Andalusia: A Guide to Southern Spain

Andalusia is the Spain of the imagination — flamenco, Moorish palaces, whitewashed villages, orange trees and blazing sun. The country's southernmost region was the heart of Al-Andalus for nearly eight centuries, and that legacy crowns its two unmissable cities, Seville and Granada.

Seville and Granada

The region's two headline cities anchor most trips. Seville, the Andalusian capital, dazzles with the UNESCO trio of the Real Alcazar (a still-used Mudejar royal palace), the world's largest Gothic cathedral and its Giralda tower, all wrapped in orange-scented lanes, riverside sunsets and a deep flamenco tradition. Granada, pressed against the Sierra Nevada, holds the Alhambra — the most beautiful Moorish palace in the world — above the whitewashed Albaicin, with the best free-tapas scene in Spain and the Sacromonte caves where flamenco took root. Allow two to three days for Seville and one to two for Granada.

Beyond the two cities

If you have more time, Andalusia rewards it. Cordoba, a 45-minute AVE hop from Seville, has the breathtaking Mezquita, a mosque-cathedral of red-and-white arches. Malaga, Picasso's birthplace, has become a serious art city and the gateway to the Costa del Sol. Inland lie the pueblos blancos — white hill villages like Ronda, dramatically split by a gorge — and the sherry triangle around Jerez. The region also has mainland Spain's highest peaks in the Sierra Nevada, with skiing within reach of Granada.

When to go

Spring (March-May) and autumn (September-October) are ideal, with warm days and the cities at their most fragrant — spring brings orange blossom, jacaranda and the great festivals. High summer is brutal inland, regularly topping 40C in Seville and Cordoba, so save July and August for the coast or the mountains. Winter is mild and quiet, and pairs well with the Sierra Nevada ski season.

Festivals

Andalusia lives for its fiestas. Seville's Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the most famous in Spain, its hooded processions solemn and spectacular, and two weeks later the city explodes into the Feria de Abril, a week of flamenco dresses, horses and sherry. Granada, Cordoba and the smaller towns hold their own Holy Week and spring ferias. Book accommodation far ahead around these dates.

Getting around

Seville, Cordoba and Malaga sit on the high-speed line and are quick to reach from Madrid and each other by AVE. Granada is connected to Madrid by high-speed train too, but the popular Seville-Granada link has no fast direct service — take the ALSA coach (about 3 hours) instead. A rental car is the best way to explore the white villages and rural corners that the trains and buses don't reach.

Quick recommendation

For a first taste of the south, pair Seville (3 nights) and Granada (2 nights), linked by an ALSA bus, with a day trip to Cordoba's Mezquita from Seville. Go in spring or autumn, book the Alhambra and AVE fares well ahead, and add a car only if you want the white villages.