At Lobo Park in Spain, you can observe several different subspecies of wolves, including the native Iberian wolf, the European wolf, the Alaska Tundra wolf, and the impressive Timber wolf (Canis lupus occidentalis). The Timber wolves at the park originate from the vast forests of Canada, which explains their distinct coloring. 🐺

To allow for stress-free observation, almost all the wolves at Lobo Park were hand-reared by the owners from a young age. This process helps to overcome the wolf's instinctive shyness towards humans. However, the park makes a crucial distinction: the wolves are socialized, but NOT domesticated or trained. No human interferes with the social development of the pack, so visitors have a unique opportunity to observe their natural behavior up close.

The enclosures where the wolves live are generously sized and beautifully integrated into the natural landscape. The animals have more than enough space to play, hunt, and relax, with sunny spots alternating with shady places under numerous stone oaks. Each enclosure even has its own natural pool with water cascades where the wolves can take refreshing baths. One can become quite envious!

Well-maintained paths lead you to the different enclosures and up to viewing platforms that offer excellent, unobstructed views of the wolves.

GPS coordinates: N 36°59’7.29” – W 4°37’15.27”

In the heart of Málaga, right next to the city's grand cathedral, you'll find the beautiful Plaza del Obispo (Bishop's Square) with its charming central fountain. Overlooking this square is the magnificent Episcopal Palace (Palacio Episcopal), considered one of the finest examples of 18th-century architecture in the city. Today, the historic palace is home to the Diocesan Museum. 

The palace has a long and complex history. Construction began in the 16th century and continued over the next 200 years. Because it was built and expanded over such a long period, it has a fascinating mix of architectural styles. Inside, for example, its courtyards blend elegant Renaissance features with beautiful brick archways in the Mudéjar (Moorish-influenced) style.

The most stunning part of the palace is its grand Baroque facade, which was completed in 1772. This ornate, three-tiered entryway is decorated with marble columns and features a beautiful alabaster statue of the Virgin Mary nestled in a niche above the main doorway, all crowned by a large, carved stone coat of arms.

Just outside Ronda's famous bullfighting arena, we spotted this beautiful horse-drawn carriage waiting for passengers. It's a charming way to see the city and adds to the historic, romantic atmosphere of this incredible town.

Just off the lovely central square in Ronda, the Plaza Duquesa de Parcent, stands the city's handsome town hall. You'll notice its long, narrow shape and its distinctive double-tiered galleries. The church next door also features two levels of galleries, which leads to a fascinating local theory: that the square itself was once used for public spectacles like bullfights, and these many galleries would have served as perfect, protected viewing areas for spectators. 

The building wasn't always the town hall, though. It was originally constructed in 1734 as a military barracks. Over the centuries, it was converted into shops and even a corn exchange (which is not the same as an open mic night at a comedy club) before it finally became the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall) that it is today.

The magnificent Alhambra of Granada is much more than just a palace. 🕌 It was a complete fortified city—a palace, a fortress, and a citadel all in one. For over 250 years, it was the residence of the Nasrid Sultans, and it was also home to top government officials, court servants, artisans, and the elite royal guard.

The most famous part is the Palatial Zone, an exclusive area reserved for the Sultan and his family. It consists of several interconnected palaces, each built around beautiful courtyards, gardens, and alleys where the sound of flowing water and the sight of lush vegetation played an essential role. These palaces were the heart of the courtly city, where the Sultan held meetings, celebrated feasts, and lived in incredible luxury, complete with private baths and small oratories for daily prayers.

The oldest part of the complex is the Alcazaba, the mighty military fortress. Strategically situated at the western tip of the hill, this was the home of the royal guard and their families. It served as the main line of defense, providing security for the Sultan and the entire city within the walls. Like any small town, it had its own cisterns for water and public baths.

The Alhambra also had its own bustling town, known as the Medina. This was where the court's functionaries, servants, and skilled artisans lived and worked. The Medina had its own main street, a mosque, public baths, shops, and workshops for industries like ceramics, glass blowing, and even coin minting. It was a vibrant city dedicated to serving the needs of the royal court.

The entire complex was designed to be unassailable. It was surrounded by an impregnable wall with four main gates, such as the famous Gate of Justice. More than thirty defensive towers, each with a unique shape and size, were distributed along the ramparts, giving the Alhambra its distinctive and powerful fortified appearance that still inspires awe today.

