163 Best Sights in Andalusia, Spain

The 15th-century home and official residence of the late 18th Duchess of Alba is an oasis of peace and quiet in the bustling city. Set around an ornate patio with Mudejar arches and a central fountain, the house includes antiques and paintings, as well as memorabilia relating to the duchess. Revered in the city and one of Spain's most important noblewomen and society figures, Cayetana de Alba loved bullfighting, flamenco, and ceramics. The visit (first floor only) also includes the stables, gardens (said to have inspired some of Antonio Machado's most famous early verses), and a Gothic chapel.

At the end of the Paseo Padre Manjón, this 17th-century noble house today holds Granada's municipal archives and is used for municipal functions and art exhibits. You're free to wander about the large garden, the only area open to visitors.

This 17th-century palace is one of Córdoba's most splendid aristocratic homes. Also known as the Museo de los Patios, it contains 12 interior patios, each one different: the patios and gardens are planted with cypresses, orange trees, and myrtles. Inside the building are a carriage museum, a library, embossed leather wall hangings, filigree silver, and grand galleries and staircases. As you enter, note that the corner column of the first patio has been removed to allow the entrance of horse-drawn carriages.

This stone palace with twin Mudejar towers was probably the residence of Ronda's Moorish kings. Fernando and Isabel appropriated it after their victory in 1485. Today it's the museum of Ronda, and you can wander through the patios, with their brick arches and delicate Mudejar-stucco tracery and admire the mosaics and artesonado (coffered) ceiling. The second floor holds a small museum with archaeological items found near Ronda, plus the reproduction of a dolmen, a prehistoric stone monument.

This splendid baroque palace that primarily can be viewed from the outside (guided tours are by appointment only and must be arranged in advance by phone) is largely the work of architect Leonardo de Figueroa. Built between 1682 and 1796, it was first a naval academy and then the residence of the Bourbon dukes of Montpensier, during which time it outshone Madrid's royal court for sheer brilliance. The palace gardens are now Parque María Luisa, and the building itself is the seat of the Andalusian government. The main portal, vintage 1734, is a superb example of the fanciful churrigueresque style.

This building conceals the Islamic seminary built in 1349 by Yusuf I. The intriguing baroque facade is elaborate; inside, across from the entrance, an octagonal room (viewable from the patio only) is crowned by a Moorish dome. It hosts occasional free art and cultural exhibitions.

Across from Granada's convention center and easily reached on Bus No. C4, this science museum is one of the most visited museums in Andalusia. It has a planetarium and interactive demonstrations of scientific experiments. The 165-foot observation tower has views to the south and west.

Lining the Río Darro, this street is also known as the Paseo de los Tristes (Promenade of the Sad Ones) because funeral processions once passed this way. The cafés and bars here are good places for a coffee break. The park, dappled with wisteria-covered pergolas, fountains, and stone walkways, has a stunning view of the Alhambra's northern side.

Peninsular Spain's second-highest mountain is 11,125 feet high. The view from its summit across the Alpujarras to the sea at distant Motril is stunning, and on a very clear day you can see the coast of North Africa. When the snow melts (July and August) you can drive or take a minibus from the Albergue Universitario (Universitario Mountain Refuge) to within around 400 yards of the summit—a trail takes you to the top in around 45 minutes.

It's cold up there, so take a warm jacket and scarf, even if Granada is sizzling hot.

There's plenty of golden sand at this wide, urban beach. The boardwalk fills with beach bars in summer.

Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards (in season); showers; toilets; parking (no fee).

Best for: partiers; sunset.

The 5-km (3-mile) stretch of fine golden sand running from Mazagón to the frontier of the Doñana National Park forms one of the last unspoiled beaches in Andalusia. Dunes flank most of the beach, along with attractive sandstone cliffs; the Parador de Mazagón perches here. At the western end, the beach is popular with locals and visitors, beach bars are plentiful, and towel space at a premium in August. Walk in an easterly direction, however, and the beach becomes a much quieter affair. Bathing is generally safe, but watch for rip currents when it's windy. Amenities: food and drink (June 15–September 15); lifeguards; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.

This grandiose half-moon of buildings on the eastern edge of Parque María Luisa was Spain's centerpiece pavilion at the 1929 World's Fair. The brightly colored azulejo pictures represent the provinces of Spain, while the four bridges symbolize the medieval kingdoms of the Iberian Peninsula. In fine weather you can rent small boats to row along the arc-shape canal. To escape the crowds and enjoy views of the square from above, pop upstairs.

The 17th-century Convento de Capuchinos surrounds this small square north of Plaza de San Miguel. The square is where you feel most deeply the city's languid pace. In its center, a statue of Cristo de los Faroles (Christ of the Lanterns) stands amid eight lanterns hanging from twisted wrought-iron brackets.

