Andalucia.com Newsletter Spring 2026 |
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Andalucia, a land of festivals © Michelle Chaplow |
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Spring 2026 Newsletter
Happy Birthday to us!
From Dial up to Digital: The 1996 Story
It’s hard to imagine now, but when Andalucia.com first flickered into existence on 17 April 1996, the “Information Superhighway” was more of a rough dirt track. Back then, the internet was a world of high-pitched dial-up modem tones and Internet for Dummies guidebooks.
As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we’re recalling the steps that led us to launch the website.
A Sabbatical, a Problem, and a Postcard
The seeds were sown long before the first line of code was written. In 1989, a young civil engineer named Chris Chaplow was granted a sabbatical year out from his engineering position in Carlisle. Together with his partner Michelle, they set off on a backpacking journey across Central & South America.
Having learned basic Spanish while on their travels, and fomented a fondness for Hispanic culture, Chris and Michelle decided to emigrate to Spain. Yet a challenge awaited them......
30 Years of Passion
San Roque Semana Santa © Michelle Chaplow |
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30 Years, one heartbeat
From 1996 to 2026, the essence of Andalucia’s traditions are unchanged.
Why the timeless magic of Andalucia's festivals has remained steadfast in the face of the digital era's constant, fast-paced change.
We launched Andalucia.com 30 years ago to document and share what we experienced via a new digital medium. Since then, we’ve documented hundreds of processions, festivals, and events. While the way we consume our media has changed, the passion of the people still remains the same. In this special anniversary feature, we celebrate the enduring traditions that remain the heartbeat of Andalucia.
In the three decades since Andalucia.com first went live in 1996, the world has been transformed by modern infrastructure, smartphones, and global connectivity. Yet, if you walk through the streets of villages and cities during Holy Week processions, you are stepping into a world that remains gloriously unchanged over centuries. This isn’t a performance, but a living heritage, passed carefully from one generation to the next.
The Feria of Seville is another fine example; fashions may change, but the ethos is the same. Each detail - from the cut of a traje de flamenca, to the cadence of a passing carriage, bears a legacy preserved over generations. This is not nostalgia, but continuity: a living, breathing expression of place, defined by authenticity and an enduring sense of belonging.
Many visitors admire the sheer stamina required to celebrate and uphold these traditions, and with the Feria de Sevilla just around the corner, we have compiled an essential survival guide to help you navigate the Seville spring fair with confidence. Drawing on more than two decades of insider knowledge, it is written by our contributing editor and long-time Seville resident, Fiona Flores Watson.
30 Years of Icons : The Spirit of Andalucia
Patios de San Basilio © Michelle Chaplow |
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A Land of Festivals
Since 1996, our mission has been to uncover the authentic heart of the region. Here are the traditions; from the world-famous to the wonderfully obscure, that our readers have loved for three decades.
1. The Courtyards of Córdoba (Los Patios): A sea of potted geraniums and other blooms spread across the stone floors, stairs and walls of traditional courtyards.
2. The Cascamorras (Baza & Guadix): Perhaps the most obscure yet exhilarating festival in Spain, this takes place in two Granada villages. Every September, a "Cascamorras" from one village is chased through the streets while the locals from the other try to cover them in covered in black oil (Baza) or coloured paste (Guadix). It is a photographer's dream and a truly iconic festival.
3. The Romería de El Rocío: It isn't just a pilgrimage; it is a dusty, soulful journey through the spectacular Doñana National Park, a haven for wildlife from lynx to golden eagles. This was one of the first festivals photographed for Andalucia.com after the website was set up, on Monday 27 May 1996.
4. The spring and summer ferias (every city, town and village has one) that run from April in Seville to October in San Pedro de Alcántara. These involve dressing up in flamenca dresses, eating, drinking, dancing, and socialising till late.
5. The Night of the Candles (Vejer de la Frontera): A more modern tradition compared to some, but one that perfectly captures the spirit of present-day Andalucia, where thousands of candles light up a beautiful white hilltop village.
6. Verdiales Music competition takes place outside Málaga city every 28th December. Groups practice Verdiales songs accompanied by their traditional folk dance and decked out in unforgettable costumes and floral headpieces.
Interview
Contributor Spotlight: 30 years behind the lens
A conversation with Michelle Chaplow
Michelle Chaplow, The Alhambra, Granada © Michelle Chaplow |
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To mark the 30th anniversary of Andalucia.com, we are revisiting the archives and speaking to the individuals who have shaped the website’s core values of authority, independence, and depth. In this edition, we sit down with Michelle Chaplow, its leading visual contributor and a true pioneer in documenting Southern Spain for over three decades.
Michelle has studied photography at Seville University, The Contemporary Art Museum in Malaga and the MoMA in New York.
Her three decades of living in Andalucia and her uncompromising commitment to journalistic depth have made her an expert visual chronicler.
Q: Michelle, for 30 years, your lens has captured the essence of Southern Spain. When you look back at your vast archive, is there one image that you feel perfectly encapsulates the website’s 30-year mission?
"The real soul of Andalucía isn’t found in a pose; it lives in the quiet, in-between moments. This image which I titled "The Flirt of Cazorla" has always been one of my favourite photographs. Taken 30 years ago, it perfectly fulfils our aim: sharing moments of local life in every corner of Andalucia.
It’s a candid street photograph taken in Cazorla, a town in Jaén province. I was walking toward the main square when I noticed a scene unfolding before me: two old friends in conversation, laughing together. The man was standing beside his donkey, and the woman had just stepped into the street, still wearing her apron. There was something playful, almost flirtatious, in their exchange. They were completely absorbed in the moment, oblivious to the camera.
I didn’t intrude; I simply observed and captured them together — natural, warm and spontaneous.
To me, that image represents everything that Andalucia.com stands for: human connection, the quiet joy of discovering rural communities, the authentic, unhurried rhythm of life that defines the less visited parts of Andalucía."
The story is so good, even the donkey seems intrigued © Michelle Chaplow |
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Next Newsletter
Join us in July for our relaunched Summer Edition, where we move from the orange blossoms of spring to the crystalline secrets of the holiday season.
- 30 Summers of Sun: A then & now retrospective
- 10 Hidden Gems: The definitive list of secret spots we love to share.
- Seasonal Sounds: Highlights from summer line-ups and music festivals.
In the meantime, we invite you to explore 30 years of independent expertise at Andalucia.com. A wealth of information is at your fingertips, just waiting to be discovered.