Andalucia Vacations, Andalucia Vacation Reviews, Tourism Guide

For many visitors to Spain, Andalucia -- the country's southernmost region -- appears to be the country's cultural heart. So many popular impressions of Spain have their roots here: Moorish architecture, flamenco and the "Gypsy" (Rom) culture, bullfighting, equestrianism, sherry, siestas.... It's hard to convince people you've been to Spain unless you've been here.

No other part of Spain was as deeply shaped by the Islamic presence in the Iberian peninsula as Andalucia was. The three most famous sights built by or influenced by the "Moors" (Spanish Muslims) are the Great Mosque of Cordoba (now a Christian cathedral), the Royal Alcazar of Seville (the Spanish royal family's winter residence), and the Alhambra in Granada (a magnificent fortress dating from late in the period of Muslim rule).