What to see and do in Andalusia, the region of Spain?
Andalusia is a place of intersection of contrasts in every way. Inherent and special in its exotic mix of traditional Spanish, Moorish and Jewish cultures with Arab and African admixtures, it is unlike any other place in the world. It is known as the home of flamenco, guitar, bullfighting, Pablo Picasso and Don Juan.
It fascinates with its beauty and mystery, and the passion and sensual aromas you will feel as you stroll its streets will satisfy your hedonism because they provide a unique pleasure.
And while you are enjoying the scent of the fleur d’orange, don’t forget to try the famous Andalusian paella and delicious tapas, taste the aromatic Seville wine or the aromatic Andalusian tea with its fruity and floral notes.
Andalusia’s sunny coastline is adorned with beautiful long sandy beaches: the Costa del Sol (sunny coast), which has around 320 sunny days a year, the Costa del Almería and Costa Tropical, with its many private coves where you can enjoy the tranquility of the surrounding villages and the crystal clear Mediterranean Sea or the Costa de la Luz (coast of light), an Atlantic coast which attracts many surfers.
What to see and do in Andalusia, the region of Spain?
Andalusia is not only sea, sun and sand.
It offers much more. There are cities rich in history and unique cultural and architectural monuments, such as Seville, the capital of Andalusia, mystical Cordoba, adorned with a magnificent mosque.
Granada with the famous Alhambra, Malaga with the Picasso Museum, picturesque villages with typical white houses, intoxicating smells and tastes and other incompatible differences, merging into an incredible whole and decorating this most fiery and most southern part of Spain.
Andalusia is not only sea, sun and sand
Between Africa and Europe
In Seville, with its colorful carpets and mosaics, you may feel like you’re in Morocco with one foot in Morocco and Europe with the other.
It is the city of castanets and the most passionate flamenco and spectacular bullfighting, which you can watch in the famous Maestranque arena with a capacity of 14 thousand people.
After the discovery of the Americas Seville was the most powerful city and major port because the most important trade routes passed through here.
Between Africa and Europe
The Golden Tower on the Guadalquivir River
If you want to know more about Seville’s history, visit the Golden Tower, which is a historical symbol of the city. The tower is located on the río Guadalquivir (translated as great river) just 50 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean, through which famous sailors like Magellan set out to discover the world.
You can visit all the sights of Seville on foot, but the fascinating thing is that no matter how many times you visit it, something unexplored is always waiting for you.
A symbol of the city, the majestic cathedral was for many years the largest in the world and is said to have surpassed St. Sophia Cathedral in size.
The cathedral is famous for its bell tower, which can be climbed by stairs to admire the picturesque panorama and the sunset, and in addition to its famous paintings, altars and chapels, it is adorned by the mausoleum of the famous Columbus.
Just opposite the cathedral is the first royal residence, the magical Alcázar, decorated with fabulous gardens and an incredible combination of Arab and European styles.
The city is adorned with beautiful fragrant parks rich in greenery and authentic flora, such as Seville palms and ficus trees, which can reach heights of up to 15 meters.
The place where you are sure to take the most pictures is Plaza de Espaa.
The Golden Tower on the Guadalquivir River
The famous Jewish quarter.
What gives Seville its special flavor is the Jewish quarter, which is located in the center of the city.
A maze of alleyways with low white houses, each with its own history, terraces associated with traditional Spanish serenades, the oldest restaurants and souvenir stores – the atmosphere in the Jewish quarter is truly stunning and special.
Famous Jewish Quarter
Cordoba as the capital of the Moorish kingdom
In addition to Seville, a city that has also long been a center of culture and science, there is Cordoba, the former capital of the Moorish kingdom of Al Andalus.
“Far away and alone” Cordoba hides a mystery that is created by the intertwining of cultures and centuries.
This city hides mystical gardens adorned with colorful scarves and bright fragrant flowers in which you can hide and immerse yourself in peace and meditation.
The whole city is a unique historical structure and a real cultural mix, so it was included in the list of World Cultural Heritage of UNESCO.
The symbol of the city is the Mesquita, once a large mosque and today a cathedral. Rich in various religious designations, it is truly a holy place.
A masterpiece of Islamic art, the Mesquita is also known as the “Museum of the 1000 Columns” and is one of the most original historical monuments.
