General Info  - Andalusia, Spain

Andalusia, autonomous region, southern Spain, comprising the provinces of Almería, Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga, and Seville. It is bounded on the north by the Sierra Morena; on the east by the provinces of Albacete and Murcia and the Mediterranean Sea; on the south by the Mediterranean Sea, Gibraltar, and the Atlantic Ocean; and on the west by Portugal. The capital is the city of Seville. The most important river is the Guadalquivir, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean north of Cádiz. South of the valley of the Guadalquivir are the Sierra Nevada mountains. The highest peak is Mulhacén (3478 m/11,411 ft). Most of Andalusia is fertile. The climate on the Mediterranean coast is subtropical, on the Atlantic coast, temperate. In the highlands, a lower temperature prevails, and snow is not unusual. The warm climate of the valleys and plains allows the cultivation of oranges, olives, and sugarcane; wheat, corn, and other grains flourish. Mineral deposits in the mountainous areas include lead, silver, copper, mercury, and coal.

Andalusia was probably the biblical Tarshish (from Tartessus, an ancient kingdom on the southwestern coast of the Iberian Peninsula). The Carthaginians settled here in the 5th century BC. The district was conquered by the Romans, who called it Baetica (from Boetis, the Roman name of the Guadalquivir River). Under the Roman Empire the region was very prosperous. The country was overrun by the Vandals early in the 5th century. From the Vandals the region took the name Vandalusia, which, in later centuries, was corrupted into Andalusia. The Vandals were succeeded by the Visigoths, who ruled until the Arab invasion of 711, after which Andalusia became the center of the Saracen and Moorish civilization. The cities of Granada, Córdoba, Seville, and Jaén were seats of Islamic culture, industry, and commerce. Students from all parts of Europe attended the great Muslim universities. Andalusia, established as a Moorish emirate in 756, later developed into the caliphate of Córdoba (see Córdoba). Lower Andalusia, corresponding to the lower reaches of the Guadalquivir, was taken from the Moors in 1212. The Upper Andalusia survived as the kingdom of Granada (see Granada) until 1492, when it was conquered by the sovereigns of Castile and Aragón, Ferdinand V and Isabella. From 1516 the history of Andalusia merges with that of the united kingdom of Spain.  

Jerez

Jerez de la Frontera became famous throughout the world for its sweet wines named after the town, which the British pronounced "sherry". It is called "de la Frontera" because it once stood on the frontier between the Moorish and the Christian realms. Jerez is also famous, throughout the world, for its fine horses and brilliant singers and dancers of flamenco.

The distinctive wine in Jerez has been exported for centuries, it was even praised by Shakespeare. It is distinctive because the strong sun gives the grapes a high sugar content. British merchants have been involved in the wine trade here for centuries, producing and shipping a fortified wine known as sherry. Famous names of these dynasties can be seen here over the doors of the bodegas; Sandeman, John Harvey, Domecq, Gonzalez Byass.

The Spanish word bodega means "cellar", but it has the generical meaning of "wine manufacturer". You can take a guided tour of the many Jerez bodegas. Some of the companies such as Gonzalez Byass, Pedro Domecq and Sandeman – British winemakers have been active here for centuries, which is why many of the names have an Anglo-Saxon ring to them – provided guided tours of the cellars on weekdays, followed by sampling of the various types of wine produced.

But Jerez is also world famous for its magnificent dancing horses, which you can see at the Real Escuela Andaluza de Arte Equestre – the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art, at Avenida de Abrantes (Tel: +34 956 311111). On Thursday mornings there is a spectacular display of dressage.

The town has a markedly aristocratic flavour with wide streets and squares. The 11th century Moorish fortress, or Alcazaba, has been partially restored. Of special interest is its church, originally built by the Arabs as a mosque. The Sacristy of the Cathedral del Salvador is home to a lovely painting by Zurbarán, The Sleeping Girl.

Jerez celebrates its famous Horse Fair at the beginning of May.

Jerez is also famous for its long-standing flamenco tradition, making it an excellent place to witness this extraordinary art.

