Flamenco, tapas, architecture, history: Why Andalusia needs to be on your next Spain itinerary
Published on
19 Sep 2022
Published by
The Straits Times
ANDALUSIA, Spain – While pandemic border restrictions kept me homebound for the past two years, I found myself itching to see, taste and feel something a little less Singaporean. I made a list of countries I wanted to visit and that would allow me to dive deep into their cultures.
Spain topped that list.
I indulge in my love of tapas, even if it is quite expensive in Singapore restaurants.
Dancing flamenco was a dream I briefly entertained, but one trial workshop later, I realised I could not twirl my hands and stamp my feet in sync.
I ended up dusting off my mediocre grasp of Espanol picked up from previous classes and binge-watching Money Heist instead.
When borders reopened, I booked myself a week-long trip to Spain for my 38th birthday in March. But it was not to Barcelona or Madrid, metropolitan cities I had visited before, but the southern Andalusia region – which many call the soul of Spain – the birthplace of quintessential Spanish things such as flamenco and tapas.
Tapas time
Despite jet lag from 20 hours of non-stop travelling from Singapore, the first thing I did on reaching Seville, the largest city in Andalusia, was to embark on a guided tapas tour.
I went on to eat at multiple taperias throughout my trip, but that tour with Devour Tours (https://str.sg/wKzA), which cost €99 (S$140) and lasted four hours, was instrumental in educating me on the local etiquette and what to order. It included five drinks and more than 10 portions of tapas.
The Spanish way of eating these small plates of food is said to have originated from Andalusia, though there are different stories on how the practice came about. Some say the food was used as a cover to protect drinks from flies, others say they were savoury snacks to encourage more drinking.
I like that the small portions are perfect for solo travellers.
But the spirit of tapas is really about sharing food over drinks and conversation. My tour group comprised eight tourists, led by Spanish guide Mario who traipsed us through the streets of Seville to four locally owned taverns.
My favourite was the 170-year-old Casa Morales (https://str.sg/wKzB), which filled up the minute its doors opened. There, I had my first encounter with jamon iberico bellota, one of the highest grades of Spanish cured ham. I washed down the salty slice with manzanilla, a dry white sherry hailing from the neighbouring province of Cadiz.
The practice of eating tapas can be found throughout Spain and each city has its own speciality fare.
Fried fish tapas are de rigueur in the seaside town of Cadiz. I highly recommend cazon en adobo, a juicy fried ball of marinated dogfish that explodes with flavour. I had a delicious portion at Restaurante El Faro de Cadiz (https://str.sg/wKzd), rumoured to have turned down a Michelin star in order to keep crowds away and prices affordable for its local regulars.
Cordoba, which sits in the fertile valley along the Guadalquivir River that runs through Andalusia, is home to an excellent cold tomato soup with bits of boiled egg and ham called salmorejo. It is a classic starter in these parts.
To eat tapas like a Spaniard, order your drink first (sherry and fortified wines are specialities of this region), and then your tapas of choice – just one dish at a time. Order your next only after you are done with the first. A basket of picos – usually plain bread or crackers – is placed at your table for you to nibble on between plates, and is billed only if you eat them.
Peel back layers of history
Andalusia has a diverse and colourful history – the ancient Romans, Visigoths (an early Germanic people) and Moors (North African Muslims) were in the Iberian peninsula long before the Christians came conquering in the late 15th century.
Remnants of these ancient civilisations often lie several metres below current street levels, buried by new societies building on the old. In El Populo, the oldest part of Cadiz, a massive fire in 1980 revealed the remains of what was possibly the largest Roman Theatre built over 2,000 years ago. Seeing charred apartment blocks hanging over the former arena as I climbed the stone steps was surreal.
I was fascinated by Andalusia’s famous Mudejar architecture, the Islamic style the Moors brought to the region during their 800-year reign. Even the Christian kings in later years were loath to destroy the intricate tilework and carvings of these beautiful structures, and repurposed or built around them instead.
The Real Alcazar of Seville (https://str.sg/wKzP), or royal palace, for instance, features a mix of Romantic, Gothic, Renaissance, Baroque and Mudejar architecture added through the years. As it is one of Seville’s most famous attractions, pre-book your tickets (general admission costs €14.50).
Over in Cordoba, the Mosque-Cathedral of Cordoba is exactly what its name suggests – a lavish mosque built in the ninth century as one of the finest monuments of its era that was later converted by the ruling Castillians to a Catholic church.
Go up the former minaret-turned-bell tower to see how the Castillians inelegantly plonked an entire Gothic nave and Renaissance-style chapel in the middle of the Islamic prayer halls. Expect jarring changes in the architecture styles as you explore the compound.
Tickets cost €11, with entrance to the bell tower sold separately at €2. For more information, go to https://str.sg/wKzW
Flamenco: More than just a dance
If Andalusia had a soundtrack, it would definitely include flamenco. Now considered a quintessentially Spanish art form, it was once snubbed as low-brow entertainment as it was created by gypsies, known as gitanos, to express their woes at their downtrodden status with fiery and loud passion.
