Andalusia (Spain): sights and reviews of tourists. Which city to choose: Malaga, Seville or Granada?

Spain is a kingdom in South-Western Europe, which occupies the main part of the Iberian Peninsula. It is one of the richest countries from the cultural point of view of the Old World. Here the architecture of unprecedented beauty, palaces and temples, houses and squares, parks and fountains, museums and monuments, snow-white beaches and turquoise lagoons, citrus and olive gardens, etc. And finally, Spain is the birthplace of the greatest figures of world culture: Goya , El Greco, Velasquez, Salvador Dali, etc. All the advantages of the Kingdom of Spain can not be listed. This explains the incredible popularity of the country in terms of tourism. Here everyone will find what he dreamed of, thinking about the charms of the flamenco and the corrida, about such a wonderful country as Spain. Andalucia, Granda, Malaga and other regions are places with the richest history. However, Andalusia is considered to be the most beautiful area of Spain, and in this article we will make a tour of its ancient cities and sights.

Ancient Andalusia. Spain - a mixture of all cultures

The southernmost region of Spain is Andalusia. Its coast is washed by the waters of the Atlantic, Gibraltar and the Mediterranean Sea. This is the hottest point in the whole of Europe and the region most interesting from the point of view of history, as here the Arab, Moorish, African and European cultures are intertwined, which affects the way of life and customs of modern Andalusians. Tourists who visited this country are often amazed by this particular feature - the mixture of different cultures. Such a colorful assortment gives first and foremost Andalusia. Spain is an international country. And here, under the same sky, representatives of different peoples and ethnic groups perfectly coexist.

Seville - the capital of Andalusia

According to ancient legend, this wonderful city was founded by the hero of the Greek myths Hercules. Here you can find sculptural compositions dedicated to this giant. The exact date of the founding of the city is very difficult to name, although it is assumed that it was a very, very long time ago. In a word, Seville can rightfully be considered the cradle of civilization. Every year millions of tourists choose the most interesting route "Spain-Andalusia-Sevilla" and come to visit this truly legendary city. Without exaggeration, each of the buildings in Seville, whether an apartment building or some temple or palace, are monuments of architecture. Tourists in Seville will not have to be bored. Wherever they turn, everywhere on the way they will meet noteworthy attractions.

Infrastructure of Andalusia

Andalucia includes eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga and Seville. The center of each of them is the eponymous city. They are focused architectural and cultural attractions, as well as objects of regional importance. In six large cities belonging to Andalucia (Spain) - Malaga, Almeria, Seville, Granada, Cordoba and Jerez de la Frontera, of which only the latter is not a provincial center - there are airports: two international airports in Seville and Malaga, And the rest - local significance. From Córdoba, Malaga and Seville to the capital, Madrid, high-speed trains run AVE. The major ports in this region are all the same Malaga, as well as Almeri, Algeciras and Cadiz. Despite the fact that urban transport is inexpensive, the best way to travel here is a bicycle.

Hotels and beaches in Andalusia

The best beaches in this region are the Costa del Almeria, Costa del Sol, Costa de la Luz, Costa del Tropical and others. What first of all attracts millions of tourists Spain (Andalusia) - beach vacation. In fact, you can not imagine a trip to this amazingly bright, sunny and warm country without visiting the sea coast. All the beaches of this region were awarded the honorary "Blue Flag", which is evidence that this beach is clean, well-groomed and equipped, it deserves all praise. The biggest feature of Spanish beaches is the tiniest sand of various shades - from ash-black to light beige.

Costa del Almeria is a relatively young resort with the most modern tourist infrastructure on the entire Spanish coast. Costa de la Luz - a favorite place for lovers of water sports and entertainment. The sunniest of the Andalusian beaches is the Costa del Sol, whose name translates from Spanish as a "sunny beach". Here the sun is shining 325 days a year, there is practically no precipitation in the summer, and you can rest here all year round. Frequent guests of these places are the inhabitants of the northern regions of the European part of the continent. They almost always lack the heat of the sun, so they are so attracted to Andalusia. Spain, a holiday in which one can not call cheap (especially for Russians), nevertheless, millions of tourists annually meet. The popularity of the resorts of Spain is explained by the fact that here, in addition to a lazy beach holiday, tourists can enjoy the sightseeing of unique Spanish sights. Hotels in Andalusia have an excellent level of service, but there are many budget and one-star and two-star hotels on the coast, where unpretentious tourists can stay.

Mysterious Andalusia. Spain: attractions - natural and man-made

Many monuments of architecture and culture, which are rich in Andalusia, are included in the number of sites under the protection of UNESCO, because they were recognized by this organization as cultural objects of the World Heritage. These include:

• The Alhambra is a Moorish palace in Granada.
• Belfry of the Cathedral of the Giralda, located in Seville.
• Assumption Cathedral of the Virgin in Cordoba.

In addition to these architectural masterpieces, there are many other, equally grand palaces and temples built in different styles and directions. But to the unique natural attractions can be attributed the majestic view of the Strait of Gibraltar, a place where there are winds blowing from different parts of the world and forming a "wind rose", as well as the gorge of Garganta del Choro. By the largest of the rivers of Andalusia, the Guadalquivir, the river tramway runs. Ride on it and admire the natural beauty that stretches along the banks of the river - a pleasure.

