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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...
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Best Towns to Visit in Granada Province (Not Including the Alpujarras)

Granada province stretches from the coast - Costa Tropical  to the north and borders with Spain's largest Natural Park (which is in the neighbouring province of Jaen) Parque Natural de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas.

Cazorla Town and National Park
Cazorla Town and National Park


Within its boundaries lie the ski slopes of Sierra Nevada and the highest peak on mainland Spain, Mulhacen. Its diverse, beautiful, wild and yet a garden of paradise where tropical fruits grow. I'm going to share with you a couple of my favourite 'best towns to visit' in Granada Province, which don't include the villages of the Alpujarras - that's another day, another post and another holiday, so huge is Granada!

Picturesque Castril


Almost as far north as you can get while staying in Granada province is the fabulous town of Castril.  A mountain town with an abundance of water creating a small, yet fast flowing river with tumbling waterfalls. Sometimes you're on a wooden walkway on the cliff face, at others you're at river level and can dip your toes in the clear cold waters.

Castril Walkway
Castril Walkway


A short tunnel adds to the atmosphere and then part-way there's a delightful Casa Rural (a B&B) with a bar to enjoy a cold beer or coffee surrounded by leafy trees and lots of welcome (the day I went) shade.

Castril Hill View
Castril, Mountain Town



Castril Fountain
Castril Fountain


The town itself is very picturesque. Patterned-cobbles, paved mosaics, steep streets, plants and pots galore and of course having an abundance of water fountains spread around the town.

Wetlands and Mammoths in Padul

Padul is a different story but still a wet one. A hug wetland area gives rise to a nature board walk dotted with hides to spot the water birds. But before the walk starts nature of a different kind marks the spot. A mammoth and saber-toothed tiger! 


Mammouths in Padul


Once upon a time mammoths roamed this land and remains found here gave rise to its symbol - the mammoth. Lovers of the film Ice Age will need a photo with 'Manny' on the high street in Padul.



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