spain

A quick commuter train ride southeast of Sevilla —the line heads towards the direction of Zahara de la Sierra & Grazalema— ends in Utrera. This city of 52,000 people sits off most tourists’ radar but has a few surprises to merit a visit: a church strikingly similar to the Mosteiro dos Jerónimos in Lisbon, the only church bell ringers left in Andalucía, an immense castle keep & a party room inspired by the Alhambra. There are even pastries if you have a super sweet tooth! Let’s explore this easy day trip from Sevilla…

One advantage of living in the Sierra Morena foothills is easy access to several hiking trails. Although not an experienced hiker, updating guidebooks for Rick Steves has endowed me with lots of stamina! Autumn now approaches & with it cooler temperatures, so we’re starting to explore on foot what the region has to offer…

In March 2020, Spain began a lockdown that would come & go for well over a year. As we descend from the fourth wave of infection, now seems like a good time to reflect on national & local management of the pandemic. My personal experience in Andalucía should not be considered standard for the entire country; other regions of Spain have had wildly different circumstances. Hindsight is of course 20/20, but I’ll try to address the good, the bad & the unfortunate, occasional ugly. Enjoy the rollercoaster ride like the graph above (taken from the Ministerio de Sanidad).

Just over an hour from Sevilla on the same train that goes to Jerez & Cádiz, most visitors zoom past El Puerto de Santa María without a second thought. But its beautiful beaches, interesting architecture & vibrant cuisine scene make for a great, non-touristy overnight stay. Explore with us…