Bullfighting and flamenco

For tourists who visited Spain for the first time, perhaps, there is nothing more remarkable than a real Spanish bullfight. By the way, this custom arose precisely in Andalusia, in the city of Ronda, in the region of the coast of Costa del Sol. By the way, in these parts, besides bullfighting, there is another entertainment associated with home-trained animals. This is a hilarious Andalusian horse show in the city of Jerez. Their unforgettable dance also impresses many tourists. What attracts tourists Andalusia, Spain? Reviews and stories of tourists about trips to this magical land say that nobody can remain indifferent to the rhythms of Spanish temperamental dances, especially the passionate flamenco. But the work of the great Spaniards (Velazquez, Goya, Picasso, Muril, Dali) is only interested in the select connoisseurs of high art. Here is such a wonderful province of Andalusia! Spain, whose attractions attract millions of tourists from all over the world every year, can truly be proud of both the unique natural landscape and climate, and its talented sons.

Andalusian cuisine

The culinary characteristics of these places were influenced by the Moorish traditions. Since the time of the rule of Al-Andalus, more than 6 centuries have passed, but till now the serving and serving of dishes, especially meat and vegetable, in this region is most often conducted in accordance with Arab traditions. Meat dishes prevail in the cuisine of the mountainous regions, and naturally on the coast there are delicacies from seafood: prawns, fried octopus, tuna, sea urchins, salted fish, etc. Vegetables, fruits, cereals, pulses, cheeses and olive oil are present In the menu of almost all taverns and restaurants. Rich culinary traditions are another of the attractions of the Andalusia region. Spain - passionate and melodic, hot and green, sea and mountain, tasty and intoxicating - has always been and will remain the most desirable country for visiting tourists from all over the world.

Ancient city of Malaga

To visit Spain and not to visit the homeland of the great Picasso will simply be blasphemy. So, we choose the route "Spain-Andalusia-Malaga". This coastal town on the southern coast of the Mediterranean Sea, the center of the Costa del Sol. Malaga conquers with its medieval winding streets, green boulevards, lushly flowering gardens. For tourists from the northern regions this is a real paradise. The city was founded in the XI century BC and was part of the Ancient Phenicia. In the Phoenician language, the name Malak (the so-called city in those ancient times) means "salty". Then the city was under the rule of the Roman Empire. Since the VIII century AD, its territory was conquered by the Arabs and became part of the Cordoba Caliphate. In the Middle Ages, Arab rule fell, and Malaga began to develop according to Christian customs. Today, this province is a mixture of architecture of all styles and directions, which gives the area an unforgettable color. This is the busiest of all districts of Andalusia, but at the same time the poorest.

Beach holiday in Malaga

The coastline of the province of Malaga has 16 beautiful beaches. In the western part the shore is covered with darkest sand, in the east sandy beaches alternate with rocks. The most popular are the recreation areas La Malagueta, Pedregalejo La Misericordia and San Andrés. All of them are located in the central part of the coast of Malaga and have been awarded the Blue Flag for their livability and cleanliness. Some of the beaches belong to this or that hotel. They are equipped with everything necessary for an adult and children's rest. More distant beaches are Campo de Golf and Guadalmar and Campo de Golf. They are more suitable for lovers of quiet family rest. By the way, a small site in Guadalmar is a favorite place for nudists. For those who like to relax savages beach Cabopino, where the camp is located .

Where to stay in Malaga

However, most tourists are attracted to Spain, the desire to relax in comfortable conditions. Hotels in Andalusia, in particular Malaga, offer high-quality service, rich entertainment programs and divinely delicious cuisine. Here you can find suitable accommodation for people with different requirements and for comfort and service. For unpretentious tourists there are guesthouses (they are listed in tourist proposals as hotels with 1 and 2 stars). For student and youth companies there are comfortable hostels. Especially popular for rent villas and apartments. As for hotel complexes, here you can see hotels belonging to world brands, for example, "Mariott" and others.

Places of interest in Malaga

The hotel administration offers the organization of excursions around Malaga and other destinations. For example, you can visit a lot of palaces, which here are called palacio. Palacio de la Aduana, Palacio Episcopal and Palacio de los Conde, Plaza de Torros, Alcazaba Fortress, Hebronfaro Castle Lighthouse, Roman Theater and Flavia Amphitheater, Encarnación Cathedral. Since Malaga is the birthplace of Picasso, there are two beautiful museums dedicated to the great Spaniard.

Granada

Another route, which is most interesting for tourists who came to this country, is "Spain-Andalucia-Granada". This province with the eponymous city, its center, is located on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. It was founded in the 6th century BC. It is an extremely beautiful city in the east of Andalusia. The sights of Granada are the ancient quarter of Albacin, the Cathedral of Granada, built in the XVI century with the Chapel of Capilla Real, where Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile were buried, liberating Granada from the Arab sovereignty, as well as the towers of Dame and Torre de la Vela, multi-tiered gardens Portals, etc., etc. Still, the famous fortress of the Alhambra (the "Red Fortress"), the residence of the Moorish rulers (XI century), is considered the visiting card of Granada. The names of all the attractions of Granada can not be mentioned in one article, it is also difficult to make a description of them. All this must be seen with your own eyes. Granada is a real museum under the open Andalusian sky.