We decided to take the route via Seville to get to the port of Algeciras. A little detour, but we were looking for good weather and warmer temperatures. Our first stop was at the village of Iznájar, which lies on a huge rocky outcrop overlooking a reservoir, where we could spend the night at the shore. The next day we went to explore the castle and village.
Hisn Ashar Castle dates back to the 8th century and is of Hispano-Gothic origin. In the 9th century, it was built in its current form under the Moorish rulers of the time. In the 18th century, the castle was used as the seat of the Duke of Sesa’s administrator. It retained this function until it was sold to the Conde de la Revilla in the 20th century and later to the municipality.
We stopped at Seville and spent an afternoon between the Plaza de España and the old town.
The Plaza de España in the Parque de María Luisa was built in 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition of 1929, a world’s fair with most of the South American countries in attendence.
We took a ride through the park and the surrounding area, powered by one horse, Caramelo. We also came past the Torre del Oro, a military watchtower, erected by the Almohad Caliphate in order to control access to the harbour of Seville with a chain spaning the Guadalquivir river.
We were too late to visit the cathedral of Seville, one of the largest churches in the world, but admired the Giralda tower next to it, which is from the ground to the weather vane 104.5 m in hight and a fantastic landmark.
In the evening we decided to leave the town again, to find a quiet spot for the night. Our next destination was Bornos, south-east of Seville, where we wanted to visit a palace.
The Castillo Palacio de los Ribera is a striking palace, which was once a castle of the Moors and which was later transformed into a Renaissance palace by the local nobles, with many Italian features. It has a lovely courtyard, surrounded by a cloister with arches, above which rises a large upper gallery with arcades. Behind the palace lies a beautiful Renaissance garden, decorated with pools, grotos and fountains. At one end lies a loggia with a Pompeian-style façade, the only one of its kind in Andalusia, with niches once decorated with Italian statues.
We also visited the Iglesia de Santo Domingo de Guzmán, which has a beautiful side altar for Mary and little Jesus, and the Casa Ordoñez, a traditional house with an inner courtyard. Bornos also has a promenade at the shore of its reservoir, where we took a walk.
We are now heading to the coast and will make our way to Algeciras, to get a ticket for the ferry to Morocco – more soon!