We are Californians who moved to Valencia, Spain last summer. We're using our weekends, holidays and summer vacations to travel throughout Spain and Europe.
Earlier this year, we took a trip to the south of Spain, to visit Andalucía. This region is responsible for many of the stereotypes associated with Spain. E.g., flamenco, bullfighting, and the Moorish influenced architecture (it was under Moorish rule from the 8th-15th centuries). As we traveled though Andalucía, we began to feel a better sense of this amazing country. We saw olive orchards that seemed to go on forever. Green pastures with the famous fighting bulls (toro de lidia). Snowy mountains of the Sierra Nevada, with their views of the shore of northern Africa in the distance.
During this two-week trip, we visited Córdoba, Granada, Ronda, and Sevilla, and each had their own rich culture and identities. We visited during winter to avoid the extremely hot temperatures and the busiest times for tourists. Temperatures in Andalucía routinely exceed 40C/104F in summer!
There was a lot to like about Andalucía, but the surprise for us was the food. Tapas are delicious yet cheap, and so is the wine and beer. We absolutely loved this trip, and intend to return to Andalucía in warmer months. We want to experience the southern coast and towns like Málaga, Marbella, Cádiz, and Huelva.
While we traveled through Andalucía for nearly 2 weeks, we enjoyed ourselves and weren’t ready for it to end. We already know we want to return so we can enjoy more of the best food in Spain (so far). We can’t wait to see if that holds up as we explore more of Spain.