Andalucía Bound
@andalucia-bound.bsky.social
Inspiration and practical advice for visitors to Andalucía. Suggested itineraries, places to visit and in-depth information about Andalucía's history and culture.
Website: https://andalucia-bound.com/
Website: https://andalucia-bound.com/
After visiting the photography museum and a quick lunch, we had a stroll around town and then headed home via the desert.
December 18, 2025 at 3:43 PM
After visiting the photography museum and a quick lunch, we had a stroll around town and then headed home via the desert.
There was also a temporary exhibition of works by José Manaut. We didn’t know anything about him in advance, but we really liked the selection they had on display.
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December 18, 2025 at 1:04 PM
There was also a temporary exhibition of works by José Manaut. We didn’t know anything about him in advance, but we really liked the selection they had on display.
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Followed by the Museum of Contemporary Spanish Realism, which has an excellent collection, including works by Sorolla, Zuloaga and Antonio Lopez.
It’s housed in part of the old hospital, which makes a beautiful exhibition space.
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It’s housed in part of the old hospital, which makes a beautiful exhibition space.
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December 18, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Followed by the Museum of Contemporary Spanish Realism, which has an excellent collection, including works by Sorolla, Zuloaga and Antonio Lopez.
It’s housed in part of the old hospital, which makes a beautiful exhibition space.
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It’s housed in part of the old hospital, which makes a beautiful exhibition space.
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Next the guitar museum, which tells the story of guitar-making through the centuries, focusing on local 19th-century guitar maker Antonio de Torres
The museum places the guitar in the context of other, related string instruments. As a curiosity, it turns out Stradivarius made guitars.
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The museum places the guitar in the context of other, related string instruments. As a curiosity, it turns out Stradivarius made guitars.
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December 18, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Next the guitar museum, which tells the story of guitar-making through the centuries, focusing on local 19th-century guitar maker Antonio de Torres
The museum places the guitar in the context of other, related string instruments. As a curiosity, it turns out Stradivarius made guitars.
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The museum places the guitar in the context of other, related string instruments. As a curiosity, it turns out Stradivarius made guitars.
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We’re down in Almería to do some research and visit some museums.
We started with the Heritage Interpretation Centre, which has good displays about the city’s history, from its Muslim origins in 955 until today.
And great views from the rooftop terrace!
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We started with the Heritage Interpretation Centre, which has good displays about the city’s history, from its Muslim origins in 955 until today.
And great views from the rooftop terrace!
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December 18, 2025 at 12:44 PM
We’re down in Almería to do some research and visit some museums.
We started with the Heritage Interpretation Centre, which has good displays about the city’s history, from its Muslim origins in 955 until today.
And great views from the rooftop terrace!
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We started with the Heritage Interpretation Centre, which has good displays about the city’s history, from its Muslim origins in 955 until today.
And great views from the rooftop terrace!
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Along the Mediterranean coastline, there’s a relatively narrow coastal strip backed by scenic mountains. This is where you find the Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and Costa de Almería, which includes the lovely coves and sandy beaches of the Cabo de Gata, a Marine-Terrestrial Natural Park.
Ends
Ends
December 16, 2025 at 4:42 PM
Along the Mediterranean coastline, there’s a relatively narrow coastal strip backed by scenic mountains. This is where you find the Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and Costa de Almería, which includes the lovely coves and sandy beaches of the Cabo de Gata, a Marine-Terrestrial Natural Park.
Ends
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In the east, the climate gets drier. In the north of Granada province you have the Granada Geopark, one of the areas within Europe least altered by humans. The most striking features are the dry and hostile badlands, occasionally punctuated by surprisingly lush river valleys.
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December 16, 2025 at 4:39 PM
In the east, the climate gets drier. In the north of Granada province you have the Granada Geopark, one of the areas within Europe least altered by humans. The most striking features are the dry and hostile badlands, occasionally punctuated by surprisingly lush river valleys.
