48 hours in Osuna, Province of Seville

The town of Osuna is located in the province of Seville. I had arrived by bicycle earlier that day with the thermometer sitting at a balmy 34 degrees Celsius.
To the north of Osuna, you have miles of fertile land where sunflowers, grain, potatoes... are the main crops... to the south you have the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. 

Osuna is located in a region where summer temperatures can go as high as 40 degrees Celsius. So here I was walking through the streets of Osuna with my parents and eldest son looking for a bar where we could enjoy a refreshing drink. But for the size of the town, it is hard enough to find a bar with a terras.

Walking through the cobblestone streets which are dotted with orange trees, I admired the fabulous baroque buildings which can be found all around Plaza Mayor, Osuna's historical centre.

 Osuna has been for a long time a quiet town without the hordes of tourists who visit Seville and Andalucia, but it has gathered popularity over the last few years due to the fact that it was a film location for the popular Games of Thrones series.
As I haven't seen a single episode of Games of Thrones, i only discovered this when I walked through the town.
The bull ring of Osuna which was designed by Anibal Gonzalez who designed the fabulous Plaza de Espana in Seville was used in series 5 of Games of Thrones. 
​Walking up the hill passed the church and tower of La Merced, we admired the views across the town. Once you reach the top, you can admire three remarkable buildings which are grouped together, the university, the PAntheon and the Collegiate Church.

The most remarkable building if you want to call it that way is El Coto las Canteras, an old quarry which has been in operation for more than 3000 years.
Once you enter the grounds around the quarry, you be forgiven to think that you are in ancient egypt. Walking through the garden, monumental sculptures greet you.
The quarry has been transferred into an auditorium, which with it's 25 meter high chamber , feels like a cathedral. Even before you enter the auditorium, you are welcomed by two huge reliefs which guard the entrance on either side. Once you walk in, there is a huge relief telling the story about wine making.
The auditorium can hold up to 1400 people making it the largest natural auditorium in Spain.

So even if you are not a Games of Thrones fan, Osuna is so worth a detour allowing you to discover this historical gem.