We came to again Spain on January 8th 2024 and we continued to awesome Seville which is with nearly 700,000 inhabitants the largest city and the capital of Andalusia. Two kilometers south of its center is the decent official overnight staying place for little money in a vehicle distribution center directly on shore of the channel Canal de Alfonso XIII. Outstanding is Seville's cycle path network thus we strolled around per bicycle and on foot in its old town and surrounding.

Performance of Flamenco on the huge Plaza de España - free of charge
Performance of Flamenco on the huge Plaza de España - free of charge

 

The cathedral of Seville at night
The cathedral of Seville at night

 

Mushrooms - Cetas of Seviilla
Mushrooms - Cetas of Seville

 

Mural in Seville
Mural in Seville

 

Happy Birthday Rudi - Breakfast
Happy Birthday Rudi - Breakfast

 

Here we celebrated the evening of Rudi's birthday
Here we celebrated the evening of Rudi's birthday

 

On our second day in Seville we pedaled mainly on good bike lanes 15 kilometers to the ancient Roman city Italica which was one of the most important settlements of the Roman on the Iberian peninsula. Unfortunately it was Sunday and we were aware that they close at 3:00PM but we were not allowed to visit the ruins of its center at 2:00PM, but we could see its impressive Amphitheater. Instead we could explore the interesting area of Seville's Expo 1992 with the theme "The Age of Discovery" - the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus reaching Americas after launching from Seville's port. Unfortunately many of the nice buildings and pavilions were in a bad shape.

The Amphitheater of Italica could host 25,000 spectators being one of the largest of the Roman Empire
The Amphitheater of Italica could host 25,000 spectators being one of the largest of the Roman Empire

 

In the area of the Expo 1992 with the colorful pavilion of the European Union
In the area of the Expo 1992 with the colorful pavilion of the European Union

 

Hungarian pavilion which shows the bond of the five major religions
Hungarian pavilion which shows the bond of the five major religions

 

Moroccan pavilion on the Expo 1992
Moroccan pavilion on the Expo 1992

 

Before we came to Seville we stayed few days in the border town Isla Cristina and in the beautiful National Park Donaña which is more or less the estuary of the mighty river Rio Guadalquivir. There are superb hiking trails in its swamps where we saw many birds including flamingos. Remarkable is the "wild west" village El Rocio which has no paved streets because horses are the main transportation unit.

Alfred and Marion in Isla Cristina
Alfred and Marion in Isla Cristina

 

Bird azure-winged magpie on our nice overnight staying place in Isla Cristina
Bird azure-winged magpie on our nice overnight staying place in Isla Cristina

 

Three horsemen drinking beer with the little village El Rocio in the back
Three horsemen drinking beer with the little village El Rocio in the back

 

Church Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rocio
Church Ermita de Nuestra Señora del Rocio

 

After visiting Seville we "enjoyed" few rainy days in the little town Puerto Real where Marion's sister Jutta and her husband Hermann joined us on January 16th 2024. Together we cycled and walked through the interesting cities Jerez de la Frontera and Cádiz. After outstanding Seville these towns were a little bit like cold coffee for us.

Cathedral of Jerez de la Frontera
Cathedral of Jerez de la Frontera

 

Storm in Cádiz with its cathedral
Storm in Cádiz with its cathedral

 

Huge tree in Cádiz with a North African Lady
Huge tree in Cádiz with a North African Lady

 

Gate Puerta de Tierra of Cádiz
Gate Puerta de Tierra of Cádiz

 

After staying two days in nice but windy and rainy San Fernando the weather changed and we could travel to the mountains of Cádiz where we deeply enjoyed three sunny and warm weeks. In the first days we explored the marvelous villages Medina Sidonia, Benalup, Alcalá de los Gazules and Ubrique. Between the latter two we hiked to the summit of 1092 meters high Pico del Aljibe which is a wonderful trip of more than fife hours.

Gate in Alcalá de Los Gazules with Pico del Aljibe in the back
Gate in Alcalá de Los Gazules with Pico del Aljibe in the back

 

Bright yellow mushroom on foot of Pico del Aljibe
Bright yellow mushroom on foot of Pico del Aljibe

 

The mountain town Ubrique
The mountain town Ubrique

 

We found an incredible nice overnight staying place in tiny Benacocaz.which is surrounded by huge, rocky limestone mountains. From there firstly we ascended the summit of Navazo Alto which was a strenuous tour of nearly six hours. The final part required some easy climbing.

