Game of Thrones, Series 5 WILL BE filmed in Andalucía, Spain

Alcazar, Seville, Spain

IT’S OFFICIAL!

The eagerly anticipated announcement that Game of Thrones fans have been awaiting has been made.  The United States Ambassador to Spain, James Costos, has confirmed that Series 5 of the popular TV series will be filmed in Andalucía, Spain.

The Royal Alcázars in Seville (Reales Alcázares de Sevilla), which is the oldest Royal palace in Europe, has been chosen as the main venue for the filming of Series 5 of the Game of Thrones.  The Alcázar, originally a Moorish fortress, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1987, and the palace is one of the best remaining examples of mudéjar architecture.  (Filming will take place from 14th – 22nd October 2014).

Mercury's Pool in the Alcazar gardens, Seville

Mercury’s Pool in the Alcazar gardens, Seville.

 

Gold ceiling of the Ambassador's Hall, Seville Alcazar

Gold ceiling of the Ambassador’s Hall, inside the Alcazar of Seville.

It has also been confirmed that filming will take place within the historic town of Osuna, in Seville province – the origins of which date back three thousand years.

Whilst the exact locations of all filming within Andalucía for the Water Gardens of Dorne is still being kept secret, it’s understood that the Alcázar of Córdoba, the Alhambra Palace in Granada and the Alcázar of Málaga have yet to be completely ruled out.

This is good news for Andalucía with a boost to the economy in the region of €80 million euros, creating around 900 permanent and 5000 temporary jobs, as well as a growth in tourism to the area.

EDITED TO ADD: The Spanish producer chosen by US TV network, HBO, for the filming of ‘Game of Thrones’, has just issued a casting call for Series 5.   Interested persons should register with the following email address:

castingjuegodetronos@gmail.com

At this stage, specific characteristics for actors have not been announced – but hey – GO FOR IT! 

Which location would be your choice?  Would you like to be an extra in Game of Thrones?

 

“Game of Thrones” scouting film locations in Andalucía for Season 5

SSSHHHH!  For all of you Game of Thrones (“Juego de Tronos” in Spanish) fans out there, I’ll let you into a little secret.

The Andalucía Film Commission has been showing representatives of the Game of Thrones’ production company around filming locations in Andalucía during the past two months, as they gear up for season 5.

And, I can reveal the three top locations in Andalucía to you, in no particular order:

Alcazaba, Cordoba, Spain

Alcazaba, Cordoba, Spain

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (also known as the Alcázar of Córdoba)

Alcazaba, Seville, Spain

Alcazaba, Seville, Spain

El Real Alcázar de Sevilla (also known as the Alcázar of Seville)Within the Alhambra Palace, Granada

Islamic arches in the Alhambra Palace, Granada

La Alhambra de Granada (also known as The Alhambra Palace of Granada)

Do you watch Game of Thrones?  Which of these famous Spanish monuments do you think would be best suited to the TV show with the largest world-wide audience?

 

Ski-ing in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Granada, Spain

Sierra Nevada, SpainImage credit: Javier Martin (Wikipaedia CC)

The 2013-2014 winter season opens tomorrow, November 23rd, at the Sierra Nevada Ski Station in the province of Granada, Spain.

The Sierra Nevada (snowy mountain) is Europe’s most southerly and sunniest ski resort with more than 80% of sunny days each year.   There are more than 104 kilometres of trails, 116 ski runs and 22 ski lifts to ensure you enjoy the biggest snow park in Spain!

The lower end of the resort village, Pradollano, lies 2100 metres above sea level with the top station at 3300m.

The Sierra Nevada Ski Station also boasts the greatest skiable vertical drop in Spain at 1200 metres.  

The resort is situated 27 kilometres from the city of Granada and, with ski-ing available from late November to early May, it’s possible to enjoy ski-ing and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea (only 100 kilometres away) on the same day.  

Now there’s a challenge for you!

Where’s your favourite ski resort?

 

Related articles:

Project Piste 2 Playa: Granada’s Ultimate Day-trip

Classic Andalucía: La Alhambra, Granada

The Alhambra Palace, Granada

CBBH Photo Challenge: Ancient and Modern

Believe it or not, it’s one year to the day since I published my first CBBH Photo Challenge.  How time flies when you are taking photographs!

Anyway, for this month’s challenge, if I were to I say “Ancient and Modern” – what would you think of?  Would it be hymns, languages, history, art, the Olympics or maybe architecture?  Within one photograph, I want you to show me your interpretation of Ancient and Modern.

Don’t forget that the CBBH Photo Challenge is a little different from some other challenges, in two ways.  First, it’s only once a month – giving you lots of time to consider your entry before the end of the calendar month.  Second, and most important, this is a BLOG HOP (after all, it is the CBBH – Conejo Blanco Blog Hop, meaning white rabbit in Spanish), so DON’T FORGET that in your post you need to add links to two blogs that you have visited and commented on, during the past month.  That way, when we visit each other, we can HOP OVER to your links, connect with others and share a little blog love around!

El paseo de las traditions, Competa, Spain

I’ve blogged before about El Paseo de las Tradiciones in the white village of Cómpeta, but it’s a perfect example of the beautiful modern ceramic murals celebrating the lives of generations of the working people of the village, annexed to the 500 year old Church of Our Lady of the Assumption (La Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Asunción).

