The Three Kings came from Andalusia states Pope Benedict XVI

Now Christmas time is arriving and in every village and in every house in Andalusia people will install as usual their belén, or nativity scene. Apart from Maria, Joseph and the baby Jesus, these scenes always go accompanied by the three kings, Baltazar, Melchor and Gazpar bringing their presents to Jesus: gold, mirre and incense.

Baltazar, Gaspar and Melchor in a typical nativity scene

It was thought that these kings came from the far east as many christmas carrols in Spain claim, but now Pope Benedict XVI has stated in his recently published book 'The Childhood of Jesus' that probably these kings came from the region known as Tartessos, believed to be located somewhere in the provinces of Cadiz, Seville and Huelva.

The kings come every year on the eve of th 5th of january at dusk to bring their presents. In some cities they even come on camels or donkeys, but nowadays most of them come on a motorised vehicle. They and their pages throw lots of sweets to all the children attending the parade.

That evening you have to put some anisette for the kings and some hay for the animals on the nativity scene and the shoes of the children, so that the kings can leave their presents there.
The sixth of january is a bank holiday and everybody sits down to enjoy the presents and the 'Roscon de Reyes' a special cake which contains an image of the king or the virgen Mary (which means luck for the coming year) and a bean (which means that you have to pay the 'Roscon' the next year).

Typical products of Andalusia: Malaga wine

Remember the wines our grandmothers and great grandmothers drank, sipping of very small glasses, and only on very special occasions? This sweet very tasty wine (known as Malaga Dulce) is able to take away all your sorrow, as the famous 'Quitapenas' bodega claims.
Málaga wine began as a deep brown, rich, raisiny wine, created by the Greeks in 600 BC. It was originally called Xarabal Malaguii, "Málaga syrup", and was very sweet. It was created in the Andalucia region of Malaga - close to Cadiz, the region of Sherry.

In 44 AD, Columela wrote about the fine wines available in the Roman Province of Málaga. Its popularity grew. During the 1500s, something had to be done to wine to allow it to last the long ocean journeys. Brandy was added to allow the wine to last longer, and to be more resistant to temperature changes. This is why Málaga is termed a "fortified wine".  It was then one of the most expensive wines of Europe.

Spain now produces 5.8 million gallons of Málaga a year. Málaga is mostly made with the pedro ximinez grape,the wine must actually be aged in the city of Málaga to earn the name. Málaga is regulated by the Consejo Regulador.

The malaga wine is grown inland in all the province of Malaga (Axarquía, Antequera etc), and due to the extremes in temperature: hot and sunny summers and cold but sunny winters the grapes develop the character needed for a fine wine. The predominant variety here is the Pedro Ximenez, which is named after a 17th-century Spanish soldier thought to have introduced it from Germany. It has an exceptionally high sugar content, which is made even higher thanks to the process of letting the grapes roast in the sun before pressing, which reduces their moisture and concentrates the sugar. This partial raisining accounts for traditional Málaga wine's dark colour, for the Moscatel and Pedro Ximenez are both in fact white grapes.
If you want to know more about Malaga wines, remember to visit the Malaga wine museum.

More information about the Bodega Quitapenas: www.quitapenas.es, visits of this bodega are free. The bodega is located in Malaga.

Nice houses in the province of Malaga are:
Ecotourism la Cabra Verde
and in the Antequera region: Casa de la Torre, Casa la Ecina and Casa la Parada, all mentioned houses with their own private pool.  
 

 
 

Sierra de las Nieves natural park

The Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park is located at the heart of the natural Serrania de Ronda region, in the province of Malaga. This mountainous area is punctuated by deep ravines and spectacular cliffs, such as La Caína, with a drop of over 100 metres.
Furthermore, the limestone nature of the earth has created a number of potholes, such as the GESM, the world's third deepest at 1,100 metres
The Sierra de  las Nieves natural park is formed by parts of the municipalties of: Ronda, Monda, Tolox, El Burgo, Yunquera, Istán and Parauta

The highest peak is Torrecilla (1,919 metres) in the Sierra Blanca de Tolox.
Its greatest treasure are its conifer forests dating back to the tertiary period, featuring the Spanish fir (the "Pinsapo"), the most unusual species of fir in the world. 

Sierra de las Nieves natural park

Its relief is extremely rugged, with the deep ravines, high cliffs and gorges characteristic of Alpine folding.