Jutta on the ascent to the mountain Navazo Alto
Jutta on the ascent to the mountain Navazo Alto

 

Rudi, Tommy and Alfred on the summit of 1395 meters high Navazo Alto
Rudi, Tommy and Alfred on the summit of 1395 meters high Navazo Alto

 

Two calves close to our trail
Two calves close to our trail

 

Sunset on the descent
Sunset on the descent

 

Full moon with pinnacle on the descent of Navazo Alto close to the village Benacocaz
Full moon with pinnacle on the descent of Navazo Alto close to the village Benacocaz

 

Even more challenging was our trip to the pristine top of Simancon which is with 1569 meters sea-level the highest mountain around Benacocaz. We came into the darkness because we hiked more than nine hours. Fortunately you get dinner in Spain at 10:00PM because we were hungry like wolves when we returned. The main problem was finding the paths not only after sunset because they were quite often invisible, bushy and sometimes thorny.

Abandoned house with the majestic mountain Simancon
Abandoned house with the majestic mountain Simancon

 

Eagle inspecting us on the summit
Eagle inspecting us on the summit

 

Enormous fossilized egg on the descent of Simancon
Enormous fossilized egg on the descent of Simancon

 

We met nobody else on these two superb mountain trips. From Benacocaz we drove to the village El Bosque where we cycled and walked the last part to the summit of 975 meters high Pico Albarracín. The winding and steep road from El Bosque to stunning Grazalema is famous not only by motorcyclist because it traverses the 1100 meters high pass Puerto del Boyar. Rudi and Alfred climbed up 1554 meters high San Cristobal which was a little bit annoying because again there was no visible path in the steep, rocky, bushy and thorny terrain with a lot of loose debris. Rudi continued to1654 meters high El Torreon - fortunately he found a better path for his descent and people who drove him back to our car.

Southwestern view seen close to the top of San Cristobal
Southwestern view seen close to the top of San Cristobal

 

The mountain village Grazalema seen from the descent of San Cristobal
The mountain village Grazalema seen from the descent of San Cristobal

 

Flamenco in Grazalema
Flamenco in Grazalema

 

From the beautiful but touristic village Grazalema we headed to Algodonales and continued to Olvera via the 1185 meters high pass Puorto de las Palomas which is the start of the shorter mountain trip to the summit of Coros.

On top of 1376 meters high Coros with spiky San Cristobal  in the back
On top of 1376 meters high Coros with spiky San Cristobal in the back

 

Mountain goats close to our car on the saddle Puerto de las Palomas
Mountain goats close to our car on the saddle Puerto de las Palomas

 

Olvera is a marvelous city with an awesome castle on its top. It is also the starting point of the superb cycling route Via Verde de la Sierra which leads 36 kilometers on a railway track to Puerto Serrano. It had been built between the years 1927 and 1936  but the railway line never had been inaugurated due to the Spanish Civil War (1936 - 1939). But now it is perfectly prepared for bicycling including four viaducts and thirty tunnels. An outstanding highlight half the way is the viewpoint Mirador Peñón de Zaframagón where we saw a lot of griffon vultures on the rocks and in the sky. Click here to see the website about Via Verde de la Sierra (In German language).

The impressive castle of Olvera
The impressive castle of Olvera

 

Church Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación in Olvera seen from the castle
Church Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación in Olvera seen from the castle

 

Black Madonna inside the castle
Black Madonna inside the castle

 

Inside an illuminated tunnel - some were nearly 1000 meters long
Inside an illuminated tunnel - some were nearly 1000 meters long

 

Ruins close to Puerto Serrano
Ruins close to Puerto Serrano

 

 

Younger bull on Via Verde de la Sierra
Younger bull on Via Verde de la Sierra

 

From Olvera we headed to the nice but very touristic town Setenil de las Bodegas which is famous for its cave dwellings and continued to Ronda where Rudi and Alfred climbed he two Via Ferratas Tajo Ronda I and II which we also had done in April last year, click here to see article Mountains of Andalusia and the way home - Spring 2023.

In Ronda we sadly said bye-bye to Rudi and Tommy who drove back to Germany. Jutta, Hermann and we turned southwards to Tarifa to catch a ferry to Tanger, Morocco with stops on the wonderful overnight staying place in the mountain village Benarrabá and on a parking lot in the beach town San Luis de Sabinillas. We had been in Tarifa in April 2023, too - click here to see article Andalusia - Coast West of Málaga - Spring 2023.

Cave houses in Setenil de las Bodegas
Cave houses in Setenil de las Bodegas

 

Mural in Tarifa
New Mural in Tarifa

 

On February 7th 2024 we left Spain and crossed the street of Gibraltar to Africa.

Most of our overnight staying places and hikes are in included in our GPS coordinates file of Spain

 

For more pictures, please click here

For a map of our itineraries, click here

To download our GPS coordinates file of Spain, click here 

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