Spotlight: Malaga, Spain

 Spotlight: Malaga is the second largest city in Andalusia. Situated on the banks of the Mediterranean Sea, in what is known as the Costa del Sol ("The Coast of the Sun"), it is a hot tourist destination for Spaniards as well as foreigners. Malaga was founded in 770 BC by the Phoenicians from Tyre who were trying to establish trading outposts across the Mediterranean. Rome took control of the city in 218 BC following the fall of Carthage in the Punic Wars. After the fall of Rome, it was controlled by the Visigoths until the Moors invaded the peninsula from Africa in the 8th century. In 1487, Castile took control of the city in the midst of the Granada War. Today, Malaga is the 6th largest city in Spain.

Malaga

Activities:

 Beach: Due to its prime location on the Costa del Sol, Malaga is a popular vacation destination for beach-goers. Since Malaga has hot summers and mild winters, with about 300 days of sun every year, you can see visitors on the beach most of the year. However, only the most intrepid beach-goers will go in the water in the off-season since it doesn't warm up until mid-summer. The month of July is the most crowded time to visit since most Spaniards use that month to vacation on the coast. In fact, many wealthy Spaniards own a second piso (apartment) in a coastal city where they vacation for several weeks every year. One of the most popular beaches is Playa La Malagueta, which is clean and free.

Beach bums

Mediterranean Sea

- Location: Paseo Marítimo Ciudad de Melilla, s/n, La Malagueta

- Cost: Free

- Rating: 4 of 5 stars

Alcazaba and Castillo de Gibralfaro: The Alcazaba was constructed during the Islamic Era under the rule of the Al-Andalus. The current fortress was built in the 11th century along a ridge of a large hill that looks out over the city and the Mediterranean Sea. The ridge was previously occupied by the Phoenicians circa 600 BC. Excavations of the hill have also uncovered a Roman Era theater that was built into the western slope of the hill in the first century AD. The fortress comprises two walled enclosures (one within the other). The inner enclosure encompasses the hills summit and encloses the palaces within its gates. The whole structure can be accessed by climbing a series of stairs and ramps that climb the hill, passing through various gates with beautiful views of the city.

The Alcazaba

The Castle of Gibralfaro was built in 929 AD by Abd-al-Rahman III, who was the Caliph of Cordoba. The castle is on the site of an ancient Phoenician lighthouse (from which it got its name "Rock of the Lighthouse"). It is connected to the Alcazaba by a double wall. During the Christian conquest of the city, the Arab defenders were well-defended inside of the castle. This was one of the first conflicts in which both sides used gunpowder. The defenders finally surrendered due to extreme hunger after a 3-month siege by the Catholic Monarchs. 

El Castillo

- Location: C/ Alcazabilla, 2, Distrito Centro, 29012 Málaga

- Hours: Summer: 9 am to 8 pm; Winter: 9 am to 6 pm

- Cost: 5.50 euros (for both monuments)

- Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Museo Picasso Malaga: Pablo Picasso, the famous Spanish artist who painted the most famous painting of the 20th century, Guernica, was born in Malaga in 1881. The Picasso Museum of Malaga was opened in 2003, and features hundreds of famous paintings of the artist. The collection is housed in the Palacio de Buenavista (declared a National Monument), which was built in the first half of the 16th century over the remains of a Nasrid Palace. Although the museum isn't home to Guernica (the artist's political protest against the bombing of the Basque town of that name), it features many other famous pieces that were donated by family and friends of the famous artist, and shows the metamorphosis of his style from amateur artist to the inventor of Cubism to his later re-workings of the Old Masters.

Museo Picasso Malaga

- Location: Palacio de Buenavista, C. San Agustín, 8, Distrito Centro, 29015 Málaga

- Hours: 10 am to 7 pm

- Cost: 9.50 euros; 7.50 euros (with European Youth Card); teachers are free (with proof of employment)

- Rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

Things You Should Know:

- Despite being on the "Coast of the Sun" the water in the Mediterranean was still really cold in early June.