Fauna: The area is home to one of Andalusia's largest communities of mountain goat, one of only two wild species of large hoofed mammal native to the Park, the other being the deer.
Other species such as the stag and mountain ox have been brought in, the Park providing them with an excellent habitat. Also to be found here are certain animal species protected by law, such as the wild cat, golden eagle and otter, the latter having practically disappeared from the River Verde.

Flora: In the mountain peaks, where precipitation and fog are common, large numbers of gall oaks and Spanish firs are to be found.
At lower altitudes the holm oak and cork oak thrive. There are also small collections of madroños, chestnut trees, yews, maples and  ashes.

Points of Interest:
El Torrecilla, Sima GESM, Pinsapo de las Escaleretas, Mirador del Guarda Forestal, Tajo de la Caína. 

   Information source: www.andalucia.org. 

Le Chien Andalous offers here Ecotourism La Cabra Verde, with two nice houses with each their own private pool.

Andalusian Recipes 1. Dogfish with potatoes or in Spanish: Cazón con patatas

Dogfish with potatoes

One of the easy to made and delicious recipes of Andalusia is Dogfish with potatoes.
The dogfish is normally sold in slices and if you buy half a kilo, have some onions, potatoes, garlic and saffron or colouring powder, you are ready to make this special recipe for 4 people.

Dogfish, Hondshaai, Katzenhai, Chien de Mer

You bake the onion cut in slices in olive oil, half a cup
You cut the potatoes in small chops or in slices and add them to the onions when turning gold.
You bake the potatoes and add some garlic for some 15 minutes, turning and turning around.
You add some water and white wine or sherry (just covering the potatoes) and put the slices of dogfish on top.
Let this cook during 5 minutes, turn around the dogfish (careful) and let it cook for some other 5 minutes.
And: dish ready to be served!
 
Watch the video if you want more instructions and learn some more spanish.

New album Estrella Morente

Flamenco singer Estrella Morente has released a new disc 'Autorretrato' on October 2nd which she inicially started to make with her father Enrique Morente, passed away in december 2010.

The album began to take shape several years ago, when Estrella Morente met up with Michael Nyman in London: “There was a piece that was thirty years old: 'Réquiem'. I go to a book by San Juan de la Cruz and I find the most wonderful poem you could ever read. It fit in perfectly. It was a live musical encounter”. Enrique Morente was the one who linked it to the pregón by Niño de las Moras: “He fell in love with that pregón and we sent it to Michael for him to orchestrate it. It’s the song that opens the disc. It hasn’t been played again”, she says. At the same time as songs started to arise, Estrella Morente began to compose the album’s lyrics and music. “My father boosted my personality, he guided me anew. He didn’t hold back my expression. And that artistic sentiment led me to the self-portrait”, she admits.

Estrella y Enrique Morente

The cantaora defines as “the reflection of an interior” this fourth studio album in her career, which breaks a silent spell of six years without a record, since she released 'Mujeres' in 2006. The repertoire consists of fifteen songs, over and hour of music, which combine roots and innovation. Seguiriyas, pregones, bulerías, old-time sevillanas and pregones, are combined with poems by San Juan de la Cruz, a tribute to Lola Flores, an habanera by Carlos Cano, Caribbean rhythms and a requiem. Musicians such as Paco de Lucía, Vicente Amigo, Tomatito, Antonio, Josemi and Juan Carmona, Pat Metheny and Michael Nyman, among many others, take part on the album, whose directing was concluded by Isidro Sanlúcar following Enrique Morente’s death.

Information from Flamenco World

Granada Airport

We are very sorry to tell you that there are only a very reduced number of flights to Granada at this moment (winter 2014).
To follow what is happening actually, the best is to check the page of AENA.

More articles about airlines, prices, comparisons and flights on this blog:
More flights to Malaga this winter!
Cheap flights to Almeria
Tips cheap tickets
Low costs flights from Belgium and Holland to Andalusia
Cheap flights with Air France from Toulouse and Nice to Malaga

Exhibition Sorolla, spanish impressionist painter in Alhambra

Valencian artist Joaquín Sorolla (1863-1923) has returned to the Alhambra this summer with his Gardens of Light, a travelling exhibition that will have three different settings: the Palazzo dei Diamanti, seat of the Gallerie d’Arte Moderna e Contemporanea di Ferrara (Italy), the Palace of Carlos V Museum of Fine Arts, in Granada, and Madrid’s Sorolla Museum.

