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Iberia and British Airways have several flights daily into Seville. Andalusia is best explored by car; rent one at the airport, where you'll find Hertz and Avis. If you're flying into Madrid, high-speed AVE trains also connect the capital with Seville. You can be in Andalusia in a mere 2 1/2 hours.
WHERE TO STAY
Hotel Alfonso XIII In 1928, King Alfonso XIII of Spain commissioned what he hoped would be the most luxurious hotel in Europe. With 147 rooms and miles of marble, mahogany, and hand-painted tiles, the results couldn't have been disappointing. Doubles from $281. 2 Calle San Fernando, Seville 800/325-3535 or 34-95/491-7000; www.hotel-alfonsoxiii.com
Hotel Hacienda Benazuza On a hill overlooking the Guadiamar River, this refurbished 10th-century estate makes for a peaceful rural retreat, just 10 minutes south of Seville. Iconoclastic chef Ferran Adrià (of Catalonia's famed El Bullí) serves up his inventive version of Andalusian cuisine in the hotel's restaurant, La Alquería. Doubles from $231; Dinner for two $150. Sanlúcar la Mayor, Calle Virgen de las Nievas; 800/223-6800 or 34-95/570-3344; www.hbenazuza.com
Hotel La Bobadilla Designed by Granada architect Jesús del Valle in 1986, La Bobadilla, an hour's drive northeast of Málaga, resembles a tiny Andalusian village: several buildings (including an 18th-century chapel) are scattered across the property's 900 acres and connected by a labyrinth of passageways and courtyards. Doubles from $295. 800/223-6800 or 34-95/832-1861; www.la-bobadilla.com
WHAT TO SEE
Granada
Alhambra/Generalife Gardens The sprawling Alhambra—two awe-inspiring palaces, a fortress, and the elaborate gardens—is Spain's most-visited historic site. Begun in the 13th century by Ibn al-Ahmar, the first king of the Nasrid dynasty, it is also the best-preserved example of Moorish architecture. Only 7,800 visitors a day are allowed into the Alhambra, so buy your tickets well in advance. Cuesta de Gomeréz; 34-90/244-1221
Cordova
Mezquita (Great Mosque) Begun in 785, this mosque has undergone ten centuries of construction and renovation: Witness the 16th-century Baroque cathedral in the center. Calle Torrijos; 34-95/747-0512
Madinat al-Zahra Five miles outside Cordova, excavations continue to reveal new aspects of the Caliph Abd ar-Rahman III's elaborate palace, a tribute to his favorite wife. Carretera de Palma del Río, km. 8 34-95/732-9130
Seville
Alcázar/Reales Alcázares Built by the Moors under Christian rule, beginning in the 14th century, this Mudejar palace (atop a former Moorish fortress) is still the Sevillian residence of Spain's kings. Plaza del Triunfo; 34-95/456-0040
Catedral/La Giralda The cathedral's 12th-century tower, La Giralda, once a minaret, is notable for its unusual construction: instead of steps, 35 ramps slowly wind their way 328 feet to the top. Next door, the Archivo General de Indias houses some 38,000 documents relating to the discovery and colonization of the Americas, including Columbus's diary. Avenida de la Constitución; 34-95/421-4971 (Giralda), 34-95/421-1234 (Archivo)
—Jaime L. Gross
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