Hotels in Jerez de la Frontera range from boutique establishments set in converted period houses with roof terraces in the old centre, to larger, more modern places located a short distance away, many with gardens and swimming pools. There are also a number of hostals and bed and breakfasts, offering great value for money in the centre of the town.
Well-known as the place where sherry that classic English tipple, is produced, Jerez is also equally famous both for its horses and its flamenco. Situated in the province of Cadiz, and larger than its capital city, it is only 20km from the coast, but has an aristocratic, anglophile atmosphere all of its own. A major event in Jerez's annual calendar is the colourful, lively Vendimia (Grape Harvest) Festival in September.
Located inland, 20 km from Sanlúcar, Jerez holds worldwide acclaim for its sherry and brandy production. The word Jerez is derived from Arabic and has now become synonymous with the English word ‘sherry’. The city is equally famous for its fine horses as well as Flamenco music and dance.
Huelva's bus station is at Calle Doctor Rubio (Tel: 959 25 69 00) providing with regular buses to Seville and resorts along the coast. There is a twice-daily service to Portugal and the Sierra de Aracena iin the north of Huelva province and one bus a day to Cádiz, Granada and Malaga.
Although most of Huelva's historic buildings suffered badly in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake, several pre-18th-century churches escaped destruction or were successfully restored. The most famous of these is the Sanctuario de Nuestra Señora la Virgen de la Cinta, with its links to Columbus, while the oldest is the Iglesia de San Pedro.
Huelva has always been known more for the beaches in the surrounding area, than for the city itself. Known by the Phoenicians as Onuba, it has a long history, closely linked to the sea and nearby mineral riches, and apart from the less attractive industrial port area, has some interesting sights, although many monuments were destroyed in the 1755 Lisbon earthquake.
The nightlife in Granada is some of the best in Andalucía. As a world-famous university city, it has a large amount of students, so there is a very eclectic mix of venues and music on offer. From electro, to pop, to rock music; in Spanish, English and Irish bars, you will always find somewhere to suit your musical or atmospheric taste.
For more than half a century this amazing festival of international music and dance has brought some of the world’s best musicians and dance performers to Granada bringing the city’s top venues to life.
Granada Bus Station is situated on Avenida de Juan Pablo II, in the north west of the city about 3km from city centre. it is the only bus station in Granada having replaced the older 'Camino de Ronda' station in 1995. The metropolitan (urban) red bus line numbers 5, 33 and 21 go from outside the bus staion to different parts of the city. There is a metro stop outside the bus station.
Granada boasts one of the most magnificently positioned palaces in the world, as wondrous to behold from across the gorge, with the white peaks of the Sierra Nevada glinting behind in the sun, as it is to examine close at hand, with its elaborate symbolic designs. The city has a fascinating history, which can still be seen today in Granada´s carmens and Arab baths.
Granada Train Station is situated at the convergence of Calle de Halcon and Calle Doctor Jaime Garcia Royo. Trains are an easy way to travel to and from the city of Granada, it is also possible to take trains from Granada (RENFE) Train Station to towns in Granada province.
May is the best month to visit Cordoba, with its riot of colourful and fragrant celebrations. The floral excitements kick off with the Battle of the Flowers parade, followed by the Cruces de Mayo - a competition of flower-decorated crosses, between city neighbourhoods, then the Patios Festival - traditional Andalucian houses whose interior courtyards are festooned with potted flowers and plants, bursting with blooms.
The AVE high speed train links Cordoba with Sevilla (45min) and Madrid ( 2hrs) and also Antequera and Malaga. The RENFE station opened in 1994 and is located in the northwest of the city. More Cordoba station.
Museums in Cordoba City: Museo de Joyerá Regina, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, Museo Arqueológico, Museo de Bellas Artes, Museo Julio Romero de Torres, Museo Diocesano de Bellas Artes, Museo Monográfico Madinat Al-Zahra and more.
Once the largest city of Roman Spain, Córdoba later formed the heart of the western Islamic empire. Today, the city is a typical bustling, noisy Andalusian city, with lots of atmosphere, fascinating sites, intriguing small streets and shops and the inevitable fabulous choice of restaurants and bars. Download pdf list of sites in Córdoba with their opening hours.
Cordoba is best known as being home to one of Andalucia's three great monuments: the Mezquita, the other two being Seville's Alcazar and Granada's Alhambra. Like the other two, the city embodies the region's rich cultural and religious history: the Mezquita - which dates from Cordoba's zenith, as capital of Al-Andalus and the largest and most important city in Western Europe, with 500,000 inhabitants.
The Patio contests is sponsored by the Córdoba City Hall and began in 1918. But to really understand why a contest of this type was created in Córdoba you must know something about the local architecture.
Cadiz´s name and reputation have forever been linked with its maritime adventures. It was from this ancient port city, dramatically situated on a spit of land surrounded on three sides by the sea, that two of Columbus´ four voyages set out for the New World. During the Franco era it was known as a hotbed of dissent, with its legendary carnival continuing despite the dictator´s ban on such decadent events.
Cadiz stands on a peninsula jutting out into a bay, and is almost entirely surrounded by water. Named Gadir by the Phoencians, who founded their trading post in 1100 BC, it was later controlled by the Carthaginians, until it became a thriving Roman port.
The city of Almeria was founded in 955 by the Arabs, but there are sites that trace their origins to prehistoric times. The hill where the Alcazaba is currently was the subject of the earliest occupation in prehistoric times, likely to be during the Bronze Age.
