Córdoba and Andalucía Spring

[alecgrych]

Hey everyone;

I am planning to study abroad in Córdoba from January - June, and although my university usually plans these trips relatively well, there are still some holes in the planning process. Does anyone know anything about ETEA (Loyola Andalucía) and if there will be a sizable erasmus population there come spring semester? In terms of class difficulty, recognition, etc. My Spanish is at a C1 level.

My other questions are general in nature, mostly about Córdoba. I am looking to stay active while abroad, and was wondering if there were any good half-day hiking trails in the area, reachable cheaply (under 10 euros 1 way with normal hours) accessible via the bus, as I do not know how to drive a stick shift. I've heard of the Vía Verdes, but don't know of much else. Preferably of easy-medium difficulty on terrain. Also, I'm interested in kayaking the Guadalquivir, biking, and perhaps running a 5K or so there, but have no ideas on what else to do or how to do them. I'm planning to buy gear at Decathlon, so not bringing any over from the US.

In Córdoba province, I'm also looking at day trips, and Iznájar, Almodovar del Río, Montilla, Zuheros, Cabra, and Belmez all seemed interesting. I'm into history and experiencing the gastronomic flavors of the region. I love seeing cobblestone streets, old buildings, and being transported back in time. Are there any other day trips in the Province (or surrounding provinces, I wrote El Puerto, Jerez, Cádiz, and Huelva as a few)? I would like to do a wine tasting and sample local cuisine inexpensively. Taking a hike to see a village is not a problem. I will have weekends to explore. Castles and lookouts are also bonuses.

Thanks for the input!

Alec

[Gasman]

Hello Alec and welcome to the forum!
I think you are going to have a whale of a time and thoroughly enjoy yourself. You seem to have a good idea already of what you can look forward to - I just wonder when you are going to fit in some studying!
Start slowly with Cordoba - that will take a few sessions of serious soaking up of the old stuff, history, cultures, gastronomy etc etc. I am sure some of the folk local to that area will be along with some good advice for you there and for hiking, biking and kayaking....
We are in the Huelva area and can recommend that if you get over here to the west on the budget you have set yourself, try to visit the Minas de Rio Tinto - full day of exploring the old opencast mining area and British influence "colonial" history of the area, but also fascinating museum going back to the Romans and before who were all in search of useful and precious metals in the province... and a ride in a rattly old train on the mining track - I believe the first Sunday in the month they have the steam train in action!
As you listed, must-places-to-visit in the Sevilla province are Sevilla itself, Jerez (don't forget the Spanish riding school as well as the bodegas of sherry and excellent old town centre) and Cadiz. Do some research yourself - start with a Wikipedia search on each city and work on from there.

I do believe you are going to love it all - enjoy !!

[alecgrych]

Gasman - Thank you for the input, it was quite helpful. I did look into the Minas de Río Tinto, and they look unbelievable. Would I be able to visit Huelva city and that site with 12 hours in Huelva? If not, is the Muelle de las Carabelas a good option as well? I've head the gambas blancas are quite famous, and as a seafood fan, sounds like right up my gastronomic alley.

I looked into where the bus companies can take me, and I'm looking into a trip to Cabo de Gata. I'd like to see Mojácar and another small town, but the local buses aren't reliable in terms of timeframes. I think one option was Agua Amarga or Carboneras. Ideally, I'd like to visit Isleta del Moro, but the bus timing doesn't allow for a full day. Any similar options?

I've been to Sevilla, Granada, Málaga, Ronda, and Gibraltar, and am looking into going to carnaval in Cádiz. I cannot drive a manual transmission, but would be open to renting a scooter, if that's possible. I don't mind couchsurfing, and don't have safety concerns. Any other places I should look in to (Weekends, Day Trips)?