The exhibition, commissioned by a committee of experts made up of Tomás Llorens, Blanca Pons-Sorolla, María López Fernández and Boye Llorens, aims to show Sorolla’s fascination with gardens, fortified after his trip to Andalusia and, particularly, his experiences in the Alhambra, and the impression caused on him by the Sierra Nevada with its white blanket of snow.

The exhibition retraces the encounter between Joaquín Sorolla and Andalusia – its millenarian culture, the landscapes of the Sierra Nevada, the Arab courtyards and gardens of the Alhambra, and the Alcazar of Seville all providing inspiration and material in the form of clear, lyrical visions. In these compositions, human presence is banished and flora, marble, tiles, light and colours all come to life. The artist’s brush conveys reflections on water, light filtering through and dissolving geometrical architecture, and the colourful mosaic of the southern garden.

Sorolla. Gardens of Light is broken down into five sections (Earth, Water, Courtyards, Gardens, and the Garden of the Sorolla House), all contributing, without a doubt, to a better understanding of the work of the Valencian painter, who continued to reflect on the possibilities of his art until the very end of his life. The exhibition focuses on a crucial moment in the creative life of the painter, the years of his full maturity and, specifically, the works arising from his fascination with gardens and his meeting with Andalusia, which affected him so deeply as to make him remodel the poesy and style of his work in his later years.

Hall of Ambassadors, Alhambra

After his visit to the Alhambra in 1909, Sorolla painted vistas of the Alhambra and Generalife time and time again, including Torre de los Siete Picos, the Court of the Myrtles, the Lindaraja Mirador, the Comares Court and the Garden of Daraxa, this last dated to 1917.

In Andalusia, Sorolla, considered one of the most fascinating figures of the Spanish art world of the 19th and 20th centuries, discovered a subdued richness, a source of poetry, contained in shady corners, the murmur of water in the fountains and in the silence of sun-bathed courtyards. His own garden, planned and laid out at that time, further transmitted and amplified his metamorphosis.

Location: Palace of Carlos V. The Alhambra and Generalife site
Dates: till 14 October 2012
Hours: Daily: 10 am - 8 pm

Free admission

Text from: Patronato del Alhambra

Western Fimfestival Almeria October 2012

Between 11 and 13 October you can enjoy the second Almeria Western Filmfestival in the desert of Tabernas.

In the de sixties and the seventies many westerns were produced in the desert of Tabernas in Almeria province. Being one of the most famous, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly with starring Clint Eastwood. The landscape resembles the north american Wild West, but was also used for films as Lawrence of Arabia and Cleopatra.

Now three western villages remain.
Fort Bravo , Mini-Hollywood and Western Leone where Sergio Leone filmed some of his westerns.
To see these villages, where you can do horseriding and every day scenes from western-movies are reproduced, normally you have to pay an entrance fee.

This year the Almeria Western Film Festival will be held in Fort Bravo and in the municipal theatre of Tabernas. The oficial program is to be found here. All the activities of the Festival are free.

On the AWFF (The Almeria Western Film Festival) you will be able to see 10 new films made in 2011 and 2012 on competition and you can enjoy different classic spaghetti westerns, forums and documentaries.

The oficial website of the festival is almeriawestern.es and if you want to follow the festival on facebook go to almeriawesternfilmfestival

If you are looking for some nice accomodation: Please look at Cortijo Filabres or at Finca Albaricoques

One of the movies competing in AWFF 2012  from New Zealand

Ecotourism la Cabra Verde

Ecotourism La Cabra Verde is located in Malaga province, only some 40 minutes distance from the airport in the Sierra de las Nieves natural park.
These holidayhomes have each a private pool and capacity for 6 to 8 people.
The furniture is made with love and care from recycled material and the farm is based on a sustainable way of life that reconciles man's mentality and the use of natural resources.
The stillness of the zone is only broken by birdsong or the sound of the run of water.

We invite you to watch the video we made and to see more photos and descriptions on our website.
Link to ecotourism la Cabra Verde in English , in German, in French and in Dutch

Tips cheap airtickets. The best airfarewebsites in English, French, German and Dutch

This article is meant to give you tips on how to find the best airfare deals in less time.

7 Tips
1. In general it is advisable to buy early
2. If you buy late look at last minutes sites
3. Check if it is better to buy a return ticket or two singles from different destinations
4. Shop around
5. Count all travel costs (transport to and from airports) before buying
6. Know when to buy
7. Be flexible

We have looked up articles which are testing the best websites to f ind cheap tickets. We were always happy to start our searches with www.skyscanner.net just to know which airlines operate from one airport to another.