- Guernica, the most famous of Picasso's paintings can be seen as the Museo Reina Sofia in Madrid

Nearby: El Caminito del Rey - a fabulous hike (60 km NW of Malaga); Antequera - a typical Andalusian city (52 km north of Malaga); Gibraltar - English territory that controls access to the Mediterranean (134 km SW of Malaga); Cordoba - the Islamic capital of Spain during the height of Al-Andalus (158 km north of Malaga 49 min. by train); Granada - home to La Alhambra (126 km NE of Malaga).

Spotlight: Gibraltar

Spotlight: Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula. The ideally situated city sits on the Strait of Gibraltar, a narrow passage that connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean. The Rock of Gibraltar is a small 426 meter mountain that juts up, creating the perfect natural fortress from which a well-armed force can control the passage. Around the Rock sits the town of Gibraltar, home to 34,000 Gibraltarians. The Almohads established a permanent watch tower there in 1160. Since then control of the area switched off between the Nasrids, Castilians and Marinids during the Middle Ages. In 1704, Anglo-Dutch forces captured Gibraltar from Spain during the War of the Spanish Succession, and the territory was ceded to Great Britain in the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713. The Royal Navy established a naval base there which gave the British a huge edge during the Napoleonic Wars and World War II since half of the world's sea-borne trade passed through the Strait.

Battery on top of the Rock of Gibraltar

The King of Gibraltar

Activities:

- Gibraltar Cable Car & Nature Reserve: The Gibraltar Cable Car is the fastest, and most convenient, method of going to the top of the Rock of Gibraltar. The trip takes 6 minutes and offers great views of the rock, the city and the sea port. At the top, you'll have the opportunity to see 2 continents, 3 countries, and the meeting point of 2 great bodies of water - as long as it's a clear day. When we got there, it was foggy, but it cleared up before we left so we didn't miss out on the views.

Cable Car Station (bottom)

Cable Car Top Station

     At the Top Station, you can get a bite to eat at the Mons Calpe Suite Restaurant and Bar or visit the Top of the Rock Souvenir Shop. The famous Barbary apes can be found at the Top Station lookout as well as Middle Station (also known as Ape's Den). They are wild animals and roam freely, so don't leave anything unattended or they will make off with it.

Barbary Ape Pals

     After enjoying the view from the top, take time to stroll through the Nature Reserve. The Nature Reserve hosts several unique experiences for visitors. The SkyWalk opened in 2018 with Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) cutting the ribbon with his lightsaber. The glass walkway (a short walk from Top Station) offers unobstructed views of the steep drop below. St. Michael's Cave (less than a kilometer from the top) was discovered during Roman times and was thought to be bottomless. The cave was used as an auxiliary hospital during WWII. In addition to the beautiful natural formations, the cave is decked out with strobe lights that put on a light show in beat with the music. The cave is often used for concerts today. Other highlights include the World War II Tunnels, the Siege Tunnels, the Ape's Den (Middle Station), Windsor Suspension Bridge, O'Hara's Battery, the 100-ton Gun, the Moorish Castle and the Mediterranean Steps.

Sky Walk

St. Michael's Cave

Cave formation away from the lights

Tunnels

     If you are up for a hike, the Mediterranean Steps are a different option than taking the cable car back down to the bottom. The Steps were built by the British military and link Martin's Path (near the bottom) with Lord Airey's Battery (near the top). The path offers stunning views of the Strait of Gibraltar, Windmill Hill, Europa Point, the Great Sand Dune and the various beaches along Gibraltar's east side and Spain's Costa del Sol. Near the bottom, you'll arrive at Jew's Gate Cemetery. After passing out of the Reserve, you might want to take a look at the monument to the Pillars of Hercules - of which Gibraltar is one. The other is supposed to be Abila Mons - a smaller promontory on the African side of the Strait.

Monument to the Pillars of Hercules

The Mediterranean Steps

- Location: Red Sands Rd, Gibraltar GX11 1AA, Gibraltar

- Hours: 9:30 am to 7:15 pm daily; a new cable car arrives about every 10 minutes

- Cost: Cable Car round trip only: Adults: 19 pounds, Child (5-11): 9 pounds, Seniors (65+): 17 pounds

    Cable Car round trip + nature reserve: Adults: 38 pounds, Child: 22 pounds, Seniors: 36 pounds

    Cable Car single trip + nature reserve: Adults: 35.5 pounds, Child: 22 pounds, Seniors: 34 pounds

- Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things You Should Know:

- Gibraltarians speak a local dialect known as Llanito - which is a mix of Andalusian Spanish and English. Tourists can get by speaking either language

- The Barbary Apes (really monkeys) can be aggressive if you have something they want. My wife had a water bottle in her backpack, and one leaped onto the pack in order to get at the water bottle. She started screaming and we got it off before we realized that we missed a great photo op. My daughter tempted one onto her back for a picture. They didn't attack us at all, just went after our stuff. Later, one stole my wife's ice cream bar. Needless to say, she didn't like them as much as the rest of us.

