Country: Spain
Currency: Euro
Time zone: Summertime UTC+2, Wintertime UTC+1
Language: Spanish
Best travel time: the whole year

History

Andalusia was very important starting in 785. They started to build the Mezquita in Córdoba. After this, Córdoba became a cultural center and the biggest city in Europe after Constantinople. 8 centuries of Moorish influences ended with the fall of Granada. Andalusia became the base after Christoffel Columbus found America in 1492. Sevilla grew a lot in this period.

Location:

Andalusia is located in the very south of Spain. There are 8 different provinces, but the names Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada, and Malaga are the most known by most people. These are also must-visit cities. The coast from Andalusia is Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and Costa Almería.

Different kinds of holidays

There are all kinds of holidays possible in Andalusia. This is one of the reasons it should be on each bucket list. 

Backpacking: Quite some backpackers choose this part of Spain together with Portugal. There are good connections between the big and the smaller cities, but also cheap flights. 

Roundtrip: There is a perfect roundtrip to combine cities, towns, beaches, and mountains. It is possible with a car or with trains/buses/flights. So why not see a couple of things in one holiday? The roundtrip is Malaga, Tarífa, Gibraltar, Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada. You can add every small town in between and decide to end in Granada or Malaga. 

Beach: The Costa del Sol and Costa Tropical are perfect for a relaxing beach holiday. The weather is nice, the destination is cheap and there are lots of day trips possible. 

Active: Because the mountains are so close to the beach, the opportunities are almost endless. From kayaking and buggy tours to canyoning and hiking. 

Sights:

There are a lot of beautiful things to see in Andalusia. Nature, Culture, People and it is even a perfect place for a relaxing holiday. These are the biggest and well-known sights, but not the only ones!

Malaga: Malaga is a nice city to start or end your trip. It is not the biggest so 2 or 3 days would be enough to see it. Great history and amazing views. The Alcazaba is beautiful and a must-visit! It is also the city you fly to if you want to visit the coast. 

Sevilla: Sevilla is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. The prettiest parks, amazing culture and architecture and a must-visit! You can easily spend a week here. Go for a weekend or visit it on a road trip. The Plaza de España is breathtaking and I could stay there for a whole day!

Córdoba: Cordoba is full of history and some of the best food I have eaten! Take a day or two to get lost in the small streets and absorb all the Spanish in you. There is an actual cathedral inside of a mosque here! and it is gigantic. 

Granada: Granada is most known for the Alhambra. A beautiful fortress, which is on the UNESCO world list. But the city itself is also worth visiting. Also, Granada offers amazing views, beautiful parks, and cute little streets. 

Caminito del Rey: Caminito del Rey is a hike against the wall of a gorge. You walk 100 meters above the ground and this gives an amazing view. Don’t skip this one! 

Ronda: Ronda is a small city split in two because of a gorge. Amazing views with an amazing history. Last year I discovered the Hidden Mine and it was breathtaking. (of course, the mine was already there, but I did not know it existed!)

Gibraltar: Gibraltar is technically not part of Andalusia or Spain at all. It is a piece of England you can visit and see the only place with wild monkeys in the whole of Europe! So eat some fish and chips and take your picture in a red phone booth!

Food:

Andalusia has signature food, just like every country and province. The most famous being Sherry, a kind of wine.

Tapas is really big in Andalusia. They eat it with there drink before dinner or as dinner. If you eat it as dinner, you order raciones instead of tapa. This way you have a bit more and you can share! The tapa size is just one or two bites. 

A lot of people do bar-hopping. Take a beer at one bar, eat tapas. Then you go to the next and another one and so on. This way you can eat, drink and enjoy!

When you visit Andalusia try Espetos de Sardinas, gazpacho, Jamon Serrano and all the tapas you can eat.

Andalusia

Andalusia is a beautiful part of Spain. It is very big, so I recommend renting a car and drive from city to city and visit everything in between. I have been here 3 times now and it stole my heart. You will always discover something you have not seen here yet before.

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 What should I visit next in Andalusia?