Andalucia
Heading inland from the well-known Costa del Sol even only for a couple of minutes you will be totally surprised by a world unexpected.
Inland Andalucia breathes the atmosphere of times long gone.
With every mountain pass you cross the landscape changes dramatically.
One breathtaking view changes for the next. Little pueblos blancos (whitewashed villages), invariably in hilltop positions, with whitewashed houses huddled around a ruined Moorish castle, piercing the deep blue sky.
The winding, narrow streets provide lots of shade.
You experience the Arab atmosphere everywhere.
There are romantic whitewashed villages like Zahara de la Sierra in the Grazalema National Park, near Ronda.
The village is hanging on steep cliffs, above a charming turquoise reservoir.
When at the end of the afternoon – that would be about 7 p.m. in Andalucia – you would twist and turn your way up the winding road to the little marketplace, you will experience a buzzing Spanish village life.
De little terraces underneath the orange trees will be crowded.
The siesta has passed; the people meet on the streets and in the bars.
There will be laughter and noisy discussions; it will never be quiet.
The southern temperament speaks from everything.
No one is in a hurry though.
If we don’t make it today, tomorrow (“mañana”) there will be another day.
A typical Andalusian expression: ‘no passa nada’ (don’t worry).
In the villages and cities soon you will experience the Andalusian habits.
Walk into a tapas bar and enjoy together with the Spaniards, hanging at the bar, the most exquisite tapas: little bites, like gambas in garlic, fried octopus rings, garlic mushrooms or Secreto Iberico, the delicious ham from the famous black pigs.
Accompanied of course by a Cerveza (beer) or a Tinto de Verano (red wine with lemonade and plenty of ice).
Don’t be surprised if all of a sudden you witness a spontaneous flamenco show.
Andalucia is a country jam-packed with history.
Seville is a lively, joyous town, lying on the banks of the Guadalquivir.
It is one of the largest historical centres in Europe.
It has the famous minaret of La Giralda, in the heart of the Cathedral (one of the largest in Christendom), and the royal Mudejar Palace Alcázar, with its marvellous gardens.
Don’t leave Seville without a stroll in María Luisa park, a paradise of palms and orange trees, elms and Mediterranean pines, covered with flower beds and dotted with hidden bowers, ponds and pavilions.
Now that the trees and shrubs have reached maturity, the genius of the landscapers can be appreciated - this is one of the loveliest parks in Europe.
This romantic park and the Plaza Espana are ideal places to spend the middle of the day.
Famous is the Holy Week in Seville, Semana Santa, a religious festival where hooded penitents march in long processions followed by huge baroque floats on which sit images of the Virgin or Christ, surrounded by cheerful crowds.
Also interesting is the Fería de Abril, a week-long party of drink, food and dance which takes place day and night in more than a thousand especially mounted tents.
But above all it allows the men to parade on their fine horses and the women to dance in brilliantly coloured gypsy dresses.
Nearby you will find the ruins of the roman city Itálica. South of Seville you find the Guadalquivir River.
In its delta is the largest natural park of Spain, ‘Doňana Park’. It invites you to cross its plains hiking or by 4x4 and watch the rare species of birds, animals and plants you find here.
Cordoba was founded by the Romans and was of strategic importance as the highest navigable point of the Guadalquivir River.
It became a port of great importance, used for shipping Spanish olive oil, wine and wheat back to Ancient Rome.
The Romans built the mighty bridge crossing the river, now called "El Puente Romano".
But Cordoba's hour of greatest glory was when it became the capital of the Moorish kingdom of El-Andalus.
Then the work began on the "Mezquita", which – after centuries of additions and enlargements – became one of the largest and most beautiful buildings in all of Islam.
The most famous is probably the Alhambra in Granada, a beautiful example of the magic Moorish architecture. The fairytale gardens, carefully designed, with many waterworks, make you feel to have landed in the fairytale of 1001 Night.
Near Granada you find to the highest but one mountain ridge of Europe: Sierra Nevada.
Enabling you to go skiing in the morning, and relax on the beach the next hour.
Renowned is also Alpujarras, located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada.
A breathtaking region jam-packed with romantic white villages, built in typical Berber architecture, in the many lovely valleys and on the terraces.
This is where the Mores went, after they had been expelled from Granada in 1500. A truly fascinating area, steeped with history.
Between Granada and Motril at the Costa Tropical, two valleys are still hidden, one tropical and one subtropical, the last getting some attention lately, the Valle de Lécrin.
In spring the sweet fragrance of millions of oranges sedates you, and the surrounding slopes are crimson-pink of almond blossom.
Close to Antequera, between Seville and Granada, El Torcal Natural Park is situated. This is a strange trick of nature: the rocks have been eroded in a very peculiar way, leaving a ghostly moon-like landscape.
In this neighbourhood you also find la Fuente de la Piedra, a marsh area where a lot of waterfowl, among which flamingos, are to be admired.
For those who seek to relax the Province of Cadiz is definitely a good advice.
Don’t miss the fabulous Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
A Unesco biosphere reserve, the dramatically rugged limestone massif of the Sierra de Grazalema is one of Andalucía’s most visited natural parks and popular with those interested in hiking, mountaineering, potholing and rock climbing.
Grazalema is the gateway to the park and is just one of the pretty pueblos blancos scattered about the sierra, like El Bosque and Zahara de la Sierra, which overlooks a reservoir.
The Alcornocales Park is a sparsely populated area of extensive woodland made up primarily of cork trees. It is amazing to see the trees being peeled once every nine years, showing their naked red-brown inner.
Cadiz is famous for its sherry. In Jerez de la Frontera you will encounter many sherry bodegas, inviting you to taste the various types.
The Cadiz Costa de la Luz is a Mecca for windsurfers, birdwatchers and anyone who prefers a wilder shoreline with relatively few beachgoers compared to the busier Costa del Sol.
Being this close to the Strait of Gibraltar means that is an ideal place or bird watching during the periods of migration between Africa and Europe.
The dramatically positioned town of Ronda on the Tajo gorge has become a very popular destination.
It enjoys magnificent views over the wild mountains of the Serrania de Ronda, the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park and Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
The extensive natural parks around Ronda vary from lovely valleys to rough rocky mountains, just now and then dotted with some picturesque white villages.
The extreme variations in its nature make this area unique in the world.
Impressive are the eagles and vultures, regularly flying over your head.
Just south of Ronda you find the Cueva de la Pileta, a cave with interesting prehistoric drawings.
The Costa del Sol is best known for its string of popular beach resorts: Marbella, Fuengirola, Torremolinos and many more.
Fairly unknown is the Costa Tropical, south of Granada.
The resort with the most attractive beaches is Almuňécar; the most spectacular Salobreňa, with a Moorish castle atop an imposing pinnacle protruding above sugar cane plantations and overlooking the sea.
You will find numerous golf resorts with spectacular views on the Mediterranean sea.
Andalucia has a Mediterranean climate, with plentiful sun all year round. The average temperature runs from 15°C in February to 40°C in August.
Further inland near Ronda the climate is very pleasant, thanks to the elevated position, with a comfortable breeze during the day and a refreshing coolness at night. The humidity of the air is low. Even as temperatures are high in summer, it never becomes unpleasant.
Because of this friendly climate it is always a pleasure to be outdoors in Andalucia, whatever the season.