Pack your sunblock and your walking shoes, ladies and gentlemen: we’re going to Andalusia.

Ronda

Although most people will have seen a picture of Ronda’s spectacular 100-metres deep gorge, few are aware that this is, in fact, one of Spain’s oldest towns. The vast majority of its historical centre dates back to the Islamic era of the Iberian peninsula, back when Ronda was a wealthy and strategically-located trading depot. Moreover, Ronda is home to a treasured 200-year old bullfighting ring named Plaza de Toros, making it an undeniable must-see attraction in Andalusia.

Tapas in Granada

How about a free meal to go along with your drink?

What once was a rather widespread practice throughout the country is now circumscribed to Granada, partially due to an overflowing quantity of penniless students. So if, indeed, you would like to be sated and partially inebriated for less than a tenner (and really, we can’t see why you wouldn’t), then you need to sojourn in Granada.

Order something to drink (we recommend Alhambra beer or tinto de verano, a wine-based cold drink not dissimilar to sangria) and a free tapas plate will hastily be dispensed to your table. Bodegas Castañeda, Los Diamantes, La Flauta, and Bar Sevilla, to name a few, remain some of our favourite places to enjoy this fading tradition.

Gibraltar (well, it’s almost in Andalusia…)

As British writer Laurie Lee so eloquently put it, “Gibraltar is a piece of Portsmouth sliced off and towed 500 miles south”, the towering limestone peninsula located at Spain’s southernmost tip dramatically soars from its eponymous strait, awash with ostensibly English-looking pubs and out-of-place red phone boxes. The still active British outpost is of strategic importance as it overlooks both the European and African continents from its tip top 426 metres above sea level; aside from the striking panoramas, “the Rock” is famous for its population of surprisingly extroverted Barbary macaques.

Alhambra

Built in the 14th century by the Nasrid Sultan of Granada, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the “Red Fortress” is the largest Islamic palace in Spain and one of the most iconic highlights of Andalusia. Rising at the foot of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada mountain range, it features luxuriant gardens where fountains trickle and exotic birds sing, walled by a seemingly never-ending succession of royal suites with intricately carved trappings. Notable sights at the Alhambra include Generalife Gardens, Palacios Nazaríes as well as Patio de los Leones.

Fun fact: this is where Christopher Colombus received the Royal Court‘s endorsement from Ferdinand II of Aragon and Isabella I of Castile for his famous First Voyage in 1492, which would initiate the European colonisation of the New World.

Cordoba

The narrow streets of Cordoba’s Jeduria quarter, flanked by whitewashed houses and only partially concealed patios adorned by bountiful fuchsia azaleas, are undoubtedly a little slice of Instagram paradise.

But if you only had time for one stop in Cordoba, better make it the Mezquita: it remains, to this day, one of the most significant Islamic buildings in the world, a tribute to the thriving Moorish empire that ruled the better part of the Iberian peninsula six centuries ago. Cordoba, as the capital of the El-Andalus kingdom and Europe’s most prosperous city, was then blessed with a splendid mosque that outshined all others and paralleled these new zeniths (including the now-iconic prayer room filled with 850 Byzantine-inspired red and white marble arches).

Costa del Sol

The aptly-named “sun coast” is not a hidden gem by any means; masses of European tourists flock to these shores every year in dire need of a vitamin D therapy with a side of exotic cocktails. But the busier resorts (Marbella, Fuengirola, Malaga, Torremolinos) didn’t keep us from enjoying the soothing waves of the Mediterranean Sea on the quieter stretches of the coast (El Bajondillo, Ojen, Duquesa, Sabinillas, Estepona). These beaches are simply too blissful to be overlooked!

Flamenco show in Andalusia

Named an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO in 2010, flamenco has been an intrinsic part of the highlights of Andalusia for over 200 years. The rapid rhythm of shoes clacking on the wooden floor, the swishing of the dancer’s inevitable red tiered dress, the visceral wailing of the seemingly heartbroken singer; flamenco simply doesn’t exist without these three elements. Several venues and cultural centres offer live shows throughout the region, some of which are run by knowledgeable enthusiasts; Casa de la Guitarra, Auditorio Alvarez Quintero, Museo del Baile Flamenco, and Casa del Flamenco, all in Seville, offer unadulterated displays of the poignant Spanish dance, as do Centro Flamenco Fosforito in Cordoba, Jardines de Zoraya in Granada, and Museo de la Guitarra in Almeria.

