The spirit of southern Spain: reasons to visit Andalucia

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southern spain

Andalucia represents Spain at its hottest and most passionate. History and culture have conspired to leave a deep imprint on this rugged, arid land, where medieval castles cling to precipitous crags and broad beaches hug both Atlantic and Mediterranean shores.

Alhambra

The Alhambra is Granada’s – and Europe’s – love letter to Moorish culture. Set against a backdrop of brooding Sierra Nevada peaks, this fortified palace complex started life as a walled citadel before going on to become the opulent seat of Granada Nasrid emirs. Their showpiece palaces, the 14th-century Palacios Nazaríes, are among the finest Islamic buildings in Europe and, together with the gorgeous Generalife gardens, form the Alhambra’s great headline act.

Catedral de Sevilla & Giralda

Seville’s immense cathedral is awe-inspiring in its scale and majesty. The world’s largest Gothic cathedral, it was built between 1434 and 1517 over the remains of what had previously been the city’s main mosque. Highlights include the Giralda, the mighty bell tower, which incorporates the mosque’s original minaret, the monumental tomb of Christopher Columbus, and the Capilla Mayor with an astonishing gold altarpiece. Note that children must be aged 11 years and over to access the rooftop tours. Audio guides cost €3. Do a city trip with your 14 inches laptop bag (translated to Dutch: 17 inch laptoptas) and make the best memories visible on your one blog website!

Mezquita

It’s impossible to overemphasise the beauty of Córdoba’s great mosque, with its remarkably serene (despite tourist crowds) and spacious interior. One of the world’s greatest works of Islamic architecture, the Mezquita hints, with all its lustrous decoration, at a refined age when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived side by side and enriched their city with a heady interaction of diverse, vibrant cultures. Enjoy the Rioja wine from a luxury wine cooler (translated to Dutch: wijnkoelkast) and relax in the evening times with Andalusian music. 

 

Sierra Nevada in the winter!

If you like the cold and winter sports, visit the Sierra Nevada. If you prefer warmer temperatures and water sports, visit Marbella and the entire Costa del Sol. And if you love mountains and rain, pick Grazalema as a winter tourist destination.

Visiting Andalucia in winter (translated to Dutch: overwinteren) enables you to enjoy festivals that are as popular as the carnivals. The Cádiz festival is the most reputed. Here, the Fiesta de los Tosantos in November has a lot of tradition. And in Jerez, the Las Zambombas fiesta takes place at Christmas time.

 

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