Andalucia has a rich history - the Moors played a huge part, leaving their mark in extraordinary buildings around the region. Columbus sailed from here, and the natural wonders of Andalucia are boundless, from rare birds to wonderful foods. Here are our Top 10 attractions – of a very, very long list.
A five-star hotel, spa and golf resort, Finca Cortesin on the Costa del Sol is considered by many to be one of the finest hotels in Spain. Most of Andalucia's landmark hotels - ones which are well known for their unusual or visually stunning buildings - are housed in historic buildings: old convents, castles or palaces. But a few are in cleverly-designed modern structures - though you'd never know it.
La Duquesa Golf and Country Club boasts an 18 hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., a technical masterpiece with wonderful sea and mountain views. In addition to golf, the club offers many facilities including tennis, squash, and a fully equipped gym with a qualified resident trainer.
Benahavis is renowned for its gastronomy. Known as ´La Sartén de Andalucía´ (the frying pan of Andalucía), Benahavis is home to a wide variety of restaurants serving the very best of traditional, Andalucian cooking. Many of the ingredients used in the restaurants are locally grown, and as you drive around the town you will see signs that describe it as the gastronomic corner of Andalucia.
The historical city and student town of Granada has six main districts: The Realejo, The Cartuja, Bib-Rambla, Sacromonte, Albaicin and Zaidin. The Albaicin is the Moorish area of the city and the oldest part of Granada. It offers stunning views of the Alhambra from its hillside as it sits directly opposite the Moorish Palace. You won't find a more atmospheric place to stay in Granada than in the Albaicin.
Visitors will notice that the most characteristic element of the Los Pedroches landscape are the holm oak trees. The majority of these villages are small and sparsely populated who have fought to conserve their heritage and traditions. Some form part of the Ruta de los Castillos, including Belalcázar, with the Castillo de Sotomayor; Santa Eufemia, with the medieval fortress at Miramontes; and El Viso, with the Madroñiz fortress.
Alto Guadalquivir offers a varied natural environment ideal for lovers of outdoor sports such has hiking, climbing and canoeing, amongst others.This area also offers visitors an interesting gastronomy, with delicacies such as game, olive oil and honey. Handmade products made from wrought iron, vegetable fibres, leather and ceramics are also available, made traditionally by locals.
Much of the interior of Almeria province is semi-arid steppe. It is a parched, lunar landscape of low, mostly barren mountains and dried-up river beds, like a scene from the North American Wild West and it´s no surprise that this is where many spaghetti westerns were shot. You can visit Mini Hollywood, near Tabernas.
If you are considering visiting Motril you may find our maps a useful tool, we provide three maps, one of the region of Andalucia with Motril highlighted. The second handcrafted map gives the location of Motril with the corresponding local road network. In order to help our readers we have also embedded a Google map which is centered on Motril.
Like many of the white villages of Andalucía, Guaro dates back to the Arabic occupation of Spain. The small community of some 2,500 people keeps its Moorish history very much alive with the annual ‘Festival de la Luna Mora' or Festival of the Moorish Moon.
El Ejido is one of the most popular tourist destinations along the Almerian coast for beaches and sunshine, with an interesting artistic and cultural heritage for visitors to enjoy. The area also offers a rich natural setting in the Reserve of Punta Entinas-Sabinar, a complex of dunes, beaches and lagoons which is home to various, mainly aquatic, birds.
This area or Comarca encompases the upper part of a picturesque deep valley south of Granada city and west of the Sierra Nevada. This valley comprises many small tributaries that flow into the Embalse de Béznar. Within the valley or more correctly valleys are numerious small villages , which, in some cases, have less than 200 residents. These are tranquil and unspoilt destinations for nature and outdoor sports such as walking, hiking and fishing.
The most popular village in Sierra Nevada is well-known amongst snowsports enthusiasts: Monachil being the home of Europe’s southernmost ski resort and the only ski resort in Andalucía. However, the attraction of the villages in this area is not limited to snow, as the majority of the area is part of the Sierra Nevada National Park.
Found to the west of Granada, this area offers a landscape contrasting the red of the Hoya de Guadix with the green of the river valleys. Its most famous attraction is the Sierra Nevada National Park as well as the various cave-houses: some inhabited by residents and others converted into extremely popular tourist accommodation due to its peculiarity and individuality.
Located on La Barrosa beach, on the Costa de la Luz, this sleek, modern hotel with Andalucian features has a Michelin-starred restaurant and a spa, and is located near three golf courses. The Gran Melia Sancti Petri is the only five-star GL hotel in Cadiz province.
Whilst Granada is undoubtedly the most well-known destination, the villages to the north west of the city are extremely interesting in terms of history, culture and environment. Peligros has royal connections and Pinos Puente was the home of famous Spanish author Federico Garcia Lorca.
Acueducto del Águila (Eagle Aqueduct), also known as Puente del Águila (Eagle Bridge), is regarded across the region as "an historic jewel of Spanish architecture". The Balcón de Europa is a large round balcony on a cliff in the seaside town of Nerja, overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
As with any popular holiday destination, transport in and out of Nerja is abundant, and easy. On this page you will find information on the best ways to see Nerja, and its surrounding areas.
Malaga Airport is located just 65 km from Nerja. With flights providing transport for over 10 million passangers per year, including a huge timetable to the UK and many more International Flights, you're never far from home.
The Beaches of Nerja are one of the towns´s biggest assets, the crystal clear waters and rocky outcrops the pepper the coastline make it a haven for snorkelling and scuba diving. The steep cliffsides offer breath taking views; of course none as spectacular as that of the Balcon de Europa.
