We spent seven days visiting the tourist attractions that Andalusia, Southern Spain has to offer.
Link to video image montage of our Andalusia, Granada visit:- https://youtu.be/xynH6axuc5c
Link to video image montage of our Andalusia, Seville visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Andalusia, Cordoba visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Andalusia, Ronda visit:-
Link to video image montage of our Andalusia, Malaga, Atequera & Loja visits:-
Andalusia, Southern Spain 2022
In considering a trip to Andalusia, we decided to take a guided tour with the Travel Department, with the same guide on-hand throughout the entire holiday.
The tour comprised a seven nights stay in a four star hotel in Loja on a half-board basis. All of our daily coach trips began and ended at our hotel.
After our seven nights at the Mirador hotel we flew directly back to Dublin from Malaga Airport.
Loja
We visited the Andalusia region of Southern Spain during April 2022. We based ourselves centrally in the small town of Loja.
Staying in the Mirador Hotel in Loja, a new hotel with wonderful panoramic views of the town of Loja, which lies in a narrow valley divided in two by the Genil river and dominated by the Sierra de Loja.
Historically, Loja, situated on the western edge of the fertile plain of Granada, acted as a defensive centre under the Moors, who exploited the town’s geographical location to guard the fertile plain against attacks.
There are a number of churches of interest, going back to the 16th century, with architectural features reflective of the Renaissance, Gothic and Mudejar eras.
Antequera
Famous for its megalithic sites dating back to 3,750 BC. ‘Dolmen de Menga’ is the largest and most important of the dolmens that make up the group. It is 25metres long and 7 wide. It was a funeral chamber formed by immense monoliths that weigh up to 200 tonnes. Before visiting the sites it is advisable to go to see the 15 minute video in the Sala Exposiciones Munoz Rojas which explains how the dolmen were excavated and build. A really worthwhile and insightful video.
There is much to see along the drive from Luja to Antequera. Leaving the snow-topped Sierra Nevada (rising to 3,200 metres) behind, there is an abundance of olive trees. The Andalusia region produces 80% of Spain’s olive oil. Other vegetation include almond trees, sunflowers, strawberries, asparagus and orange trees.
Cordoba
Cordoba should not be missed on any Andalusian itinerary. As UNESCO World Heritage town, Cordoba boasts a unique cultural and historical value that can be hardly found in any other town. When Cordoba was capital of the Umayyad Caliphate, it attracted many intellectuals and cultivated science and knowledge.
Nowadays Cordoba is mostly famous for its Great Mosque-Cathedral, a symbol of the town. The almost 1000 pillars inside the mosque, built on a Visigoth cathedral, create the famous ‘Forest of Columns'.
In the 16th century, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella converted the mosque into a cathedral, calling it the Cathedral of Our Lady of Assumption.
They built a Gothic cathedral inside the mosque. A visit of Cordoba’s mosque will definitely leave you in awe.
But Cordoba is not only famous for its Moorish heritage, but also for the Jewish quarter with its narrow streets and white-washed house fronts. The ‘patios’, the interior courtyards of these quaint houses are yet another attraction of Cordoba.
Ronda
Ronda is a beautiful hill top city. It features the oldest Bull Ring in Spain. The city is perched on a mountainous gorge carved by the Río Guadalevín.
Ronda is synonymous with its dramatic 18th century bridge, the Puente Nuevo. The bridge connects the two parts of the town over the 328 feet El Tajo gorge. A hike to the bottom of the gorge affords a visitor great views.
Seville
Seville, the capital of Andalusia, is a must when visiting the South of Spain.
It’s a seductive mix of Mudéjar palaces, ornate baroque churches, colourful tiles, and winding cobblestone lanes. There’s a romance to it.
Set on the Guadalquivir river, Sevilla boasts one of the most impressive Morrish and cultural heritage in the entire Andalusia region. It also used to be one of the richest towns in Spain, as its port was a commercial hub for all the boats arriving from las Americas. At that time Seville had the monopoly of foreign trade in the world. Still, nowadays its former wealth and economic activity are palpable in many areas of the city.
The popular neighbourhood of Triana is said to be the birthplace of flamenco. Several schools are offering introductory courses or restaurants have specialised on flamenco shows joined by a traditional Andalusian meal.
The Alcázar is really one of the world’s greatest cultural treasures — a centuries old complex of palaces and fortifications, lovely courtyards, and extensive gardens bursting with orange, purple, and green colours.
It is an UNESCO World Heritage site, a residence of the Spanish Royal family. It’s even a filming location for the HBO series ‘Game of Thrones’. It has exquisite tile work and over the top intricate Islamic architecture.
The Plaza de España is one of the famous architectural landmarks in Seville. It stands out in a city already overflowing with beautiful architecture.
It was built for the Ibero-American World Fair of 1929, where Spanish speaking countries enjoyed a year long mutual admiration festival.
For us, the best part of Seville is getting lost in its narrow streets and admiring the rich heritage of almost every building that you come across in the old city centre. Its very Spanish outdoor culture of bars and restaurants is a joy to experience. In our experience Seville is marvellous city and we think Seville is one of the top places to visit in Andalusia.