Andalusia road trip: a few additional suggestions

Surf in El Palmar

The unspoilt and windswept beaches of El Palmar have made Costa de la Luz the undisputed surfing (along with other wind-based watersports) capital of Spain with year-round waves surfers around the world enjoy to tackle. Experts say that winter and spring are the best time to visit, as swell waves can reach as high as two metres. Obviously, aficionados will head to the waters right away, but amateurs should know that there are plenty of surfing schools along the elegantly preserved boardwalk. Whichever your type, you’ll be glad to know that bars and restaurants are really quite plentiful in these parts – the perfect place to unwind after an either tedious or exhilarating day, depending on your surfing abilities.

Caves of Nerja

A journey to the centre of the Earth if there ever was one – this spectacular series of caverns near Nerja stretches for almost 5 kilometres and comprises a surprising variety of natural formations, with abundant stalactites and stalagmites. The caves are now one of Spain’s most popular attractions since their opening in the 1960s; lucky tourists may even be able to catch a unique concert in one of the naturally amphitheatre-shaped chambers.

Seville

Be still, our hearts: Seville is the real deal. Blessed with both character and beauty (it is, after all, the setting of illustrious Carmen opera), the sun-kissed Andalusian capital city spans 3000 years of history quite effortlessly – rumour even has it that none other than Hercules himself founded it. April is a particularly great time to visit, as Seville celebrates the annual Feria de Abril (a week-long party of non-stop street revelry), which is either preceded or followed by the world-famous Easter festivities of Semana Santa. Sights you can’t miss in Seville: sights you can’t miss in Seville: Plaza de Espana, Alcazar Palace, medieval Santa Cruz quarter, maze-like Triana area, La Giralda minaret and colonial riverside walks.

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Tenerife and the Canary Islands as a whole are often regarded as the Caribbean of Europe—sun-seeking Northerners making their way south to indulge in exotic fruits, turquoise waters and bask in the warm sun. Which isn’t all that far from the truth, actually.

But for those who just can’t sit still, it is worth noting that Tenerife isn’t just about tanning sessions. There is a surprisingly large amount of things to do on the island, especially around the capital, but also in most cities along the coast. Which, if you are anything like me, is a good thing (as in I cannot, for the life of me, get a tan without simultaneously getting a third-degree burn).

Things to Do in Tenerife

Go Scuba Diving or Snorkelling

Tenerife boasts some of Europe’s clearest waters and most fascinating underwater wildlife, making it the ideal destination to get your scuba diving certification at one of the many PADI centres, including Los Gigantes Diving Centre (ask for Sheila!). But if you are a bit less adventurous, snorkelling is also a lot of fun and much less complicated—no heavy equipment, no technique—just good fun spying on the fish and turtles of the mysterious Atlantic Ocean.

Hike the Teide Volcano

Regardless of where you are on the island, it’s impossible to miss the Teide Volcano. It is quite massive: 3,718 meters high, to be precise, making it the third highest volcano in the world. The volcano and the national park surrounding it were named a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2007, and it’s easy to see why once you set foot there. The thrill of being on an active volcano, the scenery over the island and the turquoise ocean, as well as the fauna (look out for cute green-tailed lizards!) are a true delight for adventure-seekers and nature-lovers.

Go on a Whale Sighting Cruise

Head to the Los Gigantes port, hop on one of the many cruises and cross your fingers that the bottlenose dolphins and the short-finned pilot whales will make an appearance. A three-hour cruise with lunch and a snorkelling stop will set you back around 30 euros per person, but I assure you that it is worth every centime.

Watch the Sunset

If your idea of a fun evening is watching the best sunsets of your life while sipping delicious Spanish wine, you are in luck. The western side of Tenerife offers some of the most striking sunsets in the world. Even after a week in the Canary Islands, sunset watching just doesn’t get old when it’s that spectacular, every night.

Chat with the Locals at the City Square

Head to the city square and swap stories of life and travel with the locals over a few Doradas—the local beer. You’ll discover that despite language barriers, evocative hand gestures, tons of smiles, a good laugh and a Spanish-English phrasebook can make just about anything possible. This is definitely one of the simplest yet most fulfilling things to do in Tenerife.

Marvel at the Architecture

As if the scenery alone wasn’t worth the trip, the Canary Islands and Tenerife are also filled with quaint churches and quirky city squares so charming that it’s hard to resist stopping for a quenching drink or an ice cream. Ornate balconies, colourful stairways and white-washed houses come together in a mix that is truly Spanish and lovely.

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But at the time of the Moors, as they were called, locals enjoyed considerable economic and cultural wealth as the region was regarded as a beacon of education and progress not only in the Islamic world but across the planet; Al-Andalus benefited from strong ties between Christians, Jews and Muslims alike as each person was free to practice their religion despite the preferences of their ruler, a Muslim emirate.