Ice Cream Thief

- We parked our car at the cable car parking lot and bought timed parking for 5 hours. Unfortunately, it took us longer to hike down than we thought it would, so we didn't get to see everything we wanted to see before heading back to the car. We then tried to drive back up to the Great Siege Tunnels and Moorish Castle, but couldn't find parking because there were too many cars already parked up there.

- The streets driving up and down The Rock are very narrow. Drive with caution!

- It can be cold at the Top of the Rock even if it is warm down below. Bring some sort of light jacket or sweatshirt.

Nearby: El Caminito del Rey - a fabulous hike (148 km NE of Gibraltar); Malaga - Spain's largest city along the southern coast (134 km NE of Gibraltar); Tangier - Morrocan city on the northern shore of Africa (85 km SW of Gibraltar); Parque Natural Los Alcornocales (64 km NW of Gibraltar)

Spotlight: Sevilla, Spain

Spotlight: Sevilla, AKA Seville, is the largest city in Andalusia. It is located along the banks of the Guadalquivir River in southern Spain. Sevilla was originally founded by the Romans under the name of Hispalis. In 711 AD, it fell under the control of the Islamic Moors, who conquered most of the Iberian peninsula in the 8th century. During the Christian "Reconquest" of the peninsula, Sevilla fell back under Catholic control in 1248, when it was incorporated under the Crown of Castilla (AKA Castile).

    Sevilla was perhaps the most important city in Spain during the Colonial Era. The reason for this is because most ships sailing back and forth between Spain and Spain's colonies in the Americas did so via the river port in Sevilla. Sevilla's harbor is located about 80 km from the Atlantic Ocean, and the Guadalquivir was deep enough to allow the Spanish galleons easy access to Sevilla, which was well-connected to Spain's other major cities. As drought conditions lowered the depth of the Guadalquivir in the late 1700's, Spain's primary harbor was moved south to Cadiz.

Bullfighting Arena in downtown Sevilla

Activities:

Real Alcazar de Sevilla: The Royal Alcazar of Sevilla was constructed from a palace complex built by the Abbadid Dynasty in the 11th century. Over the centuries, the complex has gone through many transformations creating a mixed architectural style that includes elements of Mudejar, Gothic and Renaissance styles. The "Catholic Monarchs," Fernando and Isabel, renovated the Alcazar, making it their primary residence. The Alcazar is still a working palace, and the royal family occupies the upper stories whenever they are in town. The main access to the complex is through La Puerta del Leon (The Lion Gate), where most guided tours start. Some of the highlights of the complex include: the Sala de la Justicia (Courtroom of Justice), the Patio del Yeso (Courtyard of Plaster), the Patio de la Monteria (Courtyard of the Hunt), the Cuarto del Almirante (Admiral's Room), the Patio de las Doncellas (Courtyard of the Maidens), Baños de Doña María de Padilla (The Baths of Lady Maria de Padilla) and the Salon de los Embajadores (Hall of the Ambassadors) - among many others. The rooms in each room are decorated from floor to ceiling with interesting arrays of geometric patterns or historically relevant paintings. In addition to the lavish rooms, visitors can stroll through the beautiful gardens. The gardens were both funcional, providing food for the palace, and recreational - replete with statues, ponds, pools, fountains, flowers and other aesthetically pleasing planters. The Alcazar was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987 and is administered by the Patrimonia Nacional.