Malaga
Located on the famous Costa del Sol, Malaga is the southernmost large city in Europe. The town boasts of one of the best climates in Europe all year round and is the birthplace of the legendary Pablo Picasso and actor Antonio Banderas.
If you compare Malaga to Seville, we think that Seville is all about pride of the Andalusian identity and culture, whereas Malaga has been more open to foreign influences due to the long history of its port and influx of tourists.
In general, the atmosphere is very lively and people are extremely warm-hearted. It will be so easy to feel at home in Malaga. Even though Malaga and its adjacent Costa del Sol are internationally known for its top-quality golf courses and sandy beaches, the port town boasts an impressive cultural heritage such as the Moorish fortress, the Roman Theatre, and many prestigious museums (Thyssen, Picasso Museum, Centre Pompidou and many more…).
Malaga itself is a perfect destination for a city trip but also the perfect base to explore the beautiful surroundings of Costa del Sol and the mountainous backcountry. In this area, there are some amazing and unusual things to do in Andalusia. One of these is the Caminito del Rey, the most dangerous walking trail in the world!
Granada
Granada, also known as the Moorish pearl, is an absolute must-go place to visit in Andalusia. Hardly any other Andalusian town has such a rich and varied cultural heritage as the former capital of the Moorish Al-Andalus empire.
Granada means ‘pomegranate’ in Spanish, and is the symbol of the city. And be sure to give yourself enough time to pop into the bazaar-style shops, which may make you feel as though you’ve been transported to north Africa.
Indeed Granada combines the cultural heritage of the Arab legacy, Jewish influence with Renaissance architectural gems.
From all the Andalusian cities, the Moorish influence is the most palpable in Granada. This is probably due to the fact that Granada was the last town to be conquered by the Spanish Catholic Kings.
If you visit Calle Elvira in the historic city centre with its numerous Arab inspired tea shops, leather shops etc., you could think for a second, that you are in Morocco.
The most prominent attraction of Granada is without any doubt the Alhambra. The most beautiful part of the Alhambra, the Nasrid Royal Palaces, has limited access, so you need to make sure to book your tickets days in advance to visit this gem. This should surely be on your top things to do in Andalusia.
The Albaicín neighborhood, together with the Generalife gardens and Alhambra, is now an UNESCO heritage site. The neighbourhood seems to be lost in time of the Moorish Medieval times and offers some of the most spectacular views on the Alhambra and the Sierra Nevada peaks.
Another neighborhood worth visiting and a gorgeous place to visit in Andalusia, Spain, is the Sacromonte area. It used to be inhabited mostly by gypsies living in cave-homes and was one of the poorest quarters in Granada. Nowadays the former cave-houses have been turned into restaurants and bars offering some of the most unique Flamenco experiences in the region.
A sense of Andalusia, Southern Spain 2022
It is now more than a millennia since Andalusia led the world in scholarship and art under the Moors, who took control in 711ad. Their reign ended in 1492 after Christian crusaders rolled down from the north, in the Reconquista (reconquest of the Iberian peninsula by Christians).
Surprisingly, the Moors’ art was respected and embraced by their conquerors. A large number of Andalusia’s glorious fortified palaces and cathedrals incorporated Moorish design. You can visit the Royal Alcazar in sultry Seville, gaze in awe at the mighty Alhambra in Granada, and see the stunning Mezquita in Cordoba.
The cross-cultural heritage is probably the ingredient that adds a lot to Andalusia’s attractiveness. The name ‘Andalusia’ comes from the Arabic word ‘Al-Andalus’, who reigned in Andalusia for almost a century. The Moorish legacy is still visible and palpable in every Andalusian corner.
Besides the Arabs, Andalusia’s culture and history has been influenced by the Phoenicians, the Greeks, the Romans, the Vandals, Hews and North Iberians that settled in the area after the ‘Reconquista’.
Compared to the rest of Spain, Andalusia is a traditionally agricultural region relying strongly on the tourism sector. The strong identity and the regional pride on Andalusia’s rich culture including flamenco, Moorish architecture, to some extent, bullfighting, wine production and gastronomy make Andalusia a vibrant destination to visit.
Many of the mentioned cultural phenomenons are often perceived as typically Spanish, their origins, however, are entirely Andalusian.
The best time to visit Andalusia, in our opinion, is in spring and autumn. The temperatures are still mildly warm and cities and beaches are less crowded.
If you plan to visit in the summer months (June to September), We recommend staying along the coast as the Andalusian countryside is one of the hottest regions in Europe.
Our must see recommendation for a trip to Andalusia, Southern Spain 2022:-
(1) Our visit to Alhambra in Granada, an UNESCO heritage site, was the highlight of our entire trip.
(2) Our second choice would be visiting Seville, and the Alcázar palace.
(3) Our third would be Cordoba, with its amazing ‘Mezquita’ great Mosque-Cathedral.
As always, the people we met on the tour and our Travel Department guide, Alex and driver Pepe, enriched the whole experience.
“You should travel away from home, to really appreciate the value of what you have at home, on your return.”
“Happiness is found in the journey and rarely in the destination, alone.”
