Classic Andalucía Spain:
The best of the South of Spain in 14 days
Keep reading to get your FREE 14 day Andalucia Spain Itinerary.
Originally published February 1, 2021. Updated February 2024
All images are courtesy of the Spain Less Traveled team, unless otherwise stated.
The Nazrid Palace of the Alhambra in Granada, an integral part of an iconic Spain trip!
A Passion for Andalucía Spain
“Where is your favorite place to travel in Spain?” is a question that we get a lot here at Spain Less Traveled and on our Travel Spain! community on Facebook.
And for us, it’s without a doubt Andalucía, Spain, the magical, beautiful, and iconic South of Spain.
Andalucía is textbook Spain. Here you can witness the pure passion of flamenco, see some of the best Moorish architecture in the world, sample many of Spain’s signature food and drinks (some of the best food in Spain!), and see some of Spain’s most impressive monuments.
Packed with history and so many wonderful destinations, many travelers to Spain spend their entire trip in Andalucía to truly get to know this beautiful and diverse region in-depth.
In fact, we recommend spending a few weeks in Andalucía Spain, moving slowly and enjoying the relaxed and friendly soul of the South!
Read on for some suggestions of places you must visit, including the best cities, with two weeks in Andalucía Spain!
Be sure to check out why you should use a travel advisor to plan your trip to Spain.
But first… Where is Andalucía Spain?
Detailed map of Andalucía Spain showing provincial and regional borders (image by: VectorStock)
Andalucía Spain is located in the southernmost part of mainland Spain.
Andalucía is big. It has a population of over 8 and a half million people and a land area of almost 34,000 square miles (88,00km²). The autonomous community is made up of 8 provinces, each with lively regional capitals, and beautiful places to visit.
Andalucía Spain’s classic and iconic sites
Here are five of Andalucía’s classic treasures that you can visit on a two week trip to the South of Spain!
And read on…. At the bottom of the page, you can download your free 14-day Andalucía Spain itinerary to learn how to string all of these places together.
The Alhambra of Granada: Spain’s top draw
The red fortress of the Alhambra watches over the city of Granada.
No Spain travel itinerary is complete without visiting the Alhambra.
Located in Granada, this cornerstone of Moorish architecture always appears on every list of best Islamic architecture in the world along with monuments such as the Taj Mahal and Abu Dhabi’s Sheikh Zayed Mosque.
The name “Alhambra” comes from the Arabic for red palace (al-qala’a al-hamra), and you will soon see why. This impressive red fortified palace, watching over the city of Granada, was constructed by the Moors in the 13th century. It was where Spain’s very last Moorish sultans lived and ruled.
The center of it all is the Nazrid Palace which will truly take your breath away. This is one of the best preserved Moorish masterpieces in the world. Intricate stucco carvings, colorful tilework, with so much attention paid to detail, light, and shadows, you will want to have plenty of time to meander slowly through the beautiful maze of corridors and patios to truly take it all in. Don’t forget to look up!
You will definitely want to make the trek to the Generalife, the Sultan’s summer palace, and adjourning gardens. This maze of greenery is one of the best examples of how the Moors used water and vegetation to create sustainable irrigation systems.
The Alcazaba, the remnants of the old wall, castle, and fortresses can also be visited. Make sure to climb all the towers and maze of staircases for the amazing views of Granada and the rest of the Alhambra complex.
The complex also houses a Renaissance palace, with a small museum, the Palacio de Carlos V. Constructed by the Catholic monarchy after the fall of Granada, the last Moorish stronghold on the Iberian peninsula.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of ins and outs for visiting this magnificent complex and that is why you need a strategy for how to visit the Alhambra.
We definitely recommend it.
And for those who want to spend the night on these magnificent grounds, the Parador of Granada offers that experience!
The largest Gothic cathedral in the world in Seville
The view of Seville’s impressive cathedral and patio from the Giralda bell tower.
