Property Andalucia Spain

The southern region of Spain is one of the country’s most varied and diverse. Andalucía stretches from the Portuguese border to the Mediterranean Sea and has wonderful beaches, tall mountains with excellent skiing, deserts, cultural delights, beautiful old cities and modern resorts. There is something for visitors and residents to do and enjoy year round, from the mountains to the sea.

Andalucía has several major coastal areas, called costas, that are popular with summer tourists and holiday travelers. These include the Costa del Sol, probably the most well-known holiday destination in Spain. There are also the Costa Almeria and Costa Tropical that are, like the Costa del Sol, on the Mediterranean coast, and on the Atlantic coast is the Costa de la Luz. These coastal areas are all detailed in their own regional sections, but they add to the variety and beauty of southern Spain.

As can be expected in an area so large, the weather in Andalucía varies quite a bit. The coastal areas have a year-round Mediterranean climate, with plenty of sun and dry, warm summers. Winters along the Mediterranean coast are quite pleasant, but when you move to the Atlantic coast on the east it gets much cooler and wetter. Inland, the temperature is generally warmer until you get into the mountains. In the summer, it can get into the 40s C, while at night it can often reach 30, making air conditioning a must. Winters are mild, but there is lots of snow in the mountains, where there is some very nice skiing.

Granada and Cordoba are the other two major inland cities in Andalucía, and both are very historic places with some of the best examples of Moorish architecture anywhere. The Mezquita, or Great Mosque, in Cordoba is a classic building that dates back to the 8^th century. It has dazzling columns and arches that support the roof and a bell tower built on the site of the original minaret. To the south of the region is Ronda and the Pueblos Blancos, or white towns. These towns are whitewashed in Moorish tradition and are located on fortified hilltops to keep bandits away. They are now mostly working agricultural towns and offer a nice getaway from the city or resort.

The Sierra Madre Mountains, located in the southeast part of Spain and Andalucía, are the Spanish mainland’s tallest with fourteen peaks reaching over 3,000 meters. Mulhacen is the tallest at 3,483 meters, and the snow can be seen on the mountains most of the year. The skiing at the Sierra Madre Resort is considered the best in Spain, and it is centered on the town of Pradollano, usually just called Sierra Nevada, which is less than an hour southeast from Granada. The resort has hosted World Cup races and has plenty for skiers of all abilities. The town itself is a modern resort, built specifically for the ski area. As such, it has plenty of places to stay and lease during the winter and summer, but lacks some of the charm of Spanish villages and towns.

Getting to Andalucía is simple, and there are many options for you to consider. There are several international airports in the major cities, and discount airlines have made this part of Spain one of their most popular destinations. Summer offers the best selection of flights, particularly to the coastal cities. Malaga Airport (AGP) is the nation’s third busiest and is the primary destination for those who are traveling to the Costa del Sol. Its location, though, makes it convenient for getting to much of the entire region, and it has so many flights and airlines that you can find something from any major UK city to fit your budget and schedule. From Malaga, you can travel east or west along the coast, or head inland.

The next busiest airport is Sevilla’s San Pablo Airport (SVQ), which handles over four million passengers annually. It has daily flights to and from the UK on a number of carriers and is a good location if you are heading to the western part of Andalucía. Almeria Airport (LEI) is a popular one in the summer season, but also has regular flights to the UK year round. Granada’s Federico Garcia Lorca Airport (GRX) and Jerez Airport (XRY) on the southwest coast both have some international flights as well, so there are plenty of options for flyers.

If you don’t want to fly, Spain has a reasonably good network of trains run by RENFE, the state-owned train company. There is high-speed service from Madrid to Cordoba and Sevilla, plus regular train service to Malaga, Cadiz, Huelva and Algeciras. There is also a regional network that can get you most anywhere you need to go.

This large and varied region of Spain is a great place for those who want a little bit of everything. Once you get off the coast, there are many places that make an ideal second home or retirement destination.