Though visitors often overlook the south in favor of the iconic attractions of northern and central Spain, this is a region begging for exploration. Holidays to the Costa del Sol can be tailor-made to suit you. From bullfighting and tapas to shimmering Mediterranean islands, Spain is a dream come true. It has five cities namely Seville, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, and Cadiz. It’s great for experiencing Spanish traditions, too – bullfighting and flamenco both originated here. The birthplace of Pablo Picasso, Málaga emits an artsy vibe and boasts a range of compelling galleries. Airline-imposed, The History and Recipe of a Traditional Black Forest Cake, The 10 Best-Kept Secrets of Southern France, Guide to the Best Afternoon Tea in London. Right by the sea, the five-star Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort is a family-friendly complex perched right on Dorada beach, with views across the sea to Isla de Lobos and Fuerteventura. Our website uses cookies to improve your experience. We rely on advertising to help fund our award-winning journalism. Just slip out of your hotel and into the warm, turquoise sea – whether you want to snorkel, surf or just float the day away. The food here is impressive too, with everything from Michelin-starred restaurants to seafood shacks. El Palmar in Vejer de la Frontera is known as the surf capital in Andalucia and is popular for its laid-back atmosphere and unspoiled landscape. If there’s one monument you must see in Southern Spain, it’s the Alhambra. Though Andalusia is among the warmest places in Europe, you can ski here from late November until early May. Ibiza Where to Stay in Ibiza. Please ask for it and check to ensure that everything you booked (flights, hotels and other services) is listed on it. Seville. Mallorca's sister island, Menorca, is sometimes considered the most laid-back island owing to its picture-perfect beaches, rugged landscapes, and a complete absence of wild nightclubs. Far from the braying crowds of the larger resorts, the stretch of coastline between Palamós, about an hour north of Barcelona, and Cadaqués near the French border has some of the clearest waters in the Mediterranean. Which European islands could benefit from the new quarantine policy? The impressive facilities include four pools (one beach-facing), an acclaimed tennis club, a Six Senses spa, a nightclub and no fewer than 12 restaurants. The city of Valencia boasts two particularly fine beaches for soaking up the southern Spanish sun: there's the Playa de la Malvarrosa and, adjoining it to the south, Playa de las Arenas. Jerez de la Frontera is one of the secret wonders of southern Spain, a city that combines the stateliness of the Andalusian capital with the scruffy charms of Cádiz. Art lovers will have their work cut out for them thanks to an impressive roster of museums including the Museo Carmen Thyssen Málaga, the Centre de Arte Contemporaneo de Málaga, an outpost of Paris’s Centre Pompidou, and, of course, the Museo Picasso Málaga, which received a refresh last year. The Genal River Valley, tucked away near Ronda in Southern Spain, is just an hour’s drive from the glitz and glamor of Marbella, the hedonistic capital of luxury on the Costa del Sol. The low-key resort of Playa Blanca in the south of the island curves around beaches of golden sand that are great for families. Groups of entertainers called chirigotas roam the streets, performing satirical sketches as they go. Lively bars and restaurants create a party atmosphere during summer months, and each year on June 23 locals and tourists alike flock down to the sandy shoreline for a raucous night of festivities to celebrate St John's Eve, including live music, dancing and night-time swimming. The capital of Moorish Spain, Córdoba sits  in the center of Andalusia on the Guadalquivir River. After a day of sightseeing, chill out at the Hospes Palacio del Bailío, a member of Design Hotels in a restored 16th-century palace in the city center featuring thermal Roman baths in its spa and a show-stopping courtyard restaurant where you can peek at ancient Roman ruins beneath the glass floor. Described by the poet and Hispanophile Laurie Lee as “probably the most beautiful and haunting of all Spanish cities”, Granada spills out from in between the lush Darro valley at the bottom of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Explore More: See hotel details | See all Province of Seville, Spain hotels. With so many top destinations Spain it is easy to see why holidaymakers return to Spain time and time again. Julius Caesar founded a city called Acinipo here in the first century AD. If there’s one monument you must see in Southern Spain, it’s the Alhambra. 