We stayed in the parador in Antequera which is not the most inspiring in architectural appeal but makes up for it in the restaurant - si good we ate here almost every evening. It was great to be able to rely on it at the end of the day as we did some long journeys on this trip.

Antequera was a central place to stay but involved some quite long days to get to some of our destinations. Along the way we would break the journey with visits to any likely looking sites or villages. One of these was Zahara de la Sierra - a most beautiful whit village perched on a mountainside with a castle at its peak. The lake below the village is beautiful - and man-made!

Zahara de la Sierra

Granada

The small tribal colonies in the area were followed in ancient times by Phoenicians and Carthaginians but by 200BC Granada was under Roman rule, although not regarded as particularly important. It flourished for about 200 years under the Visigoths after the Romans withdrew in the 5th century. The Arab conquest was complete by 713AD and it is during this period that the distinctive architecture appears. Ferdinand and ISabella took the town in 1492 to complete the Christian reconquest of Spain.

We went early to Granada and still had to queue for one and a half hours for tickets to the Alhambra - our entrance time was 4.30 - not a great start!

We spent the day wandering around the city - the nicest part of which is El Albaicin, a Moorish maze of alleyways and small squares. It is worth the climb to the St Nicholas mirador for the view over the canyon to the Alhambra.

Alhambra

Looking across to the Alhambra and Alcazaba fortress from San Nicholas Mirador

The Alhambra was built in the fourteenth century during the rule of the Nasrid Muslim dynasty, which for 250 years was a vassal state of Christian Spain. During the Nasrid reign Islamic culture flourished.

The Royal PAlace is fabulous with the most beautiful Islamic architecture decorated with colourful tiles and calligraphy. The walls and ceilings are deeply carved and the fountains make it very pleasant and cool.

After our explorations we were too tired for the gardens of Generalife - perhaps we'll make another visit.

Founded by the Romans in 169 BC, Cordoba was also under Muslim rule from 711AD.

Even though we were visiting out of season we found the parking here very difficult.

Mezquita

The Mezquita (Spanish for "mosque") is the obvious reason for visiting the city. Built on the site of a Visigothic church it took over 200 years to complete and was eventually converted to a church with some damage to the beautiful Islamic architecture. The hall of pillared arches is one of the most stunning spaces anywhere in the world.

Cadiz

I'm not sure what I expected of Cadiz - galleons in the harbour perhaps, pirates swashbuckling their way through the streets. Maybe it was the dull day but having quartered the city we really couldn't see that much to attract; apart from the glassed-in balconies on the upper floors of the mazy back streets this was a singularly uninspiring visit - maybe it's better at fiesta!

En route to Cadiz we visited the Barossa Tower on the site of Sir Thomas Graham's victory over the French on the coast. It was a lovely day so we had a very pleasant picnic lunch in the sand dunes.

Sevilla was a wonderful surprise. Maybe it was because we didn't really know anything about the city but we loved it. The city itself is lovely to walk around, the river area very pleasant and the Alcazar has Islamic architecture to rival the Alhambr in Granada.

Sevilla was an important port being originally a Phoenician and Carthaginian trading colony. Its history is similar to that of other Andalusian towns being occupied first by the Visigoths, then Romans and Moors before the reconquest under Ferdinand and Isabella. It stands on the banks of the Guadalquivir - the longest river in Andalusia.

The cathedral was once a Moorish Mosque and the famous tower - the Giralda - a minaret.

As well as being used to call Muslims to prayer the Giralda was also an astronomical observatory.

Alcazar

The original Moorish fort was extended in the fourteenth century by Pedro the Cruel of Castile utilising magnificent Mudejar (Spanish/Moorish) decoration. Fabulously ornate walls and arches, magnificently coloured ceilings.

Underground are the Baños de Doña Maria de Padilla - a beautiful but eery place and very cool! Doña Maria was pursued by Pedro the Cruel, most persistently after her husband died, until finally, to rid herself of his advances, she disfigured her face with boiling oil.