Reasons Why You Should Visit Andalucia, Spain

From snow-capped mountains to hilltop villages and the only desert in Europe, there’s an impressive variety of landscapes in Andalucia. If you’re a thrill seeker, make a beeline for the Caminito del Rey, a hike along a suspended walkway that seems to be precariously attached to the walls of El Chorro gorge in Malaga. The foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountain range also offer some spectacular hiking trails. For a more leisurely stroll, there’s the Sierras de Cazorla nature reserve, the largest protected area in Spain, and the Unesco-listed Doñana National Park, a haven of woodlands, rivers and wildlife.

The rich and varied cuisine of Andalucia makes it an ultimate foodie destination. Here, you’ll find everything from innovative Michelin-starred restaurants to unpretentious street food stalls. Seville, Granada, Cádiz and Córdoba are hotspots for tapas, which are made using the finest local produce such as tuna, prawns and serrano ham. Specialities vary across the region, but favourites include salmorejo (creamy tomato soup), fried aubergine with honey, morcilla sausage and churros with chocolate sauce. Seafood is best enjoyed at seafront chiringuito restaurants, where you can devour freshly caught sardines with local sherry as the sun goes down.

What better way to immerse yourself in traditional Spanish culture than with a flamenco show in Andalucia? The fiery, passionate dance is said to have originated in Seville, Jerez and Granada, so head to these cities for an authentic experience. The Triana district of Seville is bursting with soulful flamenco bars, while in Granada, the Peña la Platería, a fiercely traditional flamenco club in Albaicín, is a must-visit. For a more intimate experience, the many tabancos (old-school bars) in Jerez offer intimate performances without the crowds of tourists.

Andalucia is home to a rich variety of historical monuments, museums and architecture. It has no less than seven Unesco World Heritage sites, including the majestic Alhambra in Granada, the Alcázar palace in Seville and the grand Mosque-Cathedral in Córdoba, a former mosque turned cathedral. Beyond the Moorish heritage of the region, the old towns of Úbeda and Baeza are home to remarkable Renaissance-style palaces and churches. Visitors can uncover the fascinating history of the region at cultural institutions such as the Andalusian Flamenco Centre in Jerez, the Maestranza theatre in Seville and the Picasso Museum in the artist’s home town, Malaga.

From cosy bars to big clubs, the nightlife options in Andalucia are varied and plentiful. In Granada, a lively student city, Plaza de la Universidad is brimming with dive bars, live-music venues and clubs. Seville is also popular among partygoers, who flock to La Alameda, a hip quarter filled with quirky bars and underground clubs. Things crank up a notch on the Costa del Sol beyond Malaga: there’s glitzy Marbella, Torremolinos with its trendy clubs and gay bars and Benalmádena for round-the-clock partying.

With a staggering 497mi (800km) stretch of varied coastline, you’re bound to find your perfect Andalucian beach. Playa de Bolonia, which lies between Cádiz and Tarifa, is one of a string of beautiful unspoilt beaches on the Costa de la Luz that are as yet relatively undiscovered. A great child-friendly option is Playa de la Barrosa, Cádiz, where kids can paddle in the shallow waters and ride horses along the beach. For adventure seekers, El Palmar has surfing, snorkelling and water sports galore.

Malaga is a must-visit for art lovers. Beyond the renowned Picasso Museum, the city has over 30 museums and boasts a thriving contemporary art scene. Opened in 2003, the Centre for Contemporary Art features the works of Spanish artists such as Barceló, Sicilia and Muñoz, and also holds experimental exhibits. The unmissable Pompidou Centre, housed in a multicoloured glass cube, also offers an impressive selection of modern art. Meanwhile, street art fans can discover urban murals in the Soho district.

A fun advantage of a holiday in Andalucia is the array of family-friendly attractions, from water parks to zoological gardens. Isla Mágica in Seville, a water park with several pools, log rides and roller coasters, is a popular day trip destination among Spanish families. Aquatropic, the only saltwater park in Spain, in Almuñécar, is also a great day out for little ones, with some of the tallest flumes you’ve ever seen. Then there’s MiniHollywood, a Western-style theme park in the Tabernas Desert that will excite kids and adults alike with a zoo, pools, bars and live Wild West performances.

The picturesque, hilltop pueblos blancos (white villages) of Andalucia, whitewashed in the 19th century to deflect the sun, are reason enough to explore the region. The largest is Ronda, a hilltop town that perches at 723m (2,372ft) above sea level and offers breathtaking views across the gorge that have drawn the likes of Ernest Hemingway and Michelle Obama here in the past. Other spectacular villages include Vejer de la Frontera, Zuheros, Grazalema and the lesser-known Arcos de la Frontera.

Andalucians love a fiesta. The region comes to life in April during Semana Santa (Holy week) and nowhere celebrates it more spectacularly than Seville. The solemn celebration of Christ’s last days includes hooded penitents, late-night processions and sombre music, and draws up to a million visitors each year. Two weeks later is the Feria de Abril, a week-long fiesta where you can drink and dance till dawn. Cádiz Carnival, in February, is an equally epic extravaganza with parades, fancy dress and events.