Please read the following articles and tests about the best websites:

In English: The article of Independenttraveller
Auf Deutsch: Tipps um günstige Flüge zu finden
und Flugsuchmachinentest
En Français: Top 10 des meilleurs comparateurs de vols
In het Nederlands: Ranglijst met de beste sites om vliegtuigtickets te vergelijken 
en www.lowcostairlines.nl

More articles on this blog about airlines, prices, destinations:
More flights to Malaga this winter!
Cheap flights to Almeria
Low costs flights from Belgium and Holland to Andalusia
Cheap flights with Air France from Toulouse and Nice to Malaga
New airline operating from Granada Airport

Sierra Nevada National Park

Summer is coming up again and this is the ideal time to go and see the spring in the Sierra Nevada, the biggest national park of Spain. The Sierra Nevada mountainrange is some 80 km long and 15 till 30 km wide.
From Capileira (75 km distance from Granada-city) there are buses going up to 2700 m to the Mirador the Trevelez or Alto del Chorillo area. From here the climb to the Mulhacen takes you (depending on experience and condition) some 2,5 till 3 hours.

Sierra Nevada mountains 2012 and Veleta 3392m

Be prepared though for any type of weather, so always take good walking boots for the rugged terrain, a windjack, loads of suncream, because the AV-radiation on many days is nearly 10 and of course water and food.

More information 

The Sierra Nevada Nature Area, comprising its National Park and Nature Park, is an impressive, compact mountain range which boasts the highest peak on the Iberian Peninsula: Mulhacén (3,482 metres). It forms part of the Penibetic range, which stretches from the south-eastern part of Granada province to the western borders of Almería. Due to the great variety of its landscapes and the uniqueness of its natural features, Sierra Nevada is included in several different categories of protection. Apart from being a Nature Park and National Park, it is also an internationally recognised Biosphere Reserve.


Thanks to its altitude range and climate, it is home to a large number of plants which have adapted very specifically to the harsh conditions found there. On the higher peaks, like Veleta (3392m) and Tajo de los Machos, unique species such as the Sierra Nevada violet and plantago nivalis (known locally as "estrella de las nieves" - snowstar) can be found growing beneath overhanging rocks and in cracks in the rock faces.

Estrella de las Nieves, Lat:Plantago Nivalis

At this altitude there are also beautiful glacial valleys such as Siete Lagunas. In the mid-mountain area, the landscape is dominated by deciduous woodland with Pyrenean oaks, maples, wild cherry and chestnut trees. This woodland alters the appearance of the landscape from one season to another: in autumn the trees begin to shed their leaves, producing an overall golden brown colour; but when the new shoots bud in spring the mountainside is flooded by deep tones of green. At lower altitudes there are holm oak groves like those at Montenegro and the watercourses are flanked by riverine forests.

Mulhacen, april 2012

This great variety in plant life and climate has contributed to the area's wealth of animal species. In the higher regions, alpine accentors, blue rock thrushes and red-billed choughs can be seen in flight. If you wait quietly, a dipper, an oropendola or a brightly coloured kingfisher may just appear among the shadows of the riverine woodland. A golden eagle could also make an appearance at any time.


The woodland and thick scrubland supports a large community of mammals, including wild boar, foxes, badgers and genet cats. From the Dílar River Valley and Poqueira Gorge you can see mountain goats, a species very common in these mountains, climbing up the slopes and walking along the rocky peaks. The invertebrate population is also very representative, many species being unique to this environment. There are over twenty species of butterfly and more than thirty types of beetle.

endemic beetle of Sierra Nevada: baetica ustulata

This area was occupied by Tartessians, Phoenicians, Greeks and Romans, but it was unquestionably the Moors who left the greatest legacy. Their influence can still be seen today in local architecture and in irrigation systems known as "acequias". The villages of the Alpujarras are of great architectural interest, with their white houses clinging to the mountainside, their small windows, flat roofs and narrow chimneys, not to mention the characteristic porches, "tinaos", which span the streets from one side to another.

Those interested in skiing, mountaineering, fishing or walking will find this the perfect place to spend their holidays.
Information from the Junta de Andalucia website

Reservation of a seat in the buses leaving from Capileira: 958-763090 or mobile phone: 671564406
More information about Sierra Nevada National Park:
Ministry of Environment
Junta de Andalucia

Accomodation in the Alpujarras, Sierra Nevada Natural Park
Casa de la Luz Bubión, capacity up to 4 people
Casa Launa, Pitres, capacity up to 6 people

Livingroom Casa Launa, Pitres

Casa Milagro Bubión, capacity up to 6 people
Casa Capilerilla Pitres, capacity up to 6 people with private pool

The white night of Flamenco de Córdoba

No other city in the world hosts such an original event as The White Night of Flamenco, which takes place in Cordoba for one whole night in June. It is a night where streets, squares, taverns and street corners ring to the sound of chords, footsteps and voices.