Also of interest is the 'Museo de Relojes' Clock Museum (tel: +34 956 182100) on the Calle Cervantes, which is home to one of the world's largest collection of clocks and watches. The stately gardens of the museum are famous for their peacocks, which unfold their feathers among the vegetation.

Jerez has its own airport, Aeropuerto de la Parra, 7 kilometres north of the town on the NIV to Seville. (Tel: +34 956 150000)

Sherry

• The wine region of Jerez, also known as Sherry is located in southern Spain in the region of Andalucia in the province of Cadiz.
• Jerez is one of the oldest recognized Denominaciones de Origen in Spain, covering an area of approximately 16,000 hectares.
• The region of Jerez as its name states, only produces sherry, with the exception of a few wineries that also produce a still white wine in limited amounts.
• The climate in Jerez is hot and dry with clear sky most of the year.
• The soil in the region of Jerez plays a very important role in the quality and characteristics of the wine. There are 3 types of soil in Jerez: Albarriza, Barro and Arena. The main differences between the 3 is the amount of calcium carbonate that is present. The higher the calcium carbonate present the better the soil is for the wine. The richest deposits of calcium carbonate are found in the Albarriza zone. The percentage of calcium in this soil can range from 30% to 80%.
• The grape varieties that are permitted by the regulatory body of Jerez are all white and are as follows: Palomino, Moscatel and Pedro Jimenez. Palomino is the predominant grape variety accounting for over 90%.
• There are four main styles of sherry that are produced.
  • Fino is a light pale golden coloured dry wine with an alcohol content of between 15.5% and 16.5%.
  • Amontillado is an older fino, richer in character with a soft copper or amber colour and an alcoholic content of between 18% and 20%.
  • Oloroso is a rich dark dry mohogony wine with a full rich nose. Most Olorosos have an alcoholic content of 21%.
  • Cream sherries are a blend of dry Oloroso and sweet Pedro Jimenez. Cream sherries are dark rich wines with a soft sweet finish. The alcoholic content of these wines are generally 20% - 22%.
• The production of sherry has been reduced significantly since the early 70's, with an annual production of approximately 90,000,000 litres today.

Note: D.O. means: "Denominacion de Origen"

Costa de la Luz

The Costa de la Luz ( Coast of light ) is the western part of the Andalucia coastline that faces out to the Atlantic. The sand is finer and a more golden colour than the neighbouring Costa del Sol.

The typical beaches here are more expansive and probably backed by sand dunes and pine trees. This part of the coast has not seen the high-rise hotel development of other areas. The temperatures are slightly milder and the often strong Atlantic winds and waves are favoured by wind surfers and surfboarders alike.

The stretches of cliffs and coves are generally found to the east near Barbate and around the Campo de Gibraltar.

This coast is often divided into two sections. Costa de la Luz ( Huelva Province ) which stretches from the Portuguese border to the Donaña park and the River Guadalquivir. Costa de la Luz ( Cadiz Province) stretches form the River Guadalquivir to the Mediterranean. To travel from on section to another requires a lengthy drive via the city of Sevilla.

Costa de la Luz ( Cadiz Province )

This is an interesting section of the coast. We find San Lucar de Barameda with its sands overlooking the River Guadalquivir and Donaña. Around the small villages of Chipona and Rota we find fine beaches. El Puerto de Santa Maria is famous for it restaurants serving succulent king prawns washed down with chilled Manzanilla.

The historic walled city of Cadiz is built in an Peninsular jutting into the bay of Cadiz. The isthmus joining the mainland exhibits miles of beaches.

South of the golf at Sancti Petri we find cliffs and coves and pine trees of Barbate. Don't miss the 'trendy' villages of Conil de la Frontera Caños de Meca, Vejer and Zahara de las Atunes.

We soon reach Tarifa the windsurfing capital of Europe. The best beaches are called Bolonia ( visit the Roman ruins ) and Valdevaqueros hire a horse or climb the giant sandunes.

Turning the corner into the Mediterranean and skipping the industrial bay of Algeciras we should mention the beaches near Sotogrande and Guadiaro which geographically (but not politically) belong to the Costa del Sol. Here we can find some beautiful coves and rocky headlands which are ideal for diving. These coves are very popular on summer weekends.

