Must-see attractions in Andalucía

  • Landscape of Donana National Park in Huelva, Andalusia, Spain.

    Parque Nacional de Doñana

    Andalucía

    Established in 1969, this 54,251-hectare national park is one of Europe's largest and most important, sheltering a huge variety of flora and fauna. The…

  • Facade of the Russian museum (Saint Petersburg collection) in Malaga, Spain.

    Museo Ruso de Málaga

    Málaga

    Housed in a former tobacco factory, this offshoot of St Petersburg's Russian State Museum is dedicated to Russian art from the 16th to 20th centuries. It…

  • Interiors and details of Palacio de las duenas, in Seville, Spain.

    Palacio de Las Dueñas

    La Macarena & Alameda de Hércules

    This gorgeous 15th-century palace was the favourite home of the late Duchess de Alba, one of Spain’s most prominent aristocrats. Renaissance in design, it…

  • MALAGA, SPAIN - AUGUST 08: Soho Area on August 08, 2015 in Malaga, Spain. It is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain.; Shutterstock ID 338884481; Your name (First / Last): Josh Vogel; GL account no.: 56530; Netsuite department name: Online Design; Full Product or Project name including edition: Digital Content/Sights

    MAUS

    Málaga

    The antithesis of Málaga's prestigious world-class art museums is refreshingly down-to-earth MAUS, a grassroots movement born out of an influx of street…

  • Gateway to the third enclosure, the christian castle in Alcazaba of Almeria.

    Tercer Recinto

    Almería

    The highest part of the Alcazaba, the Tercer Recinto consists of a castle constructed by the Catholic Monarchs in the early 16th century. Many of the…

  • Castle of Albanchez de Mágina inserted in full rock.

    Castillo de Albánchez

    Andalucía

    The Castillo de Albánchez is one of Jaén's most dramatically sited castles, its leaning tower perched on top of a rock on a sheer cliff rising directly…

  • Interior of the Dolmen del Romeral megalithic monument in Antequera, Spain.

    Dolmen del Romeral

    Antequera

    This megalithic burial site was constructed around 1800 BC and features much use of small stones for its walls. To get here, continue 2.5km past the town…

  • Partal Palace and Gardens at El Partal area of Alhambra, Granada, Andalusia, Spain.

    Jardines del Partal

    Granada

    An area of beautiful terraced gardens laid out in the Alhambra in the 20th century. Its most famous landmark is the Palacio del Partal, a 14th-century…

  • Generalife Palace in Granada, Spain.

    Palacio del Generalife

    Granada

    This whitewashed country house served as the sultan's summer palace on the Alhambra. In the Generalife gardens, it boasts a series of delightful…

  • Access arch from the first to the second enclosure in the Alcazaba of Almeria.

    Primer Recinto

    Almería

    The Alcazaba's lowest compound, the Primer Recinto, was originally a residential area. Excavations have unearthed remains of houses, streets and a complex…

  • Patio de Lindaraja, 16th-century courtyard adjacent to the Palace of the Lions, in Alhambra, Granada, Spain.

    Patio de la Lindaraja

    Granada

    In the Palacios Nazaríes on the Alhambra, this is a beautiful porticoed patio with trees and a small formal garden set around a central fountain. In the…

  • Lower gardens of the Generalife, Alhambra de Granada.

    Jardines Nuevos

    Granada

    Also known as the Jardines Bajos (Lower Gardens), these gardens were laid in the Alhambra in the early 20th century as an approach to the Palacio del…

  • Genoveses Beach.

    Playa de los Genoveses

    Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

    The first beach southwest of San José is Playa de los Genoveses, a lovely, 1km-long stretch of sand framed by two headlands. It owes its name to the…

  • Landscape seen from La Amatista viewpoint.

    Mirador de la Amatista

    Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

    On the main road between La Isleta del Moro and Rodalquilar, this high viewpoint commands breathtaking views of the vertiginous, unspoilt coastline. From…

  • Cueva de la Pileta

    Málaga Province

    Twenty kilometres southwest of Ronda la Vieja are some of Andalucía’s most ancient and fascinating caves. Torchlit guided tours into the dark belly of the…

  • Plaza de Toros

    Ronda

    In existence for more than 200 years, this is one of Spain's oldest bullrings and the site of some of the most important events in bullfighting history. A…

  • Museo Automovilístico Málaga

    Málaga

    Fashion and old cars might seem like weird bedfellows, but they’re an inspired combo when viewed through the prism of this slightly out-of-the-box museum…

  • Cueva de los Letreros

    Andalucía

    Of the several Unesco-protected cave-painting locations in the area, this Stone Age ceremonial site is the star. The reddish drawings, made before 5500 BC…

  • Museo de Málaga

    Málaga

    Spread out over two floors in Málaga’s neoclassical Palacio de Aduana, this vast, newly renovated museum houses art and archaeological collections. The…

  • Iglesia Colegial del Divino Salvador

    El Centro & El Arenal

    Overlooking Plaza del Salvador, this baroque church was built between 1674 and 1712 on the site of Muslim Ishbiliya's main mosque. Its Mannerist red-brick…

