When the impatient hand of a child paints on the white universe of the paper one of those magical landscapes that only his innocence is capable of conceiving, the blue of the sea and the blue of the sky, the green of the trees and the tan of the sand make up a conglomerate of multicoloured spots that follow one after the other with hardly any limits between them and form an absolutely harmonious whole. We are talking about magic, reverie, colour, white universes in which to calm the senses and collect our spirit, something that is easy to achieve immersed in the multifaceted beauty of Andalusia.
If we scrutinise the desires we yearn to achieve, we discover that, among those that drive the vast majority of us are peace and happiness. And sometimes it is as simple as enjoying the gifts that nature offers us in idyllic settings of wild beaches and infinite sunsets, in those mountains of legendary and romantic semblances of rebellious bandits that permeate the very essence of the land, in a multicultural history written in millenary stones, in the aromas of jasmine while a flamenco guitar plays, in the hypnotic vision of authentic liquid gold being decanted, in the natural joy of a generous people, in the magical realism of a captivating intangible heritage, in the reverie of a land that has it all.
Between the geological step of the Sierra Morena and the thousand kilometres of coastline bathed by the melting pot of cultures that is the Mediterranean and the defiant Atlantic, lies a fascinating Andalusia, a universe of unique experiences and authentic emotions that make it the most sought-after destination in southern Europe and a world reference. This authentic, diverse, complete and warm-hearted land is joy at its best.
The fact that Andalusia is one of the most sought-after destinations on the planet is no coincidence, but the result of an intelligent development of the tourism sector that has been able to create new experiences adapted to the evolution of trends, while at the same time investing in a modern and quality hotel infrastructure, in the care of cities and towns full of history and rich heritage, for the conservation of a surprising biodiversity spread over the largest protected natural area of the continent, for a gastronomy rich as few others, to which must be added a culture based on the authentic roots that are the fruit of the legacy of so many peoples who settled here, leaving their mark in folklore, music, literature, art and hundreds of manifestations that spread throughout the corners of this authentic land. And, as if that were not enough, it has an enviable climate that allows it to be enjoyed all year round.
Andalusia is pure magic
The search for the necessary penumbra in the Andalusian universe of light has determined the building typology since ancient times. The aim was to filter daylight and create comfortable spaces for rest and reflection.
The resulting heritage, harmoniously integrated into the landscape, gives a personality of its own to palaces, manor houses, castles, gardens and pools, cisterns, promenades and avenues, creating magical atmospheres and seductive visual effects that captivate the senses.
Does anyone doubt that the Andalusian spell has a son? I don’t think so, and we all think of Flamenco, possibly the most universal Spanish sound. Declared Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO, it is a sign of identity that reaches a fourth and immortal dimension in the guitar of Paco de Lucia or in the voice of Camarón, among many other stars who have known and know how to make this popular manifestation an art with capital letters. Andalusia is Flamenco in all its corners and the overflowing joy of the Jerez Christmas Zambombas.
The artistic and architectural legacy, whether World Heritage or not, scattered throughout Andalusia is a whole of exceptional universal value. From the Alhambra in Granada, paradigm of the sublime aesthetic sense and perfect proportions, to the last little white village that falls from the mountain like a waterfall of tears of emotion, passing through the Mosque of Cordoba or the jewels of Seville, Úbeda, Baeza, Ronda, the dolmens of Antequera, Cadiz, Jerez de la Frontera and its marvellous Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art, Isla Cristina or any corner of the valley of the river Andarax in Almería, to name but a few of an almost infinite list, form a mosaic of culture and knowledge that inspired the creativity of authors such as the Roman Pliny or Lorca, as well as romantic travellers and poets of all languages, who left works of timeless depth.
The Andalusian territory has always been coveted for its resources, which has meant that cultures such as the Argaric, Iberian, Roman or mythical Tartessos have left important vestiges in the twenty-five Monumental Archaeological Sites and the eight Andalusian Archaeological-Monumental Sites, many of which form part of cultural routes such as Journey to the time of the Iberians, the Roman Betic Route, the Route of the Phoenicians or the Great Path of the First Settlers.
