UK Spain Life helps you plan your summer trips this year, with their top 10 tours and excursions around Andalucía…
The Alhambra trip
Well situated in the heart of Andalucia, and arguably one of the most charming cities in the Region, is Granada. Located right next to the mountain range; Sierra Nevada, which provides a stunning backdrop to this “arty” and historical city. One of the ‘must-sees’ here is the Alhambra, a palace and fortress that remains with the Moorish decoration and reconstruction that they did in the mid-13th Century. Reaching Granada from any other Andalusian city, or even from other areas in Spain is easy by car or coach.
Visiting Morocco
With Andalucía’s proximity to Morocco, it’s no wonder that many tourists or residents in Spain want to spend their weekend exploring it. Several ports in southern Spain will get you there, such as; Almeria – Melilla, Malaga – Melilla, Gibraltar – Cueta, Gibraltar – Tangier, Algeciras – Cueta, Algeciras – Tangier, Tarifa – Tangier, and even Cadiz – Canary Islands.
Flamenco in Seville
Any city in Andalucia could dazzle you with fantastic, traditional Flamenco, but Seville in particular is renowned for putting on good shows. One of the most recommended is in “La Casa de la Guitarra” in the Gothic Quarter of the city, which offers an intimate show, with only a room-full of guests, and also offers a unique guitar exhibition, with some of the most successful flamenco musicians’ guitars on show, like; Pace de Lucia.
Visit Gibraltar from … everywhere
Gibraltar is easily accessible, with its cost-free border, that you can cross countless times with a valid passport, as well as its own international airport. The most common surprise to visitors in Gibraltar are the monkeys, which have brought the saying “As long as the monkeys remain on the Rock, so will the British.” This came from a legend form the Great Siege of Gibraltar in the 1700’s, where the monkeys are said to have warned the British night watch force of an invasion.
Cabo de Gata
Cabo de Gata is a natural park inside the region of Almeria. This is a great place to escape to tranquillity, with plenty of beaches to relax on as well as great, local restaurants to dine in. The quality of the sea water around Cabo de gata is very high, which means it is a great place for snorkelling too. It is also home to some old, impressive gold and iron mines around Rodalquilar.
Mini Hollywood, Almeria
Another wonder in Almeria: Mini Hollywood, located in the only desert in Europe: Tabernas. Its impressive landscape has been the backdrop for several legendary films, including; Indiana Jones, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, and A Fistful of Dollars. Three main sites are being used as part of Mini Hollywood: Oasys, Fort Bravo and Western Leone, all of which offer American-style Wild West attractions, and some are still even being used as film locations.
Parque Isla Mágica, Seville
The Isla Mágica is a theme park and water park located in north-west of the city of Seville. It provides several themed areas around the park, like; western, jungle and pirates, and is suitable for all the family. From Seville’s city centre, you can get there by car, bus or even walking.
Sorbas’ Caves
The Karst en Yesos de Sorbas is a natural park based in Sorbas, Almeria. You will be accompanied by expert staff on your tour, as well as specialised equipment. There are several routes you can take, but the largest (more than 8km), is the Cueva del Agua (Water Cave), and the deepest is the Cave of Covadura (which is 120m). The most beautiful are said to be the Cave of the Yeso and the Cave of the Tesoro (Treasure).
Aqualand Torremolinos
This is a good “value for money” attraction based in Torremolinos, just outside of Malaga. Starting from less than 20 euros for the tickets, you can enjoy all kind of rides and activities suitable for all ages and interests.
Adventura Sevilla
This is an adventure park located just in Seville, and its grounds spreads over three hectors. It provides plenty of outdoors activities, such as; zip-wires, tree circuit activities, paintballing, archery, team-building, balloon rides, and more for both adults and children. It is located just on the outskirts of Dos Hermanas, in the region of Seville.