Many travellers see little more of Malaga than its airport and bus station before whizzing off to the better known attractions inland. But with its fantastic Museo Picasso, its striking Moorish fortress – the Alcazaba – and a rash of excellent shops to add to its low-slung, easygoing charm, it’s a small city that definitely rewards closer inspection.

 

Moving on to Granada

 

Hostels in Granada, meanwhile, see ever-increasing numbers of backpackers and independent travellers crossing their thresholds. They may come for the awe-inspiring Alhambra Palace, but they find themselves staying for the tapas, the stunning old quarters of the Albayzin and the Realejo… and some of the very best hostels in Spain!

 

Then, of course, there’s Seville and Cordoba. Seville is a tangled network of ancient streets, quiet squares and lavishly beautiful monuments. Of these, the Alcazar, the Torre del Oro and the huge bullring, the Plaza de la Maestranza, stand out as amongst Spain’s most visited sights.

 

Much like Seville’s Alcazar and Granada’s Alhambra, nothing can adequately prepare you for your first impressions of the Mezquita in Cordoba. It is, without a doubt, one of the genuine wonders of the world: a startling mass of striped pillars and soaring ceilings, its effect on the onlooker can be mesmerizing.

 

Leaving the Cities Behind

 

Away from the cities, the region is dotted with historic towns and picturesque white villages. Towns like Ronda, Carmona, Arcos de la Frontera and Alhama de Granada are studded with churches and dramatic fortresses – often spectacularly situated.

 

In between, a remarkable landscape stretches away in every direction. From the Alpujarras to Doñana Natural Park, the high Sierras of Grazalema and Tejeda to the sparkling white beaches of Cadiz Province, Andalucía is uniformly beautiful. Much like Spain as a whole, in fact!