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If you do receive an ATOL Certificate but all the parts of your trip are not listed on it, those parts will not be ATOL protected. The crowning jewel is the Mezquita, the mosque-cathedral that stands as a symbol of the city’s multicultural history. Torremolinos. Best beach in the Balearics? Here are seven incredible places that will ignite your wanderlust and provide fuel for planning your next trip to Spain. Madrid, Barcelona, and Basque Country may be Spain’s most classic destinations, but the country’s south boasts plenty of places worth planning a trip to. Use our insider connections to know where to go and what to do. All the flight-inclusive holidays on this website are financially protected by the ATOL scheme. And you’re just an hour away from the Costa del Sol. Picasso may be Málaga's biggest claim to fame (it was his birthplace, after all), but there are plenty of other reasons to visit this culture-rich coastal town. All products are independently selected by our writers and editors. Check out our full list of the best places to stay in the Canary Islands, here. Registered address: Wigmore House, Wigmore Lane, Luton, Bedfordshire, United Kingdom, LU2 9TN, About TUI MyTUI app Cookies Notice Manage Cookie Preferences Privacy Notice Terms & conditions Ways to Pay Media Centre Travel Jobs Affiliates Discover Google Play Store App Store for Ios Travel Money Holiday Budget Calculator TUI Group document.getElementById("copyRightYear").innerHTML = "© "+new Date().getFullYear() + " TUI Group"; First Choice Holiday Brochures Travel After Brexit Holiday WeatherNHS Discounts. Well worth a guided visit, is the last stronghold of the Moorish Kingdom, the most visited site in southern Spain, the mystical Alhambra in Granada. Southern Spain is home to an unfair share of beautiful towns and cities. It's impossible not to be enchanted by Andalucía’s capital city, what with its fascinating history, fabulously warm weather, endless flamenco performances, and incredible food. It makes up for this, however, with its colourful retro-chic design, a rooftop restaurant with a reputation for excellent and creative Catalan cuisine, and a pleasure palace of a spa offering traditional Thai massages, a sauna and steam room, and a small gym. Phoenician sailors established the city 3,000 years ago, and Cádiz played a vital role in Spanish exploration in the 16th and 17th centuries. Seville is likely to be one of the most romantic and attractive cities you’ll ever experience. Five-star Gran Hotel Atlantis Bahia Real, Fuerteventura, You need to be a subscriber to join the conversation. May 15, 2018 5 min. Holidays to El Gastor guarantee a slice of authentic Andalucia, with lakes and mountains all part of the scenic view. Spains regions are very similar to the concept of states in the USA, but with more autonomy. These are the capital cities of the provinces with the same name. Outside its windows, the Bay of Biscay splashes against the town's gold-tinged beach. Walk along the Balcón de Europa for exquisite views of the Mediterranean Sea and Sierras de Tejeda. Or maybe a resort-style complex right by the Mediterranean on the Costa del Sol, where you can have lunch with your feet in the sand. If you do not receive an ATOL Certificate then the booking will not be ATOL protected. Founded by Romans and then ruled by Islamic Moors over 800 years, Andalucia is a living tribute to Moorish heritage with its Alcazars, Mosques and whitewashed hilltop towns, threaded by winding, cobblestone streets. La Mezquita—the city’s iconic mosque-turned-cathedral—exemplifies the style with its candy-striped arches and gilded interiors. Costa Calma, as the name might suggest, is still largely free of the crowds you'll find further north (particularly round Puerto del Rosario), although who can say for how long? Granada has a decidedly bohemian vibe with a good deal of student-driven nightlife to enjoy. Sierra Nevada National Park also offers rock climbing and hiking, and nurtures a large population of Spanish ibex, boars, wildcats and a variety of birds. A structured site for locating useful information about Andalucia, and Southern Spain. It's a bit further away from the town's main beach (a long, sunbather-friendly stretch of sand), but is conveniently placed for the much quieter Playa de Matas Blancas, which is stonier, but arguably far better than its neighbour for surfing and windsurfing (each beach has its own surf school. Its star monument is the mighty Alhambra fortress. Visitors can lounge on a beach or hit the ski slopes—all within an area the size of South Carolina. The hotel may be the oldest in Tamariu and one of the oldest on the Costa Brava but the interiors have been tastefully decorated to feel fresh and contemporary.