COSTA DEL SOL

Eastern Costa del Sol:

This is the 54 km of Coast to the east of Malaga. Though highly developed for a tourist point of view, it is not anything like the western side. Most hotel accommodation is centred around the area of Nerja.

From Malaga eastwards there are cliffs of up to 200m where the Sierra Almijara joins the sea. This section ends at Mara on a coastal plain. It has an urban landscape surrounded by traditional agriculture. in the limestone hills is Nerja cave. Nerja is the most important centre on the coast and has grown rapidly. it is surrounded with tourist pueblos. At the foot of Nerja a winding footpath joins several coves.


Western Costa del Sol:

The 100 km coastline westward from Malaga to the Cadiz provincial border. The coast is highly developed from the point of view of international tourism. Communications revolve around Malaga International Airport (8 km west of the city) and the N340 backbone coast highway. In the middle of the Costa the greatly improved district road from San Pedro de Alcantara inland to the historic town of Ronda is the most important inland connection.

Andalusia is the Spanish Autonomous Community with the greatest number of inhabitants and the second in surface. Its varied landscapes, the benignancy of its climate and the friendly character of its population have turned it into one of the most attractive regions. Three thousand hours of sun per year, many kilometers of golden sand beaches and those beautiful natural ports made it a safe refuge already for Phoenician navigators, thousands of years before Christ.

The coast of Huelva and Cadiz corresponds to the Atlantic Ocean and is characterized by fine sand. The Mediterranean coast, from the Strait of Gibraltar to Almeria, on the other hand offers smoother climate with less wind and higher water temperatures.

Andalusia is crossed by Guadalquivir river, the "father" of old civilisations who have left along its borders an impressive monumental track, as well as the high mountain ranges of Sierra Morena and Sistemas Beticos.

The offer for visitors is extremely varied, from golden beaches to those beautiful mountain ranges with their highly interesting fauna, and the famous "white villages" with their wealth of folklore and art. There are great possibilities for most different sports as well, from skiing in the Sierra Nevada to surfing at the coast of Cadiz, where you will find ideal conditions as nowhere else in Europe.

Andalusia is the "mother" of the Spanish folklore which is probably best known abroad: here you will live the magic of Flamenco and bullfighting in their most authentic style, and myths like Don Juan and Carmen were born here. Andalusia is a land of great traditions, which has also understood to assimilate to “progressa”.

Major Attractions

Seville
The Andalusian capital, the third largest city of Spain, is among the most beloved places by tourists, thanks to its unique ambience and its great monuments: the Arabian bell tower Giralda, the city's landmark, the enormous cathedral, Torre del Oro, and the old district Barrio Santa Cruz are among the highlights.

Granada – The Moorish Jewl

Granada is one of the pearls of Spain, most visited by tourists from all over the world. The long-time capital of Moorish Andalusia has to offer the most important reminds of this epoch in Spanish history, with the world-famous "Alhambra" at the top of the list.
Walk through beautiful gardens, charming narrow streets filled with flowers, sit down in one of those typical taverns to have some of that famous "Trevélez" ham and local wine, and soak in the centuries of history around you. There are gypsies singing "Flamenco", and don't miss to visit their famous "Cuevas" - caves - in the mountain of the monastery of Sacromonte where some of them still live nowadays making magnificent art. Granada's popular festivals, based as well on Moorish as Christian tradition, are most attractive.
The city is located at the foot of the "Sierra Nevada", Spain's highest mountain-massif with great opportunities for winter sports. The highest peak, "Mulhacén" stands  3478 meters tall. Granada is not far from the Mediterranean sea making it a great destination year-round.

The Alhambra is not only the most important, but also the best preserved Arabian palace of its epoch. The name Alhambra means "the red one" and refers to the color of the mountain, on which it is built. There are two entrances, in the north the Puerta de las Armas and in the south the Puerta de la Justicia, which lead to the first court of the mosque.

