Great Holidays Start with Cheap Flights to Andalusia
Posted: Tuesday, March 17, 2009
by Kim Chambers
Direct Traffic Media
For many people, cheap flights to Spain are all about the Costa del Sol or the teeming city life of Barcelona, but an area as large as the Iberian Peninsula has a lot more to surprise the visitor.
The south western region of Andalusia is made up of eight provinces: Almeria, Cadiz, Cordoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaen, Malaga, and Seville. Unsurprisingly, for an area so close to North Africa, the climate is warm and sunny for most of the year, becoming especially hot in the summer months.
The region itself is steeped in history. It was the site for Rome's epic war with Hannibal and Carthage and boasts many remains from the classical period.
In 711-718 AD, the Umayyad Caliphate invaded from Morocco, and gave the region the name from which Andalusia is derived Al-Andalus. During the next 800 years of Muslim rule it became a centre of learning, commerce and architecture.
Indeed, it is the stunning architectural wonders which draw visitors to this day. Perhaps the most famous of these is the Alhambra a vast, sumptuous palace and fortress complex which overlooks the city of Granada.
Other wonders of Moorish architecture include the stunning Mesquita mosque and cathedral in Cordoba and Seville's twin delights the Alcazar palace and the nearby Giralda cathedral.
The major cities of Andalusia are packed with bars and restaurants many of which combine delicious tapas with very reasonable prices. Seville is famed as the birthplace of flamenco, and is proud to offer culture vultures a wide choice of venues to hear the music and witness the frenetic dancing.
Although a far cry from the packed resorts of the Costa del Sol, the region has scores of quiet coastal resorts for those who wish to bask in the Andalusian sun and swim in the warm waters of the Mediterranean and the Atlantic.
Just a few hours' drive further north takes the traveller into the mountains, with traditional whitewashed villages, spectacular scenery and opportunities for hiking, cycling, bird watching and even skiing, in the resorts of the Sierra Nevada.
A holiday in Andalusia is a great way to combine the culture of Europe with the sunshine of the tropics and outdoor activities. Cheap flights to Andalusia are abundant online and there are some great package holidays out there too.
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Top-level comments on this article: (1 total)Cheap if you live on your side of the Atlantic! From my side - not so much!
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