  • Alcázar de la Puerta de Sevilla

    Sevilla Province

    Carmona's signature fortress is a formidable sight. Set atop the Puerta de Sevilla, the imposing main gate of the old town, it had already been standing…

  • Mirador de Laujar

    Andalucía

    A hairy drive up a steep, snaking road leads to this terrific viewing platform 3.2km above town. From here you can look down on the full sweep of the…

  • Mirador del Castillo

    Costa de Almería

    Perched on the highest point in town – originally the site of a castle – this hilltop mirador (viewpoint) looks down to the sea and over a hazy brown…

  • Balcón de Europa

    Nerja

    Located in the heart of town, the fabulous balcón juts out like a natural pier, forming a beautiful palm-lined terrace with panoramic views of the sea…

  • Cala de Enmedio

    Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata-Níjar

    The pretty and secluded little beach of Cala de Enmedio is capped by strikingly eroded rocks. It's a bit of a hike to get to – about 1.5km southwest of…

  • Jardines Altos

    Granada

    The upper gardens of the Generalife at the Alhambra.

  • Woman on wall near narrow rampart of Castillo de Gibralfaro, originally built 8th century, looking at view from on high of Malaga, Costa del Sol, Andalucia, Spain

    Castillo de Gibralfaro

    Málaga

    One remnant of Málaga’s Islamic past is the craggy ramparts of the Castillo de Gibralfaro, spectacularly located high on the hill overlooking the city…

  • Lonely visitor of the 16th century Archivo General de Indias, example of Spanish Renaissance architecture on November 14, 2018. UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    Archivo General de Indias

    Catedral & Barrio de Santa Cruz

    Occupying a former merchant's exchange on the western side of Plaza del Triunfo, the Archivo General de Indias provides fascinating insight into Spain's…

  • Spain, Andalucia Region, Seville Province

    Hospital de la Caridad

    El Centro & El Arenal

    The Hospital de la Caridad, a sturdy building one block east of the river, was established in the late 17th century as a hospice for the poor and elderly…

  • Stairs inside of Palace of the Countess of Lebrija in Seville, Andalusia, Spain

    Palacio de la Condesa de Lebrija

    El Centro & El Arenal

    This aristocratic 16th-century mansion, set around a beautiful Renaissance-Mudéjar courtyard, boasts an eclectic look that blends a range of decorative…

  • Seville -  fresco Virgin Mary as Immaculate conception

    Basílica de La Macarena

    La Macarena & Alameda de Hércules

    This 20th-century neo-baroque basilica is home to Seville’s most revered religious treasure, the Virgen de la Esperanza Macarena (Macarena Virgin of Hope)…

  • Jerez de la Frontera, Cathedral of San Salvador

    Catedral de San Salvador

    Jerez de la Frontera

    Echoes of Seville colour Jerez' dramatic cathedral, a surprisingly harmonious mix of baroque, neoclassical and Gothic styles. Standout features are its…

  • The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballeria de Sevilla is a 12,000 capacity bullring in Seville, Spain.

    Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza

    El Centro & El Arenal

    In the world of bullfighting, Seville’s white and yellow-trimmed bullring is the equivalent of football's Old Trafford or Camp Nou

  • Golden Tower Torre del Oro on the banks of the Guadalquivir River. Sevilla. Andalusia. Spain.

    Torre del Oro

    El Centro & El Arenal

    This distinctive tower, one of Seville’s signature landmarks, has been guarding the Río Guadalquivir since the 13th century. The original dodecagonal…

  • Castillo San Jorge museum exterior of building

    Castillo de San Jorge

    Triana

    Adjacent to the Puente de Isabel II, the Castillo de San Jorge is steeped in notoriety: it was here that the infamous Spanish Inquisition had its…

  • La Caleta Beach and Balneario de la Palma Building - Cadiz, Andalusia, Spain.

    Playa de la Caleta

    Cádiz

    Hugging the western side of the Barrio de la Viña, this small, popular golden city beach catches the eye with its mock-Moorish balneario (bathhouse). It's…

  • Palacio de Villardompardo

    Andalucía

    This Renaissance palace houses one of the most intriguing collections of historical, archaeological and artistic exhibits found under one roof in…

  • Alley at sunset with a lit street lamp, plants, pots and a vine that covers the roof of the street to shade in Salobreña, Granada.

    Casco Antiguo

    Andalucía

    Salobreña’s historic centre (west of the modern town) comprises the barrios that once huddled inside its medieval walls. Slender cobbled lanes meander up…

  • Caixa Forum exterior with logo

    CaixaForum Sevilla

    La Cartuja

    CaixaForum Sevilla is an underground (literally) cultural centre that opened in March 2017. Situated on the Isla de la Cartuja, it's home to two temporary…

  • Exterior - sign and carved stone column

    Centro de Interpretación Judería de Sevilla

    Catedral & Barrio de Santa Cruz

    Dedicated to Seville's Jewish history, this small, poignant museum occupies an old Sephardic house in Santa Cruz , the one-time Jewish neighbourhood that…