Archive for 'Castles & Palaces in Spain'

If you book a vacation rental in Málaga and are exploring the city, then a visit to the Alcazaba of Málaga is a must. A fortress-palace and an Arabic citadel, it is a beloved historical monument in the city and one of the best places to take in a wonderful view over Málaga. An architectural gem, steeped in history, and utterly beautiful, it is an inexpensive attraction to visit but provides an incredible bang for its buck.

One enters the grounds next to the Roman amphitheatre and then takes a meandering path uphill, wandering past lush greenery, rich red bougainvillea, palm trees high overhead, fragrant jasmine bushes and rows of orange trees. Then there is the building itself; light-coloured stone, thick walls, imposing and, yet, beautiful at the same time, with delicately pointed ogive arches, patios taking in wonderful views and little gardens and pools dotted around.

Seville is an incredibly beautiful city in the Spanish region of Andalusia that boasts an incredible amount of architectural gems, stunning attractions and things to see and do. A romantic and charming place, steeped in history and culture and photogenic spots around every corner, it is an ideal holiday destination. Once you find a perfect vacation in Seville, you'll find endless reasons to fall in love with the city. However, we have been listing just ten of them and here are the final entries into this selection...

7. Seville Cathedral

Seville's incredible cathedral, Santa Maria de la Sede, is the largest Gothic cathedral in the world, and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Built from 1401 to 1506, it is ornate, massive and utterly glorious and awe-inspiring. It is said that when the plans for the building, the aim of those involved was to “build a church so beautiful and so magnificent that those who see it finished will think we are mad”.

One of the most beautiful palaces in the entire world is located in the pretty and historic city of Seville in Andalusia, Spain. The Alcázar of Seville is a royal palace that was originally developed by Moorish Muslim kings and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site regarded as one of the most outstanding examples of mudéjar architecture. It is the oldest royal palace still in use in Europe and is still occupied by the royal family as the official Seville residence to this day. Just find a vacation rental in Andalusia and come see this truly extraordinary building for yourself.

Various different structures existed on the site of the palace, as do earlier fortifications for local rulers, the current building, however, largely dates to the 12th and 13th centuries. The Almohades were the first to build a palace, that was called Al-Muwarak, on the site of the modern day Alcázar.