Experience

ANDALUSIA | Granada on Día de la Hispanidad

Posted by Timothy on

Six days. Five overnight stays in five cities in Spain. Lunch in Paris. Stopover in Barcelona. Then Córdoba, Seville, Granada and Málaga. An Andalusia Whirlwind Tour where we visit the Mezquita and the Alhambra. We’re touring Andalusia in October 2023 to follow the trend of travelling to hot spots outside summer, as we did with Italy in 2022.

We were in Granada on 12 October 2023. When we arrived, we saw many Spanish flags. First, I thought it was linked to the football match of Spain versus Scotland. 

Also, the police closed off some major streets.

But it turned out to be the National Day of Spain (Fiesta Nacional de España), also known as Día de la Hispanidad (Hispanity Day), Día de la Raza, Día del Respeto a la Diversidad Cultural, Día de la Resistencia Indígena or just Columbus Day.

The National Day of Spain commemorates Christopher Columbus stumbling upon the Americas, for Spain, on 12 October 1492. The date is a key point for Spain’s overseas influence and legacy to the world and to the Americas in particular. It symbolizes Spain’s vast, common heritage with today’s American countries, which made up the Spanish Empire, the first global power in world history.

During the day, it didn’t have an effect. We went to the Alhambra and the Generalife without being overwhelmed by huge crowds. I expect it to be always crowded.

Granada.

Homer Simpson

Afterwards we had burgers at La Casual by Negro Carbón on Plaza de Isabel La Católica. Danny had ‘La Hommer’ or ‘Homer Would Love It’. A double glazed doughnut, a 200 gram matured cow patty, maduradi bacon and mayo bacon sauce. 

We decided it was time to recuperate at Hotel Catalonia. On our way to the hotel, we saw some dances and heard music from South America. 

Around 9M we went for dinner. 

La Casual.

Full restaurants

It was a holiday night and Friday night. Feierabend, the Germans call this. Streets were very crowded, there was some procession. That’s when the penny dropped. 

The evening before a day off. And as ‘hispanity’ had to be celebrated, Spanish restaurants were full. But we found a table at La Cueva de 1900. 

Granada by night.

So?

Half a day in Granada felt enough. There’s always more to do and see, but it was time to move on. 

2023 Andalusia Whirlwind Tour

  1. PRELUDE | Visiting Gibraltar in 2013.
  2. REVIEW | Eurostar Amsterdam – Antwerp – Brussels – Paris in 2023.
  3. PARIS | Restaurant Le Train Bleu at the Gare de Lyon.
  4. REVIEW | SNCF TGV inOui from Paris-Gare-de-Lyon to Barcelona-Sants.
  5. REVIEW | Hotel Barcelo Sants.
  6. INTERMEZZO | Spain saw a surge of Belgians visiting in the first quarter of 2024.
  7. SPAIN | Renfe Sala Club or Club Lounge at Adif stations.
  8. REVIEW | Renfe AVE in Premium from Barcelona-Sants to Córdoba.
  9. SPAIN | The Mezquita or Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba.
  10. CÓRDOBA | The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos or Castle of the Christian Monarchs.
  11. REVIEW | Hotel Eurostars Palace Córdoba.
  12. ANDALUSIA | Half a day in Córdoba.
  13. TRAINS IN SPAIN | Iryo in Infinita class from Córdoba to Seville.
  14. ANDALUSIA | Real Alcázar of Seville.
  15. ANDALUSIA | Seville Cathedral or Catedral de Santa María de la Sede de Sevilla.
  16. REVIEW | Hotel Posada del Lucero in Seville.
  17. ANDALUSIA | Half a day in Seville ft. Plaza de España and Las Setas or Metropol Parasol.
  18. TRAINS IN SPAIN | Renfe Avant regional ‘local’ train on high speed lines.
  19. GRANADA | The Alhambra and the Generalife.
  20. REVIEW | Hotel Catalonia Granada.