Stops along the way in Spain

I feel compelled to strike a pose at the Cáceres sign in Plaza de Santa Maria.

As we get older, our tolerance diminishes for long days of driving. We've planned our recent trip to Spain to stop for the night after (at most) five hours in the car. This itinerary gives us the chance to spend an afternoon and evening in some towns that we probably would have just bypassed en route to our next destination. Here are some descriptions of our stops along the way as well as some day trips we took during our week on the Costa del Sol.

Lerma

Located near Burgos, a much more famous city that we visited a few years ago, the small city of Lerma provides a good end to our first day on the road. As with nearly everywhere else in Spain, the city has an ancient past with Romans, Visigoths, and Arabs all contributing to Lerma's history. The city's political and cultural heyday was in the 17th century, and in 1965 Lerma was designated as a historic-artistic complex. Its main square is flanked by the Ducal Palace and the Monastery of San Blas. 

Our friends had recommended a small hotel located at the entrance to the old town, DC Mesones 21, which impressed us with its cozy room and friendly owners. 

Lerma's Ducal Palace is now a parador (a fancy hotel).

From the Viewpoint of the Arches in Lerma, one can look out
over the Arlanza plain. 

I find Lerma, our first stop on our recent trip to Spain, to be
surprisingly charming.

Cáceres

Located in the Extremadura region of Spain, Cáceres is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The city's cobblestone streets are surrounded by Renaissance and Gothic palaces, mansions, and churches. Barrio San Antonio is Cáceres's old Jewish quarter. The city is encircled by Moorish walls from the 12th century, and can boast around 30 towers. 

Our first stop is for lunch in the main square, where I order the regional specialty, migas, which is basically sautéed bread crumbs — delicious!  

Cáceres's Arco de la Estrella was built in the 18th century.
The gate leads to the city's main plaza.

The UNESCO World Heritage Site city of Cáceres has something
to see around every turn.

Cáceres's Jewish Quarter is an area of steep narrow streets. The
white-washed homes here feel simple compared to the grand
Baroque mansions found a block away.

Residents of this home get a bird's-eye view of the
street below in Cáceres.

I am surprised how delicious migas is. The Cáceres version is made
of bread crumbs and topped with a fried egg.

Mezquitilla

We've hunkered down in a seaside high-rise apartment in Mezquitilla, on Spain's Costa del Sol, an area that I'm not too impressed with. Most days, the weather is chilly and gray, or rather, red; a major Saharan dust storm blows through on our second day here, turning the water in the swimming pools a muddy color and layering everything with a thick dust that we are still trying to exorcise from our car weeks later. 

We spend much of our time talking about what we're going to eat since there's no shortage of restaurants here. We take some long walks including one where we check out a pint-sized castle created by a Danish artist with a sense of humor. A few enjoyable day trips (see below) round out our stay here. 

Although we didn't know what we were ordering, we quite enjoyed
this huge calamari for lunch at a seaside restaurant in Mezquitilla.

The pink hue of this photo is not a filter; a Saharan
sand storm blew through during our stay in Mezquitilla.

It took Danish artist Anton Jensen two months to construct
El Castillo del Búho (The Owl's Castle). The miniature castle,
located near Lagos, is made of stones found on the Costa del Sol.

Frigiliana

Our day in the lovely white-washed village of Frigiliana is a highlight of our trip. We've chosen to visit this area of Spain because our friends are spending several months here and are considering making it their winter home. We meet them for lunch in Frigiliana and take a long stroll through its winding passages. Paul tells us that its residents come from more than 30 different countries. The town, located a few kilometers north of Nerja, is in the National Park of Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama — a popular area for nature lovers. 

Frigiliana is one of the most charming of the white villages in Andalucia.

What must it be like to live along a narrow passages in Frigiliana?

Touches of color can be found throughout the white village of Frigiliana.

We've come to Frigiliana to hang out with our friends (and neighbors),
Lydie and Paul.

Málaga

One day during our stay in Mezquitilla, we take the bus in the other direction to Málaga, a large port city whose most-famous native son is Pablo Picasso. Not surprisingly, there's a Picasso museum here, as well as a cathedral with the nickname La Manquita (one-armed lady) because one of its towers was never built. 

We're impressed by Málaga's Atarazanas Market, its many churches, and a Roman amphitheater. After a few tapas and glasses of wine, we head to the Alcazaba, the ancient Moorish fortress, and surprise ourselves by climbing to the top of the hill on which it's perched. We're rewarded with fabulous views of the port below. 

Atarazanas Market is bustling on the day of our visit to Málaga.

The ancient Moorish fortress called the Alcazaba is perched
on a hill in Málaga.

Málaga's large port is seen from the Alcazaba.

A Roman theater is located at the base of the Alcazaba in Málaga.

