridge to returned to our apartment and made plans for tomorrow.

MÁLAGA & GRANADA — DAY 4:

Another early wake-up call, and we were out the door! Having found our way to the bus station just a short walk from our apartment, we began our journey to the nearby city of Granada — but not without yet another café con leche and tostada con tomate y aceite. Mom and I were very excited for our day trip as we were planning on spending most of our time exploring the city’s infamous Alhambra palace. Originally constructed as a small fortress during 889 A.D., it was converted into an Islamic royal palace in 1333 A.D. for the then Sultan of Granada. After the Christian Reconquista of the territory in 1492 A.D. slight alterations were made to the palace. Today, the Alhambra exhibits some of the best combination of Islamic and Christian architecture.

Arriving in Granada just after noon, we took a moment to quickly explore the city before making the trek up the hill to the palace. First, we entered the Capilla Real de Granada which serves as the resting place of two very important Spanish monarchs, Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. Inside the cathedral there was a gorgeous high alter as well as many interesting relics from the monarchy.

After exploring a very good example of Catholic architecture before our trip to the Alhambra, we stopped to grab a couple tasty falafel sandwiches for lunch which we ate at the Plaza de Santa Ana. After finishing our meal and doing a little bit of people watching around the plaza, we began our upwards hike towards the entrance. The actual grounds of the Alhambra spanned 35 acres and was filled with beautiful gardens and intricate buildings. The detail of the Islamic architecture was stunning! It seemed as though every surface was covered with intricate carvings, the many fountains as well as influence of water added a fresh sort of feeling, and the gardens were in blooming. After climbing to the top of the main palace we were able to get an incredible view of the city below as well as the snow Sierra Nevada mountain range in the distance — yes, there are more than one “snow-covered mountain range” in the world @California.

Thoroughly enjoying our day and having took MANY photos, it was time to catch our bus home. Finding ourselves with a little extra time we toured a few local shops around the city, took a picture with Don Quijote, and mom bought a gorgeous little painting of the city made by a local artist.

Finally boarding our late bus back to Malaga, we found ourselves very hungry after a long day. Lured by the aroma, we stopped at a corner Chinese restaurant for dinner and made our way back to our Airbnb around 11pm. Talking with mom after our trip to Granada, we both wish we had more time to get to know this charming city. All the more reason to come back!

MÁLAGA & CAMINITO DEL REY — DAY 5:

Having prepared our maps the night before, mom and I woke up early and climbed back into our car. We headed out of Málaga in the early morning towards the small pueblo of El Chorro. During our dive we were able to see a different side of Spain. Driving through farmlands and rural houses, we had a chance to get out of the big cities and experience the beautiful Spanish landscape around us. Having arrived in El Chorro, we ate a quick breakfast at El Kiosko restaurant and began our hike to the entrance of the Caminito del Rey. The Caminito featured an 8 kilometer long wooden path which hangs onto the walls of the of the Desfiladero de los Gigantes gorge. Far from nearby roads, we walked for a while through the woods along a river until we reached the entrance. After buying a couple of matching souvenir tees and buckling on our ugly hard hats, we began the walk.

The route never left us wanting more. Filled with impressionable heights; incredible views of the canyon and river running far below; interesting geologic tidbits; and overhanging walkways, we had a great time! The path itself was quite diverse in its combination of man-made wood paths along the canyon walls and sections where we descended towards the level of the water. Although there were a lot of people walking the trail that day, we were able to find time to ourselves to enjoy the scenery.

Finishing the trail, we bought a couple of juicy oranges from a local man selling them out of his wheelbarrow. Then, we took a shuttle bus back towards the entrance and location of El Kiosko. Mom and I decided to get off the shuttle bus early to have lunch at El Mirador restaurant. Looking out over the nearby reservoir, we shared a huge pan of paella with seafood, meat, and vegetables. On our walk back towards the car, we made a stop at The King’s Seat — where King Alfonso XIII signed off the surrounding dam in 1926 — and then drove back to Málaga.

