Andalucia
Local information
Andalucia is a fascinating place for its spectacular Moorish monuments, beautiful white hill towns, sparkling blue coast and natural beauty of its mountainous country.
Andalucia is made up of eight provinces, all of which have their own unique
culture and traditions. Seville and Malaga
battle it out to be the main cities in Andalucia, but it is Granada
and Cordoba with their Alhambra and Grand Mosque
that are more magnificent.
You can find out more about each one by clicking on the names.
Overview
The Moors were a mixed race of Berbers and Arabs that occupied
Spain (Al-Andalus) for almost eight hundred years. They developed the most
sophisticated civilization in the Middle Ages, centered in Seville,
Cordoba and Granada.
Every city, town and village, is a wonderful mixture of Christian and Muslim
influence. Granada preserves the most beautiful
Moorish monuments, the Alhambra palace, being the largest and most sensual
building in Europe. Seville boasts the most spectacular
of all Gothic cathedrals and largest church in the world.
The white towns surrounding Ronda, offer an unspoiled view into Andalucian life with their surrounding natural beauty, delicious home-cooking and stunning appearance-clustered beneath Moorish/Christian castles and churches.
The mountains in the Sierra Nevada and Sierra Morena offer good trekking and
skiing, while the coast between Tarifa and Cadiz
on the Atlantic has some of the best beaches in Spain. Tarifa
itself, with its high powered wind, is the best spot for surfing and wind
surfing in Spain.
You may wish to avoid the most developed resort areas on the Costa
del Sol such as Torremolinos and Benalmadena
(although they are unrivalled for family holidays with well developed facilities
and amenities), as it is hard to find peace and natural beauty, without paying
a high price. But Marbella and the exclusive Puerto Banus can offer the most sumptious luxury at very affordable prices.
Finally, Spain's largest and most impressive nature reserve, Coto Donana,
can be found near Cadiz.
Although unemployment in the province is the highest in Spain (about 20%), it is still known as one of the most high-spirited regions of Spain as it is home to flamenco dancing, bullfighting and a gigantic April carnival (Semana Santa).