Andalucia Magazine 2013 | Andalucia Highlights

Welcome to the Andalucia Highlights 2013!

This ezine is dedicated to southern Spain, where the sun shines, outdoor life is the order of the day, and parties are celebrated everywhere, all the year round, from tiny villages to big cities, with everyone from babies to grandparents joining in the fun. Whatever your interests – bird-watching, adrenalin sports, gastronomy, nightlife, culture, history, a villa with sea views, or just lying on a beach – you’ll find what you’re after here in Andalucia. Explore the finest of the region in the pages of southern Spain's best online magazine.

Visit our current issue of Andalucia Magazine, with details of events happening around the region this month, from contemporary art exhibitions, to age-old local fiestas. We list all the most important ferias and local happenings from every part of Andalucia, whether in the smallest hamlets or major cities – Carnaval, Spring Fairs, music festivals. Back issues of Andalucia Magazine can be viewed here too. Every month we bring you an updated edition of this essential information source, focusing on aspects of Andalucian culture both traditional and modern, and famous personalities: writers, singers, actors, designers, restaurateurs, artists, bullfighters and many other celebrities born in Andalucia or otherwise connected to southern Spain – Picasso, Antonio Banderas, Jose Pizarro, to name a few. Andalucia Magazine is your number one ezine for all things Andalucian.

There are so many Andalucias: the quiet, off-the-beaten track one, where you can rent a villa in the middle of nowhere, do all your shopping from local growers and producers, and enjoy the solitude and spectacular mountain views with abundant wildlife on your doorstep – try the Sierra de Ronda, the Alpujarras, the Picos de Aroche, close to Doñana National Park, a birder’s paradise. Then there’s the cultural buzz of a cosmopolitan city, perfect for a weekend break: the latest avant-garde art exhibitions, quirky museums, one-off fashion designers, contemporary architecture, trendy tapas bars and glam rooftop terraces: Malaga, Granada, Seville.

Beach bunnies will love super-chic resorts with all-night open-air cocktail bars and nightclubs, where they can rub shoulders with other glamorous, sophisticated people. Or for the more low-key – a quiet cove with a small chiriginguito (beach restaurant) where children can splash about in rock pools or explore caves – the Costa de Almeria. If history’s your thing, then Andalucia has prehistoric caves, Moorish castles, fairytale palaces, Roman ruins, stories, legends and dynasties to keep you interested for years, including many UNESCO World Heritage sites. Those who want a fast-paced adventure can find steep mountains to climb, snowboard, bike or parascend down, big waves to surf on, and fast rivers to kayak.

Nowadays southern Spain offers a huge range of holiday courses where you can learn about everything from photography and painting, to yoga and spiritual healing, to flamenco dancing, to sherry and cooking. A double-bonus – you get to find our more about a passion, while enjoying the wonderful warm weather and hospitality of the Andalucians. The latest fashion is for bootcamps – a fast, fun way to lose weight and get fit; less energetic, but equally enjoyable (and scenic, too) is golf: there are over 100 courses, with many located on the Costa del Sol.

Foodies are well catered for in Andalucia, whose reputation as a gastronomic destination continues to grow – hardly surprising, with such superb produce on offer, cultivated and farmed for centuries – jamon iberico, fresh seafood and vegetables. Whether it’s tapas, a three-course meal, or a full-blown tasting menu, innovation and prime raw ingredients make for a memorable eating experience. Many towns and cities also hold regular markets selling local produce, so you can take a piece of Andalucia home with you. Whatever your tastes – and budget – southern Spain offers you a truly memorable holiday.

You’d be hard-pressed to do and see everything in one trip, which is why so many decide to move to southern Spain, either for part of the year – to escape the increasingly harsh British winters, for example - or permanently.

If you decide to stay, Andalucia Magazine will also provide you with all the information you need for living in Andalucia, whether you choose to retire here, or to set up a business and enjoy a whole new life in the sun.