Flamenco in its purest form rubs shoulders with more avant-garde productions, public art, cuisine, poetry and drama. The White Night of Flamenco takes place in Cordoba, the capital city of encounters and of tolerance, a city so steeped in Flamenco that even its town clock chimes out the hours with the strumming of a guitar in the Plaza de las Tendillas. A city of one race and of many, of mixtures and of roots.

On that magical night, Cordoba becomes one great stage, where artists of the calibre of José Mercé, El Lebrijano, Rosario Flores, Fosforito, El Cigala, Miguel Poveda, Manolo Sanlucar, Jose El Frances, Chambao, Medina Azahara, Luis de Córdoba and El Pele, among others, have performed.

In its first year, the event was attended by over 200,000 people, in the second and third, over 250,000, and the fourth, 280.000, so it would not be an exaggeration to state that The White Night of Flamenco is set to become the largest event of Flamenco art in the world.

The white night is held June 16th.
There is a parallel program held from 14 till 16 June.

Text from: Tourist office Cordoba
More information: www.turismodecordoba.org

Beaches of Motril, Playa del Poniente

Views from Playa del Poniente, Motril, may 2012

Ship between palmtrees, Playa del Poniente, Motril, may 2012

Watchtower Playa del Poniente, Motril, may 2012

We hereby offer you our latest pictures of one of the beaches of Granada, Playa del Poniente, made this week in may 2012. Everything is prepared already for the summer, we even have spotted the first swimmers!

Festival of the Patios of Cordoba, 2 till 13 May 2012

Courtyards in Cordoba

Due to the hot, dry Cordoban climate, the city's inhabitants, - first the Romans and later the Muslims - adapted the typical design of the popular house to their needs, making the home centre around an inner courtyard, normally with a fountain in the middle and often a well to collect rainwater. The Muslims made further adjustments, giving the house an entrance from the street which passed through a porch, and filling the courtyard with plants to give the sensation of freshness.

 

Types of courtyards

There are clearly two types of courtyard.
The first type is in a one-family home in which the rooms are arranged around the courtyard - it usually has arches and either a clay tiled or decorative pebbled floor.

The second type is called a neighbour-house (casa de vecinos). Here the individual homes look out onto the courtyard - however, these are much less common nowadays. It usually has two floors and the courtyard is made all the more attractive by the long balconies, staircases and baked clay roof tiles. The floors usually have decorative pebbles and there is often a well instead of a fountain, as well as a communal washing room.

Courtyard competion

Since 1918, the Town Hall has organised a competition of Courtyards and Crosses in the first week of May, and the owners decorate their houses with great care to try and win the prestigious award offered by the authorities. A festival runs in parallel with a number of performances by the best singers and dancers on the scene, while the local fino wine from Montilla-Moriles flows freely and delicious tapas are served.
It is thanks to these events that the Cordoban courtyard is becoming more and more important in popular festivities, and helps the general public to celebrate and welcome these festivals with enthusiasm and hospitality.


During these days in may all the patios will be open to the public and will be free of entrance.


Source: www.turismodecordoba.org
In French/Français:www.turismodecordoba.org

History of olive oil in Andalusia

The olive tree was introduced onto the Iberian peninsula by Phoenicians and Greeks in about the first centuries BC. The Romans extended olive cultivation and improved oil production techniques. Oils from Hispania, the largest supplier of this precious liquid, were considered to have the best quality and were normally consumed in Rome and many other parts of the empire.


But olive oil also had other uses apart from cooking. It was used to anoint kings, athletes and newborn babies, as a hygiene and beauty product, as fuel to light lamps, as a lubricant for tools and farm equipment, as waterproofing for textile fibres...
The Arab invasion in Spain increased olive cultivation and techniques to obtain oil were perfected. The Spanish word for oil "aceite" comes from the Arabic "al-zait" which means "olive juice".

Olive trees were taken to the "New World" by the Spanish in the XVI and XVII centuries and they can be found today in California and in different parts of South America.
Spain is currently the first olive oil producing and exporting country in the world. The province with the biggest extension of olive trees is Jaen.