With such prowess came considerable fortune, and this is where the famous Alhambra in Granada comes into play. The “Red Fortress” is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and remains, to this day, one of the largest Islamic fortresses on the planet and one of the most significant architectural landmarks — not to mention, one of the most amazing things to do in the beautiful city of Granada.

The Alhambra in Granada

Flamenco players earlier that day at the mirador

Atop the Alcazaba, looking onto the Sierra Nevada mountain range

The Alhambra’s location, as most royal palaces and fortresses, was not decided as a coincidence. Overlooking the valley of Granada city on one side, the heights of Jewish-run Albaicín on the other and the vast expanses at the foot of the Sierra Nevada in the southeastern distance, it’s no wonder many defensive towers still remain today. The Alcazaba — Spanish for citadel — consists of the ramparts of the Alhambra and were built by Mohammed I on the precipitous, rocky foreland advancing towards the city below.

The Court of Myrtles

The Court of Myrtles

The level of details inside the Alhambra is simply, and quite literally, unsurpassed. In fact, the Alhambra tiles are remarkable in that they contain nearly all of the seventeen mathematically possible wallpaper groups, a unique accomplishment in world architecture. The arabesques found in archways and around windows are also sublime and intricate.

Pools in the Palacio de Generalife

The gardens of the Alhambra are every bit as enjoyable as the fortress itself. Fountains trickle, birds sing, leaves rustle; thousands of organisms live harmoniously along the symmetrically yet graciously laid out walls and pathways of the Generalife gardens. Every colour of the rainbow is present here.

The Generalife was formerly home to a summer palace and was used as a leisure area for Nasrid emirs, their “country getaway” of sorts whenever they needed to get away from the official affairs of the court. They are now one of the oldest surviving Moorish gardens.

Ladies Tower

This is actually one of the oldest parts of the already ancient Alhambra; they contain the only surviving Muslim-era paintings in all of the Alhambra from the time of Mohammed III.

How to visit the Alhambra

• Plan a full day for it. It doesn’t take all day to visit, but you will be so tired afterwards all you will want to do is go to the nearest tapas bar!
• You absolutely must buy your tickets in advance as the Alhambra receives a mindblowing number of visitors. You will be assigned a time slot and you will need to stick to it. If you’re late, you’ll have to get new tickets!
• Get a guided tour. The palace and the gardens are impressive enough on their own, but only a professional guide can truly bring these places back to life with their chronology, facts and anecdotes.
• Make sure you have ample space on your camera’s SD card.
• There isn’t anything to eat on site, so plan accordingly.

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The most iconic landmarks of Barcelona are signed by Gaudi, and they also happen to be the most popular. For a good reason – they’re quite spectacular. I always say that touristy things are touristy for a reason, and that’s also true when it comes to Gaudi. He created such unique, utterly innovative pieces of art, intricately inspired by the sheer beauty and diversity of nature. Lots of people tried to copy or surpass him, but none have achieved their goal. Gaudi is simply too much of a genius.

So whether you already are a big fan of the architect, or if you want to learn more about his works, follow this itinerary through Gaudi’s Barcelona.

La Sagrada Familia

To think that I almost included the Sagrada Familia in my list of Europe’s most overrated attractions? I’m so glad I didn’t!

I visited the cathedral for the first time in 2009, while it still under major construction works. I basically paid 14 euros to see scaffolds and hear Catalan workers yell at each other. This time around, however, I realized that the the interior is completely finished, and the result is absolutely breathtaking. You can’t possibly imagine what the cathedral is like, because it’s unlike anything else.

Friendly tip: BUY YOUR TICKET IN ADVANCE. There is a constant 2-3 hour queue to get in, while it only takes a few seconds when you have your printed tickets. Be the wise one!

La Pedrera / Casa Millà

La Pedrera is one of the two Gaudi houses in Barcelona. I visited both, and I have to admit that I wasn’t very enthused about this one, for many reasons. Firstly, the building isn’t as unusual as the Casa Battló. Secondly, the visit takes us through a typical 1920s apartment, which felt more like a history museum to me. Thirdly, I felt that for 16 euros, the visit was too short, and an overall bad investment.

The one advantage of La Pedrera? The 360 degrees views over the city from the roof. All in all, I don’t recommend visiting this house unless you’re a hardcore Gaudi fan. There are far better options out there to learn about the architect than La Pedrera.

Parc de la Cituadella

Barcelona’s greenest oasis!  The majestic fountain was designed by a then relatively unknown Gaudi, who was just about to graduate. This commissioned work allowed him to discover his true passion, and his unique, organic style, which would shape his ulterior projects, and whose heritage is instantly recognizable nowadays.

