Goodbye Valencia, Hello Rome (Jan 25, 2025)

It had to end sometime.  The last day in Valencia after staying here almost a month was certainly bittersweet, but we were looking forward to Italy.  I had to go out for some last-minute things and I took some final pictures:

Sant Augustí church

Front view

View of the altar.  We had seen this church a lot in our travels around town, but this was the only time I was able to go inside.

Our checkout time was noon so (aside from those last-minute things I mentioned above) we packed our suitcases, tidied up the apartment, and then got an Uber to Valencia airport.  Our flight left at 3:30 pm so we had some time to kill, but it wasn't so bad.

This was our second flight with Ryanair (the first was from Porto to Alicante) and although I had heard bad things about this budget airline, I have to say that we were both pleased.  We had to pay extra for two additional checked bags--they are sticklers on luggage size--so it was just over $225 for both tickets.  I thought the seats were comfortable even if they didn't recline and we both managed to snooze a bit on the two-hour flight.

Rome's Fiumicino airport is 33 km (20.5 mi) outside of town.  We had bought two bus tickets for 14 EUR that took us in to the main bus (and train) station which was only a two-minute walk away from our hotel.  Of course with four pieces of luggage between us in the dark and a couple of wrong turns, it turned out to be a bit longer.  We finally made it though.

Fe and I at the airport.  It's pretty big and if I didn't know better, I'd have thought we were in a mall.

A view of our room at the Palma Residence Hotel.  It's small, but the location is great.  It's also interesting in that as the name implies, people live here too.

Fe and I were both exhausted so we quickly unpacked what we needed and went to bed.  I can't wait to start exploring the Eternal City.

 

Return to Valencia (Jan 21-25, 2025)

Our train back to Valencia wasn't until after 4 pm, but it was still raining so we just packed up our stuff, straightened up the apartment, and then left for the train station.  We'll have to come back, because we didn't get to the Alcazar, Metropol Parasol, and the Hospital de los Venerables.  I was disappointed to miss those sights, but we did see a lot in the few days we were there.  Fe also got an infection in one of her teeth on the 20th (which she took antibiotics for) so we didn't do a lot of running around.

The next day (Jan 22) was a holiday in Valencia, the Feast of San Vicente Martír.  Of course, I didn't know this until I asked someone later at the visitors center why everything was closed.

The next two days were spent on dental tourism again.  Fe had two tooth extractions, two implants, and one crown.  It was tough, but we were relieved they were able to get that work done when she had that infection three days earlier.

We had a small final meal at the restaurant we ate at when we first arrived--it was one of my favorites--and then finished packing for our flight to Rome on the 25th.

I think I mentioned that Valencia was my favorite stay on our 2017 trip, but the time we spent here really cemented that opinion.  It's a great city that's got great weather, is extremely walkable, and is full of history.  I remember thinking in Seville (when Fe was hurting and it was raining heavily), "I can't wait to get back home to Valencia!"  I was getting into the habit of morning walks around town, finding new cafes for an expresso, and shopping at the local grocery store.  Ha ha, really going native.

Back to School, Sevilla Style (Jan 20, 2025)

A day with a forecast of rain meant that I went out early to explore a bit.  After the obligatory morning espresso, I dropped by the University of Seville.  The school was founded in 1505 and has branches all over the world.

The main building (rectorate) of the University.  It used to be the royal tobacco factory.

Statue of Rodrigo Fernández de Santaella, founder of the school in 1505 that eventually became the University.

This campus houses the School of Geography and History and they had a (free) museum!  These are all copies, however.  The originals are in Madrid or elsewhere.

Friezes depicting Athenian cavalry horseman

Caesar Augustus

Pieces from a sarcophagus showing the marriage of Achilles and Polyxena, which sealed the peace with the Trojans

St. George, by Donatello

Fountain in the University patio

"Royal Tobacco Factory"

It had been raining pretty steadily while I was here and after I had a second espresso in the school cafeteria, it was really coming down.  So I headed back to the apartment and hoped it would let up.  No such luck--and it doesn't look good tomorrow either.

Seville Cathedral (Jan 19, 2025)

Our second day in Seville was a busy one.  We started at the Torre de Oro, or Tower of Gold.  It was built in the 12th century by the Almohad Caliphate to control access to Seville via the Guadalquivir River.

The tower at street level

View from the top.  The skyscraper is the Sevilla Tower, the seventh tallest in Spain.

There is a small maritime museum inside the tower, which was pretty interesting.

Nautical chart of South America, print of an engraving by Felipe Bauzá, 1798.  I took this photo because the Falklands are labeled the Malvinas (you'll have to zoom into see it).

Figurehead of the dispatch vessel Giralda

After a quick lunch and some walking around, we got on the tram to go to Seville Cathedral, one of the largest Gothic cathedrals in the world.

A view from the outside.

Fe outside the Gate of the Assumption

Another view of the cathedral

Archbishop's Palace

Main Altarpiece

Side Altar

Columbus' Tomb.  His remains have been in the cathedral since 1899 (he was moved around a lot).

Lectern in the Choir Room

Rose Window

Choir Organ

Altar of the Virgin of Antigua, showing the vaulted ceiling and artwork.

Trascoro (Retro Choir)

Tenebrarium (candlabrum)

Altar of the Jubilee

Bell Tower

Fe in the Orange Tree Courtyard

The cathedral is huge--we took a lot of pictures, but there was so much to see and so many details that (again) the pictures don't do this place justice.  Our tickets cost 18 EUR apiece, but I think they were worth it.  We could have spent even more on them, but didn't so there were things we did not see. 

Our reward for a long day--mango gelatto for Fe, coffee for me.

Flamenco dancer outside our restaurant during dinner.

I'm really glad we did this today since rain is forecast for tomorrow.  We'll see how bad it is.

Side trip to Seville (Jan 18, 2025)

Seville--or Sevilla as everyone here says--is a city we came awfully close to in 2017, but didn't have a chance to visit.  It's not exactly close to Valencia, but we figured since we are here in the country...

I bought the round-trip (high speed!) train tickets about a week ahead of time and we both shared a suitcase to try and keep things easier.  

Our train

Here we go!

Our living room for the next few days.

Bedroom

The train ride was about five hours--we're not talking Japanese levels of high speed--but it was smooth and comfortable.  I even napped a bit.

We got there about 4:00 and after we left our luggage in the apartment, we headed to the place Seville is known for, the Plaza de España.  It was built on 1928 for the Ibero-American Exposition held in 1929.  It is a huge place with a lot to see.  As with many things on this trip, the pictures can't really do it justice.

We started getting pictures right away.

The main pavilion

In front of the Cadiz mosaic.  Every major city in Spain had one.

View of the plaza

One of the footbridges over the ornamental lake.

Looking up at the ceiling

The Valencia tile alcove

Zaragoza alcove.  It was hard to get a picture with nobody in it.  I felt like coming early in the morning to get photos of each one, but that would just be weird.

Close-up of the Vizcaya tiles

It was a beautiful late afternoon.  It might have been 20 C (68 F) but I know that in high season it can go over 35 C (95 F) and way more crowded, so I'm glad we're here in (way) off-season.

The plaza is part of Maria Luisa Park so after this we explored the rest of the park a bit.

Telefónoica Pavilion.  The telephone company sponsored it as part of the 1929 exhibition.

The Prensa Pavilion

Museum of Popular Arts and Culture, rear view

Seville Youth Musicians Hall

Royal Pavilion

We called it a day after this and headed back to our apartment.  My iPhone says I walked a bit over 6.5 miles today.  Whew!