Day and Weekend Trips

May 23, 2017

ASA has taken us on many day trips, allowing us to experience the different aspects of Spanish culture. My absolute favourite trip, was a weekend trip to Sevilla and Córdoba. We took a speed train from Barcelona to Sevilla, a five-and-a-half-hour long train ride. All of us were itching with excitement, looking forward to experiencing a different face of Spain, given that Andalucía is so different from Catalunya.

Having visited Sevilla before, I knew what to expect but I truly love the rich history of Andalucía and so was equally excited, just like I was visiting for the first time. Sevilla was just as I remember, quaint and rich with culture and history. We visited the Cathedral and walked up the Giralda tower, to see a wonderful view of the city. We also attended a Flamenco Show; that was something special! The dancers were so talented and passionate about this art form and were proud to perform for us, an audience mainly filled with tourists. Flamenco dancing, not as well-known as Salsa, is unique in terms of the dance technique and the music that accompanies the dancer. I had never seen anything like it before and truly enjoyed every moment of it!

While in Sevilla, we also visited the Alcázar palace, a royal palace built by the Moorish, Muslim king. While studying abroad, I have visited numerous cities in Europe and have had the chance to visit a couple royal palaces that portray the different parts of Europe, from the Mediterranean to Scandinavia. However, this palace was nothing like I had ever seen before. The design within the palace of walls and furniture were not as detailed and intricate but the geometric, Islamic design and architecture had its own charm and radiated its own kind of royalty and regality. All three styles – grand, Mediterranean, Scandinavian and Moorish palaces are all different, but equally beautiful in their own ways.

During the same weekend, we took a day trip to Córdoba to visit a large mosque, which had a cathedral built in the middle, after the Reconquista in Spanish history. This cathedral, similar to the Alcázar palace was filled with geometric designs, arches and design elements unique to Moorish architecture. Both, the cathedral and mosque were so beautiful, I had such a wonderful time visiting all the sights in Andalucía and would certainly recommend it to anyone looking to visit Spain!

Written By

Mitali Mirle

I am originally from India, born and raised in Dubai UAE. I am studying Environmental Science with a minor in psychology and Spanish. I chose to study abroad because I wanted to experience a new culture, travel to new places and in the process, improve my Spanish. While some people speak English here in Barcelona, the preferred language is definitely Spanish, therefore if I want to communicate with others, I am forced to speak the language, which will help me improve my conversational Spanish. While abroad, I hope to use Barcelona as a gateway to rest of Europe, say yes to almost all opportunities, try new things, eat new types of food and witness and be a part of new traditions and customs of Spain. I would like to come back and share my experiences with others like me who also want to travel the world and see the world from different perspectives.