Monday 17th March 2025 – Ecija, Spain

Lots of rain overnight and into the morning – an umbrella was definitely required as we set off for the town centre and the tourist information office.
On the walk in, we past the Palace of Justice or courthouse where a bunch of security guards and a metal detector guarded the tile-lined entrance. Beyond we could see a beautiful courtyard and having asked politely if we could have a look, we were lead past the metal detector into the courtyard and it was definitely a ‘Wow’ moment. We were told that we could walk around the ground floor but not above. The decoration was stunning and in excellent condition and part of the reason for that is that it is relatively modern. In the 19^th century, a very rich lady from Ecija visited Granada and was so impressed by the architecture that she returned, determined to create something similar. It is absolutely beautiful and it is strange to see people using it as their place of work.
The man in the tourist information office was very helpful. Being a Monday, many of the sights were closed and he pointed out which ones were open. We already knew that the museum was closed and have planned to return tomorrow morning to see it.
We inspected the Roman pool in the Plaza Espana where there had also been temples as it was in the heart of the Roman city. We visited the Palace of the Palma Family (originally a convent) and were given a person guided tour by the guardian. Although it was all in Spanish, it was fun to see a lived-in palace with furniture and personal effects on display.
The town is full of convents and churches and we visited a number of the latter on the way round the old town. We also visited the Palace of Penaflor with its impressive painted exterior that is visible from the street. It was quite underwhelming inside as we were told that we could only visit three rooms on the ground and first floors. They neglected to tell us about the narrow spiral staircase that I investigated to find that it went up to the top of the tower where there were great views over the town and surrounding countryside. Fortunately, it wasn’t raining at the time and I was able to enjoy the views.
We walked around the town admiring the architecture and were particularly impressed by the traditional houses with their tiled entrances, pebble mosaics and pretty courtyards.
Then the downpour started and, after attempting to shelter from the worst in a doorway, we walked back in heavy rain to the van.
Photos: The magnificent courtyard of the Palace of Justice; The Palma Palace salon with its horned doorways, traditional in this area; The courtyard of the Palma Palace – we got the impression that the villa was available for private functions, especially weddings; The view from the tower of the Penaflor Palace; The elaborate tower of the church of Sa Juan see from Penaflor; The painted exterior of the Penaflor Palace; A pebble mosaic in the entrance of a private house; Entrance and courtyard of a private house.