Southern Spain

Seville, in the evening. © TheRealDestinations 2022

In the southern Spanish region of Andalusia, you can’t escape the influence of the Moors. They’ve been gone since around the time Columbus sailed for the Americas, but the Islamic, North African influence still remains, and that’s what people come to see. It defines the architecture of their former palaces like the Alhambra, it’s in the impossibly narrow lanes of the old quarter in Seville and Grenada, and it’s in the music that accompanies the flamenco. It’s an echo of distant Arabia right in the southwestern corner of Europe, one that pulled in travelers back in the late 19th century in search of the exotic without leaving the continent.

Of course, the days of aristocratic English students wandering the half-ruined old quarters of Seville are long gone, those narrow lanes having been thoroughly fixed over the decades as Spain became one of the most visited countries on Earth. With budget carriers, Europeans from the more northern parts of Europe now flock in huge numbers to the Spanish coast for a sun and beach holiday on the Costa del Sol. But those crowds tend to stick to the beach cities, a world away from the medieval town centers and hilltop villages of old Andalusia.

United MileagePlus: [Direct: United] Or connect via Lufthansa, Swiss.

American AAdvantage: [Direct: American or Iberian] Or connect via British Airways.

Delta SkyMiles (good luck…): [Direct: Delta] Or connect via Air France, KLM.

The Good:

The Moors might be long gone, but their presence is still very much present in the old centers, and that’s what makes this corner of Spain so interesting. See the real palaces filmed as the palaces of Dorne in Game of Thrones. Experience the vibrant Spanish nightlife of countless tapas bars.
Slow down and relax in a hill town like Ronda with breathtaking views from within a medieval walled citadel of a town. Some even connected by a modern network of high speed rail.
Enjoy some of the least expensive prices by Western European standards for a well visited destination. Not quite as low as Eastern Europe, but getting there.

The Bad:

Realizing that traditional tapas menus are actually somewhat limited in variety, and the sad thought of serving for free with the purchase of a drink as a dying tradition. (See: Grenada).
The beach crowds might stick to the cities on the Costa del Sol, but don’t expect this to be an undiscovered gem among travelers, you’ll definitely see other tourists, even domestic ones.
The unique, historical areas don’t extend as far beyond the city/town center compared to Italy.

The hill town of Ronda. © TheRealDestinations 2022

the Summary:

Explore the Moorish palaces and wander the narrow old quarter lanes of Seville and Grenada. Check out a medieval hill town perched high above the surrounding olive groves. You could never see a beach and still experience what really makes this area unique and worth visiting.

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Many overseas visitors to Spain only stop in the big cities of Madrid and Barcelona, while European holiday goers head straight for the beach. Both miss some of the most iconic parts of this country, in Andalusia. Seville the main city here, connected by a short hop from Madrid on a modern bullet train, complete with a carved out old quarter next to its cathedral and royal palace. But Grenada has the highlights: The iconic Alhambra palace of the last Moorish ruler, a souk-like old quarter underneath, and the energy of a university town as evidence by its incredible concentration of tapas bars and restaurants. If you came to see the mixture of medieval Spain and North African influence, you’ll find it more in Grenada than anywhere else.

The interior of the Alhambra Palace. Book well in advance. © TheRealDestinations 2022

Pro Tip: Spanish cities preserved more of the medieval (narrow) street plan than most other European cities. That means more pedestrian friendly strolls, less vehicle accessibility. Aim for hotels around ideal walking distance.

You’ll definitely want to carve out a block of your day to explore the Alhambra, but so does everyone else visiting Grenada. To avoid soul-crushing lines, they’ve implemented an online reservation system. So plan ahead for this one. This is one of those things you’ll need to book well in advance, like before you leave for Spain. The earlier, the better, because some areas, like the interiors of the main palace, have far less capacity than the sprawling main grounds.

The small hill towns are a perfect stop for some rest in the middle of your travels, complete with awesome views of the surrounding countryside below. I chose Ronda for it’s gorge, and because it’s easy to reach it by train. Walk though the new town, and you’re presented by both the view, and the bridge over to the old town that’s more of a citadel on a mountain.

When to Visit

Spring and Fall. Summers will be hot, especially here in the south of Spain. Draw the unlucky card and you could be facing a heat wave approach 100F in part of the world where the air conditioning might not be as robust as you might be used to. Winters aren’t freezing, but expect rain and gray skies.