Andalucia - Gateway to the Americas

Andalucia is well known as being the most populated autonomous community (and the second largest of the 17 communities) that constitutes Spain and is bordered as follows:

North: by Extremadura and Castilla-La Mancha
East: by Murcia and the Mediterranean Sea
West: by Portugal and the Atlantic Ocean
South: The British colony of Gibraltar (which shares its ¾ mile land border with the province of Cádiz).

Its varied landscapes, friendly character of inhabitants and climate stability (3000 hours of sun per year) all add to this being one of Spain’s most visited and attractive regions and Spanish institutions such as Flamenco, bullfighting and myths like Don Juan and Carmen all originated here. The fine, sandy coastlines of beaches characterize the provinces of Huelva and Cadiz, which face the Atlantic Ocean. The Mediterranean coast, from the Strait of Gibraltar to Almeria, has a smoother climate with higher water temperatures and less wind.

From the golden sands of the beaches to the beautiful mountain ranges, and the famous "white villages", visitors to the region are spoiled for choice. Sports lovers will love this area as anything from skiing in the Sierra Nevada to surfing Cadiz’s coast, can be found easily. The Spanish, which is spoken in the Americas, is largely descended from the Andalusian dialect of Spanish, due to Seville playing the role as gateway to Spain's American territories in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Major Attractions in Andalucia

Seville: This is the third largest city of Spain, and is one of the best-loved and most visited places by tourists, thanks to its unique character and its great monuments. City landmarks such as the Arabian bell tower Giralda, the cathedral, Torre del Oro and the old district of Barrio Santa Cruz are just some of the sights worthy of a mention.

Granada: Located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountain range, this city is a must-see place. The great Arabian palace Alhambra is also well worth a visit.

Cordoba: The centre of Moorish Spain for hundreds of years, Cordoba has many monuments that are of outstanding importance. The Mezquita is possibly the most impressive of them all and is a ‘must see’ if you visit this region.

Malaga: Pablo Picasso, the well-known painter and sculptor was born in Malaga. Major tourist attractions here are the Alcazaba and the fantastic Mediterranean coastline with its long sandy beaches.

Costa del Sol: Along the coast of Malaga, you can find some of Spain's most striking beaches. Marbella, Benalmadena, Fuengirola, San Pedro de Alcantara and Torremolinos are among the most well known.

Ronda: Ronda is one of the most incredible and lovely towns in Spain, situated in the middle of the fantastic mountain range Serranía de Ronda, at the edge of a 120 metre canyon.

Almeria: Of all the Andalusian cities that have preserved their Moorish traditions, Almeria has probably done it the best. Whitewashed properties abound giving the area that romantic Spanish ‘feel’. Great tourist attractions can also be found all along the Costa de Almeria.

Cadiz: Cadiz claims to be one of the oldest cities in Spain and promotes its typical Andalusian ambience with whitewashed houses and tropical vegetation. The Carnival of Cadiz is a unique Spanish fiesta, which is well worth experiencing, as its all about fun and entertainment.

Huelva: The town is known for its industry but it is also a fishing port of great importance. Christopher Columbus started his travels to America from the nearby Palos de la Frontera. Visitors to the monastery where he prepared for his travels are also treated to a reconstruction of the port and the three famous ships.

Doñana National Park: This widespread preserve is located next to the outlet of Guadalquivir River, and includes beach areas with moving dunes along with marshy regions of great value - as far as their fauna is concerned. Migrant birds, on their way to Africa, stay here during their breeding phase.

Costa de la Luz: The "Coast of the Light" offers marvellous beaches of fine sand and is the area of Spain that lies in the provinces of Huelva and Cadiz facing the Atlantic Ocean. There are many tourist attractions in this region with a few of the more famous being Punta Umbria, Islantilla, Isla Cristina and Mazagon.

Jerez de la Frontera: The hometown of the now famous Sherry wine, Jerez can also make another claim to fame, as it is the site of a prominent Spanish equestrian school.

Jaen: Located inland, a medieval fortress dominates Jaen, which also has the 11th century Moorish baths and the Renaissance cathedral to claim as tourist attractions. The nearby nature reserve, Sierra de Cazorla is fabulous and should be visited if in the area.

Andalusian Cuisine

Gazpacho (fried fish), the jamones of Jabugo and Trevélez and the wines of Jerez, particularly sherry all characterise the cuisine of Andalucia.

Fried Foods: Andalusian fried cuisine uses a type of olive oil from the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba, Seville and Granada. The food is covered in flour ‘a la andaluza’ (which means just flour - no other ingredients) and then fried in large quantities of hot olive oil.

Fish and Shellfish: As Andalucia has five coastal provinces, high consumption of fish and shellfish is to be expected: White shrimp from the Bay of Cádiz; prawns; murex; anchovies; baby squid; cuttlefish, flounder, etc. are among the regions favourites.

Deserts: Medieval Andalusian cuisine heavily influences deserts of this region of Spain. A few of the dishes worthy of mentioning include pestiños, alfajores, amarguillos, lard bread, wine doughnuts, churro and torrijas although there are many, many more.

Music of Andalusia

Andalusia is probably best known for the fantastic flamenco style of music and dance that is mainly performed by Gypsy people in Spain but is now popular throughout the world. A single singer performs Cante Hondo, which are improvised flamenco songs of ancient Andalusian origin. They are recognized for their reduced tonal ambiance, lack of rhythm and repetition of notes. All in all Andalucia has something for everyone and a visit to Spain would be incomplete without visiting ‘real Spain’, the birthplace of the Spanish Americas.

Written by Mark Buckingham, Managing Director of Rentaccomspain.com, an online resource where you can find a wealth of Spanish property for rent and for sale.