THE WORLD AT OUR DOOR TRAVEL ADVENTURE

GEORGE VANDERBILT’S JOURNEYS THROUGH SPAIN

1891

In 1891, George Vanderbilt visited southern Spain, and his itinerary is well documented
by receipts and other materials in the Biltmore House Archives. He sailed for London,
landing on April 30, and by May 6 was at the Royal Hotel at Gibraltar. He traveled
throughout southern Spain, returning to Gibraltar on May 6.

May 4 th – 7th Continental Hotel, Tangier in Morocco.

May 8 th Royal Hotel, Gibraltar.1 Took a steamer to Algeciras and Tafira
past Bucete [?] River.
May 9 th Visited Ronda and Gaucin.
May 10th Visited Malaga and Gorcentez.
May 11th Checked into Hotel de Rome.
May 12th –13 th Checked into Grand Hotel de Madrid in Seville. Visited Seville,
Alcazcar and House of Pilates. Ate at a Spanish café. Visited a
cathedral and chapel.
May 14th “Sr. Du Vanderbilt” hired a carriage from Julio Mandement,
“Constructor de Carriages de SS.RR.Los sres Duques de
Montpensier.”2. Booked train reservations for his party of six in a
sleeping car enroute to Madrid, stopping in Cordoba.3
May 15th Checked into Grand Hotel Luisse in Cordoba.
Visited Gordenes, Mozgul, and Granada.
May 16th –17 th Visited Granada.
May 20th Checked into Grand Hotel de Rome at Malaga.
May 23rd Returned to Cordova and made reservation for the train from
Seville to Madrid.
May 24th Arrived in Madrid, checked into Grand Hotel de Roma and hired
the services of a cab for the 24 th, 25th, 27th, 29th and 31st of May
and June 1st – 3rd.4
May 25th Visited Armorory, San Francisco Church, Royal Statues,
bibliothèque and gardens.
May 26th Visited Escorial Palace.
May 27th Went to the theatre.
May 28th Visited Toledo.
May 29th Visited Navalatte Museum of Natural History.
May 30th Visited Marilloz Gallery.
June 1 st Visited Lexoria, still staying at Grand Hotel de Roma.

1
Receipt, Royal Hotel, Gibraltar, May, 1891.
2
Receipt, Julio Mandement, May 11, 1891.
3
Reservation No. 125470, Cie International des Wagons-Lits et des Grands Express Europeens, May 23,
1891.
4
Receipt, Joachin Gonzalez, Establecimento de Coches de Alquiler, June 3, 1891.
June 2 nd Visited La Granja and Lejonia.
June 3rd Traveled to Avila and checked into Hotel Ingles for two nights
June 4 th Visited Valladolid and stayed at Fonda del Norte y de Lonrdes.
The bill included four rooms, café y heuvos, wine, and the use of
an omnibus for sightseeing.5
June 5 th Visited Burgos.
June 6 th Crossed border into France. Checked into Hotel d’Angleterre at
Biarritz for four nights. Dined one night at the Grand Hotel de
Londres, in San Sebastian [Donostia]: 4 dejeuners, one half a
bottle of wine, one beer and two cafes.6
June 7 th –19 th France
June 20th – 27th Hotel Bristol, Paris
July 1 st Grand Hotel, London
July 6 th Returned to Gibraltar

1894

Mr. Vanderbilt visited Spain again in 1894, and the trip was documented by journal
entries made by his niece, Adele Sloane, who was a member of the party:

March 23 On board the Kaiser Wilhelm

“The is our seventh day at sea [since sailing from New York harbor]. It is beginning, or
rather has already begun to be, very monotonous...We do not expect to arrive at Gibraltar
until Tuesday. We have had good weather all the way, only very rough, but fortunately I
have been well all the time. The nights are too beautiful. There is a full moon and I stand
out on the bow every evening by myself, enjoying it all.”7

March 27 On board the yacht Roxana, at Gibraltar

“We arrived here this morning at seven o’clock and came immediately on board the yacht
[Roxana]. She is very big and way beyond our expectations.”8

March 28

“We are still anchored here in the bay. There is a terrible gale blowing outside… I have
seen the Rock of Gibraltar pretty thoroughly. Yesterday we drove all around it and
walked through the fortification. This afternoon George and I went around together. The
town is very picturesque, and today we found the most beautiful gardens to go through,
with the most luxurious growth of flowers everywhere. I went wild over a particular vine,

5
Receipts, Hotel Ingles, Avila, and Fonda Del Norte y de Londres [Lourdes?], no date.
6
Receipt, Grand Hotel de Londres, San Sebasatian, no date.
7
Florence Adele Slaone, Maverick in Mauve: The Diary of a Romantic Age, 142.
8
Ibid., 143.
purple-red in color and which grew in a profusive mass. Its name is bougainvillea. I have
never seen it before. George got some cuttings to take back with him to Biltmore.”9

Sites George Vanderbilt Visited in Spain

Alameda de Hercules, Seville

Paseos de la Alhambra, Granada
Church of San Antonio de la Florida, Madrid
The Sala del Trono at the Palacio Real, Madrid
La Plaza Mayor, Madrid
View of the Monastery Sacristy at the Escorial, Madrid
Cathedral, Toledo
El Alcazar y la Catedral Vistos Desde la Fuencisla, Segovia
Roman Aqueduct, Segovia
Church of Saint Martin, Segovia
Entrada del Real Sitio, San Ildefonso
Fountain of the Three Graces, San Ildefonso
La Casa del Cordon, Burgos
del Templo, La Cartuja, Burgos
Castle, San Sebastian
House of Maria la Brava, Salamanca
Torre de la Catedral, Salamanca
University at Salamanca
Turegano
Castle at Coca
El Solar del Cid, Burgos
The Cathedral, Avila
Saint Vincent”s Church, Avila
House where Christopher Columbus died, Valladolid
University at Valladolid
El Tajo de Ronda with the Mills at Ronda, Malaga
Gardens of Alcazar, Seville

Cities George Vanderbilt Visited in Spain

Seville Algeciras Salamanca

Granada Malaga Irun
Madrid Ronda Medino del Campo
Toledo Valladolid San Ildefonso
Segovia Burgos Turegano
Avila Coca Burgos

© Biltmore Estate Archives, The Biltmore Company, All Rights Reserved

9
Ibid.