The sun finally makes an appearance during our daytrip to Málaga.

Ocaña

Our two-week trip to Spain is over, and we're on our way home to France. We spend our first night in Ocaña, a town located in the Castilla-La Mancha region in the center of Spain. It's a very quiet Sunday afternoon when we arrive, but a smattering of families are hanging out in the town's large central square. We've chosen a modest-looking tavern for lunch and are impressed with the quality and price of our meal.

After lunch, we walk to the Fuente Grande fountain, which is a huge outdoor structure dating from the 16th century that includes a wide stone gallery, and a central washing area that allowed 300 women at a time (who else?) to do laundry. 

Ocaña's Plaza Mayor features 70 arches topped with two stories
of balconies and attics.

The Fuente Grande fountain in Ocaña is a huge facility dedicated
to water, including the biggest laundry room I've ever seen.

This little guy tops a fountain in Ocaña.

Pamplona

For our last night on the road, we stay in Pamplona, of bull-running fame. We visited here a few years ago, and because it had been raining then, I assumed that we'd see the town in a whole new light this time. Unfortunately, our nerves are on edge from our long drive in the rain, and the dark skies and the wall-to-wall graffiti, sours our mood. 

We perk up as it nears the pintxo hour and we head to our hotel's neighborhood in search of wine and snacks. We never did succeed in adapting to late dinners. Oh well — one last early-to-bed night in Spain before we return to France. 

The narrow streets of Pamplona are beautiful,
if you can ignore the incessant tagging.

Plaza del Castillo in Pamplona is named for a castle that used
to stand here. Bullfights were held here from 1385 to 1844,
the year a bull ring was constructed. 

Ken stands atop Pamplona's 16th-century city walls, which were
built to defend the city from invasions by the French. 

Pamplona: Capital of the Kingdom of Navarra

Pamplona's pretty architecture

We didn't run with the bulls, but our 24 hours in Pamplona was packed full of sightseeing. Pamplona (Iruña in Basque) is the last stop on our spring trip to Spain, and honestly, by the time we arrive, we are tired, our taste buds and tummies are on overload and we are completely out of clean clothes. But after checking into our hotel and taking a quick look at Facebook and email, we head out to explore the medieval city of Pamplona, the capital of the ancient kingdom of Navarra.

Just as we reach the base of Pamplona's city walls, which are some of the best preserved in Europe, the skies open up and we join the soggy crowd seeking shelter just across the Puente de la Rochapea on the Arga River. As soon as the rain lets up, we enter the old city through Portal de Francia, following the route of the famed encierro (bull run), which takes place each July during the San Fermin Fiesta.

Sign along the route of Pamplona's encierro

I pick up a handy guide to city walks at the tourist office, and we peruse the possibilities while sipping thick, luscious hot chocolate at Plaza Consistorial.

Strolling band in Plaza Consistorial

Ultimately, we decide to stroll aimlessly and I put away the map. Before long, the sun is shinning, and people seem to pour into the massive Plaza del Castillo. For more than 200 years, the 14,000-square-meter plaza has served as a venue for markets, political demonstrations, tournaments, parades and, until 1844, bullfights. Today it is the city's central meeting place.

Plaza del Castillo

Ken poses by the gazebo in Plaza del Castillo.

Even Pamplonians love 'The Good Wife.'

Carlos III El Noble, King of Navarra

We eventually find ourselves at Plaza de Toros, Pamplona's bull ring. Built in 1922 with a 19,720 capacity, here is the ending point for the running of the bulls and, sadly, for many of the bulls themselves. Just outside, a statue of Ernest Hemingway, perhaps America's most notable bullfight fan and the man who made Pamplona famous. (For more on this, check out this interesting July 2011 article in The Independent.)

Sculpture at Plaza de Toros

Ernest Hemingway statue at Plaza de Toros

We stop to rest in the quiet, grassy park at the Citadel, one of Europe's most notable examples of Renaissance military architecture. The stone buildings are now used for exhibitions and events, and avant garde statues dot the park.

Sculpture in the Citadel park in Pamplona

Ken and a cannon at the gates to the Citadel

It's getting late, so we make a B-line for Taconera Park. We've been told that a variety of animals reside here in the old moats. We don't see any deer, but there are lots of birds, including peacocks and turkeys in this open-air zoo.

An old moat along Pamplona's city walls is an open-air zoo in Taconera Park.

This post ends this series on Spain, and I will end with a few thoughts about this beautiful country. Ken and I have visited Spain four times so far, and we have had nothing but great memories: of the people, the places, the food and wine. As much as we love France, each time we venture south of the border we find ourselves wondering if we should have chosen Spain as our adopted country. Those of you who know us know that someday we may decide to do just that.