Erik MW
Google
An amazing and unique experience.
The historic house is beautifully restored and brought back to its majestic splendour. Local touches, stunning beauty in all the patios, all the modern comforts, and quite a few surprise that will amaze the inquisitive mind. For example: the house has a well that lights up that is, at least, 120 feet deep. There is no faking that.
While the floor level has a functional museum-like feel to it with medieval arbors and such, which is enjoyable in itself, the bedrooms are really comfortable. We slept really well. Easy to get to and close to all the sites.
Consider for a moment that this mansion, at least 1000 years old, is allegedly the house where one of the most important medieval romances from Iberia took place. A song and a story, full of symbolisms and rich details, told by troubadours through generations that has made it to our days. A tale of teutonic origin, with an Andalusian twist. If the story is true, this is the house where a court copyist lived before he became the ruler of the Caliphate (end of the X century). This is the manor where the Caliph’s sister would fall in love with a noble captive from the North and conceive the son, Mudarra, who would avenge his father and stepbrothers for a vile treason. Check out Almanzor and “Los siete infantes de Lara”.
This Andalusian palazzo grants private entry to the otherwise locked-off alley in which the the seven severed heads of the princelings hanged from the seven arches. Tourist groups stop to see through a gate what you and your guests can experience with unique access.
The story doesn’t stop here. Five hundred years later, in the early XVI century, the house was used as a hidden synagogue (in the mudejar style of Toledo). The house has its own hidden mikveh tastefully preserved (ask the owner how they found it). To think up what our ancestors might have gone through, I can’t even imagine.
Be it medieval history and legends, an appreciation for our past, or enjoying what living in an Andalusian palazzo must have felt like, the Casa de las Cabezas is worth it. Southern Europe is really special in being able to offer something like this.
The staff treated us with hospitality and regaled us with stories.
We leave in awe and with a wonderful memory. Recommended.