Real Alcazar de Sevilla

Ornately decorated walls within the Alcazar

Closer look at the wall art

- Location: Casco Antiguo, 41004 Sevilla

- Hours: 9:30 am to 8 pm; plan on 2-3 hours to truly see this site

- Cost: General admission -13.50 euros; Guided tours: variable

- Rating: 5 of 5 stars

The Archivo General de Indias: The General Archive of the Indies was created by Carlos III in 1785. Housed in the former Merchant Guild Building of Seville (late 16th Century), the Archive is a repository of archival documents and artefacts from the Spanish Empire in the Americas and Asia. The Archive has many fascinating historical documents that visitors can peruse through glass cases at their leisure. Among these documents include: signed letters from many of the conquistadors, signed letters from Spanish monarchs, the Bull of Demarcation Inter caetera by Pope Alexander the VI, the journal of Christopher Columbus and signed letters, coded letters, maps of many early Spanish-American cities, historically relevant paintings, etc. The Archive houses 9 kilometers of shelving, with 43,000 volumes that total some 80 million pages! The building and Archive were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Letter from Christopher Columbus

Coded letter

- Location: Av. de la Constitución, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41004 Sevilla

- Hours: Tuesday - Saturday from 9:30 am to 5 pm; 10:00 am to 2 pm on Sundays; closed Mondays

- Cost: free

- Rating: 4 of 5 stars (5 stars if you like history; 3 stars if you don't)

The Catedral de Sevilla:  Upon its completion in 1507, the Cathedral of Sevilla supplanted Hagia Sophia as the largest cathedral in the world. Although it has since been supplanted by a few larger cathedrals, it remains the largest Gothic cathedral in the world. Juan of Aragon, the only son of Fernano and Isabel, was baptized here. Like most Catholic cathedrals, the Catedral de Sevilla contains the tombs of many famous Catholics, including: Christopher Columbus, Diego Columbus, King Fernando III, King Alfonso the Wise, King Pedro the Cruel, Cardinal Juan de Cervantes and Cardinal Pedro Gonzalez de Mendoza. Outside the cathedral is the reknowned Patio de los Naranjos or Courtyard of Orange Trees. Next to the cathedral is the Giralda Tower, which measures 104.5 meters (343 feet) in height. This bell tower is a former minaret of an Islamic mosque which once stood there. The tower contains 35 ramps winding around 7 vaulted chambers in the tower's core, allowing the tower to be scaled on horseback. The cathedral and tower were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1987.

Gold plated wall in the cathedral

Tomb of Christopher Columbus

The Giralda Tower

- Location: Av. de la Constitución, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41004 Sevilla

- Hours: Tuesday - Saturday from 11:00 am to 5:00 pm; 2:30 - 6:00 pm on Sundays; 11:00 - 3:30 pm Mondays

- Cost: General admission: 9 euros; Student and Retirees: 4 euros

- Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Torre del Oro: The Tower of Gold is a dodecagonal military tower on the riverbanks of the Guadalquivir River. The tower was originally constructed in the 13th century by the Almohad Caliphate to control access to Sevilla by river. A second, much smaller level was constructed a century later. The third level, circular in shape, was destroyed in an earthquake, and rebuilt in 1760. A second tower, la Torre de Plata (Tower of Silver), was built during the same time frame. The Torre del Oro got its name from the golden hue its image cast on the river, as opposed to the Torre de Plata which is a much lighter hue. A wall connecting the towers helped protect access to the Alcazar. During the Middle Ages, the tower was used as a prison. Today it is a nautical museum.

Torre de Oro

View of the Guadalquivir River from the Torre

- Location: P.º de Cristóbal Colón, s/n, Casco Antiguo, 41001 Sevilla

- Hours: Monday - Friday from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm; Saturday - Sunday; 10:30 - 6:45 pm

- Cost: Adults: 3 euros, Students: 1.50 euros, Children under 6: free

- Rating: 3 of 5 stars

Plaza de España: Located in Maria Luisa Park, the Plaza de España was built in 1928 in preparation for the Ibero-American Exhibition of 1929. Designed by Anibal Gonzalez, the architecture is a mixture of Spanish Baroque Revival, Spanish Renaissance Revival and Neo-Mudejar styles. Star Wars fans will also notice a strong resemblance to the city of Theed on Naboo. That's because the Plaza was used to shoot several scenes of Star Wars: Episode II - Attack of the Clones (2002). The Plaza has also been featured in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Dictator (2012) and Kaos (2023). The Plaza, a large semi-circle, is accessible via four bridges (representing the four ancient kingdoms of Spain) that cross a moat with the Vicente Traver Fountain in the middle. Around the fountain, tiled alcoves represent the different regions of Spain, with quaint paintings depicting something for which the province is known. Also, the Plaza is a great place to watch Flamenco dancers performing for tips.