                                                             Olive tree Orgiva



In Andalucia there are many olive mills, they are called almazaras.
There is a museum of olive oil in Granada near Velez de Benaudalla here you can see a sample of all the olive oils produced in Andalucia and buy some of them.

Near Orgiva some of the oldest olive trees in Andalucia with high trunks can be found.

Houses near Orgiva and Velez de Benaudalla in Granada province: Casa la Piedra and Cortijo las Barreras now with special discounts during the months of april, may and june.

Holy Week in Andalucia

During this week there will be many processions held all over Andalucia.

 

foto original de 'turismo en pueblos'

If you want more information about when the processions are held, here you can find the exact descriptions.

Processions in Seville
Processions in Granada
Processions in Malaga

New Holiday Rentals near Priego de Cordoba

We are very proud to announce our new holiday rentals Casas Castil near Priego de Cordoba.
These two newly built townhouses in the village of Castil del Campo are ideal for discovering the Cordoba and Granada area.

These twin-houses each have their own swimmingpool and offer place for up to six people.
The houses are fully equipped and there is a new airconditioning system installed this winter.

 
You can read everything about these holiday lettings on our website:
In English, in French, in German and in Dutch

Tivoli World Theme Park has opened again!

One of the special attractions for kids at the Costa del Sol is Tivoli theme park in Benalmadena, next to Malaga.
The park celebrates this year its' 40th anniversary, but is although getting older it is really fun to go to. It is a huge park with some 40 rides to enjoy.

The park is set in beautiful gardens with illuminated fountains and has many free shows, such as a Wild West town with French can-can shows, Country & Western music, flamenco and Spanish ballet. An open-air theatre puts on shows during the summer and a large selection of restaurants and cafés keep everyone fed and watered for the whole day.

Tivoli World has its own currency (the Tivolino) which you use to buy rides and entrance to other amusements. The Supertivolino ticket gives you unlimited access to the 37 or so rides and attractions, some of which are subject to age restrictions.

Some attractions you have to pay for like go-karts, boats and the horror passage.
We recommend to take all day to enjoy the park at the fullest.

Now in March the park opens only during the weekends from 11:00 til 19:00 most days.
Entrance fee is 6,95 euros, but it is advisable to buy tivolinos (14 €) so the kids can enjoy free rides.
Telephone number: 952-577016
Website: www.tivoli.es
Information about opening hours, ticket prices etc on Tivoli

If you want to read an experience of somebody who visited Tivoli please click here

How to get to Tivoli?
Tivoli is located between Fuengirola and Torremolinos between the coast road and the motorway A-7 (exit 222).
By Rail: Railway station Arroyo de la Miel. The park is 100 m from the station.

The Alpujarras

The region of mountain villages known as Las Alpujarras clings to the southern flanks of the Sierra Nevada south of Granada, cloven by deep, sheltered valleys and gorges which run down towards the Mediterranean.
Its physical surroundings together with the Sierra Nevada have been declared a reserve of the biosphere by Unesco in 1988 for its botanical qualities and particular ecological culture. Now the Sierra Nevada is a National Park.
The Alpujarras is a long east-west longitudal valley of about one hundred kilometres, in the provinces of Granada and Almeria. The steep mountain sides offers an alpine landscape at the higher mountain peaks of the Sierra Nevada to a Subtropical landscape at the coast. Here is the Contraviesa, a low mountain range well known for its wine

The Alpujarra, is famous throughout Spain because of its unique mini-ecology. Its terraced farmlands are constantly watered by the melting snow from above, constituting a high-altitude oasis of greenery which stands in dramatic contrast to the arid foothills below. This is ideal hiking terrain for adventurous travellers - the average altitude is 1,200 m above sea level.

History
The Alpujarras was the last stronghold of the Spanish Muslims, or Moors. Soon after the Castillians took Granada in 1492, all the city´s Moors were forced to convert to Christianity allthough they were allowed to live in the Alpujarras.. Constant pressure from the Christians led to a bloody uprising, the Morisco Rebellion of 1568, which was ruthlessly crushed out, with the public execution of the leader, Ben Humeya. Soon followed a royal decree expelling from the Kingdom of Granada all people of Arab descent.
The villages of the Alpujarra were resettled with some 12,000 Christian families brought by King Philip II from all parts of  Spain. However, these unique hamlets have retained their traditional Berber architecture - terraced clusters of grey-white box-shaped houses with flat clay roofs - which is still common in the Rif and Atlas mountains of Morocco. Perhaps the most picturesque villages are the famous trio which cling, one close above the other, to the slopes of the Poqueira Valley, where red peppers and tomatoes are still set out to dry on the flat clay roofs, among the tall round chimney pots. Pampaneira, at the bottom, bustles with crafts shops and restaurants, Bubión half way up the slope is more tranquil, with its massive square church tower standing on a plaza of rough paving stones. Capileira lies at the top of the valley - the name is an Arabic derivation of the Latin word for head or top – it is nice to walk down from the road into the lower streets of the village, where the rocky streets, overhanging passageways and sagging, stone houses have still not been remodelled and prettified for contemporary living...

