Sherry vineyardsReal Academia de Gastronomía
Andalusia is the most southern region of Spain, but what makes it unique from the rest of the country?
Well, you know you’re in Andalusia when…
Granada landscape from la Vega (1900) by Marín Garés, I.Museo Casa de los Tiros de Granada
You can go skiing and sunbathe at the beach on the same day
The name of the Sierra Nevada mountain range straddling Granada and Almeria translates to ‘snowy range’. It is home to Mulhacén, which, at 3,479m, is the highest mountain in Europe outside of the Alps and the Caucasus.
Between November and April, the peaks are covered in a fine snow, making it a magnet for winter sports enthusiasts. The short one hour drive from the mountains to the coast means that Andalusia is one of the only places in the world where you can spend the morning on the slopes and the afternoon in the sea.
Sculpture of Mercurius (Hadrian period)Conjunto Arqueológico de Itálica
You feel like you’re in Game of Thrones
Tap to explore
Wandering around the Itálica ruins just outside of Seville, don’t be surprised if you get the impression that a dragon might appear at any moment, as you may recognise the Roman amphitheatre (which you can explore here by clicking and dragging) as the setting for the Dragonpit of King’s Landing in Game of Thrones, where we finally learnt who won the crown after 8 seasons of the epic fantasy series.
Tap to explore
Other local filming locations for the series include Seville's Royal Alcazar (click and drag to explore the grounds, here) which was used as the Water Gardens in Dorne, Córdoba's Roman Bridge as the Long Bridge of Volantis, and Torre de Mesa Roldan as Mereen.
Tortillita de camaronesReal Academia de Gastronomía
Tapas is life
Spain is renowned for its tapas, and this bitesize culinary tradition originated in Andalusia. Some stories say that tapas culture was invented in the 13th century when it was decreed that alcoholic drinks must be served with a snack to prevent drunkenness; others say that beverages were served with small slices of food over the top to protect the drinks from the elements.
Andalusia is one of the only parts of the country where the tradition of getting a tapa with every drink is still going strong and local favourites include jamones (ham), gazpacho (chilled soup) and pescaíto frito (fried fish).
Hemingway's Spain (1960-08-12) by Loomis DeanLIFE Photo Collection
You feel inspired by your surroundings
Writers throughout history have come to the sun-kissed Spanish region and been moved to create some of their greatest works. Ernest Hemingway visited and immortalised Andalusia’s love for bullfighting in Death in the Afternoon, John Lennon wrote Strawberry Fields Forever while staying in Almeria to shoot a film, and acclaimed Madrid-born author Miguel de Cervantes came up with the idea for Don Quixote while imprisoned in Seville’s Royal Jail in 1597 – although hopefully you don’t need to resort to this for inspiration.
Sherry winesReal Academia de Gastronomía
You find yourself a bit tipsy on sherry
The iconic Andalusian sherry wine takes its name from the city of Jerez where it’s produced, specifically in what is known as the ‘Sherry Triangle’ formed by the towns of Jerez de la Frontera, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and El Puerto de Santa María. The fortified wine can be quite fragile and needs to be drunk quickly: when a bottle of Fino sherry is opened, any leftover wine remaining at the end of the day is thrown away. A good excuse to have one more glass!
Un grupo de niños bailan flamenco a los pies del Sacromonte en la Romería de San CecilioInstituto Andaluz del Flamenco
You lose yourself in flamenco
The highly-passionate flamenco dance developed over several centuries from a mixture of Romani, Moorish, and Andalusian roots. It’s traditionally made up of three parts: guitar playing, singing, and dancing and is more than just a performance; it’s also an art form and an expression of individuality. Flamenco is performed in bars, clubs and even spontaneously at parties, bringing together communities as they stamp their feet and clap their hands along to the rhythm of the music.