Plaza de España

Flamenco Dancer

Vicente Traver Fountain

Regional Alcove of Toledo

"Naboo" Bridge

- Location: Av. Isabel la Católica, 41004 Sevilla

- Hours: 8 am to midnight, daily

- Cost: Currently free, but will soon have an entry fee

- Rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

Things You Should Know:

- Sevilla is hot, especially during July and August when temperatures often register above 35 degrees Celcius (about 95 degrees Fahrenheit).

- The Real Alcazar of Sevilla offers free admission for an hour most Mondays.

- There has been a recent backlash against excessive tourism in parts of Spain. Residents not associated with the tourist industry have been complaining about how tourists are driving up prices, in particular due to the number of apartments that have been purchased for AirBnBs, which limits the supply for residents. In response to the vocal outcry of these dissidents, the mayor of Sevilla recently announced that they will be charging a tourist fee for the Plaza de 

España and possibly other attractions that were previously free.

Nearby: El Caminito del Rey - a fabulous hike (152 km SE of Sevilla); Antequera - home of the Torcal de Antequera nature reserve (158 km east of Sevilla); Cordoba - the Islamic capital of Spain during the height of Al-Andalus (141 km NE of Sevilla; 48 minutes by bullet train); Gibraltar - The Rock of Gibraltar is owned by England guarding the entrance to the Mediterranean (200 km south of Sevilla)

Spotlight: El Caminito del Rey

 Spotlight: Once known as "one of the world's most dangerous hikes," the Caminito del Rey is now safe as well as adventurous. The 7.7 km hike is made via a wooden walkway 100 meters above the Guadalhorce River, along a sheer cliff face, offering magnificent views of the canyon and surrounding countryside. The walls of the canyon rise as much as 700 meters above the canyon floor. The canyon is home to various species of vultures, golden eagles, Spanish ibex and wild boar. The aerial walkway was built in the early 20th century, between the waterfalls of Gaitanejo and El Chorro, to allow access by maintenance workers for the local hydroelectric dam. The hike got its name due to a visit by King Alfonso XIII, who visited the site in 1921, officially opening the engineering project.

Hydroelectric dam

View of the canyon

View of the old path below the new one

    The path through the canyon is one-way (north to south) and encompasses a combination of mountain trails and suspended boardwalks. At one point, there is a glass balcony which juts out from the walkway, allowing unobstructed vertical views of the canyon below. Guided tours of El Caminito del Rey start at the Visitors' Reception Centre at Puerto de las Atalayas (57.7 km northwest of Malaga or 51 km west of Antequera). 

Suspended boardwalk

Suspended bridge

glass balcony

View of the boardwalk hugging the cliff

Location: El Caminito del Rey, 29550 Ardales

- VISITORS' Reception Centre coordinates: X: 36.914411 / Y: -4.806910

Cost: General admission: 10 euros; Guided tours: 18 euros

Time: Guided hikes of Caminito del Rey begin from 8:00 am to 2:30 pm. The hike takes between 3-4 hours.

Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things You Should Know:

- You can reserve and purchase your ticket online (https://www.caminitodelrey.info/en/) or directly at the northern access of the Caminito, at the ticket office.

- Parking at the Visitors' Reception Centre is 2 euros/day. Plan on arriving one hour before your hike time to allow for pre-hike preparations, including shuttle time from the Visitors' Centre to the starting point of the hike.

- The shuttle that you take from the Visitors' Centre to the Caminito del Rey is not owned by the tour company, but the shuttle stop is next to the Visitors' Centre parking, and 300 meters from the ending point for the return trip. A single ticket is needed to travel back and forth on the shuttle. The ticket can be purchased ahead of time (online) or with cash (2.50 euros), but cannot be purchased by credit/debit card at the shuttle stop. The shuttle service runs from 7:40 am to 7:00 pm and is about 15-20 minutes.