Casa Batlló

I’ve written more extensively about this one before, and I stand by my point – I think it’s perhaps Gaudi’s finest creation. I definitely prefer it over La Pedrera, which, like I said, isn’t nearly as funky or interesting. The Casa Batlló truly is a work of art considering all the different mosaics, the absence of straight lines, the arched roof and the vivid colors. If you visit one of the two Gaudi houses, I can’t recommend this one enough. A well invested 20 euros.

Plaça Reial

Maybe will you be as surprised as I was to learn that Gaudi himself designed the intricate lampposts at Plaça Reail, in the heart of Barcelona. It was his first official work as an architect, back in 1878. A relatively small contribution to the city when compared to the grandiose Sagrada Familia and the houses – but the way I see it, it’s just another proof of how versatile yet focused Gaudi was.

Park Guell

Park Guell was a very nice discovery for me. I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it because of the massive crowds but guess what? If you get there early enough, there is no one in sight. At 9 o’clock there were only a handful of us, including what I believe to be a few employees.

The views over Barcelona are unbeatable, and the mosaic works on the bench are quite stunning. I’d been wanting to see this park for myself ever since I watched “The Spanish Inn”, one of my favorite travel movies. And it didn’t disappoint! I could’ve easily spent an hour or two there, taking in all the colors, the angles, and the scenery. Definitely an essential stop on any Gaudi trail.

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Seeing monkeys in Gibraltar

I was driving around Spain with a group of friends at the time, and I drove into the island in the evening – the sun was on its way down, its golden rays blinding us as we continued to head as south of the European continent as possible. We knew we were going to be a little tight for a visit of The Rock (more commonly known as Gibraltar) but we wanted to at least drive around the island for the sake of it. Just to tick that item off our proverbial bucket list.

First step was obviously crossing the frontier. We were entering British territory, and we figured we would have our passport controlled. Two things struck me at that precise moment: either Gibraltar doesn’t have a big budget when it comes to border control, or it just doesn’t give a damn. My pals and I drove right past the officer (on the airport’s tarmac, again; it’s a weird sensation to drive on the exact spot where planes take off and land, I’ll say that) with our Canadian passports in hand, and he just waved at us, smiling – we didn’t even have to stop the car!

I like to think that my Canadian is held in high standards and has a good reputation abroad, but I didn’t know it was THAT good.

Time was closing in on 8PM by then, and I knew we had to be quick in order to make it to the monkeys that live atop the rock – this was, after all, the whole point of our trip there.

Gibraltar certainly is an amazing place to drive in for people who enjoy flirting with death. Steep, very steep roads, with teeny little cement blocks that acted as railings – so tiny, in fact, their presence was almost ironic. I could almost hear them shout “Yes, like THAT will keep you from driving off that cliff, LOLZ”.

Very reassuring for the backseat passengers who are deathly scared of heights – and who just happens to be sitting on the wrong side of the car. WE HAVE RAILINGS IN CANADA. RAILINGS ARE GOOD. WHY DO THEY NOT HAVE RAILINGS HERE, UH?

Despite my group’s my slightly panicked state and the fact that my heart was beating just a little bit faster than it should have, we did get to the gate for the monkey park, and it was absolutely deserted. Employees included. And yet the gate was open.

What’s a girl to do?

I had driven over three hours to get there. I wasn’t about to drive down that road from hell and risk my life (again) for nothing. My mischievous group and I did not think twice about this one – we parked the car right there (probably forbidden) and we entered the park after what appeared to be after hours (definitely forbidden).

But damn it was worth it.

There we were. Five outlaw Canadians just hanging out with the famed monkeys in Gibraltar, alone, and feeling like the coolest people on the planet. And at that particular moment, I really think we were.

Our visit to Gibraltar was definitely short-lived. We didn’t even get to Europa Point or the caves or any other great things to see on the island. But when I consider how unique our moment there was, I don’t really care about the other attractions. My time with the monkeys was priceless, and I still smile thinking about it today. And that was six years ago.

Monkeys in Gibraltar – Good To Know

• Because the border is located by the airport, there might be some delays getting into the territory if a plane is scheduled to land or depart. Be patient!
• There are plenty of things to do on the island besides hanging out with monkeys. Take a look at VisitGibraltar.gi to plan your visit.
• Try not to have any food in your pockets or in your bag. Monkeys will be quick to smell them and you will be covered in apes before you even have time to get your camera.
• Drive very, very cautiously in Gibraltar. Ask the most experienced driver in your group to be in charge. This is not the place to be reckless.

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