Nerja is a charming coastal town which has a mix of largely 18th and 19th century buildings and modern apartment blocks. The old town extends out from inland from the famous Burriana Beach and the Balcon de Europa, which looks out grandly over the Mediterranean.
Out at the far end of the Costa del Sol and sandwiched between Marbella and Puerto Banús to the east and Manilva and Sotogrande to the west, Estepona is undoubtedly one of the most attractive of the towns west of Málaga. Its beaches, paticularly La Rada and Playa el Cristo, are highly rated on the Costa del Sol, and make estepona a popular family tourist destination.
Fuengirola’s tourist journey began all the way back in the 1960s, and today it is one of the most popular holiday destinations on the Costa del Sol. The town was originally a fishing village, the centre of which is the Plaza de la Constitución, although the old fishing village isn’t visible today.
Torremolinos: where the Costa del Sol tourism boom really exploded. Just a couple of miles to the west of Malaga airport, and with one of the coast’s better urban beaches, it isn’t hard to see why. If the town’s party-hearty reputation has relaxed a little in recent years, giving way to many family holidaymakers in the summer and older visitors looking for some winter sun out of season.
Almanzora area is in Almeria province and is made up of 27 municipalities. It is located in the northeast of the province between the areas of Los Vélez and the Sierra de los Fibrales. One of its most well-known towns is Macael, where the marble quarries are located, the material with which important monuments were built.
This Almeria part of the Alpujarras is less well known than the Granada Alpujarras to the west. Both parts share the same characteristics and historical origins. They are the sheltered southern facing slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain range.
As one of Spain's most exclusive holiday destinations, beloved of the titled, rich and famous, Marbella has a number of luxurious hotels. Many of these are right on the beach, but some are just inland, offering more privacy and spacious surroundings. The most exclusive and sought-after stretch is the so-called "Golden Mile", between Puerto Banus and Marbella.
Andalucia is one of Europe’s foremost golfing destinations, with over 100 courses. Guaranteed warm temperatures all year round, endless hours of sunshine, and a spectacular variety of courses with both mountain and sea views, make this region a hugely popular choice for golfers from all over the world, and Marbella is no exception.
As a popular holiday destination it is no surpirse that Marbella is teeming with restaurants, in Marbella you can find anything from Latin American to Morrocan to Oriental cuisine as well as the traditional Spanish and Andalucian, there is something for every palette.
Puerto Banus is located in the Nueva Andalucia suburb of Marbella, 6km to the west of the town centre, just before you reach the small town of San Pedro de Alcantara. Although it may at first appear as a developed old Spanish fishing village with an impressive mountain backdrop, Puerto Banus was in fact designed and built in 1970 by local property developer José Banús as a luxury marina and shopping complex.
It is easy to understand why Malaga City is capital of the Costa del Sol. Once considered the poor cousin of Andalusia’s capital city, Seville, it now competes successfully for attention, thanks to its profusion of quirky museums, delightful pedestrianised centre, innovative restaurants and stylish hotels, many featuring trendy rooftop terraces with bar, pool and stunning views.
Jaén is a city that every lover of Andalucia should visit, enjoy and - if possible - spend a good deal of time getting to know. Not only does the city have an ancient and fascinating history, but the castle that towers over its winding streets offers some of the most quintessentially Andalusian views there are to be had.
Huelva and its environs is a Mecca for those interested in Christopher Columbus, with a number of significant tourist attractions relating to the famous explorer. Cristóbal Colón (as he is known in Spain), is thought by most to have been born in Genoa, Italy around 1451.
Huelva is a port city which holds an important place in the history of Andalucia, as the area from where Columbus sailed to American in 1492. In the 19th and early 20th century, it was an important mining centre, and some colonial buildings and quays from that era remain, including the Muelle de Riotinto.
Huelva may lack the region's star attractions of other provincial capitals, but once you get past the industrial sprawl on its outskirts, the centre is a pleasant place with many pretty plazas, absorbing historical monuments and, as you'd expect from a city with a bustling port, a wealth of seafood bars and restaurants.
Granada city is full of sights to see; famous for its vast array of cultural monuments, it is a very popular holiday destination. As with any city there are scores of hotels to choose from in Granada. Whether you are here for a short city break or a summer holiday Granada has a hotel for you, with a wide variety of prices, styles and features.
The name Alhambra comes from an Arabic root which means "red or crimson castle", perhaps due to the hue of the towers and walls that surround the entire hill of La Sabica which by starlight is silver but by sunlight is transformed into gold.
Granada was first settled by native tribes in the prehistoric period, and was known as Ilbyr. When the Romans colonised southern Spain, they built their own city here and called it Illibris. The Arabs, invading the peninsula in the 8th century, gave it its current name of Granada. It was the last Muslim city to fall to the Christians in 1492, at the hands of Queen Isabel of Castile and her husband Ferdinand of Aragon.
Cordoba is one of Andalucia’s most atmospheric cities, with its low-rise white-washed buildings, famous flower-filled patios and multicultural heritage – a melting pot of Islam, Judaism and Christianity. As well as the famous Mezquita, once the largest mosque in the world, you can wander the maze of streets in the Juderia.
The Mezquita (Mosque) dates back to the 10th century when Córdoba reached its zenith under a new emir, Abd ar-Rahman III who was one of the great rulers of Islamic history. At this time Córdoba was the largest, most prosperous cities of Europe, outshining Byzantium and Baghdad in science, culture and the arts. The development of the Great Mosque paralleled these new heights of splendour.