[Gasman]

Hi again, I'll just stick to the Huelva bit and hope others come along for points east of there ...
Your main concern I think is going to be transport if you don't have a car. To get up to Minas de Rio Tinto you are stuck with the bus service .... and that will eat into a lot of your time. 12 hours would be pushing it if you are to do Huelva as well. You can get on the train to Huelva and arrive in the city centre (almost) from Sevilla - the centre is pedestrianized and quite pleasant but not very touristy and anything OLD got shaken to the ground in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
The Caravelles are still well worth a visit, though starting to look a bit tired a couple of years ago when I last went. The information part of the museum is all in Spanish, but I think you will be able to cope with that. If you can get out to Punta Umbria there is a wealth of seafood restaurants etc (and superb beaches too) but food in the city centre is good too with no shortage of bars, pubs, tapas, etc etc. Try to visit the Victoria Barrio (just across the road from the El Corte Ingles) to see a bit of the British influence. The train station itself is very cute.
I hope other folk from Cordoba and the Costa del Sol will be along for a chat soon.
Cheers

[olive]

You might find it handy to occasionally hire an automatic car. The car hire companies all have them. Otherwise you might find yourself kicking your heels at various bus or train stations waiting for connections. Malagacar car hire for example do a Smart car (no Internet connection though) for 130 euros for 8 days.

You might also consider buying a mountain bike or similar and sell it at the end of your time here. Milanuncios for secondhand ones. Google for new shops. I am sure Decathlon sell them.

[gerryh]

I'd certainly go along with Olive's suggestion of hiring a car.
Just been to the Cabo de Gata area and the Isleta del Moro.
Most of the places in the Cabo de Gato, including the Isleta del Moro only warrant a half hour visit.
Cheers
Gerry

[Sandramay]

Lucky you! You will be in Cordoba for the Patios Festival, held in May. Amazing beautiful.

[alecgrych]

Thanks everyone for the updates;

I will be in Córdoba for the Patios festival, as well as for Las Cruces and Feria, all of which I'm very excited for. Another festival I noticed and am interested in is Carnaval is Cádiz. Anyone have personal insight about it? I went to Carnevale in Venice two years ago, which was fun, but seems much more formal and classical than Carneval in Cádiz. Are there any more local festivals outside of Feria de Abril and the Feria in Jerez?

That's a good suggestion for renting a car, and the rates seem very reasonable, much more so than here in the States. Hopefully I make a friend who can drive a manual transmission, but if there was a time to learn manual, it would be now. I would be interested in scooter rentals, although would my current US drivers license work for any rentals or would I need an international one?

I'll look more into the Decathlon gear, and I know it's quite cheap, was looking at picking up a pair of hiking boots there. The hiking in Córdoba province looks pretty good, and not extremely difficult either.

[Mariacristina]

Alec: Cordoba Province is magic. The city itself will keep you busy as it has an amazing history and is full of wonderful things to see and do. The railway station and bus station are more or less next to each other at the north end of the main thoroughfare with good bus and train services. There is excellent walking in the Sierra Subbetica and, like any university city, there are lots of organised groups and lots of young students about. I have found that staff at the tourist office are always willing to take endless trouble to help and advise and that is a good place to start. Don't miss the Medina Azahara not far outside Cordoba. It's an old Moorish city which is currently being excavated and is as exciting and striking as the Mezquita. Food is great, people are friendly and helpful. Six months won't be long enough. I live in the south of the province and I am sure there are people on A. Com who live nearer to the city itself.

[alecgrych]

Again, thanks everyone for the information.

I'm really looking forward to my time in Córdoba, and this has been of a great help. I was looking at some hiking routes, especially the ruta del califato between Luque and Zuheros. Has anyone done this trek or other portions of the ruta/vía verdes and can talk to the difficulty/length of time for the hike?

I'm also looking into getting a Carnet Joven Andaluz, if that will help with discounts.

[Enrique]

Hi alecgrych,

"ruta/vía verdes"..........I've done sections along the old olive railway, this is fairly flat as one would expect of a railway line....from Alcaudete to Cabra, the whole length is circa 110km .

http://www.viasverdes.com/en/principal.asp

http://www.viasverdes.com/en/itineraries/principal.asp

There are caves at Zuheros worth a visit , you have to book...

http://www.zuheros.es/cueva-de-los-murcielagos

The roads are very quiet in this area so a cycle is ideal way to get about.

[alecgrych]

Thanks again for the updates, those vía verdes look pretty nice and easy to complete. I looked the walk between Zuheros and Luque, and that's something I'm planning on doing as well.

Any other local day trip suggestions? Interests include gastronomy, castles, moorish remnants, and preferably within 2-3 hours by bus each way.

Alec