- If you desire to do the hike on your own, there are parking lots in the town of Ardales where the hike begins. You can then take the shuttle bus from the trail's end back to Ardales.

Nearby: Ardales Cave (10 km SW of Caminito del Rey); Neocropolis de las Aguilillas (6.3 km NW of Caminito del Rey); The Rock Church of Bobastro (9.3 km south of Caminito del Rey); Malaga (60 km SE of Caminito del Rey).

Spotlight: Antequera, Spain

 Spotlight: Located in Andalusia, Antequera isn't usually found on most tourist company's lists of must-see places in Spain. However, we found it the perfect place to set up our base camp as we explored southern Spain. Antequera is located in between the four major cities in Andalusia: Cordoba, Sevilla, Malaga and Granada. We found an inexpensive, yet very comfortable and roomy Airbnb there and stayed there for a week, taking day trips to the nearby cities. Yet, even though it doesn't occupy much space in travel brochures, Antequera, with its white homes with red roofs, has some treasures of its own - including a castle and a nature reserve.

City of Antequera

A beautiful Antequeran church

Activities: 

La Alcazaba de Antequera: The Alcazaba de Antequera is a 14th century, rectangular fortress with three towers. It was built by the Moors over the ruins of a Roman fortress in an effort to check the advance of Christian forces into Andalusia. Nevertheless, in 1410 AD, the Castillian forces conquered the city following a six month seige. The moorish residents were exiled to Granada, where they settled in a neighborhood they named Antequeruela. The Christian forces reinforced the city's defenses and built a bell tower/chapel in the largest tower in 1582. This tower is among the largest in all of Andalusia.

La Alcazaba de Antequera

Castle interior

Castle Wall

- Location: Pl. de los Escribanos, s/n, 29200 Antequera

- Hours: 10 am to 6 pm daily (no entrance after 5:30)

- Cost: Adults: 6 euros, Groups: 5 euros each, Children 7-16: 3 euros

- Rating: 3 of 5 stars

El Torcal de Antequera: Located 16 km south of the city limits (about 5 mi. as the crow flies), is the beautiful Torcal de Antequera - a nature reserve. This park can be explored on your own or as part of a guided tour. Although certain areas of the reserve are only accessible through guided tours, there are many paths that are accessible to the general public. We decided to explore on our own, and it was spectacular. If you like unique rock formations, this park has plenty of fascinating formations - including the "Tornillo" (screw) and many similar formations. In fact, the Torcal is considered one of the most impressive karst landscapes in Europe. If you like animals, this park has plenty of them as well. As we were hiking, we heard what sounded like someone banging a hammer. We turned the corner and saw a herd of Spanish ibex. A couple of males were trying to establish their dominance by banging their heads. We also saw a fox searching for its breakfast. Other common animals in the park include: the Montpellier snake, the ocellated lizard, the Griffon vulture, badgers, weasels and other rodents. There are also many caves in the park, including the Cueva del Toro - which has several neolithic artifacts.

El Torcal de Antequera

El Tornillo

Hungry fox

Ibex head-butters

Spanish ibex herd

- Location: Calle el Torcal de Antequera, 70, 75, 29200 Antequera

- Hours: Open 24 hours/day

- Cost: free; guided tours cost between 2 euros - 16 euros, depending on the tour

- Rating: 5 of 5 stars

Things you should know: 

- If you desire to visit the Torcal de Antequera with a group or as part of a guided tour, please communicate your plans at: reservas@torcaldeantequera.com. If you plan to tour the park on your own, no advance reservations are needed. 

- The best time to visit the Torcal is probably early morning when you are likely to have the park practically to yourselves and are more likely to discover wildlife on the prowl.

- The Torcal Visitors Center has several visitor services including: parking, a tourist information center, tour guide services, a gift shop, cafeteria, interpretive area, a multi-purpose room and an astronomical observatory.

Nearby: El Caminito del Rey - a fabulous hike (50 km west of Antequera); Malaga - a large city located on the Mediterranean Sea (52 km south of Antequera); Sevilla - Spain's most important city during its colonial days (158 km west of Antequera); Cordoba - the Islamic capital of Spain during the height of Al-Andalus (119 km north of Antequera); Granada - home to La Alhambra (101 km east of Antequera).