Flamenco is more than just a dance. Pay attention to the musicians on stage with the dancers – baile (dance), cante (song) and toque (play) must come together for a true flamenco performance. Singers tell the story, often a tale of sadness. The guitarist, too, is key, with his strumming and plucking controlling the rhythm.
There are many ways to watch flamenco performances in Andalusia. In Seville, I caught some buskers at Plaza de Espana and an evening performance at Casa de la Memoria (https://str.sg/wKzs), or the flamenco cultural centre, for €22. The venue was a small, bare stage and just two rows of hard seats. The audience was a mere arm’s length from the performers.
I did not understand a word that was sung, but my heart stirred as the singer cried out in lament and the dancers stomped their heels across the stage with flurrying hands and skirts.
Andalusia in a week
I spent a week exploring three cities – the Andalusian capital Seville, coastal town Cadiz and the old regional centre Cordoba. With an additional week, I would recommend other stops such as Granada, known for its iconic Alhambra palace complex; Malaga, which has beautiful beaches and is the birthplace of artist Pablo Picasso; and taking a road trip through the scenic Pueblos Blancos, or White Villages.
Seville
This is the most well-connected city in Andalusia and the best place to start exploring. High-speed trains connect Seville and Barcelona in about 5.5 hours, and Madrid in about three. Domestic flights take one to two hours, but factor in time for airport clearance.
The main sights are located in the city centre, which is easy to navigate on foot and can be covered in two to three days. Highlights include two Unesco World Heritage sites – Seville Cathedral, the world’s largest Gothic cathedral, and Seville Royal Palace (Real Alcazar).
Star Wars fans should visit Plaza Espana, a filming location for the fictional planet of Naboo in Star Wars: Episode II – Attack Of The Clones (2002).
Triana, the former Jewish and gypsy quarter of the city just across the Guadalquivir River, is home to a less touristy side of Seville, known for ceramic shops and flamenco tablaos.
I treated myself to the penthouse suite (€110 a night) at the Welldone Metropol (https://str.sg/wKrE) in Plaza de la Encarnacion, a 10-minute walk from Seville Cathedral. It came with a private rooftop terrace with unmatched views of Las Setas, the magnificent mushroom-like modern sculpture covering most of the plaza.
Cadiz
The historic town of this small coastal city is one of the oldest in Europe and a popular cruise stopover that you can explore in a day or two.
The best views come from its two highest points – the Levante Tower of the new Cadiz Cathedral and Tavira Tower, the highest of more than 100 watchtowers found in the city.
In the hot summer months from June to August, enjoy the old town’s La Caleta Beach and rise out of the water like actress Halle Berry did in the 2002 James Bond movie Die Another Day, which was filmed there. The beach is bookended by two abandoned castles – Santa Catalina can be explored for free while San Sebastian, located at the end of a long sandbar, is closed to the public and a favourite spot for sunset shots.
Cordoba
This former capital of the ancient Roman and Moorish empires is home to the Mosque-Cathedral, which is located in the old Jewish Quarter and a must-visit with its unique mix of Islamic and Christian architecture styles.
Cordoba’s residents are particularly house-proud and hold an annual patio competition in May to decide who has the prettiest one. You can also see some fine examples year-round at the Viana Palace.
Sample Cordoba’s flavours, which include berenjenas con miel (fried eggplant with honey), flamenquin (deep-fried pork loin wrapped around jamon serrano) and rabo de toro (braised oxtail). These dishes can be found tapas-style or in heartier portions all around the city, but I recommend Casa Pepe de la Juderia (https://str.sg/wKzn), which is in an Andalusian-style house in the old Jewish Quarter.
Travel tips
1. Foreign visitors require a European Union digital Covid-19 certificate. Use Notarise (https://str.sg/wKzh) to convert your Singaporean vaccination records and save the QR codes to your smartphone wallet for easy scanning. Use the certificate to apply for a QR code at the Spain Travel Health Portal (https://str.sg/wKz7), which you will need to scan at immigration upon entering Spain.
2. Spain’s Covid-19 rules are quite relaxed in general. Masks are optional indoors and required only for public transport or healthcare institutions.
3. Many of Spain’s major attractions now sell their tickets online, allowing you to skip the queue. Buy tickets early, especially for popular spots during peak season. Take along headphones as many audio guides can be downloaded online.
4. Credit cards are widely accepted, but it is always useful to have some cash on hand.
5. Spanish people generally eat very late. Lunch typically starts at 2pm and dinner from 8pm. Most places fill up around 9 to 10pm. It may be difficult to find food earlier as restaurants are changing over for the next course.
Jaclynn Seah is The Occasional Traveller (https://str.sg/wKz8), a freelance travel writer and blogger juggling a full-time job with perpetual wanderlust.
Source: The Straits Times © Singapore Press Holdings Limited. Reproduced with permission.
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