Within the Alhambra complex, you'll find the Church of Santa Maria de la Alhambra. It was built on the highly significant site of the Alhambra's former Great Mosque after the Christian Reconquista. Construction of the church took place between 1581 and 1618. As a fascinating link to the past, parts of the old mosque's bathhouse are still preserved in the building next door, which is now a museum dedicated to the musician Ángel Barrios.

Inside, the church has a traditional Latin cross floor plan. The main highlight is the magnificent Baroque altarpiece, which features grand, twisted Solomonic columns and impressive statues of Saints Úrsula and Susana, created by the artist Alonso de Mena in the 17th century.

The church's most treasured possession, however, is the beautiful 18th-century statue of Our Lady of Sorrows. During Holy Week, this revered statue is the centerpiece of a famous procession, carried out of the church and through the streets of Granada on one of the city's most beautiful and ornate floats (tronos). Adding another layer of history, the famous poet Federico García Lorca was a devoted member of the religious brotherhood associated with this very statue and its procession.

As you explore the Alhambra, you can't miss the massive, imposing structure of the Palace of Charles V. Its grand Renaissance style stands in stark contrast to the delicate Moorish architecture of the Nasrid palaces around it, and that was exactly the point. The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, was a monarch who travelled throughout Europe. He decided to build this palace in 1526 not to make Granada his capital, but as a powerful symbol. By placing a grand Christian palace in the "Roman" style right in the heart of the Alhambra, he was making a statement about the triumph of his empire on the site of the former Muslim citadel, which had been conquered by his grandparents, the Catholic Monarchs. 

This masterpiece of the High Renaissance was a radical addition to the complex. Its construction required the demolition of parts of the original Alhambra, forever altering its layout. The palace is famous for its groundbreaking design: a perfect circle within a square. The stunning circular courtyard, surrounded by two tiers of colonnades, is one of the most beautiful examples of Renaissance architecture in Spain. The design was likely influenced by the great Italian artists of the day, like Raphael, bringing a piece of Rome to the heart of Andalusia.

This is the mighty fortress of the Alhambra, and the large open space at its heart is the Plaza de Armas, or Place of Arms. In medieval fortresses, this area was typically used for military parades in peacetime and for planning defensive strategies during attacks. However, the Alcazaba was more than just a military base; it was a self-contained residential city known as the Military District.

This fortified city-within-a-city was home to the Sultan's elite royal guard and their families. A narrow street runs through the ruins, dividing the district into two distinct zones. On one side, you can see the foundations of houses of various sizes, laid out in an irregular pattern—this is where the guards lived with their families. On the other side, the building foundations are more uniform, suggesting this area was used for barracks for younger soldiers, as well as for warehouses and other military facilities.

Nestled at the foot of Málaga's famous Alcazaba, the city's Roman Theater is the oldest monument in the city. It's thought to have been built early in the 1st century AD, during the reign of Emperor Augustus. The theater follows a classic Roman design, and visitors today can still see many of its original features, including more than half of the tiered seating area, the marble floor of an entranceway, and even parts of the stage with some of its original paintwork still visible.

For centuries, this ancient treasure was completely lost, buried beneath an ever-changing and expanding city. It was only rediscovered by accident in the mid-20th century, during construction work for a new cultural center. A controversy ensued over what to do, but eventually, the decision was made to demolish the modern building. In 1994, the extraordinary Roman Theater was fully excavated and revealed to the world.

Like so many Roman sites, the theater was used as a quarry for building materials during the long centuries after the fall of the empire. Despite this and its long burial, it was found to be in remarkable condition. It stands today as a beautiful testament to the ingenuity of its original Roman builders and a stunning centerpiece in the heart of historic Málaga.

A short walk up from the Plaza de la Aduana in Málaga stands the solid, fortified walls of La Alcazaba, a major landmark of the city. This magnificent Moorish fortress dates back to the 8th century, although much of the structure you see today belongs to the mid-11th century. It’s one of the best-preserved Muslim military fortifications in Spain.

The entrance is through a gateway known as the Puerta del Cristo (Christ's Door), so named because it was here that the first mass was celebrated following the Christian conquest of the city. From there, a zigzagging path takes you up the hill through a maze of fortified gates, many of which are cleverly decorated with reused columns and capitals from the Roman era. This pleasant walk through shady nooks and archways eventually leads you into beautiful Arab-style gardens filled with the scents of bougainvillea, jasmine, and honeysuckle.

As you climb higher, be sure to stop and enjoy the spectacular panoramic views from the top of the walls, which look out over the city and the port below. A visit to the Alcazaba combines perfectly with exploring the other historic sites at the foot of the hill, including the ancient Roman Theatre and the city's Archaeological Museum.