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Granada's Alhambra palace.
Population: 7 million ( about 20% of Spain´s national total)
Area: 87,300 km sq ( 17.3 % of the Spanish territory )
Spain's region of Andalucia is composed of
eight provinces, stretching from the south-east to the south-west
of the country,
each one named for its capital city: Cadiz, Cordoba, Jaen, Huelva,
Almeria, Malaga, Granada and Seville.
Once Spain´s poorest region, Andalucia -
and specifically the provinces of Malaga, Granada and Seville
- is now one of the
most popular tourist destinations in Europe, thanks to its sandy
beaches, beautiful countryside, spectacular mountain ranges, fabulous
monuments and high-spirited people who live life to the full and
are well known for their exuberance, warmth and hospitality.
Andalucia is also home of flamenco and bullfighting,
which can be best enjoyed at the region´s countless ferias
and romerias.
But perhaps the most unique feature of this enchanting
region are the remnants of its Moorish past. The Moors were a
mixture of
Berbers and Arabs who crossed into Spain from North Africa by the
Straits of Gibraltar and occupied the peninsula - which they called
al Andalus - for more than seven centuries, dating from 710 when
they first landed in Tarifa. Within a mere four years they had
virtually conquered the entire country, although they soon withdrew
to the southern part of the peninsula, where they established,
in the towns of Cordoba, Seville and Granada, one of the most sophisticated
civilisations of the Middle Ages. Each of these Andalucian capitals
boasts spectacular remains of their monuments, the most unforgettable
of which is, undoubtedly, Granada's Alhambra palace.
Some basic facts about Spain´s region of
Andalucia
Andalucia has 500 miles of coastline and of which 70% are sandy
beaches. The Mediterranean seaboard is graced by the Costa de Almeria,
Costa Tropical and the glamorous, cosmopolitan Costa del Sol, while
the Costa de la Luz lies along the Atlantic shore to the west of
Gibraltar.
As well as Andalucia´s fascinating cities
and dazzling shores, the region is sprinkled with tiny unspoiled
villages and whitewashed
towns - the famous pueblos blancos - which tourists often overlook,
even though they are of easy access, such as Casares, Gaucin and
Frigilana.
Andalucia, then, is a region of startling contrasts
and great charm. Yet, this mysterious corner of Europe is easy
to reach,
with hundreds of charter flights arriving each week at Malaga´s
Pablo Picasso International Airport, which lies midway between
Malaga, the main city of the coast, and Torremolinos, the region´s
most legendary resort.
Holidays in Andalucia
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