Andalucia is the most highly populated of the seventeen autonomous communities of Spain with over eight million inhabitants. It is the second largest community, Castilla y León being the first.
Andalucia has a rich history, a wide range of climatic conditions and terrain. It is internationally known for its bull fighting, beaches, tapas, white villages, cave houses, sherry and differing cultures.
Andalucia stretches along the southern coast of Spain from the deserts of Almeria in the east to Portugal’s border in the west. The Rio Guadalquivir, Spain’s second longest river, running roughly north to south cuts the community in half. In days gone past Andalucia was almost cut off from the north, the only access by the Desfiladero de Despenaperros, a mountain pass found near Santa Elena in Jaen and part of the Parque Natural de Despeñaperros.
Andalucia has a long and rich history, the Romans established Cordoba and Seville in the land they called Baetica.
The Moorish influence is greatest and can be found in many areas, the Mezquita in Cordoba and the Alhambra in Granada being the most famous.
Andalucia’s top ten places to visit are:-
1.The Alhambra palace in Granada.
2. The Real Alcazar, the Royal Palace of Seville and formerly a Moorish fort.
3. The La Giralda, one of three remaining Almohad minarets in the world, the others are in Marrakesh and Rabat, both in Morocco. This forms the bell tower of the Cathedral in Seville.
4. La Mezquita, Cordoba’s Cathedral which was formerly the Great Mosque.
5. Ronda, being one of Andalucia’s white villages, though more than a village these days, is set in some wonderful countryside. Reputed to be the first home of modern bull fighting.
6. Parque Nacional del Cote Donana, set to the west of Andalucia and consisting of the vast wetlands of the Guadalquivir delta.
7. The Sierra Nevada, Spain’s highest mountain range and second only to the Alps in Europe. Here you will find Europe’s most southerly skiing resort.
8. Baeza, a small town of just over 16,000 inhabitants in Jean province. Perched on a cliff it is known for its examples of Italian Renaissance architecture. UNESCO added Baeza to the World Heritage list in 2003.
9. Ubeda, along with Baeza, famous for its Renaissance architecture also on the World Heritage list.
10. Last but not least is the Costa del Sol, lying between the Costa del Luz and the Costa Tropical it is famous for its resorts including Málaga, Torremolinos, Benalmádena, Fuengirola, Mijas, Marbella, San Pedro de Alcántara, Estepona, Manilva, Vélez-Málaga, Rincon de la Victoria, Nerja, Torrox and most notably Marbella.
Of course you can argue the order of the list but in reality it only scratches the surface of Andalucia’s innumerable attractions.
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