Andalusia is a land of talent, whose projection has shaped the physiognomy of cities, enriched their history and left a tangible artistic heritage in museums around the world, as is the case of the universal painter Pablo Ruiz Picasso, considered to be the most influential painter of the 20th century and whose fiftieth anniversary of his death is being celebrated this year. On the occasion of this event, the city of Malaga will be the epicentre of a full cultural agenda orchestrated by the city council and the Picasso Museum Malaga. This international event, in which institutions of the European Union and the other four Spanish Picasso cities, as well as the French cities in which the Andalusian genius worked and lived, will bring to the stage fifty exhibitions, conferences and congresses, events and concerts with the aim of democratising the true cultural and integrating value of Picasso’s work in the history of Western art.
No matter where we look, the Andalusian essence invades our emotions by capillarity. This land is home to trades, flavours, traditions and places that shape the great landscapes and architectures of a complex and unique industrial heritage, the legacy of centuries of economic activity that shows us another narrative, that which brings us closer to the Living Industries, those that offer the possibility of getting to know the process of elaboration of their products, whether they are agri-foodstuffs such as the Canning Industry of Cadiz, the Oil Culture in the Subbetica Cordobesa or the marble artisan centres of Macael, without forgetting the very rich archaeo-industrial heritage.
A sure value
It is always a good time to experience Andalusia. Its extension and biodiversity, with different figures of protection covering 18% of the territory, is home to the highest peaks of the Iberian Peninsula in Sierra Nevada, the fabulous National Park most representative of the Mediterranean and high mountain systems, where the remains of ancient civilisations such as the Romans or the Tartessians are preserved and from where you can see the sea or what was once the heart of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada. But it is also home to extensive wetlands such as the Guadalquivir Marshes, the only European desert that sculpts its whimsical shapes in the Almeria municipality of Tabernas, thick Mediterranean forests such as the Sierra de Cazorla Nature Reserve, Segura y las Villas Natural Park, or stretches of uninhabited volcanic coastline such as the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, not forgetting Doñana, Spain’s largest National Park, a Biosphere Reserve and World Heritage Site located at the mouth of the Guadalquivir River. The most important wetland on the continent is, at the same time, a fragile mosaic of landscapes with infinite horizons, a labyrinth of land and water that gives shape to marshes, lagoons and canyons, reserves and pine forests, veins and veras, dunes and beaches that are impossible to forget.
Where the landscape shows its strongest personality, there is also room for other experiences. Old mines, mining villages, abandoned railway lines converted into greenways, old farms or farmhouses transformed into unique accommodation, film sets, old flour mills or old olive oil mills, offer a model of enjoyment based on a cultural legacy and a way of life that is not exempt from an exercise in pedagogy.
Beyond the consolidated and always suggestive beach destination, both for sunbathing and for practising the demanding sailing sports in Tarifa, Andalusia is also the setting for important festive and sporting events.
The Andalucía Costa del Sol Open de España Femenino 2023 will be the culmination of the Ladies European Tour (LET) that closes the so-called ‘Race to Costa del Sol’, the event that crowns the champion of the circuit this year.
The Jerez de la Frontera Motorcycle Grand Prix opens the European championship calendar at this now iconic track where the legends of the sport have paraded over the last three decades.
August arrives and the beaches of Sanlúcar de Barrameda are transformed, under the golden light of the sunset, to welcome the only competition of its kind in the region, the Sanlúcar Horse Races, the only competition declared to be of International Tourist Interest.
The variety of festivals and celebrations in Andalusia is as wide as its geography, and its calendar is a veritable encyclopaedia summarising the arts and customs of its peoples, from the Seville Fair to the celebration of the Crosses and the Patios of Cordoba, to the sentimental Pilgrimage of El Rocío or any that can be found in the most remote mountain corner, such as the Cristo de Bacares in Almería.
Wherever and whenever you go, you will find an Andalusia that is always exciting.
