1. Andalusia is the Birthplace of Tapas

Says the legend that back in the 19th century, King Alfonso XIII stopped to rest in a popular tavern in Cadiz in the southernmost tip of Andalusia.  He ordered a glass of wine and the waiter capped it with a slice of ham to avoid the dust from blowing into his drink.  The king was marveled at such ingenuity and after enjoying the snack, he declared that all taverns should serve Tapas with their drinks.  Tapas means cover or lid in Spanish!

2. Only Region in Europe with Coastlines on both the Atlantic and the Mediterranean

With nearly one thousand kilometers of coastline, Andalusia greets more tourists than any other region in Spain.  Starting from the east with Costa de Almeria and Costa Tropical followed by the famous Costa del Sol with 125 beaches all bordering the Mediterranean, the Costa de la Luz runs along the Atlantic seaboard all the way to Portugal.  Tarifa and Bolonia are kite surfers’ paradise and from these beaches you can see the coast of Morocco across the strait of Gibraltar.

3. World’s Largest Producer of Olive Oil

 Andalusia produces over half of the world’s olive oil, close to two million tons peryear.   In the province of Jaen, on the highway between Malaga and Madrid, all you see are olive trees and if you keep the car’s window down, you can enjoy the wonderful smell coming from the olive oil presses.  The province of Jaen produces more olive oil than the entire country of Italy!  

4.  The Mediterranean Diet

 Olive oilis one of the main reasons Spaniards live longer than any other people on the planet.  With an average life expectancy of 83 years, Spain comes second only after Japan globally.  A health and life expectancy study by theUniversity of Washington suggests Spain by 2040 could be at the top of the world’s life expectancy with a potential average age of up to 87.4!  This is largely due to what is called theMediterranean Diet and to the Lifestyle and Cultural factors that we will elaborate in a future article.

 5.  Costa del Golf

 With more than one hundred golf courses, Costa del Sol has earned the name of Costa del Golf.  Andalusia is the most visited golf destination in Europe with more than half a million people coming to Southern Spain to play golf every year.  Golf memberships are also quite affordable compared to other countries.

6.   La Alhambra, Jewel of Granada and UNESCO World’s Heritage

 When visiting Andalusia, you cannot miss spending a day or more visiting La Alhambra.  It was inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1984 due to its universal beauty and exceptional expression of Moorish and Andalusian culture as well as for its ability to convey the history of the changes to the region over time through its architecture and decorative campaigns.  If you spend a few days in the Granada area, you may also want to visit Sierra Nevada, where you can go skiing during winter.

7.   Sevilla, the Capital of Andalusia

 The beautiful city of Sevilla is the capital of the Spanish region of Andalusia and has about 700 thousand inhabitants.  It is the fourth largest city in Spain and the birthplace of flamenco, the typical Spanish dance and music.  Seville is also famous for its Mudejar architecture, which is a mix of Islamic and Catholic architectural styles.

3.  World’s Largest Producer of Olive Oil^{‍     Andalusia produces over half of the world’s oliveoil, close to two million tons per year.  In the province of Jaen, on the highway between Malaga and Madrid, all you see are olive trees and if you keep the car’s window down, you can enjoy the wonderful smell coming from the olive oil presses.  Jaen produces more olive oil than the entire country of Italy!.}