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Like nearby Úbeda, this smaller town is also a jewel of Renaissance glory, but includes earlier remains dating back to the Moors and, before them, the Romans. The town radiates a sense of tranquillity as you walk from one cluster of lovely buildings to another. Again, much of the beauty owes its existence to Vandelvira (see Baeza and Úbeda).

At the apex of the Atlantic’s untamed Costa de la Luz, this city floats like an ancient dream on what was originally its own island. With good claim to being Europe’s oldest city, it’s thought to have been founded by the ubiquitous Phoenicians in around 1104 BC. Much of what can be seen today, however, dates from the 18th century, the city having been almost completely razed by an Anglo-Dutch raid in 1596. The vast Catedral Nueva (1722) is one of Spain’s largest churches, and many Baroque edifices enhance this unpretentiously beautiful provincial capital and, apart from two weeks in February when it stages Spain’s most celebrated Carnaval bash, it remains very much under-visited (see Cádiz).

The closest major town east of Seville has been continuously inhabited for more than 5,000 years. Its Roman remains are truly exceptional, especially the huge necropolis. The view from the originally Roman Puerta de Córdoba (Córdoba Gate) out over the sweeping plains also shouldn’t be missed. Fine churches, palaces and alcázares adorn the site – one of the ancient castles is now restored as a spectacular parador (see Parador Alcázar del Rey, Carmona).

Claiming to be a compendium of the world’s smallest curiosities, this is certainly an oddball collection. There’s a fine copy of Da Vinci’s The Last Supper , executed on a grain of rice, fleas in full suits of clothing and a bust of Churchill’s head sculpted from a stick of chalk.

At the foot of an imposing stone outcropping and surrounded by the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Castril, this enchanting town dates back to Roman times. The parish church dominates the upper reaches, while down below there surges a mountain torrent.

To unequivocally establish Christian rule, these triumphalist structures were built by some of the greatest architects of the age and adorned with important works of sculpture and painting, much of it Renaissance. The towering, light-suffused interior of Granada’s cathedral is one of the most spectacular achievements of the period, while the façade, by Alonso Cano, echoes the ancient triple arch favoured by Roman emperors. The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) is Granada’s finest Christian building and a repository of rare treasures, including a reja (gilded grille) by Bartolomé de Jaén, priceless crown jewels, and paintings by Roger van der Weyden and Sandro Botticelli (see Capilla Real and Catedral, Granada).

The main town in the Sierra Norte is a steep cluster of white-washed houses. It’s a popular place for weekend getaways by sevillanos and particularly known for producing some of the area’s famous anise-based tipples. Just 3 km (2 miles) outside of town is the magnificently situated former Carthusian monastery, now restored as part hotel, part arts centre with gallery.

Simple whitewashed cubes cluster around a citadel here, while birds of prey overhead remind you that this is the south-western entrance to the Sierra de Cazorla. The town’s position made it a prize for Moors and Christians, hence the castle in town and the ruined La Iruela, 1 km (0.5 miles) away.

This town, wonderfully rich in history and cultural importance, is also small enough to cover easily and enjoyably on foot. It has a delightfully contrasting mix of sights, from the architectural splendour of the great mosque – with a Christian church oddly sprouting out of its centre – to the whitewashed glories of the old Jewish quarter, the splendid Alcázar, and the frankly morbid museum dedicated to the bullfight. There are other engaging museums as well, featuring works of art by both Old Masters and local artists, and ancient artifacts evoking the area’s influential past.