Tired of the Spanish sol y playa? The Petit Futé proposes three tours that will take you to the most authentic Andalusia, to the rhythm of flamenco and the vibrations of the Semanas Santas in April, to follow the ancient Roman road from Gijón to Seville or to follow in the footsteps of Charles V in Asturias or Castile. The result is an exceptional historical heritage, a great variety of landscapes and a gastronomy specific to each region.
Caminos de Pasión: an exciting journey to the heart of Andalusia
From Carmona to Alcalà la Real, through Utrera or Ecija, you will discover a more authentic and sometimes unknown Andalusia. Through a circuit of ten emblematic cities-stages, which, from west to east, will cross the provinces of Seville, Cordoba and Jaen and will surprise you first of all by the extent of a historical heritage, impressive. From the Roman remains to the baroque and Renaissance creations and the Almohad fortresses. Will you be able to resist the beauty of the necropolis of Carmona, the charm of the church of Santa María in Utrera, the silhouette of the Colegiata de Osuna, the pensive allure of the wounded Amazon of Ecija, the remarkable Roman ruins of Fuente Àlamo in Puente Genil, the Sephardic pearl of Lucena, the delightful Casco Blanco of Cabra, the ancient medina of Baena, the Baroque splendor of Priego de Córdoba or the majestic fortress of La Mota, in Alcalà la Real? In order to visit them, we will take the time to stroll through the steep streets, to meet its craftsmen, to enjoy the smells and colors and we will extend these pleasures by following beautiful paths to discover the lakes, the mountains and protected areas such as the Sierra Subbética. But this heart of Andalusia is also the place of a unique intangible heritage. As evidenced by all the variations of Semana Santa, an opportunity to discover a religious but also popular fervor, often maintained for centuries or the intense flamenco passion, transmitted by the peñas. And the best part is that the local gastronomy, based on excellent local resources, will give pride of place to excellent products such as virgin oils and wines with a controlled designation of origin.
Ruta de la Plata: a journey through time
From Gijón to Seville, this mythical road connects the Cantabrian coast to the south of Spain, following the route of the ancient Roman road, designed in the first century BC to facilitate the gold trade. Roman soldiers, Arab armies, reconquest troops, pilgrims and merchants passed through in a continuous stream before it became one of the key axes of the communication network of the Iberian Peninsula. Traveling nearly a thousand kilometers, from north to south, you will plunge into Roman Hispania and cross four Spanish communities: Asturias, Castile and Leon, Extremadura and Andalusia, in twenty-seven cities-stops. And the logical translation of so many passages, heritage and history will be there. With an exceptional historical and archaeological legacy that will be declined, from the Roman remains, sometimes classified as a UNESCO heritage site as in Merida, to modern art, through Arab fortresses and Romanesque architecture. By car or motorcycle if you want to approach it like an Iberian Easy Rider, your route will cross villas, thermal baths but also popular architecture, Romanesque or pre-Romanesque jewels, industrial heritage in the mining pits or contemporary brands like the Museum of Contemporary Art in León or the Museum of Roman Art in Merida. From the Asturian coast to the Sevillian countryside, you will also be able to enjoy very different landscapes and cross beautiful national parks such as Monfragüe or Cornalvo. For the gastronomes, your route will lead you to the high places of the Spanish gastronomy through very diverse flavors but also in the cradles of the jamón ibérico and the torta del Casar, one of its emblematic cheeses.
Carlos V: the Spanish routes of Emperor Charles V
The Spanish Routes of Charles V will show you some of the stages of the many journeys made by the emperor throughout the Spanish territory, as well as the footprints he left behind. With two zooms on his first and last trip. When he became emperor in 1520, Charles V was at the head of an empire that included the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, Naples and Sicily, the Netherlands and Franche-Comté, as well as the rich Spanish colonies in America. He was then the most powerful Christian monarch of the first half of the 16th century. And only thirty-five years later, he would gradually strip himself of his powers to abdicate in 1556.
The first Tazones-Mojados route saw the young king take possession of the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, inherited from his grandparents, the Catholic Monarchs, and set foot on Spanish soil for the first time in 1517, in the small port of Tazones, in Asturias. His route will follow the Cantabrian coast to San Vincente de la Barquera, in Cantabria, and then plunge southwards to Valladolid, in Castilla y León. The second route, from Laredo to La Vera, retraces the route followed by Charles V in 1556, after his abdication. A journey of several months that will lead him through Cantabria, Castile and Leon and Extremadura to reach his final destination, the monastery of Yuste. These routes also include other decisive sites for Charles V, such as Toledo, where he transformed the Alcázar into an imperial palace worthy of his rank, and Granada, where he built an astonishing Renaissance palace inside the Alhambra. But all of them will allow you to discover not only cities and villages but also beautiful landscapes. And to appreciate the traditions that are still very much alive. Especially during the Semanas Santas, celebrated with great pomp in April. Olé !
Useful information
When is it? In spring, you will enjoy nature and emblematic festivals, such as the Semana Santas, but in autumn, some of the landscapes will be sublime.
How to get there. To reach the Iberian Peninsula, everything is possible, between plane, train, car, bus...
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Useful. To prepare at best your escapade.
ITINERA CAROLUS V - More information on the site
CAMINOS DE PASIÓN - More informationon the site
RUTA DE PLATA - More informationon the website
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