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Andalusia or Andalucía?

The autonomous region of Andalusia (Andalucía in Spanish) is in the southern part of Spain. It spans from Atlantic coast in the west to the sheltered coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the east and from Málaga's Costa del Sol to the borders of Castilla – La Mancha the famous flat lands and Don Quixote windmill country.  With an average of 300 plus days of sunshine a year the coastal area is an all year round destination. Not so in the inland provinces of Cordoba, Jaen and Sevilla which ha ve baking hot summers that can reach +40c and cold winters which can be 0c or less overnight. The Mezquita, Córdoba Andalusia is divided into eight provinces, each with a provincial city of the same name. Some of them are far more famous than others: Almería , Cádiz, Córdoba, Granada, Huelva, Jaén, Málaga and Sevilla. The three land-locked provinces are Córdoba, Jaé n and Sevilla, the rest are coastal. Each province and city is full of culture, history, traditions, fabulous monuments and cre...

The Patios of Cordoba - UNESCO Site

The application, which was denied last year, has now been approved and the Patios or Courtyards of Cordoba have been granted the status ¨Intangible Heritage of Humanity.¨ by The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural - UNESCO.

Cordoba Patios


The tradition of the locals celebrating spring by decorating their homes, gardens and patios goes back to Roman times and was later resumed by the Moors. In 1933 a competition for Best Patio was inaugerated to keep the tradition alive.

Cordoba Patio


The competition, in May, means private patios are open for the judges and public to visit for twelve days. Maps are provided so you can walk around the tiny back streets and courtyards to see the colourful displays.

Cordoba Patios

The patios also open, this year from 19th Dec to 4th Jan, for a "Christmas in the courtyards of Cordoba" display. The dates for 2013 are 8th -19th May.

Patio at Christmas


The historical centre of Cordoba, home to The Mezquita, Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos and the Torre Fortaleza de la Calahorra, is also on the UNESCO list as a World Heritage Site.


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