Andalucia Holiday
Andalucia gave us Velasquez, Picasso and is also responsible for the fiesta, flamenco and bullfighting. It's also a rather nice holiday destination...
With its strong Islamic roots, Andalucia is arguably the least European part of western Europe. It's heritage is Spanish and well as Muslim, giving the region one of the most dynamic cultural scenes in Europe.
Andalucia is also the most populous and second largest of the seventeen communities of the Kingdom of Spain.
Andalucia is a veritable visual feast of visual delights - Islamic palaces are dotted around its beautiful cities, while quaint picturesque villages give way to dramatic, ragged coastlines. Find flights online, book a good value hotel and jet out to this beautiful holiday destination. You won't regret it.
Traditions and culture in Andalucia
Andalucia is a melting pot of people from various ethnic backgrounds and religions who have contributed to its culture. Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Vandals, Arabs and Moors have all bequeathed their traditions in some form.
Visitors to Andalucia will notice imediately that this is the home of flamenco, which embodies a complex musical and cultural tradition. The dance is characterised by its empassioned, poweful style and intricate hand and footwork.
Bullfighting is also an important part of the regional culture of Andalucia. All major towns have a bull-ring and put on at least two or three fights every year. Andalucia is also famed for its horses, which also play a big part in local life today.
Andalucian cuisine is extremely varied and extensive. It is characterised by gazpacho (a cold soup), fried fish and the wines of Jerez among others. With five coastal provinces, the consumption of fish and shellfish is particularly high. Firm favourites include shrimp, prawns, anchovies, squid and cuttlefish.
The whole region is very family-orientated and virtually everywhere you go, children are welcomed with open arms. It's not completely unusual to find children playing around in restaurants and whole families out together on a Friday night - teenagers and grandparents to boot.
Recommeded in Andalucia
The castle fortress at Alhambra is a fantastic place to start for visitors interested in exploring the cultural heritage of Andalucia. The Alhambra is a Unesco World Heritage Site and has dozens of courtyards which tell the story of the glory days of yore.
El Torcal is stunning mountainous national park which offers tourists some respite from a hectic holiday schedule in beautiful natural surroundings. The area has some of the most unusual and beautiful rock formations you'll find anywhere.
Weather in Andalucia
Andalucia's coastal climate is temperate while further inland, summers can be scortching and winters can be unforgiving.
July and August are the hottest months - temperatures can reach 36 degrees C (97 degrees Fahrenheit) in Seville and Cordoba.
Destination checklist for Andalucia
The official languages spoken here are Catalan and Spanish.
Euros are used in Andalucia - prices are relatively reasonable and you are likely to find a good value hotel and cheap car hire with very little problem.
The international dialling code is +34 and the time zone is just one hour ahead of GMT.
