"Andalucia / Andalusia - Where to start?" Andalucía by JanPeter74

Where to start when writing about Andalusia. This place has it all. Nice people, fantastic scenery, great cities, awesome tapas, nightlife in the streets, moorish castles and palaces (alcazars), mountain slopes full of olive trees, sherry. You name it, Andalusia has it!

Andalusian landscape wih olive trees

When we visited Andalusia for two weeks in October, we visited all the cities that you shouldn't miss when coming to this area. After a quick stop in Malaga and Marbella, we headed towards Ronda, Gibraltar, Jerez ( the sherry capital of the world), Sevilla (my no.1 spot of this area), Cordoba, Granada and then back to Malaga.

Bear in mind that during siestas in Andalusia not only shops but also many (even big) tourist hotspots close. Next to this, many cultural/archeological sites are closed on Mondays.

Sherry billboards by the roadside

Apart from the obvious destinations in this area, we also discovered some little gems.

I always thought that Gibraltar was the southern tip of Spain. This is not true. Tarifa is. This little town (that plays an important role in "The Alchemist", the famous book by Paulo Coelho) is the point of departure for ferries across the Strait of Gibraltar to Morocco since this is the place where the northern African coast is nearest.

The other gem is the city of Cadiz. A very vibrant but relaxed coastal town near Jerez. The city is built on the westcoast of Spain facing the Atlantic. The city centre is built on a peninsula, so no matter what direction you take, the waterfront is always close by. The main attraction of Cadiz is the enormous, beautiful cathedral (+crypt), but I also suggest you take some time to wander through the small picturesque streets. See also the tip on Cadiz.

• Pros:Too many to mention
• Cons:None