Seville, or Sevilla, as we say in Spanish, is the largest city in Andalucía Spain. And while there are so many reasons to spend a few days there, it is no secret that for many travelers, visiting Seville’s enormous cathedral is a highlight.
The Cathedral of Seville is an architecture lover’s dream: the largest Gothic cathedral in the world as well as UNESCO World Heritage Site. And like many of the cathedrals and churches of Andalucía Spain, the Cathedral of Seville was built on the site of an old mosque after the city fell to the Christians.
Very little of the original mosque was preserved, but the Giralda (bell tower) was the minaret of the Mosque. And visitors wanting an epic view of Seville can climb to the top.
Inside the cavernous cathedral itself, it is easy to get lost. Luckily audio guides are available. But here are a few key sites to look out for, that you can’t miss!
In the center of the main chapel is the altar, which is the largest Gothic altar in the world. It’s impressively constructed woodwork with insane amounts of gold.
The cathedral also houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus, though there is some debate if it is really his remains that are buried there.
Visitors will exit the cathedral through the Patio de los Naranjas (orange tree courtyard), another piece of the cathedral dating back from Moorish times. If you go when the azahar flowers (orange tree flowers) are in bloom, you will be treated to a pleasant fragrance, so iconic of Andalucía Spain. Make sure to take it all in!
It is clear why the Cathedral of Seville is one of our top cathedrals in Spain!
(Seville is a city full of passion and great sites. Is a great base for day trips to some of Southern Spain’s best-kept secrets. Make sure to spend a few days exploring the largest city in Andalucía Spain!)
The iconic arches Córdoba’s grand mosque
The bright red and white arches of Córdoba’s Mezquita-Cathedral will mesmerize you.
Luckily, some of the cathedrals built on top of great Mosques have better preserved their Moorish architecture. In the city of Córdoba Spain, you will find just that at the Mezquita Mayor of Córdoba.
The Mezquita’s unique history makes it unforgettable. These days it’s the Mezquita-Cathedral, in the 16th century, years after the Muslims were expelled from Spain, the Catholics built their cathedral right on top of the mosque.
The Mezquita-Mayor is Córdoba’s working cathedral. Nowhere else will you see a Catholic chapel plopped right in the middle of an in-tact former mosque.
What you see today is an interesting mix of Moorish and Renaissance and Baroque-style architecture. No doubt that what remains of the Mosque is splendid. Its iconic bright orange and white arches are world-famous. Don’t forget to look up too!
Typical of Moorish architecture, the Mezquita also has its own grand patio, el Patio de los Naranjos. Naranjo means orange tree in Spanish, and you will soon see (and smell) why! When the orange trees are blooming the whole area (and Cordoba in general) is engulfed in a delightful smell of Cordoba’s signature fruit.
Make sure to also climb the bell tower for a great view of Cordoba. Unfortunately that the old minaret is gone, but the bell tower was built where it stood to give you a better idea of what the Mezquita looked like during the heyday of Moorish Cordoba.
(Córdoba is charming and so historical with its mix of Moorish, Christian, and Jewish history. Don’t just take a day trip there to see the Mezquita-Mayor. Be sure to spend a few days to get to really know the city instead of simply taking a day trip to visit the Mezquita.)
Andalucía Spain’s charming whitewashed villages
Setenil de las Bodegas, one of the whitewashed villages (pueblos blancos) in Andalucía Spain.
The small city of Ronda in Málaga province is very popular with visitors due to its jaw-dropping bridge (Puente Nuevo) over a gorge and spectacular views. Hemingway also spent some time there, which helps attract visitors from all over the world.
The town is normally full of daytrippers from Seville and from cruises on packaged “pueblos blancos tours.” While Ronda is totally worth checking out, true pueblos blanco aficionados will appreciate some of the smaller pueblos, especially the ones in Cádiz province.
