Andalusia is Spain’s southern region. The Moors controlled this area for almost 700 years from the 8th Century until almost the end of the 15th Century. Their presence left behind many castles built with Arabic architecture & features.

Two years ago, we visited Seville & Cordoba by train. This time we rented a car so we could explore all Andalusia including cities & small villages.

Almería

Almería is the driest place in Europe & has its only true desert climate. They get lots of sunshine & little rain (only about 8 inches annual precipitation).

For many miles all around Almería’s outskirts spread over 100,000 acres you will see greenhouses; this sprawl is nicknamed “The Sea of Plastic.” In the winter, Almería provides most of Europe’s fresh fruits & vegetables.

 Almería has been occupied throughout history ranging from the Romans to the Muslims (who built their largest Alcazaba (fortress) in Spain here as well as other iconic city landmarks) to the Catholics who built the Cathedral that still stands today.

Málaga

Málaga is a beautiful city with marble streets, beautiful architecture, & wonderful culture.

It’s so lovely that 5 large cruise ships were docked in the harbor when we arrived.

We enjoyed visiting the Picasso Museum. It’s fitting to have a museum for Picasso here because this is where he was born & lived as a child. The museum is in his old nursery school.

The museum displays art from many phases in his career including paintings, sculptures, pottery, sketches, & prints. I’ve been reading the book, “My Life With Pacasso,” by Francoise Gilot. I was happy to see some pieces exhibited that she mentions in the book.

As a vegetarian it is often difficult to find veggie tapas; but, in Malaga we found a restaurant with many yummy choices. It was fun to to enjoy this Spanish cuisine custom.

Like most large cities along the coastline in Andalusia, it has a large Moorish Alcazaba fort & palace which were adjacent to some Roman ruins.

I enjoyed the Flamingo Show in Granada so much that I wanted to see another show that featured both male & female dancers.

Once again, the tap dancing & movements were amazing!

Ronda

This is a small inland city away from the Mediterranean Sea situated on a mountain top overlooking a deep gorge. Its history dates back to the Romans.

The city is known for two reasons. First, it is the home to modern bullfighting & has the world’s oldest bullring. To see a bullfight here, you must come the first week in September which is when their one & only performance is.

The second notable thing about Ronda is its spectacular Puente Nuevo Bridge.

It took 2 attempts to build the bridge. The first bridge collapsed in 1741 killing 50 people. After 34 years of construction, in 1793, the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) as it was & still is called was completed.

Its eventual span was 216 feet & its height is an impressive 322 feet above the canyon floor.

It is supported by thick vertical supports rising up from, and in places, attached to the narrow canyon walls. 

We also enjoyed driving around the mountains near Ronda to visit some classical “Spanish white towns” & one which is no longer white.

The blue village Júzcar is now nicknamed “Smurfville”

Before leaving Ronda, we enjoyed a few other Spanish favorites.

Cádiz

We only had one evening to explore this old town; but, we enjoyed what we saw.

Located on a peninsula surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, Cadiz offers a unique blend of history, culture, & beautiful beaches.

Founded by the Phoenicians, it is believed to be the oldest continually inhabited settlement in Europe.

Often when you walk through a town in Spain in the afternoon during siesta, it is so quiet you could whisper to someone across the street and hear them. But, come 6:00pm, it’s like all the doors open & everyone comes out on the streets.

In Cadiz, we enjoyed watching families walking together, people singing along the waterfront, & friends meeting in small restaurants to enjoy a small dessert or drinks together.

On our drive back to Madrid, my husband tracked down the grave of “The Man Who Never Was” located in Huelva outside Seville.

If you are interested in knowing more about this true WWII espionage event, there is a very good 2021 Netflix movie titled “Operation Mincemeat” which stars many leading British actors.

Final thoughts on Spain.

I love finding things that are unique to a country & something I would never see in America. Here are a few.