The Alpujarras are ideal for walking.
There are several routes in the area. The most famous one being the GR7, the long distance path which goes from Tarifa all the way to Athens bordering the Meditteranean-
The walkingroute Sulayr is a circular itinerary walking route which circumverences the Sierra Nevada, crossing the natural park as well as the national park. The route accounts to 300 kms and is the longest walking itinerary in Spain of circular layout.
To the accomplishment of this itinerary, old pack animal roads and cattle paths are recovered. Its layout has been outlined such as to create an easy and safe walking itinerary avoiding great slopes. In addition accesses have been defined to and from populated centers, to present their rich cultural patrimony and favouring socioeconomic benefits.
Additionally in 2012 a new bicicle track around the Sierra Nevada is designed.
If you stray from the beaten path, you will be sure to catch sight of the region´s abundant wild life, such as the Cabra Hispanica, a mountain goat which roams the mountains in herds and is often seen standing on pinnacles, silhouetted against the sky. But as soon as it flairs the scent of man it will bound up the steepest slopes with amazing speed...
The Alpujarra is also famous for its excellent birdwatching.

General website National Park Sierra Nevada  in Spanish, English, French and German
See also our blog

Useful information for walkers:

In English                                                              
About the Sulayr trail
About walks in the Alpujarras

In Spanish
Rutas con GPS
Senderos en la Alpujarra
Sulayr

In German
Wanderungen in den Sierra Nevada
Wanderrouten Alpujarra

In Dutch
Wandelingen Alpujarra en algemene informatie
Wandelwebsite van Fred Triep

Holiday rentals in the Alpujarras

Low cost flights from Belgium and Holland to Andalusia

We've been checking flights in the months April and May and discovered the following:

Holland
From Amsterdam to Malaga the costs are normally around 250 euros.
But to Almeria there are returntickets available from 173 €

Cheaper options are also available from airport Eindhoven to Seville (133€) or Malaga (135€)
From Maastricht to Malaga (136€)

Belgium
Los cost flights are to be found from Brussels-Charleroi to Malaga (156€) or to Seville (93€).
Also from Luik/Liège to Malaga  (172€)
Or Oostende/Brugge to Malaga (96€)  or to Seville (155€)

Germany
If you are living next to the german border perhaps the airport Dusseldorf-Weeze is an option. You can reach the airport by public transport and prices to Malaga, Almeria and Sevilla are availble from around 100€ return ticket.

Also if you are willing to drive a little longer there are cheap options available if you fly to Madrid or to Alicante.

The best site to find these flights is www.skyscanner.net

On this site you have the option to enter the exact flight dates but also you can chose to see the possibilities for the whole month, or you can chose to see which flights are availble from the entire country to one airport or vice versa.

New Holiday Rental Cabo de Gata National Park, near San José

We are very happy to inform you about our new holiday rental Finca Albaricoques!

This ecological holiday resort was recently built in the village of Albaricoques, some 10 km from San José in the Natural Park of Cabo de Gata with some of the most beautiful beaches of Spain. The complex has solar panels, a water recycling system and underfloor heating.

The finca features 7 cottages for 2 or 3 persons and have all their own terrace, livingroom with open plan kitchen, bedroom and bathroom. High speed internet connection is available for free.
If you want to read more: Please visit Finca Albaricoques, English version, German version, Dutch version and French version

Weather and climate in Andalusia

Many people want to know details of the climate in Andalucía.

The things is that the weather varies a lot, depending on being in the coastal area or more inland. In west Andalusia or east Andalusia and how high the place you want to visit lies.

In general in de west part of Andalusia there is more rain than in the east part.

Generally there is more rain in the months of November till February,  but average is 6 to 8 days a month in winter!

In the coastal areas the temperatures are milder than inland Andalusia.