As it was time to return our car, we first drove to the train station in Málaga. From there, we headed on foot towards the nearby coast. We walked for a long time along the shops and beach. On our way back towards the center of town, we decided to hike up a big hill for an incredible view of the city around sunset near the Castillo de Gibralfaro. Heading back down the hill, we found a cute cafe serving a happy hour special. We stopped for a bit to quench our thirst sipping tinto de verano before ending up at a rooftop terrace for the evening. We decided to jump to another rooftop having spotted a nearby hotel with a better view of the city. At our new location, we ordered Spanish coffees and split a very rich hunk of chocolate cake. Still full from our lunch, we spent the rest of our evening walking around the center before returning to our Airbnb for the night to pack.

MÁLAGA & SEVILLA — DAY 6:

In the morning we had a little bit of time before our bus to Sevilla left the station, so we walked to the Atarazanas Market in search of coffee and a bite to eat. At this time, both mom and I were suffering pretty badly from allergies. Even though it was early March, spring had definitely sprung in southern Spain! That being said, along our way to the Catedral de Málaga we picked up some medicine to help. Having toured the cathedral we made a quick stop for a late breakfast of café and tostada near the birthplace of Picasso. On our way back towards our Airbnb to pick up our bags, we walked through the Alcazaba. Much like the palace-fortress of the Alhambra in Granada, the Alcazaba was a much smaller version, however had just as much intricate moorish details.

Running out of time we rushed back to our apartment to pick up our bags, stopped for shawarma para llevar, and booked it to the bus station to finally catch our bus to Sevilla. The bus made for a perfect time to catch some shut-eye, eat lunch, and recharge before our first big night in Sevilla!

Mom and I arrived at the bus station just outside of the center of the city along the big Canal de Alfonso XIII. After finding our bearings, we walked from the station of Plaza America to our Hotel for the rest of the stay before setting out for an evening on the town. Only a ten minute walk from the Hotel Abril, we found ourselves in the historic city center. As the sun was setting, we were able to get a sneak peak of the city we were to spend the next three days getting to know. We saw the Catedral de Sevilla and the Torre de Oro all lit up, and I even tried on a flamenco dress for the fun of it. To be entirely honest, I might consider a career change if I were to be able to dress up in something like that everyday! However, finding ourselves very tired after a long day we headed back to our hotel room, booked a walking tour for the morning, and fell asleep full of excitement for what was to come.

SEVILLA — DAY 7:

Excited for our first full day in Sevilla, mom and I headed outside early. Walking through the winding streets of the old town, we found a rich breakfast of coffee, churros, and chocolate, at a famous Churrería called El Comercio. Although the space was quite packed, we were able to get a table for the two of us and enjoy our churros y chocolate.

As we still had some time to kill before our walking tour at 11am, we found a spot in the sun beneath one of the city’s more interesting modern architectural marvels — the Metropol Parasol. Having enjoyed the sun and spent some time people watching, we made our way back to our group’s meeting place for the tour. Our guide took us all around the skinny city streets of the old town and gave a detailed history of the many peoples and civilizations whom settled Sevilla.

Our tour ended by the old Tobacco Factory — now the site of the Universidad de Sevilla — and walked to Plaza España. The plaza was actually used as a filming location of Star Wars: Attack of the Clones. One of my favorite parts of the Plaza was that it featured detailed mosaics of the many regions around Spain. I loved the ability to show my mom where I had visited, where I hoped to go in the future, and the place that I called home!

Feet hurting and starving, we decided to stop for a big Spanish lunch at a restaurant nearby the University. We returned to our hotel room after lunch to rest and prepare for our evening after a long morning of walking.

Fully recharged, we returned to the city center where we caught two free flamenco shows that evening at La Carbonería. Even though the atmosphere was humble, it was very fitting to the songs and style of dance. Traditionally, flamenco was a dance used by the lower classes to express their frustration and anger at the ruling classes. The emotional intensity of the stamping of the feet and great arm gestures reflected that anger. Mom and I shared a jara of sangria as we listened to the music, watched the dancers, and chatted with those around us. After a long night of music and reflection, we returned to our hotel room to make plans for the upcoming days.

SEVILLA — DAY 8:

To start our second day in Sevilla, we of course first set out to grab a café con leche around the corner from our hotel. Unfortunately, it was raining out so we decided to spend our morning inside at the General Archive of the Indies. Inside we were able to view and learn about the Sevilla’s longstanding history as a trading capital of the world as well as view documents concerning explorations to the “New World”.

