Tourism Tips for a Holiday in Andalucia

Andalusia is a fusion of art, culture, delicious flavours and colours…

The autonomous community in the south of Spain has many charming aspects, so it’s no surprise that it has been considered one of the 3 most popular destinations for international tourism and year after year is a one of the favourite spots for Spaniards on summer holidays.

The community has different types of tourism: gastronomic, rural, sun and beaches. Today we want to show you 5 ways to get the most out of your holiday to Andalucia!

Sun and beaches by car or caravan

The Andalusian coast has beaches for everyone, you can find everything from pristine beaches to cliff-lined coasts a bit further off the beaten path waiting to be discovered.

A good way to get to know them all is to grab a map (yes, Google Maps works too) and rent a caravan and travel all of Andalusia’s 1,000 km of coastline. The Andalusian coast is divided into the Costa de Almeria, Costa de la Luz – Cadiz and Huelva, Costa Tropical – Granada and the Costa del Sol – Malaga. Each and every one has its own unique charm.

Andalusia also boasts 81 beaches that have been awarded the Blue Flag programme eco-label and 17 ports.

Golf

One of the advantages of golf tourism is that you can do it all year-round. Golf lovers don’t have to wait for hot weather to grab their clubs and hit the green in Andalusia.

The autonomous community has golf courses (over 120 of them!) in all of its 8 provinces and some of them are located in idyllic surroundings such as the Parque de Doñana, near the deserts of Almeria or along the coast of Cadiz.

The main golf tournaments in the area are the European Golf Circuit and the Andalucia Golf Challenge Circuit.

Cultural route

The rich cultural history of Andalusia is a characteristic that makes the region a perfect place for cultural tourism.

The Alhambra in Granada, the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba or the Giralda minaret in Seville are monuments that are globally recognized and must-sees if you are touring the south of Spain.

Apart from these sites, you should also visit Ubeda and Baeza in Jaen, both are UNESCO World Heritage Cities, Arcos de la Frontera in Cadiz, Ronda in Malaga and Moguer in Huelva.

Food tourism

Sampling the local flavours like arroz caldoso con carabineros and serrano ham with a glass of wine in hand is another way to discover Andalusia. Trying a zone’s typical food is an important part of any trip, and in this case, the Andalusian cuisine offers a great variety of dishes, many of them with influence from Arabic cultures.

A great culinary journey through Andalusia should include stops in: Huelva, to taste the ham; Montilla, for wine tasting of Pedro Ximenez sherry or Moscatel; Baeza; to try the best olive oil; Jerez, famous for its wine; Zahara, where you can have some of the best tuna; and Doñana for the freshest fish and seafood.

Backpacking in the National Parks

If you prefer to enjoy greener pastures instead of sunbathing on the beach, Andalusia has amazing landscapes for hiking or just a casual stroll.

To see the most beautiful scenery across Andalusia, you should head to the Doñana National Park, between the provinces of Huelva, Seville and Cadiz. Spanning over more than 54,000 hectares, it offers a multitude of unique landscapes like marshes, white sand dunes, pine forests, cliffs…

You can’t miss the Sierra Nevada National Park either as it, like Doñana, is part of the UNESCO Man and the Biosphere Programme. Here, once the ski season is over, you can hike, go rafting and even take astronomy classes.

And finally, don’t forget to add the following to your itinerary: the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in Almeria; the Sierra de Grazalema in Cadiz, the second largest national park in Europe; the Sierra de Cazorla in Jaen; or the Minas de Riotinto in Huelva.

Andalucia awaits!