Giralda, Sevilla cathedral and setas

Here you can see the 15th century Cathedral  in Seville, with its famous Giralda Bell Tower, as viewed from the very modern Metropol Parasol.  More popularly known as Las Setas (the mushrooms), this huge wooden structure was built between 2005 and 2011 in the heart of the city.  It seems people either love it, or hate it.  I LOVE it! 

Jet trail over the Alhambra, Granada, Spain

Back in May, I visited the city of Granada and, whilst we were having lunch in one of the wisteria-covered restaurants in Paseo de los Tristes, in the shadow of the Alhambra, I grabbed my camera when I saw a jet appear above the turrets of the ancient monument.  It was this shot that first gave me the idea of this month’s theme.

Mirador in Cazorla National Park, Spain

And finally, this modern stone architectural structure (known in Spain as a mirador – or look-out point) is sited to take advantage of a the scenic view over the UNESCO World Heritage Cazorla National Park in Jaén province.  The Parque Natural de las Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and La Villas, to give its complete name, is Spain’s largest national park and the second largest in Europe.  It’s marvellous to just gaze out and wonder at who has looked across these same mountains in days gone by.

My Featured Blog Links for this month:

**  Spain for pleasure follows the adventures, misadventures and quiet musings of an earnest (British) expat living “la vida loca” in Granada.  I was amazed (and envious) to read Josh’s tale of when he played a part in the best EVER water-fight in Lanjaron, but one of my favourite posts is hisPiste 2 Playa Projectwhen he took the ultimate day trip from Granada to ski in the morning in the Sierra Nevada mountains and sunbathe on a Mediterranean beach in the afternoon.  Quite why he had to do it dressed in a giraffe onesie (especially on a nudist beach) is beyond me – but that’s Josh for you!!  When he’s not having such interesting adventures, Josh earns his keep teaching English as a foreign language, so if this is something you might be interested in, head over and take a look at his blog.  You’re sure to find something of interest –  I always do!

**  con jamón spain are a couple of Brits who have recently moved from London, England to live in Órgiva, in the popular Alpujarras region of Andalucía, for one year.   Set in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, Órgiva is situated an hour and three quarters’ drive east from Málaga, and 45 minutes south from the city of Granada. Con jamon spain are a couple of carnivores who have totally changed how they live over the past few weeks, and have discovered how to make delicious vegetarian pizzas, using fresh produce bought from the local Thursday market.   Their regular posts make me want to jump in the car and visit Órgiva, right away – especially if it involves watching goats eating sugar cane, right at the end of their road!   I’d love you to pop over, say “HOLA” to them and follow their adventures – I’m sure you’ll have a great time 🙂

CBBH Blog Hop

So that´s the CBBH Photo Challenge for August, folks!

Remember, all you have to do is post your entry by the end of the month, tag your entry ‘CBBH Photo Challenge’,  link back to this blog and, most importantlydon´t forget to add links to any two blogs that you´ve commented on during the past month, so that we can all HOP OVER and have a look.  Make sure you FOLLOW THIS BLOG so you don´t miss next month´s exciting challenge!

For more information on how the CBBH Photo Challenge works click here.

I hope everyone taking part enjoys the exposure the CBBH Photo Challenge offers to featured blogs and, who knows, you may end up finding a new favourite!  I´m looking forward to seeing your interpretations.

[CBBH logo Image credit: (cc) Mostly Dans]

Classic Andalucía: La Alhambra, Granada

The Alhambra from Plaza San NicolasView of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albayzin of Granada.

The Alhambra, a UNESCO World Heritage site is a palace and fortress complex located in the classical Andalucían city of Granada, Spain.   It was originally constructed as a fortress in the year 889 and later converted into a royal palace in 1333 by Yusuf I, Sultan of Granada.

La Alhambra’s Islamic palaces were built for the last Muslim emirs in Spain and its court of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquest by the Catholic Monarchs in 1492, some portions were used by Christian rulers. The Palace of Charles V, built by Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor in 1527, was inserted in the Alhambra within the Nasrid fortifications.

After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra* was rediscovered in the 19th century by European scholars and travellers, when restorations commenced.

It is now one of Spain’s major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country’s most significant and well known Arab-Islamic architecture.

La AlhambraThe Palace of Charles V – within the Alhambra, as viewed from the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albayzin of Granada.

The Alhambra viewed from Mirador Plaza San NicolasView of the Alhambra from the Mirador de San Nicolás in the Albayzin of Granada.

My final three shots were taken on Monday afternoon as we were having lunch in one of the wisteria-covered restaurants in Paseo de los Tristes.   Perched above the Rio Darro at the end of Carrera del Darro, this plaza was once one of the busiest gathering spots in Granada, positioned along a curve of the river between the Alhambra and the Albayzin.  These days, Paseo de los Tristes is a popular place to eat, with restaurants lining the north side of the square and magnificent views of the Alhambra soaring above. 

Alhambra from Paseo de Los TristasView of the Alhambra from the Paseo de Los Tristes, Granada.

La Alhambra through wisteriaView of the Alhambra through the Wisteria, from the Paseo de Los Tristes, Granada.

Alhambra through a wine glassView of La Alhambra viewed through my particularly delicious glass of Rioja, as I was having lunch – CHEERS!

* Information about the Alhambra retrieved from Wikipedia

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