Far off the beaten path, and where the organized tours don’t go is the town of Olvera, one of the most visually stunning towns in the region. Surrounded by three billion olive trees (yes, really!), the views from the top of the castle are impressive. Be sure to also walk around the impressive Parroquia Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación.
Also worth is a visit is Setenil de las Bodegas, with its whitewashed houses built right into the cliffs. Be sure to also check out the views from above the town, and not only on the streets under the caves.
The town of Zahara de la Sierra is another whitewashed hilltop town with a castle. What makes Zahara different is that right below it, is a manmade lake in the middle of some of Southern Spain’s prettiest landscapes.
This whitewashed village of Grazalema is stunning. This pueblo is located right in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park and has beautiful views surrounded by green mountains. With some great dining and lodging options, Grazalema makes for a great overnight or multi-day base to explore the pueblos blancos or Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
Málaga City: Andalucia’s port city but so much more
Málaga’s bullring, port, and beaches from the Gibralfaro Castle.
Travelers focusing on Andalucía can fly into Málaga’s international airport to maximize their time in the South of Spain. And Málaga city itself is a worth spending some time in too.
While many visitors to the Costa del Sol bypass Málaga city altogether, only using it as a cruise port or airport, Málaga is a pleasant coastal city full of surprises.
Málaga is everything the mass tourism of the resorts on the Costa del Sol are not: it is authentically Spanish and with so much history, soul and character of its own.
There’s a beautiful Renaissance cathedral, with its patio of orange trees surrounded by a historic center. In fact, the whole city is a Moorish architecture lover’s paradise. The Alcazaba, old Moorish fort, keeps a steady watch over the city from the hill above. And the further up, the Castillo de Gibralfaro is the ruins of a Moorish castle open to visitors. Be sure to stop at the mirador for terrific views of Málaga’s coastline and beaches.
Art lovers should know that the city is home to a small Picasso Museum (Pablo Picasso was born in Málaga). There is a small branch of Paris’ Pompidou center in a building worth seeing just from the outside. And for those interested in 19th-century Spanish art, head to the Carmen Thyssen Museum.
But wait, there’s more! Málaga also has a Russian museum, a museum for automotive lovers, and a wine museum, just to name a few. In fact, the city is said to have some of the most museums in the world.
Take in the orange trees that line the streets of the city (and they make Málaga smell oh-so-good when they’re in bloom) and get to know Málaga city.
With stretches of coastline, Málaga is a great spot to get some beach time! Within the city limits, there some wonderful beaches. Malagueta is the most popular and always the most crowded. But for fewer crowds, head in either direction. For the beach town vibe, head east toward Pederegalo and El Palo. And if sandy long beaches are your thing, head west to Playa de la Misericordia. No matter which beach you choose, find a table at a chiringuito (beachside restaurant) and enjoy some of Málaga’s seafood specialties.
And speaking of food, Málaga is home to one of the best markets in Spain.
During the summer months many Spaniards come to their summer homes in Málaga city This keeps the Spanish flair of Málaga city alive and well even during the summer high-season.
And Málaga is a great base for day trips. Here are some of our favorite day trips from Málaga city.
(Málaga province is full of secrets outside of the city limits too. Here’s our guide to The Province of Malaga off the beaten path, away from the Costa del Sol resorts!)
So many more possibilities in Andalucía Spain!
Cabo de Gata, Almería Spain.
There are endless options for 14 days in Analucía.
You could move some things around and cut some things out to add some time in places such as Cabo de Gata in Almería Spain, the olive producing region of Jaén province, or the beautiful Sierra de Aracena near the Portuguese border in Huelva Province. So many possibilities!
Or you could plan your trip to coincide with one of Andalucía’s amazing festivals including Córdoba’s La Fiesta de los Patios or Seville’s Feria de Abril. That is always a wonderful time to visit the south of Spain!
Let us help you customize your dream Spain trip based on your unique interests and timeframe.
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You also might be interested in our other in depth guides by region.
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