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South of the Guadalquivir, a series of mountain ranges separate it from the Mediterranean. These include the Sierra Nevada, where Mulhacén, at 3,479 m above sea level, is the tallest mountain in the Iberian Peninsula. Once snow-covered all year round, but climate change has put paid to that.
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December 16, 2025 at 4:35 PM
South of the Guadalquivir, a series of mountain ranges separate it from the Mediterranean. These include the Sierra Nevada, where Mulhacén, at 3,479 m above sea level, is the tallest mountain in the Iberian Peninsula. Once snow-covered all year round, but climate change has put paid to that.
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The wetlands around the Guadalquivir’s estuary, in Doñana National Park, are an important stopover for migrating birds. Either side of the estuary, you have the wide, sandy beaches of the Andalucía’s Atlantic coastline, known as Costa de la Luz.
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December 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
The wetlands around the Guadalquivir’s estuary, in Doñana National Park, are an important stopover for migrating birds. Either side of the estuary, you have the wide, sandy beaches of the Andalucía’s Atlantic coastline, known as Costa de la Luz.
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Below that, the Guadalquivir river valley forms a large, elongated triangle, stretching from its source in the Sierra de Cazorla in the northeast to the Atlantic in the southwest. This is the agricultural heartland of Andalucía, with crops like olives, wheat, oranges, vines and strawberries.
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December 16, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Below that, the Guadalquivir river valley forms a large, elongated triangle, stretching from its source in the Sierra de Cazorla in the northeast to the Atlantic in the southwest. This is the agricultural heartland of Andalucía, with crops like olives, wheat, oranges, vines and strawberries.
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Andalucía is more mountainous than many people realise. In the north you have the rolling Sierra Morena mountains, which stretch 400 km east from Portugal through the provinces of Huelva, Seville, Córdoba and Jaén. Historically, a natural barrier between Andalucía and the rest of Spain.
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December 16, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Andalucía is more mountainous than many people realise. In the north you have the rolling Sierra Morena mountains, which stretch 400 km east from Portugal through the provinces of Huelva, Seville, Córdoba and Jaén. Historically, a natural barrier between Andalucía and the rest of Spain.
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The final leg of our journey to Granada takes you past Moclín, another picturesque village crowned by a romantic castle. There are fantastic views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the village is the starting point for the popular Gollizno hiking route down into a dramatic gorge.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
The final leg of our journey to Granada takes you past Moclín, another picturesque village crowned by a romantic castle. There are fantastic views of the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the village is the starting point for the popular Gollizno hiking route down into a dramatic gorge.
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The first thing you see as you approach Alcalá la Real is the Fortaleza de la Mota standing high on a plateau above the town. Originally a Muslim fortress, it developed into an important frontier town, which exchanged hands several times in the 13th century.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
The first thing you see as you approach Alcalá la Real is the Fortaleza de la Mota standing high on a plateau above the town. Originally a Muslim fortress, it developed into an important frontier town, which exchanged hands several times in the 13th century.
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Continuing towards Granada you reach the castle of Alcaudete, which was held by the powerful religious-military Order of Calatrava during the Middle Ages.
In more peaceful times, it was converted into a Renaissance palace.
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In more peaceful times, it was converted into a Renaissance palace.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Continuing towards Granada you reach the castle of Alcaudete, which was held by the powerful religious-military Order of Calatrava during the Middle Ages.
In more peaceful times, it was converted into a Renaissance palace.
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In more peaceful times, it was converted into a Renaissance palace.
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Next you reach the 9th-century Moorish castle in Luque, which has been lovingly restored. Nearby is the picture-postcard village of Zuheros, with some lovely hiking trails in the mountains behind it.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Next you reach the 9th-century Moorish castle in Luque, which has been lovingly restored. Nearby is the picture-postcard village of Zuheros, with some lovely hiking trails in the mountains behind it.
