1. Sierra Nevada

Spain’s tallest peaks – and, after the Alps, Europe’s second loftiest chain – make Andalucía home to some excellent winter sports and robust trekking in spring and summer, as well as abundant wildflowers and wildlife. For the more culturally inclined, the historic villages of the Alpujarras, on the southern slopes, are a fascinating study in an age old way of life of the Sierra Nevada.

2. Moorish Granada

The fairytale palace of the Alhambra is one of Spain’s main attractions, drawing millions of visitors each year. In the city below, the ancient Albaicín district embodies a microcosm of a North African village, a “Little Morocco”, with colourful market streets and tearooms. Above and behind the area stands Sacromonte, the traditional home of cave-dwelling gypsies. Also worth a visit is the Museo Caja-Granada Memoria de Andalucía, devoted to Andalucian culture (for further details see Moorish Granada: The Alhambra).Museo CajaGranada Memoria de Andalucía • Avda de la Ciencia 2 • 958 22 22 57 • www.memoriadeandalucia.com • Open mid-Jun–Aug: 10am–2pm, 5–8pm Tue–Sat, 11am–3pm Sun & hols; Sep–mid-Jun: 10am–2pm, 4–7pm Tue–Sat, 11am–3pm Sun & hols; Closed 1 & 6 Jan, 1 May, 24, 25 & 31 Dec • Adm

3. Cathedral & Capilla Real, Granada

To unequivocally establish Christian rule, these triumphalist structures were built by some of the greatest architects of the age and adorned with important works of art. The towering interior of Granada’s cathedral is one of the most spectacular achievements of the period, while Alonso Cano’s façade echoes the ancient triple arch favoured by Roman emperors. The Capilla Real (Royal Chapel) is Granada’s finest Christian building and a repository of rare treasures, including a reja (gilded grille) by Bartolomé de Jaén, priceless crown jewels, and paintings by Roger van der Weyden and Sandro Botticelli (for further details see Capilla Real and Catedral, Granada).

Catedral • C/Gran Via de Colón 5 • Open 10am–1:30pm & 4–8pm Mon–Sat, 4–8pm Sun • Adm

Capilla Real • C/Oficios 3 • 958 22 92 39 • Open 10:30am–1pm & 4–7pm Mon–Sat, 11am–1pm & 4–7pm Sun • Adm

4. Monasterio de la Cartuja, Granada

Don’t let the austere exterior fool you – inside the church and sacristy of this Carthusian monastery lurk some of the most flamboyant Spanish Baroque architecture and detailing you’ll ever encounter. So busy are the arabesques, flourishes and excrescences of gilded and polychromed stucco that the architectural lines are all but swallowed up in ravishing visual commotion.Paseo de la Cartuja • 958 16 19 32 • Open 10am–1pm, 4–8pm daily • Adm

5. Museo Parque de las Ciencias

This exciting complex, dedicated to science and exploration, is made up of numerous interactive areas, such as Journey Through the Human Body, Perception, Eureka and Biosphere. There’s an Observation Tower, a Planetarium and the Sala Explora, exclusively for children aged 3–7, where they can conduct their first experiments. There are also temporary themed exhibitions.Avda de la Ciencia s/n, Granada • 958 13 19 00 • www.parqueciencias.com • Open 10am–7pm Tue–Sat, 10am–3pm Sun & hols; Closed 1 Jan, 1 May, 25 Dec • Adm

6. Alhama de Granada

Clinging precariously to the edge of a breathtaking gorge, this whitewashed village has been known since Moorish times for its beauty and natural thermal waters (al-hamma means “hot spring” in Arabic). The Hotel Balneario preserves the 11th-century aljibe (cistern), graced by Caliphal arches. In the 16th-century Iglesia de la Encarnación some of the priestly vestments on display are said to have been embroidered by Queen Isabel the Catholic.

7. Almunecar & Around

The Costa Tropical is perhaps Spain’s most spectacular coast, where towering mountains rise from the shore. Almuñécar is the chief town along this stretch and it is now given over almost entirely to resort life. Yet it has an ancient heritage, dating back to the Phoenicians, and was an important port under the Moors. The intriguing Museo Arqueológico Cueva de Siete Palacios has a unique Egyptian vase dating from the 7th century BC.Museo Arqueológico Cueva de Siete Palacios • Barrio de San Miguel • 958 63 11 25 • Open 10:30am–1:30pm & 5:30–8pm Tue–Sat, 10:30am–2pm Sun & public hols • Adm

8. Guadix

This ancient town is famous for its cave dwellings, inhabited for centuries. They were developed after the reconquista by local Moors who had been cast out of society by the Christians. The Barrio de las Cuevas is a surreal zone of brown hills with rounded whitewashed chimneys sprouting up here and there. To learn more, visit the Cueva-Museo or instead stay in a cave hotel.Cueva-Museo • Plaza Padre Poveda • 958 66 47 67 • www.cuevamuseoalcazaba.com • Open 10am–2pm & 4:30–7pm Mon–Fri, 11am–2pm Sat • Adm

9. Almeria City & Around

Almería, the “mirror of the sea”, has lost much of its appeal due to modern development. Still, its 10th-century Alcazaba is one of the most impressive of the extant Moorish fortresses, and the engaging old quarter that still seems North African in essence.Alcazaba • C/Almanzor • 950 80 10 08 • Open Tue–Sat, hours vary month by month. Call ahead for opening times • Adm (free for EU members)

10. ”Wild West” Towns

The interior of Almería Province resembles the deserts and canyons of the American Southwest: it was the perfect spot for filming the wild west epics known as “Spaghetti Westerns” of the 1960s and 1970s. Three of the sets are now theme parks: Mini Hollywood, Fort Bravo and Western Leone offer stunt shows and memorabilia.

Mini Hollywood • Ctra N340 km 464, Tabernas • 950 36 52 36 • www.oasysparquetematico.com • Open 10am–9pm daily (summer), 10am–7pm Sat–Sun & pub. hols (winter) • Adm

Fort Bravo • Ctra N340 km 468, Paraje de Unihay s/n, Tabernas • 950 06 60 14 • www.fortbravo.es • Open 9am–6pm daily (to 8pm Jun–Aug) • Adm

Western Leone • Ctra A92 km 378, Tabernas • 950 16 54 05 • www.westernleone.es • Open 10am–8pm daily • Adm