Among other things, Andalusia is known for its traditional dance, flamenco. In addition, this is the Spanish region where the most olive oil is produced, especially around the city of Jaén.
Its past is a mixture of different cultures that settled in the territory and left their own mark. In fact, the oldest city in Europe is located here. It is called Cádiz, although originally its name was Gadir, and it was built more than 3000 years ago. Today, it is still inhabited.
As for other important cities, Granada and Seville are popular tourist destinations. In fact, Seville remains famous for its important historical harbor. The boats that sailed to America left from this city, and they had to stop at the Torre del Oro (Golden Tower) to be properly registered.
However, regardless of its rich past, there is no doubt that the people who left a deepest mark in Andalusia were the Moors. Their military buildings and palaces abound in the area, and the resulting cultural mixture gave birth to key elements of the Andalusian identity, such as flamenco and the Spanish guitar. What’s more, there are plenty of words in Spanish that have an Arabic origin (most of the ones that start with “al-”).
Architecturally speaking, one of the most important wonders built by the Moors is the Alhambra, in Granada, a true jewel that one needs to see at least once in life. Its unique design centers around water.
Nowadays, the TV series Game of Thrones has chosen Andalusia to represent Dorne and Dragonpit, using the Muslim palaces and Roman remains for the fantastic settings of the story.
