Provinces in Andalusia

Andalusia is the second largest province of Spain in terms of area, and the largest in terms of population.
The Andalusian capital is Seville, which is also the third largest city of Spain.
Seville is famous for its historic monuments and is one of the largest historical centers in Europe. This is a beautiful city receiving about 3000 hours of sun per year. Thus everywhere you go, picturesque orange trees will welcome you with their blossoms. In the old quarters on weekends it’s not unusual to find the air is filled with the sounds of the flamenco dance and music, and the delicious aromas of Spanish cooking. To the east, the countryside is equally charming with undulating green pastures, serene fields of olive trees with a sprinkling of small, pretty towns.

Seville is famous for its legends: Don Juan, Bizet’s Carmen, and Christopher Columbus.
Torre del Oro- a Moorish tower, an enormous Cathedral, with its bell tower Giralda, and are among the more prominent and popular landmarks of the city. Other sights not to be missed are: Barrio Santa Cruz, in the old city, the Casa de Pilatos, a large sixteenth-century mansion where Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles blend harmoniously amidst exuberant patios and gardens and the great Park of Maria Luisa. Crossing the Triana Bridge over the large Guadalquivir River, you enter the lively popular quarter of Barrio de Triana with charming narrow streets around the church of Santa Ana and traditional ceramic factories.
A great transformation was brought about with the World Expo’92. Several kilometers of new streets, Santa Justa, a new train station and the high speed AVE which connects Seville to Madrid in less than 3 hours. Also some magnificent new bridges, such as Pasarela de la Cartuja & Puente de la Barqueta, can be counted among this century’s new landmarks.
There is a lot to do when you are in Seville- if you are there in April, enjoy the Feria de Abril - the favourite annual fiesta of Seville. It is a week long event bursting with all the colour, music, & dance you could wish for. There is also the Semana Santa or Holy Week when colourful processions are taken out through the street.

Another famous and a ‘must see’ city is Granada, also known as the "Moorish Jewel", it lies at the foot of the stunning, snow covered Sierra Nevada mountain range. Alhambra is an outstanding Moorish palace, with the exotic generalife gardens which are bedecked by a multitude of fountains which are refreshing in the summers.
The old city is equally beautiful- the Albarracin, with its narrow side streets and the Sacromonte Caves. You should also visit the other remarkable landmarks such as the monastery of Sacromonte, El Corral del Carbon & San Jeronimo.

Malaga is another important tourist destination what with its world class services, and the splendid Costa del Sol and, of course, wonderful climate. Add to this many impressive resorts, hotels, & sporting facilities and it can be easily seen why thousands of tourists flock here every year. Among the major attractions of Malaga are the Moorish palace Alcazaba which houses an archeological museum. Then there is the Cathedral, the Picasso museum, situated near the house where he was born. If you want to take a break from all the hectic sightseeing, you can spend some quiet time in the one of the fine parks such as the Parque de Malaga: Some of the local popular costal towns are Marbella, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, and San Pedro de Alcantara.

Torremolinos is a resort very popular and it is frequented by tourists all the year round. The cable car system Telecabina is located next to this resort which takes you on an amazing 15-minute journey in a four-person cable car right up to the highest point on the Malaga coast at an altitude of almost 800m above sea level. From this superb vantage point, you not only have the most magnificent views of the Costa del Sol, but also the awesome panoramic vistas of the Sierra Nevada mountains (white with snow in the winter months), the Guadalhorce Valley and on a clear day you can see Gibraltar and the coast of Africa.

The Costa del Almeria comprises of 200 kilometers coastline facing the Mediterranean Ocean. It provides you with a relaxed sun & sand experience with its uncluttered beaches, and beach resorts offering simple facilities catering to the needs of families and couples.
The desert "badlands" of Almeria have their own attraction as mega movies like Lawrence of Arabia and Raiders of the Lost Ark were filmed here. The abandoned film sets have been incorporated into two popular entertainment centers - Mini Hollywood and Texas Hollywood - near the village of Tabernas, 30 kilometers north of America city.
Villages such as Benahadux, Alhabia and Laujar de Andarax attract the curious tourists with their troglodyte cave houses. Here 21st century cave dwellers live in houses hollowed out of the soft rock. In the city of Almeria you will see the Moorish heritage best preserved.
A visit to the nature reserve of Cabo de gata is also recommended as it is the habitat for striking flora and fauna. The crystal clear waters and the rich marine life have made it an attraction for scuba diving.
Some other highlights are Los Millares, the ancient origin of Spain’s metalworking culture. Velez Blanco is a typical Spanish white washed village dominated by the ruins of the once magnificent castle built by the Marquis of Velez Blanco. The exterior of the castle still remains as a testimony to the grandeur of the Renaissance architecture. Mojacar is town with white washed houses, has nice beaches, beautiful natural surroundings, and you can enjoy a quiet evening stroll along its cozy streets, secluded corners and flowered balconies. Being relatively less known, the property prices in Almeria remain comparatively reasonable. Developments projects of holiday homes offer affordable prices for those who want to have a home here.

One of the oldest cities of Spain is Cadiz, founded by Phoenicians; it began as a trading post in about 1100 BC. Cadiz has an impressive 260 km coastline offering picturesque beaches with fine white sand washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You would love to come here and experience its typical Andalusian ambience- whitewashed houses and tropical vegetation. The most impressive landmark of Cadiz is the Cathedral, and the museum housed in it has quite a collection of treasures.
Costa de la Luz, "Coast of lights" stretches form Huelva to Cadiz and is the center of a lot of tourist activity.
You would love the experience when you visit popular places like Punta Umbria, Islantilla, Isla Cristina, Mazagon, Matalascanas, Barbate, Algeciras, Tarifa, Conil de la Frontera, Chiclana de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota, Chipiona, and Sanlucar de Barrameda. The carnivals celebrated here are the most famous of the country. If you happen to be visiting in February, you will experience the thrill of the carnivals in all their splendour.

Huelva is a fishing port, and also an industrial hub. There are a numerous attractions like the small fishing village towns & the quiet beaches. Christopher Columbus set off for America from the nearby Palos de la Frontera. Here you can visit the Monastery of La Rabida: Christopher Columbus stayed prepared for his travel, also- a reconstruction of the port and the three famed ships.
The Donana National park is the most important place as it is the home of the very rare animal-Lynx cat. Apart from this it offers you a mixed bag including beaches with shifting dunes, lagoons and marshy regions near the outlet of the Guadalquivir River. You can come here for the rich fauna, and to see the variety of species of migrant birds which arrive here for the breeding season.
These other sites are also worth a visit: The Shrine of Nuestra Senora de la Cinta, Barrio Riena Victoria, & the Muelle del Tinto docks.

The province of Cardoba was the capital of the empire of al- Andalus, so its past is still very much a part of its present appeal. Its greatest landmark is the Great Mosque from the 8th century which has delicate marble columns and arches.

Jaen is situated in the north of Andalusian province and the main attraction is the Moorish castle situated on the top of Santa Catalina. This is the site of huge bonfire competitions held honouring the patron saint San Antinio Abad, and "los melenchones".
There is a museum and many churches in this region like the Church of la Magdalena, the Real Monasterio de Santa Clara, featuring a cloister from the late 16th century and an Ecuadorian bamboo image of Christ in the church. Olive oil, pottery, and a bridge dating back to the Roman era, are some of the highlights of Andujar.