On the coast medium temperatures vary between 10ºC till 30 ºC and inland they may vary in Granada from 1ºC till 33ºC and in Sevilla from 5ºC till 35 ºC.

The amount of sunhours varies from 2500 hours in the Tarifa area to 2800 till nearly 3000 hours in Seville, Cordoba, Granada and Almeria area. 

 

There is a magnificent Spanish website about weather and climate from the official Institute of Meteorology. Here you can find nearly anything you want to know, because all the weatherfigures of the last 40 years are included.

The website is called www.aemet.es

You can find weekly weatherforecasts for nearly every village, region, coastal or mountainous area in Andalusia here  

Details about the climate in Andalusia (some spanish knowledge is necessary) you can find here

Carnival in Cadiz, February 16 till 26, 2012

This Carnival is one of the oldest ones in Spain and the biggest one on the mainland.
The carnival celebrations in Cadiz date back to the 16th century. It was the only carnival Franco could not ban in his 40 years of dictatorship.
The Cadiz carnival of this year lasts from February 16th till February 26th, but preparations have started long way before. Also in the theatre Manuel de Falla the yearly contest of the different groups: comparsas, chirigotas and cuartetos have started already in january.
This years surprise is this group with humourous  songs in a kind of italian language. See and enjoy!

Group: la Sereníssima

texts: Juan Carlos Aragón Becerra

New designs in Flamenco dresses

From February 2nd till february 5th the International Show for Flamenco Dresses is held in Seville.
In this video you can see the newest trends.

More information (in spanish) about the 18th Salon Internacional de la Moda Flamenca which is held in the Congress Center of Seville,  you can find on: De Flamenco.

The Hand of Fatima by Ildefonso Falcones

This magic historic novel describes the Moorish rebellion of the Alpujarras in the 16th century and about the life of Hernando, half christian-half moor. The story takes you from the rural Alpujarras to the splendour and intrigues of the city of Cordoba. The book is well written and gives you a nice insight in the differences between the christian and moorish culture at the time and is an excellent preparation for anybody who is interested to know more about the history of Andalusia and Spain.

More information about this book in English called The hand of Fatima
More information abouth this book in French called Les révoltés de Cordoue
In Dutch called De hand van Fatima
In German called Die Pfeiler des Glaubens

The Lions of Alhambra are back!

The Patio de los Leones, the Lions patio in the Alhambra Palace in Granada finally got its lions back. After five years of thorough restoration, cleaning and reparation the 12 marble lions, dating from the XIV century will  be functioning again as the beautiful fountain it was meant to be. Now the lions are clean you can notice that every lion has a different fur and different expression.Only the floor of the patio has yet to be redone with the white marble from Macael this spring and then we can enjoy this patio in all its splendour.

Photo Agencia Efe

If you want to visit the Alhambra Palace, we recommend you to buy your tickets in advance.
The website to order them is Ticketmaster
You will chose at what time you want to visit and make seperate reservations for adults, children, pensionists and you have to have you credit card at hand to confirm your reservation.

If you look for a nice holiday house to stay in the Granada province, please have a look on our website.

Celebrating connections Le Chien Andalous

 

We are very proud to tell you that thanks to our informatician Tom Philips, today we have our website connected to facebook, twitter and blogger.

Thanks Tom, keep up the good work!

High Speed Trains in Andalusia

Spain has marvellous high speed trains, called AVE (which means bird, but the abreviations stands for Alta Velocidad Española). They bring you in no time from Madrid and Barcelona to Andalusian cities such as Cordoba, Sevilla, Antequera and Malaga.
They are comfortable, luxourious and not expensive, if you plan your trip some time ahead.

You can find all detailed information on the website of Renfe, the official railway company.

¡ iSpain ! On your apple phone

The offical tourism organism Turspain, has designed a very interesting and free tool to reveil all the secrets of the wonderful Spanish cities. The programme is called iSpain and can be downloaded for free on I-pods, I-phones or I-pad.

The program is written in English and gives information about ten of the most important spanish cities: Bilbao, Barcelona, Córdoba, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Santiago, Sevilla, Valencia y Zaragoza. 

You will find here general information, about arts and culture, about gastronomy, shopping, sports and nature, what to do with kids, all accompanied by the best images of these destinations.

You can also find here the weatherforecast for the different cities.

Also you can find pratical information as in any travelguide: exchange rates, a dictionary, how much to pay for tips, where to find the different places, information about hotels, restaurants, hopsitals and special interest places. 

To download to program got to Apple Store