traveldk.com

These wind-blown ruins were once the third largest city in the Roman empire, founded in 206 BC and home to some half a million people during the reign of Emperor Hadrian in the 2nd century. He was following in the glorious footsteps of his predecessor Trajan, who was another Itálica native. There’s a huge amphitheatre to explore, as well as some fine mosaics amid the crumbling walls. Most of the wonders are still buried, however, while others have long since been quarried for their stone or moved to the Archaeological Museum in Seville (see Museo Arqueológico).

This mountain eyrie of a place opens out onto 360-degree panoramas of the Cazorla highland. The best view is from the mirador above the cliff at the village’s northern edge.

The largest city in Cádiz province is synonymous with the production of “sherry”, which is simply a corruption of “Jerez” – itself a corruption of the original Phoenician name of Xeres (see Brandy de Jerez). Before that, it was part of the fabled Tartessian civilization (8th century BC). Sights include an array of religious edifices, various palaces and a rather academic archaeological museum. However, flamenco and horses also get the credit for bringing the city international fame. It has a renowned centre for equestrian art, Andalucían style, and is home to one of the largest remaining gypsy populations, a determining force in flamenco tradition (see Aspects of Gypsy Culture).

Despite being home to the main airport bringing holiday-makers to the Costa del Sol, this provincial capital has been bypassed by the brunt of the “sun coast” development, and thus also by the swarms of foreign tourists. It has managed to hold onto its Spanish-ness quite admirably – despite recent attempts to bring it up to speed with the buzzing Costa lifestyle. An important trading port since ancient times, it was the favourite city of poet Federico García Lorca, who loved it for its rawness. But its even greater claim to artistic fame is that it was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, a fact that has now, at long last, been acknowledged by the presence of a Picasso museum, the third largest in the world dedicated to the modern master (see Museo Picasso, Málaga). Málaga’s alcázar, built between the 8th and 11th centuries, includes a Roman amphitheatre.

The Wild West rides again at this old “spaghetti western” movie set. At show time the kids can see Jesse James reach his ignominious end (see Almería City & Around).

Don’t let the austere exterior fool you – inside the church and sacristy of this Carthusian monastery lurk some of the most flamboyant Spanish Baroque architecture and detailing you’ll ever encounter. So busy are the arabesques, flourishes and excrescences of gilded and polychromed stucco that the architectural lines are all but swallowed up in ravishing visual commotion.