Andalusia

Andalusia, or Andalucía in Spanish, is perhaps the best known of the autonomous communities in Spain and is located in the southern area of the country. The capital city of the autonomous community of Andalusia is Seville, which is the fourth largest city in Spain.

Andalusia is a very large and diverse area, but there are several things that the area is well known for. One of the major attractions to the area is the warm and temperate climate, with the large number of beaches and outdoor areas to explore and travel. Andalusia is also known for its outstanding historical and modern architecture, with many different styles influenced by the different cultures and groups that inhabited this area throughout history. At historical points in time the area now known as Andalusia was controlled by Phoenicians, Tartessians, Carthaginians, Romans, Visigoths, Arabs, and Moors. There is a great deal of influence from the Arabian and Moorish culture, resulting in some beautiful buildings and artwork that are visible and important landmarks in the area today.

The food of Andalusia is as varied as its cultural heritage. One of the most famous international dishes from Andalusia is the refreshing and flavorful gazpacho. This is a cold soup that originally featured bread, olive oil, vinegar, garlic and salt and pepper. In more recent times tomatoes and cucumbers were added to make a rich cold vegetable soup that can be served pureed or left in small or large chunks. Fish is also a popular dish in Andalusia with many different preparations popular in various areas of the region.

Jerez, one of the major cities in Andalusia, is famous for its sherry production. Cadiz also produces both wines and sherry. Rum is made on the coastal areas and the licorice flavored liquor known as anis is also produced in Andalusia. Another famous export from the area of Andalusia around Jerez is the outstanding gaited horses known as the Andalusians. These horses are world renowned as performance and dressage horses and have been used as foundation stock for most of the warmblood competitive horses around the world.

Besides just food, horses and architecture, Andalusia is also a cultural center for the areas of southern Spain. Universities, museums, theatres and performance centers are numerous in the area and there are usually multiple types of cultural events to choose from at any time of the year.