In Cordoba, you should also visit an authentic Jewish quarter with a synagogue, as well as numerous traditional houses and museums. In addition to historical sites, Cordoba today is a modern city with a wealth of day and night entertainment for all tastes.
Cordoba as the capital of the Moorish kingdom
Visit Granada and other Andalusian cities
In addition to Seville and Cordoba, Andalusia is also worth visiting beautiful Granada, exotic Malaga, and Cadiz.
Andalusia is attractive because it combines the features of Arab, European and African cultures. Fiery, passionate, mystical, it remains untold history, but a unique memory.
The six major cities of Andalusia.
The beauty of nature, the mysteries of history and the charm of the cities combined in a stunning cocktail in Andalusia.
Why go to Andalusia?
Andalusia is the southern region of Spain, located on the Iberian Peninsula, where the Mediterranean Sea, the Atlantic Ocean and the Strait of Gibraltar meet.
To travel through the southern region of Spain is to buy a ticket to an endless holiday of sunshine and fun. Romans, Greeks, Vandals, Moors and Castilian kings have left traces in the region’s history for centuries; every town or village here has a glorious past. Plus, Game of Thrones fans can take a drive through the picturesque filming locations in Almeria, Cordoba, and Seville. The Costa de la Luz (“Coast of Light”) is a great beach vacation destination, with the Atlantic Ocean lapping at its shores and the Costa del Sol and Costa de Almería being bathed by the Mediterranean Sea.
Andalusia is the birthplace of flamenco and bullfighting. The gastronomic richness of Andalusia will surprise you with a variety of tastes and smells, and will tell you that there are never too many appetizers, and soup is not a hot meal. Spanish in Andalusia will be a new language to you, even if you have learned and understood it before meeting the locals. Andalusians swallow sounds and whole syllables, deliberately shortening words and changing letters, simplifying and changing the language beyond recognition.
How to get to Andalusia?
The southern region of Spain can be reached by direct and connecting flights from Russia. The main tourist airports are in Malaga, Granada and Seville. From Barcelona and Madrid you can travel by bus, train or car.
Spain Railways – renfe.com Spain Buses – alsa.com Ridesharing – BlaBlaCar Getting around by car – autotraveler.ru/spain
When to go?
Andalusia is beautiful at any time of year. However, from May to mid-October the weather is hot, with temperatures rising above 35 degrees. At this time is the peak of the tourist season. In late autumn and winter in Andalusia is cool, rainy and the average temperature is 10-15 degrees. If you decide to visit the region at this time, you should stock up on warm clothing and prepare for the lack of heating in the homes.
The best time to travel to Andalusia is from March to April and from September to October, when there isn’t the stifling heat, but at the same time there is warm and sunny weather. February’s carnival season kicks off with festivities and fairs, an integral part of the Andalusian experience.
Itinerary
Andalusia consists of eight provinces and many small towns and villages about which we could talk endlessly. For your convenience, we offer you an itinerary of towns without which a visit does not count as a visit to Andalusia.
Malaga
To discover Andalusia go to the birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas – Malaga. You can immerse yourself in surrealism, find out what cubism is, and get acquainted with the work of famous Picasso at the 16th-century palace-museum Buenavista, where about 300 works of the artist are exhibited (entrance fee €8). Audioguide (included in the ticket price) will explain in detail the history and ideas behind each work.
Museum website: museopicassomalaga.org Admission: 8 euros
It is definitely worth a walk in the Soho district. Here emerald parrots fly overhead, fantasies of one’s dreams grow in the form of graffiti on medieval ruins, houses turn into canvases for street artists. The urban project Malaga Arte Urbano Soho (MAUS) actively promotes the cultural transformation of the city and supports talented residents.
To look from above the coast and the bullfighting arena of Málaga can be found in the 14th century eastern fortress Castillo de Gibralfaro, located on the 142 meters high mountain of the same name. Admission costs 2.2 euros. The road to Gibralfaro begins in the old part of the town and leads through the park.
Gibralfaro: Camino de Gibralfaro, 11
Wander among the stalls of the Mercado Central. Taste olives, caramelized almonds, cheese and strawberries. Also worth trying are the local dishes: espetos de sardinas (grilled sardines), porra antequerana (cold tomato soup with garlic, pepper and olive oil), arroz negro (black rice with seafood), fig bread with nuts (pan de higo) and tapas. For dessert, head to the old Casa Aranda (open since 1932), which serves delicious custard churros with chocolate.
