Off the beaten track in Andalucia - Alcalà la Real

Friday

Alcalà la Real is high on my list of places that should be wonderful but my second impression when we walk down the main street of ‘palacios’ – Carrera de las Mercedes, is that, like Borghetto Santo Spirito in Liguria, I’ve been fooled a little by the name. My second impression is that it’s a cold (no more calling it chilly – here it’s cold) morning even if it is 1st March. The car thermometer shows 5°C and when we first get out of the car I’ve no reason to think it’s on the pessimistic side. Although Alcalà, as well as being Real, is also at 918 metres above sea level so is entitled to be on the cool side. So, our first stop is at Bar El Matinal where we order churros and chocolate. We thought the ones in Priego de Cordoba were good, but these are even better, crunchier and enormous and the chocolate is thick and, well, chocolatey. The place is packed but we squeeze in, next to the bar.

Anyway, back to the main street. Here there is also Palacio Abacial where there’s the tourist information office and a small city museum with some archaeological remains and a few pictures. The ticket to the museum and Fortaleza de la Mota costs 8 euros for adults and 4 euros for jubilados/pensioners. After visiting the museum we walk as far as Iglesia de la Consolacion, which is open, and then continue uphill to Barrio de las Cruces. Narrow streets and whitewashed houses but none of the flowers we were used to Priego. But the Mirador de los Naranjos is spectacular both for the orange trees and the view, of course, of Fortaleza de la Mota. Because really that’s what Alcalà la Real is all about. It’s dominated by Fortaleza de la Mota and the fortress is also the most interesting place to visit in the town. I would even be tempted to say that there’s not much point in coming to Alcalà la Real if you don’t intend to visit it. 

After a number of photos appropriate to the view we go back down to the town and have a look at the Ayuntamiento and its square and then walk back towards Paseo de los Alamos. 

Just before the park is the Pilar de los alamos fountain, and the other end is the sandstone building of the Capuchinos Convent which houses the library. Despite such a large amount of churros and chocolate, by now it’s time for lunch, so we go to Bar Jaybe which Internet assures is a Tapas Bar. There’s a sort of veranda outside which is protected from the wind so we sit there. Also because inside it’s quite small and busy. We order a couple of canas and are very pleased to see that the tapas included in the drink is a portion of the typical ‘ensalada’ of Alcalà – potatoes, oranges, onion, boiled eggs and lashings of olive oil. Another of those dishes which should be difficult to digest, but magically, in Spain, isn’t. In the meantime we look at the menu and order fried cod – a raciòn, which is more than enough for two – 7 large pieces with a marinated cabbage salad and a few black olives in the centre. After coffee and a rest, we head up to the Fortaleza de la Mota by car. There’s parking just below the ticket office. 

Fortaleza de la Mota consists in the ruins of the ancient fortress, village, military barracks, church and Alcazaba. It’s immediately apparent that it’s a large area with a lot to see, splendid views, all the way to the snow-covered Sierra Nevada in the distance and there’s hardly anyone around. Fortaleza de la Mota is at 1033 metres a.s.l.. We look at everything, well nearly, there are lots of stairs, some audiovisuals and there’s an audioguide you can listen to on your mobile. Fortaleza de la Mota was one of the main defensive structures of the rulers of Castilla and after many sieges was eventually defeated due to the lack of water. When it was abandoned as a defence structure the whole village gradually transferred lower down and even the church was left in ruins. Part of the area was used as a cemetery. It’s now all been restored and is a splendid place, reminiscent of the Alhambra de Granada.

It's getting late, time for a quick trip to Mercadona for some jamon iberico cortado al cuchillo and then we head back to our cosy accommodation near Priego, tired but satisfied.