Attractions - Spain

Attractions - Madrid

Andalucia, Spain

Andalucia is one of Europe’s most popular tourist destinations. One of Spain’s largest regions, it is made up of eight provinces each one named for its capital city: Malaga, Granada, Seville, Almeria, Huelva, Jaen, Cadiz and Cordoba.

The Moors - a mixture of Berbers and Arabs who crossed into Spain from North Africa - occupied Andalucia for more than seven centuries and left a rich architectural heritage. Nearly every Andalucian city has monuments to its Moorish past. The cities of Malaga, Seville and Granada are must-sees. Lying on a spectacular sweep of bay, Malaga is an attractive cosmopolitan city of wide boulevards, swaying palm trees, lively nightlife and excellent museums. Birthplace of Picasso, it is also home to La Alcazaba, a Muslim fortress dating from 1057. Seville is the capital of southern Spain and is one of its most exciting cities. Home of the country’s most perfect Islamic building - La Giralda - it is full of narrow streets, small cool plazas and beautiful parks and gardens. Set against the magnificent, snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range, the city of Granada reflects Spain’s Moorish influence like no other. The awe-inspiring Alhambra is visible from nearly everywhere in the city, dominating the skyline from its position on the hill overlooking the city. The towns of Cadiz and Cordoba are also well worth a visit for their rich artistic and historic heritage. Cordoba was the capital of Muslim Andalucia and its Mosque - Mezquita - is one of the most stunning Islamic buildings in Spain.

The Costa del Sol, on Andalucia’s southeastern coast, is intensively developed but check out the Costa de la Luz - the 90 kilometre coast between Cadiz and Tarifa - which offers beautifully unspoiled white beaches and atmospheric coastal towns and villages. The Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema offers great opportunities for hiking, rock climbing, paragliding and caving. Visit the Rock of Gibraltar - long the subject of strife between Britain and Spain - and go dolphin watching in the Bahia de Algeciras. The entire region is dotted with unspoilt villages and whitewashed towns - known as the pueblos blancos. So venture beyond the Costa del Sol and discover a truly magical region beyond!

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