Central Market: Atarazanas, 10 Casa Aranda: Herrería del Rey, 3
Olvera
Feel like a fairy tale hero in one of the white cities of Andalusia (pueblas blancas), Olvera, in the province of Cádiz. Snow-white, slender houses with tiled roofs spread out between two hills. On one is an eastern castle of the XII century with a panoramic platform on the surrounding valleys, on the other – a sand-colored church. Walk through the maze of cobblestone streets, smell the mandarins, see how olives grow among the silver leaves, live in an old house with wooden beams on the ceiling and cracked by age walls, it is worthwhile to be in Olvera at least once. The white city is known throughout Andalusia for the production of the highest quality olive oil.
Caminito del Rey
One hour from Olvera is one of the most dangerous roads in the world, the Royal Trail. The road above the El Chorro Gorge (El Chorro) hangs in the air at an altitude of 400 meters. In the twentieth century, the Caminito del Rey was used to move people and materials between the two power plants on either side of the gorge. The Royal Trail got its name after a visit to the King of Spain in 1920. The road collapsed several times and was closed to the public altogether for a long time. Today it is a safe but breathtaking five kilometers of trail with eagles, vultures and falcons soaring overhead.
The trail is open only to hikers and takes no more than 600 people a day. So you should think about buying tickets (10 euros) in advance, especially during the high season, from June to October, and buy them from the official website.
Caminito del Rey website: caminitodelrey.info
Ronda
Ronda is the city that inspired writer Ernest Hemingway’s story of Spanish bullfighting, Death in the Afternoon. Ronda is frozen in time between two gorges over a rushing river. A new bridge (Puente Nuevo) connected the two parts of the city into one and became the place to see all the hypnotic beauty of the city. Ronda was the birthplace of Spanish bullfighting and has the world’s largest bullring, the Plaza de Toros, for 7 euros.
During the day be sure to walk amongst the age-old mansions of the city, descend into the El Tajo Gorge to see the city from below and see all the beauty of the green valleys. Visit La Casa del Rey Moro, the House of the Moors King in Rondo, and the water mine that leads through dark cellars into the gorge. At the wine museum (Museo del vino de Ronda) you can taste local wines. In the Alameda del Tajo (Alameda del Tajo) park, feel like a bird standing on a balcony over a precipice, and in the evening have dinner at one of the cliff-top restaurants overlooking the city.
Plaza de Toros: Virgin de la Paz, 15 Moorish King’s house: Santo Domingo Savio, 9 Wine museum: Gonzales Campos, 2
Granada
Once and for all, East and West meet in Granada. Add in views of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada Mountains, gypsy neighborhoods, and centuries of history, and the city is sure to impress.
Look for the richness of the Oriental past in the Alhambra architectural complex: Arabic script on the ornate arches and vaults of the palaces, carved windows in the luxurious halls, and the elegance of the courtyards and squares. The Alhambra offers a panoramic view of the entire city and the snowy mountains. You can walk around the complex not only during the day but also at night, avoiding the crowds of tourists (day ticket price €13, night – €8).
Website of the Alhambra complex: alhambra.org Website to buy tickets: alhambra-patronato.es
Continue your journey through the Orient in the medieval Arab neighborhood of Albaicin, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Oriental restaurants with embroidered cushions and carpets on the floor, dozens of fragrant teas and products from all over the world are the perfect complement to your stroll.
In Sacromonte’s gypsy quarter, the guitar’s lilting voice and flamenco dancers’ heels break the city’s evening silence. Here one can enjoy some of the best flamenco in town. As you walk around Sacromonte, you’ll notice the old cuevas (cave houses) where people still live. The houses are built in the rocks and look very cozy, despite their unusual location.
In Granada, the selection of local tapas will surprise you with its variety. You will be offered free tapas when you order a drink. Also, be sure to try the roasted eggplant with honey (berenjenas con miel), Russian salad with tuna (ensalada rusa), beans with jamon (habitas con jamón).
For dessert, you can go not to a candy store, but to a monastery. Go inside any monastery (Monasterio San Bernando, Monasterio de Santiago), where there is a sign selling sweets. Ring the bell and ask for the candy of your choice, put down the money, and in a couple of minutes you will be given your purchase. The nuns are forbidden to show themselves to other people, so the conversation takes place through a closed window.