Cordoba
The long-time center of Moorish Spain preserves monuments of outstanding importance. The Mezquita, the great Mosque, is perhaps most impressive. British author Gerald Brenan called this impressive Arabian mosque, the third biggest in the world with an extension of 23.000 square meters, the most beautiful and original building of all Spain.
This Mezquita initiated the so-called Califal style, which combined Roman, Gothic, Byzantine, Syrian and Persian elements, and was the starting-point of all Arabian-Hispanic architecture of the centuries to come, up to the Mudéjar-style of Arabians living in the Spain re-conquered by Christians.

 

Malaga

The great beaches of nearby Costa del Sol are what have made Malaga one of the most visited regions of Spain. But this town has more to offer than just seaside and sunshine!
It was founded by Phoenicians, and was of great importance in the Moorish epoch. Highly interesting historical remains are left in town as well as all over the province. Add to that beautiful scenery and picturesque villages…

Almeria
Almeria is among those Andalusian cities which have carefully preserved their Moorish heritage. Its splendid coast, Costa de Almeria is definitely worth a visit.

Ronda - Town of Dreams

In the middle of the bizarre mountain range Serranía de Ronda, at the edge of a canyon of a depth of 120 meters, you will find Ronda - certainly one of the most incredible places in all of Spain.
"Nothing in Spain is more surprising than this wild town", said writer Rainer Maria Rilke. Come and see ...

Cadiz
Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Spain, founded by Phoenicians. It is fascinating for its typical Andalusian ambience with whitewashed houses and tropical vegetation.

Huelva
The city is of great importance as a fishing port and for its industry. The city itself and its surroundings are marked by Christopher Columbus who started his explorations to the Americas from the nearby Palos de la Frontera. There you may visit the monastery where he prepared his journey, alongside with a reconstruction of the port and the three famous ships.

Coto Doñana National Park
For many migrating birds, Doñana is the meeting ground between Africa and Europe. Northern European birds stop over here on their way to Africa, and African birds sojourn here frequently to nest. For years this was a mostly uninhabited royal hunting reserve. In fact, the park's namesake, Doña Ana de Silva, a reclusive duchess, built a residence here to get away from people entirely. In 1969, the land became a national park, taking in 180,000 acres. But development along the park's edges has disturbed its isolation, and even poses a threat. Agriculture has caused disastrous pesticide runoff into the wetlands. Residential development has brought along car traffic and predatory dogs and cats. Sulfur mining upriver clogs the rivers with silt. Like many other wetlands, Doñana National Park seems teeming with life but is still very vulnerable.
Times to Visit
Something interesting is always happening in Doñana. November, December and January are the peak periods for waterfowl with few “human" visitors. You might even see breeding pairs of Imperial Eagles. Be warned: July and August can be unpleasantly hot, with temperatures approaching 110°F.
Natural History
The park lies within the delta of the Guadalquivir River. The delta has only one river mouth, the rest having been blocked off by sand dunes. The park comprises three distinctive ecosystems: wetlands, pine forest, sand dunes. Hundreds of bird species visit, breed, or permanently reside here. Even a non-birdwatcher will be astonished, and committed birdwatchers will find themselves transported. Special highlights include flocks of flamingoes, breeding pairs of Imperial eagles and spoonbills.
The park is also home to the last surviving lynxes in southern Europe, and many red deer.

Costa de la Luz
The "Coast of the Light", in the provinces of Huelva and Cadiz at the Atlantic Ocean, offers splendid beaches of fine sand. Major centers of attraction are Punta Umbria, Islantilla, Isla Cristina, Mazagon, Matalascañas, Barbate, Algeciras, Tarifa, Conil de la Frontera, Chiclana de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota, Chipiona, and Sanlucar de Barrameda.

Jerez de la Frontera
This is the hometown of the world-famous Sherry wine. Jerez is also the site of the world renowned equestrian school. Wine and horses mark the ambience of this manorial town.

Jaen
Jaen ,located inland, is dominated by its medieval fortress. Additional attractions are the 11th century Moorish baths and the Renaissance cathedral. The nearby Sierra de Cazorla is an outstanding natural preserve.