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To many visitors over the centuries, this town evokes the “real” Andalucía, at its wild and spectacular best. This mountain rock eyrie is quite literally breathtaking, being dramatically sliced down the middle by El Tajo, a fantastically deep and narrow limestone ravine, formed over thousands of years by the Río Guadalevín. The town itself is essentially two in one – the ancient half being steeped in rich Moorish history, with lovely cobbled streets, while the more modern part on the north side of the gorge sees to contemporary everyday needs.

This hamlet is a hidden gem. It boasts a Roman pedigree, its medieval walls are largely intact, and it has one of the most impressive castles in the region – Moorish in origin but restored by the famed architect Andrés de Vandelvira, who was born here. He also designed several mansions for local nobility.

Spain’s tallest peaks – and, after the Alps, Europe’s second loftiest chain – make Andalucía home to some excellent skiing in winter, robust trekking in spring and summer, and a favourite with naturalists who come to marvel at the abundant wild-flowers and wildlife. For the more culturally inclined, the historic villages of the Alpujarras, on the dramatic southern slopes, are a fascinating study in an ageold way of life.

Ignore the downtrodden outskirts as you approach this town – once you get to the historic centre you will realize that it is one of Andalucía’s most remarkable splendours. The keynote here is architecture – an entire district of mostly Renaissance edifices built for local nobility in the 16th century. One of Andalucía’s greatest architects, Andrés de Vandelvira, was the genius who gave most of these structures their harmonious forms (see Baeza and Úbeda).

This inland village in Cádiz Province probably retains its quintessential Moorishness more than any other town in Andalucía. It stands gleaming white on a hill with a view of the coast, and its warren of maze-like alleys and byways is virtually indistinguishable from any North African town. Before the Spanish Civil War, women here wore a traditional veiled garment like the Muslim heshab , called the cobijado ; now they are only worn during August festival.

The interior of Almería Province resembles the deserts and canyons of the American Southwest: it was the perfect spot for filming the Wild West epics known as “Spaghetti Westerns” in the 1960s and 1970s. Three of the sets are now theme parks: Mini Hollywood, Almería, Texas Hollywood and Western Leone offer stunt shows and memorabilia.