Tourism in Andalusia is of great importance; it is the main tourist destination in Spain for national tourists and one of the top places when considering international tourism. Andalusia is a very popular destination among Northern European countries. Visitors from the United Kingdom, Germany, and the Netherlands are especially interested in the climate and beaches of southern Spain, many of them even deciding to settle there.
If you want to visit Andalusia, you should know that the highest concentration of tourists occurs in August, while December is the month in which the region receives the fewest tourists.
The history of Andalusia goes back to very distant times. Already in prehistoric times, it was a privileged place due to its mineral and agricultural wealth. Its abundant riches made it an attraction point for the different civilisations that appeared throughout history.
It was the Greeks and, especially, the Phoenicians who settled in large settlements along Andalusia, mainly on the coast. They established maritime trade routes with other peoples of antiquity who were located around the Mediterranean.
With the arrival of imperial Rome, the territories would be conquered and mixed with the local population. They settled in cities and used the coast for the production of Garum (a popular fish sauce to season food) and subsequent trade with Rome.
The fall of the Roman Empire led to the arrival of the Germanic Vandals and Visigoths, who, although they settled temporarily, did not manage to break the cultural ties of Andalusia. Andalusia remained independent of the ancient kingdom of Toledo until, in the year 711, the Arab conquest broke any possible approach to the north of the Iberian Peninsula. The result was the foundation of Al-Andalus, which soon became the cultural and economic centre of the world at that time. The name of Andalusia comes from that period, "Al-Andalusiya" (the Arabic adjective referring to Al-Andalus), as do the colours of the flag.
The Crown of Castile advanced and conquered the southern territories until, in 1492, after the conquest of Granada, the long Arab rule in the south of the peninsula, which had lasted approximately eight centuries, came to an end. The use of any language other than Castilian was prohibited, as was the practice of any religion that was not Christian. After a great revolt, an attempt was made to expel most of the original inhabitants, although two-thirds managed to evade this measure by posing as Christians. Documents show that the soldiers could not physically distinguish them when Andalusians returned. They often retreated to the mountains or mixed with the local population.
Andalusia and Spain eventually lost the global importance they once had, largely due to the Bourbon reforms. These reforms focused mainly on the wealth of the conquerors in the conquered territories, which led to the loss of the various Spanish overseas colonies and almost also of Andalusia in the well-known separatist conspiracy of the Duke of Medina Sidonia.
This is just a brief summary of the history of Andalusia, which you can explore further by visiting the towns and cities in our guide, where we delve into the origins and history of each of them.
Andalusia has a Mediterranean climate characterised by a dry summer season and mild temperatures throughout the year, with rainfall in winter, autumn, and spring.
The region has a wide variety of climates, which provides a rich diversity in the landscape. This distinguishes nearby provinces such as Seville, with its hot summers and cold winters, Malaga, with its mild climate all year round, or Granada, with Sierra Nevada, where you can ski on the snowy peaks in winter.
Andalusia's climate has resulted in a flora adapted to the long dry periods during the summer months. The Andalusian forest has been artificially modified throughout history by the construction of farmland and frequent forest fires.
Andalusia is home to a wide variety of animal species, with large predators such as the wolf and the Iberian lynx, the wild cat, deer, flamingos, and the imperial eagle, and many more. In addition, other species have been unintentionally introduced in recent history, such as parakeets and the American crayfish, while others such as the bear have become extinct.
Andalusia has a large number of natural parks worth visiting, including the Sierra Nevada National Park, Donana, the Cabo de Gata Natural Park, and the Sierra de Cazorla. If you are interested in nature, you can check out our section on natural parks in Andalusia.
Andalusia is well connected by roads and other public transport such as trains. It also has major international airports such as Malaga and Seville, the two main ones. The port of Malaga, with a history dating back to the Phoenician occupation, is currently a major docking point for cruises in the Mediterranean.
Fishing is one of the main activities on the Andalusian coast and always has been, since the Phoenicians and the Romans. The fishing sector plays an important role in the economy and the Andalusian diet, and the fishing fleet is the second most important in Spain, after that of Galicia.
In addition to the important sun and beach tourism, Andalusia offers its visitors a rich heritage collection, visible in monuments such as the Mosque of Cordoba, the Alhambra, the various cathedrals from the Middle Ages, castles, and historic city centres of the main cities that preserve the essence and beauty of centuries past.
The main tourist destinations in Andalusia are:
In Andalusia, we find a large number of festivals and celebrations with a strong religious character, inherited from the Christian conquest in the Middle Ages, as well as fairs in the different cities. Some of the most popular are:
If you want to know more about festivities and cultural events, you can visit our page at the link above.
With a rich and varied gastronomy, Andalusia offers a Mediterranean diet based on olive oil, vegetables, fish, and meat.
Fish and seafood are widespread along the entire Andalusian coast and are perhaps one of the main tourist attractions for visitors exploring Andalusia for the first time.
Another highlight of Andalusia is the cured ham from Sierra Morena, the Iberian ham from Huelva, or that from Sierra Nevada, of proven quality.
The confectionery has been enriched over the centuries with a clear Andalusian influence, such as the use of almonds and honey. It is typical to eat churros in the morning or taste polvorones and mantecados at Christmas.
Andalusian wine is another characteristic element of the region. The production of wines, spirits, and vinegars is quite important in Andalusia. Among the Andalusian wines are Jerez-Xeres-Sherry, Condado de Huelva, Manzanilla-Sanlucar de Barrameda, Malaga, Montilla Moriles, and Sierras de Malaga.
Almogia Antequera |
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Archidona |
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Estepona |
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Fuengirola If you are looking for sun and beach, Fuengirola is definitely a place to consider. |
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Marbella Among the places that Marbella has and that we recommend visiting are its old town and Puerto Banus. |
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Mijas |
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Nerja |
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Ronda |
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Torre del Mar |
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Torremolinos Hotels, beaches and a wide variety of tourist services make this municipality recommendable. |
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Torrox |
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Velez Malaga |
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Andalusia covers a wide area of southern Spain that you’ll be able to visit easier by car. If you arrive at Malaga you may be interested in car hire Malaga with us, we are a company with many years of experience in the sector that offers top quality and good prices to its clients. Discover Andalusia with the map below, or check our map of Andalucia with other maps of the provinces.
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