This shady square filled with palms and orange trees is separated from the Murillo Gardens by an iron grillwork and ringed with stately glass balconies. At its center is a monument to Don Juan Tenorio, the famous Don Juan known for his amorous conquests.

The square and café terraces around it—and its atmospheric tavern, Taberna San Miguel–Casa El Pisto—form one of the city's finest combinations of art, history, and gastronomy. San Miguel Church has an interesting façade with Romanesque doors built around Mudejar horseshoe arches and a Mudejar dome inside.

The main square of the medieval city is surrounded by palaces as well as the cathedral. The highlight is the fountain, built in 1564 and resembling a triumphal arch.

At the edge of the Barrio de los Toreros, a quarter where many of Córdoba's famous bullfighters were born and raised, stands a statue of the famous bullfighter Manolete (1917–47) opposite the lovely church of Santa Marina de Aguas Santas (St. Marina of Holy Waters), built by Fernando III when he conquered the city in 1236. Not far from here, on the Plaza de la Lagunilla, is a bust of Manolete.

The main sight in Ronda's commercial center, El Mercadillo, is the bullring. Pedro Romero (1754–1839), the father of modern bullfighting and Ronda's most famous native son, is said to have killed 5,600 bulls here during his career. In the museum beneath the plaza you can see posters for Ronda's very first bullfights, held here in 1785. The plaza was once owned by the late bullfighter Antonio Ordóñez, on whose nearby ranch Orson Welles's ashes were scattered—indeed, the ring has become a favorite of filmmakers. Every September, the bullring is the scene of Ronda's corridas goyescas, named after Francisco Goya, whose tauromaquias (bullfighting sketches) were inspired by Romero's skill and art. The participants and the dignitaries in the audience don the costumes of Goya's time for the occasion. 

Sevillanos have spent many a thrilling evening in this bullring, one of the oldest and loveliest plazas de toros in Spain, built between 1760 and 1763. The 20-minute tour (in English) takes in the empty arena, a museum with elaborate costumes and prints, and the chapel where matadors pray before the fight. Bullfights take place in the evening Thursday–Sunday from April through July and in September. Tickets can be booked online or by phone; book well in advance to be sure of a seat.

Up Calle Prim, this plaza in the heart of the old town is bordered by 17th-century houses with Moorish overtones.

Near the ayuntamiento is this pretty square surrounded by white-and-yellow houses and filled with orange trees and elegant street lamps. It's especially lively during the evening paseo.

Immediately south of the Plaza de España, this is Ronda's most famous bridge, an architectural marvel built between 1755 and 1793. The bridge's lantern-lit parapet offers dizzying views of the awesome gorge. Just how many people have met their ends here nobody knows, but the architect of the Puente Nuevo fell to his own death while inspecting work on the bridge. During the civil war, hundreds of victims were hurled from it.

Outside this old Moorish gate at the northern entrance of the Judería is a statue of Seneca, the Córdoba-born philosopher who rose to prominence in Nero's court in Rome and was forced to commit suicide at his emperor's command. The gate stands at the top of the narrow and colorful Calle San Felipe.

Boat trips can take you up the river, stopping at various points in the park; the Real Fernando, with bar and café, does a 3½-hour cruise up the Guadalquivir to the Coto de Doñana and a combined 2½-hour boat trip with a jeep tour in Doñana. Book ahead.

Next door to the Church of the Holy Cross are the remains of a 1st-century-BC Roman theater, one of the oldest and largest in Spain. The stage is unexcavated (it lies under nearby houses), but you can visit the entrance and large seating area as well as the visitor center.

The Plaza Vázquez de Molina, in the heart of the casco antiguo, is the site of this building, which is photographed so often that it's become the city's unofficial symbol. It was built by Vandelvira, but he based his design on several plans drafted in 1536 by Diego de Siloé, architect of Granada's cathedral. Considered one of the masterpieces of Spanish Renaissance religious art, the chapel was sacked in the frenzy of church burnings at the outbreak of the civil war, but it retains its ornate western façade and altarpiece, which has a rare Berruguete sculpture.

This 17th-century church has many fine works by artists such as Martínez Montañés and Francisco Pacheco, but its outstanding piece is Juan de Mesa y Velasco's Jesús del Gran Poder (Christ Omnipotent).

This classically dark Spanish church displays the Mudejar style of Islamic decoration and art forms. Córdoba's well-kept city park, the pleasant Jardines de la Victoria (Victory Gardens), with tile benches and manicured bushes, is a block west.

The Sandeman brand of sherry is known for its dashing man-in-a-cape logo. Tours of the sherry bodegas in Jerez give you some insight into his history and let you visit the cellars. Some visitors purchase tapas to have with their sherry tastings. There is also a museum and shop on-site.

This Gothic church was built between 1424 and 1518 on the site of Carmona's former Great Mosque and retains its beautiful Moorish courtyard, studded with orange trees.