Andalusia is Spain's most populous region, divided into eight provinces, each with its capital. Its cities preserve the legacy of al-Andalus, the Renaissance and the golden age of trade with the Americas.
The great art cities
- Seville, the regional capital: the cathedral and Giralda, the Real Alcázar, the Santa Cruz quarter, Plaza de España, Holy Week and the April Fair.
- Granada, below the Sierra Nevada: the Alhambra, the Generalife, the Albaicín and Sacromonte.
- Córdoba, with the Mosque-Cathedral, symbol of the caliphate, the Jewish quarter and the flower-filled patios of May.
- Málaga, Picasso's birthplace, with the Alcazaba, its museums and the gateway to the Costa del Sol.
- Cádiz, the oldest city in the West, by the sea, with its famous carnival.
Other provincial capitals
- Almería, with its Alcazaba and the Tabernas desert.
- Huelva, linked to Columbus's voyages, near Doñana park.
- Jaén, among olive groves, with its Renaissance cathedral.
Smaller art towns
- Úbeda and nearby Baeza, Renaissance gems and UNESCO sites.
- Ronda, perched over the Tajo gorge, with the Puente Nuevo and one of Spain's oldest bullrings.
- Jerez de la Frontera, capital of sherry, horses and flamenco.
Seaside towns
- On the Costa del Sol: Marbella and Torremolinos.
- On the Costa Tropical: Motril, Salobreña and Carchuna.
- On the Almería coast: Mojácar, the white hilltop village.
- On the Costa de la Luz: Tarifa, the southernmost point of mainland Europe.
- Finally Gibraltar, a British territory, with its Rock.
Suggested itinerary
A classic trip of one or two weeks covers Seville, Córdoba and Granada, the golden triangle, to which you can add Ronda and the white villages, Cádiz and Jerez, and a few days by the sea. The cities are well linked by high-speed trains and buses, but a car helps for the villages. See also the Andalusia guide.