Thankfully, the rain stopped as quickly as it started, so we spent the rest of our morning exploring across the river through the neighborhood of Triana. Known as the Old Quarter of Sevilla, we spent most of our time in Triana walking through the large indoor market. We took a long route back to our hotel following the canal to the north.

Having returned to our hotel, we took a few moments to rest and eat a snack before headed back out for the afternoon. First of our list, we arrived at the Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador. We toured this church mainly so that we wouldn’t have to wait in the extremely long lines for the Cathedral, however it did not disappoint! Although it was a small building, the church was beautifully lined all around the room with multiple gilted altar pieces.

Wanting to spend most of our afternoon inside the Catedral de Sevilla, we made our way quickly through the church and walked to the cathedral. Holding the title as the third largest cathedral in the world, it also has a very interesting history. While it was first constructed as the Almohad mosque in 1172, it was converted into the city’s Christian cathedral in 1248 after King Ferdinand III conquered Sevilla during the Spanish Reconquista. However, almost 200 years later in 1434, gothic elements were used to update the inside of the previous grand mosque. As some elements of the ancient mosque were preserved over the years, the cathedral is truly a unique representation of the region’s interesting history. Mom and I spent hours inside the cathedral, which I would recommend anyone visiting Sevilla to take the time and do. During our visit, we were able to view the extravagant tomb for Christopher Columbus and climb up to the top of the south tower for a great view of the city below.

As the cathedral was closing for late afternoon services, we treated ourselves to gelato and sat outside the cathedral to enjoy its architecture from below. Earlier during our tour of the south tower, we spotted a few rooftop terraces which we made sure to spend the rest of our evening in each other’s company. We spent the rest of the evening watching the sun set behind the cathedral before taking the long way back to our hotel for the night.

SEVILLA & HOME— DAY 9:

As it was our last day together, mom and I decided to make the most of it! We started off with our traditional café con leche by the parasol near our hotel and shared a portion of tortilla española, churros, and chocolate. Our first item on the agenda today was to tour the Alcázar. We did have to spend some time waiting in line, however the weather was beautifully warm so we couldn’t complain too much. Mom and I spent three hours inside the surprisingly-large moorish palace. Due to the fact it was constructed more recently than the Alhambra which we visited in Granada, much of the old paint and details were still visible. We very much enjoyed the palace’s gardens, interesting tile work, and the hall of tapestries. Even though it was smaller than the Alhambra, it was just as impressive.

After thoroughly explored the Alcázar, we made our way back across the river to the neighborhood of Triana for a late lunch. However, before we crossed the river, we found ourselves in front of the Plaza de toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla. We decided to take a peek inside and found ourselves buying tickets for a tour inside one of the most well-known bullfighting arenas in the world. During our tour, we learned about the rituals a matador must perform before entering the ring and how bullfighting is viewed moreso as an art than a sport. At the end of the tour, we found ourselves inside the extremely hot bullfighting ring. Even though it was a warm day in Sevilla, mom and I concluded that it would be hard to imagine the heat inside the arena on a truly hot summers day in Sevilla.

Starving, we crossed the river into Triana and stopped for lunch at a small bar along the main street. For our final meal together in Spain, we shared a plate of fried seafood with lemon and croquetas de jamón.

Reluctantly, we slowly walked back to our hotel to pick up bags. That evening, we flew from Sevilla and spend the night together inside the Madrid airport. Luckily, we both were scheduled to fly home out of the same terminal as to spend as much of our time left in each other’s company. As mom’s flight left first thing in the morning we said goodbye as she boarded the plane and I waited for my flight back to Vigo an hour or so later.

Just as I had written at the beginning of my post, I was so lucky that my mom and I were able to make this trip possible. Together we traveled to places neither of us had seen before, ate so much delicious food, and cherished the little time we had together. I know that it might be a long while before we get to see each other in person once again, I am so happy to have these memories with me living here in Spain and for the rest of my life. As for now, I’m sure we are both watching our calendars, checking flights, and counting down until our next adventure!