GranadaGranada is a very cosmopolitan city with an ever changing population due to the large numbers of students that move into the area to study during the year. The city buzzes with life from morning to night and there are no shortages of places to stay, to visit, to eat, and the shopping is excellent too. The custom built ski resort 'Sol y Nieve', (so called because you can ski in the morning and sunbathe on Granadas 'Costa Tropical' beach in the afternoon) is situated high up in the Sierra Nevada mountains. It is a very pretty resort with many shops, restaurants and bars. It has everything that a skier could possibly need, and the skiing isn't bad either!!   Ski Village Salobrena Beach on the Costa Tropical Granada really can deliver that all year round holiday experience. The weather here is seasonal and you can expect blue skies and sunshine, along with frosts and snow during the winter season. The spring is possibly my favourite time of the year in Granada when the trees and wildflowers are in full bloom and the skies are blue and the sun shines all day. Summers can be very hot in Granada with temperatures reaching into the 40's. However the heat is dry and so it is easier to bear than the humid heat experienced in other parts of Spain. The autumn cool and a little rain is very welcome after the long hot summer, and I must say it is kind of cozy sitting in front of a blazing wood fire by the time we reach November/December. 
'Alhambra Palace' with mountain backdrop The Alhambra Palace is one of the most beautiful Palaces in the world. It is host to some 8000 visitors each day and is Spains most visited monument. No wonder that it was nominated to become one of the 'New Seven Wonders of the World'. In an attempt to preserve this wonderful Palace, the Generalife, and the magnificent gardens, the number of visitors allowed into the Palace are restricted each day. It is, therefore, a very good idea to book your tickets in advance in order to avoid disappointment if refused entry. You can do this on-line by visiting www.alhambratickets.com, or via any branch of the BBVA Bank whilst you are in Spain. Your tickets can be reserved either on the day you plan to visit, or up to a year in advance. The Alhambra Palace was the home of many of the Arabic sultans who ruled for centuries, hence the elaborate and sumptuous interior decorations and architecture. The gardens are well designed and very beautiful, and there is a recurrent theme of running water throughout the palace which gives you a feeling of peace and tranquility despite the vast numbers of people visiting at any one time. 
The old arabic quarter, or the 'Albaicin' as it is better known, is located on the hill opposite the Alhambra. It has cobblestone streets and old whitewashed houses and despite obvious neglect in times gone by, it is a most fascinating and unusual place to visit. It still retains a strong arabic feeling and there are many little shops and bars along the way where you can buy the lovely blue and white pottery which is typical of the area, and as you are in the heart of Granada, which is famous for its tapas, you will be served a plate with each alcoholic drink you order. An experience not to be missed.
Cordoba The 'Mesquita' in Cordoba is one of my favourite places to visit and I have to agree with Gerald Brennan, the British author, who said that in his opinion it was the most beautiful and original building in the whole of Spain. The Great Mosque or 'Mesquita' as it is better known was first built when Cordoba became the capital of the moorish kingdom 'El Andalus', and was added to and extended over the centuries until it became one of the worlds largest islam mosques. 
'Magnificent red and white arches in the Mesquita' When the Christians conquered the moors and took over the city they were so impressed with the beauty of the architectural design, that they left the mosque intact. However they undertook certain modifications to enable christian worship to take place within the original space. They removed a third of the pillars from the centre of the mosque, raised the roof, and created a space suitable for worship. This area within the building is still used to this day for regular services. The 'Puente Romano' bridge was built by the romans, stands on its original foundations, consists of 16 arches, and still carries enormous amounts of traffic across the river to this day. 
'Puente Romano' with view of museum At the south end of the bridge you will find the 'Museo Vivo de Al-Andalus'. This is an excellent museum, a great source of information on the history of Cordoba, and will greatly enhance your visit to the city. The museum also has models of the original Mesquita on display, and is probably a very good place to start your tour of the city. The information provided by the museum is available in many different languages including English. La Juderia or 'The Jewish Quarter' dates back to Roman times and has always been an important cultural centre. It is home to one of the few synagogues that exist today in Spain. The best time of year to visit is in the spring when you can amble through the winding, narrow cobbled streets and see some of the prettiest, most colourful, flower-filled courtyards and terraces as the locals compete to win the 'Concurso de Patios Cordobeses' or 'Most Beautiful Courtyard' competition. The competition takes place during the month of May and many home-owners in Cordoba take part. The patios are open for public viewing and information regarding 'when' and 'where' can be obtained from the Tourist Information Centre.
SevilleDuring the summer months Seville is probably the hottest city in Spain so please be prepared for this if you choose to visit in August. Seville is the administrative 'Capital' of Andalucia and is home to some 700.000 residents, which equates to around one half of the regions population. It is situated on the banks of the 'Guadalquivir' river and it was this location, and it's extremely busy inland port, that meant it was of strategic importance to commerce between Spain and the Americas. This will have been a major consideration on choosing the location of the Capital City.  Alcazar The 'Plaza de Espana' was purpose built in 1929 when Seville was host to the Ibero-American Exposition. Built within the lovely Marie Luisa Park it is a vast semi-circular complex complete with a man made lake and fountains in the centre. Just a ten minute walk from the plaza will bring you to Seville's magnificent cathedral built on the site of a great mosque in the 12th century it is now considered to be the largest cathedral in the world having overtaken St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome. 
The people of Seville are renowned for their joy of life and spectacular fiestas, and its celebrations and processions for Semana Santa (Easter Week), are so grand and spectacular that they are televised for the whole nation to watch and appreciate. Semana Santa spans the whole seven days of Easter and Seville stages processions each day with the participation of up to 57 brotherhoods carrying the enormous but magnificent statues, and dressed in the traditional hoods and gowns. Although the processions can feel quite solemn, the costumes of the brotherhoods are quite colourful and the streets are dressed with flowers and aromatic plants and so the whole experience is quite wonderful. The other major fiesta in Seville is the 'Feria de Abril' (April Fair) which was originally an agricultural andcattle fair. These days it bears no resemblance to the original fair and instead has become a major celebration for the people who dress up especially for the occasion making it a spectacle to see. It takes several months to plan and organise the fair, and people travel from miles around, sometimes by horse and cart, to see the procession and take part in the celebrations.
RondaThe 'Puente Nuevo' (The New Bridge) is over 200 years old and separates the old town from the newer city and the suburbs. In my family it is known as the 'Oh my Gosh' bridge (or words to that effect), as that is what we all said when looking down over the parapet. There is a point further on where you can walk down the steps and you can then see the bridge/gorge from a completely different perspective. However it is a long way down, and there are a large number of steps so would be unsuitable for anyone with walking difficulties. 
The 'Plaza de Toros' in Ronda is the oldest and most monumental bullring in Spain and although used infrequently it is host to a major bullfighting weekend in September. The bullring is open for visitors throughout the year and just a small entrance fee is charged. There is a museum on site that displays a pictoral history of the bullfight and also has on display some of the magnificent costumes worn by famous bullfighters of the past. You can also sit on the arena terraces and if you close your eyes you can almost imagine the calls of the crowds and the bellowing of the enraged bulls. 
We decided to do the touristy thing and pay to take a sightseeing tour by horse and carriage. We were very glad we had as it gave us an opportunity to see some of the historical buildings and landmarks that we may not have noticed otherwise. We retraced the tour on foot later to take in the history and the magnificent views and architecture at our leisure. In our opinion an excellent day out.
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