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Coming from Córdoba, the route takes you past the Robert Capa monument in Espejo, which commemorates his photo The Falling Soldier, perhaps the most iconic photograph taken during the Civil War.
The monument also has great views of Espejo castle and the surrounding landscape.
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The monument also has great views of Espejo castle and the surrounding landscape.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
Coming from Córdoba, the route takes you past the Robert Capa monument in Espejo, which commemorates his photo The Falling Soldier, perhaps the most iconic photograph taken during the Civil War.
The monument also has great views of Espejo castle and the surrounding landscape.
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The monument also has great views of Espejo castle and the surrounding landscape.
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We’ve often driven to Córdoba from Granada, particularly over the past few years while researching our audio tours there. It’s a fantastic route which skirts the Sierras Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark, with great mountain views in all directions.
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December 9, 2025 at 12:49 PM
We’ve often driven to Córdoba from Granada, particularly over the past few years while researching our audio tours there. It’s a fantastic route which skirts the Sierras Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark, with great mountain views in all directions.
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Here are some more photos of a previous visit to Pampaneira.
December 9, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Here are some more photos of a previous visit to Pampaneira.
We went to Pampaneira with friends today, to work on a Spanish version of our VoiceMap tour.
Beautiful day, but we didn’t get many photos as the villages were heaving - the 6th and 8th of December are public holidays.
We did have a good lunch, including a tropical salad - almost like a dessert.
Beautiful day, but we didn’t get many photos as the villages were heaving - the 6th and 8th of December are public holidays.
We did have a good lunch, including a tropical salad - almost like a dessert.
December 7, 2025 at 6:41 PM
We went to Pampaneira with friends today, to work on a Spanish version of our VoiceMap tour.
Beautiful day, but we didn’t get many photos as the villages were heaving - the 6th and 8th of December are public holidays.
We did have a good lunch, including a tropical salad - almost like a dessert.
Beautiful day, but we didn’t get many photos as the villages were heaving - the 6th and 8th of December are public holidays.
We did have a good lunch, including a tropical salad - almost like a dessert.
All set in a beautiful Baroque mansion. Highly recommended!
December 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
All set in a beautiful Baroque mansion. Highly recommended!
After the Romans, there were some Visigoth, Moorish and Christian exhibits, including a rather grizzly one of a woman who was hanged.
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December 5, 2025 at 1:33 PM
After the Romans, there were some Visigoth, Moorish and Christian exhibits, including a rather grizzly one of a woman who was hanged.
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There was an unusual gilded bronze railing which may have adorned a temple, as well as lots trinkets, oil lamps, etc.
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December 5, 2025 at 1:27 PM
There was an unusual gilded bronze railing which may have adorned a temple, as well as lots trinkets, oil lamps, etc.
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Also a great collection of mosaics, as you would expect, including a Nereid riding a sea monster and the “gift of wine” - Bacchus’s gift to mankind.
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December 5, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Also a great collection of mosaics, as you would expect, including a Nereid riding a sea monster and the “gift of wine” - Bacchus’s gift to mankind.
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But the biggest highlights are from the Roman period, when Ecija (Astigi) was the capital of one of the four “conventus” in the province of Baetica.
Including a superb statue of a “wounded Amazon”, discovered as recently as 2002.
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Including a superb statue of a “wounded Amazon”, discovered as recently as 2002.
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December 5, 2025 at 1:18 PM
But the biggest highlights are from the Roman period, when Ecija (Astigi) was the capital of one of the four “conventus” in the province of Baetica.
Including a superb statue of a “wounded Amazon”, discovered as recently as 2002.
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Including a superb statue of a “wounded Amazon”, discovered as recently as 2002.
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From the Tartessian period in the 1st millennium BC, there’s this amazingly intricate piece of gold filigree. Look at the level of detail!
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December 5, 2025 at 1:11 PM
From the Tartessian period in the 1st millennium BC, there’s this amazingly intricate piece of gold filigree. Look at the level of detail!
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