Why Spain's Andalusia Is Our Destination To Visit This Fall

When you think of Spain, chances are, the images that come to mind are those of Andalusia. This southern state, the largest in all of the country, is the home of quintessential classics like flamenco, tapas and sweeping sandy beaches. With summer temperatures rising, shoulder season is the perfect time to visit and autumn brings blue sky days and warm temperatures without the intensity and crowds of summer. While the mammoth Moorish Alhambra palace in Granada, UNESCO-preserved Seville city centre and the Costa Del Sol beach towns are worth your time, there is much more to discover beyond the popular sights.

Andalusia’s Costa De Luz is just as spectacular as its more famous sibling albeit with a wilder feel and far less high rise development. Running along the western part of Andalusia between Tarifa in the south and the Portuguese border in the north, this stretch of Atlantic coastline is dotted with beach towns and inland picturesque pueblos blancos (white towns). In the seaside town of Zahara de los Atunes, much loved Spanish chef José Pizarro has recently opened his cliffside holiday home, Iris Zahara, as an exclusive-use villa with the chance to add on private cooking classes and culinary tours with Pizarro himself. The historic whitewashed hilltop town of Vejer de la Frontera makes for a very charming stay with some excellent accommodation (see Casa Uva and Casa La Siesta) and eating options (Califa and El Muro) to boot. The bigger towns of Cadiz, the oldest city in the Western world, is fascinating for history, while windswept Tarifa, offers a laid back feel, endless water sports opportunities and the chance to day trip to Tangier, just one hour by ferry.

While Andalusia’s most famous beach resort might have historically suffered from an image problem, it’s back in the spotlight for all the right reasons, thanks to a crop of revamped hotels. Historic hotel La Fonda, which has held a prime position on Plaza de Santo Cristo Square since the 60s, reopened its doors in the summer of 2023 as La Fonda Heritage Hotel, the first Relais & Chateaux property in Andalusia with 20 rooms across three restored buildings. Other glamorous boltholes of times gone by have been given a new lease of life - notably La Zambra, previously Princess Diana’s favorite Byblos Hotel.

And iconic El Fuerte de Marbella, recently reopened with two swimming pools and a restaurant by chef Paco Pérez.

Of course, you can’t mention Marbella without The Marbella Club, which celebrated its 70th birthday this year and recently acquired 50,000 sqm of land adjacent to its main property, which will see the hotel expanding its wellness offering.

There is so much rich history across Andalusia that some beautifully preserved towns barely make it onto a classic south Spain itinerary. Case in point: the beautifully preserved UNESCO World Heritage cities of Úbeda and Baeza. Surrounded by rolling hills and miles of olive groves in the Jaén province just north of Granada, the setting for these towns is as beautiful as the Renaissance architecture. Úbeda’s Plaza Vázquez de Molina is thought to be one of the most beautiful squares in Europe while Baeza’s line up of religious buildings have a remarkable mix of Renaissance styles mixed with Moorish and Gothic details. As the home of olive oil, gastronomy is thriving and creative fine dining can be found in both towns at Vandelvira and Cibus respectively.

Beyond its museums and mansions filled with fine art and shops selling traditional crafts like ceramics, the Andalusian capital is becoming an exciting hub for creatives with a local scene that’s on the up. At Las Animas, the studio of multi-disciplinary artist duo Trini Salamanca and Pablo Párraga, their minimalist and geometric style inspired by tribal and esoteric ideas can be seen via enchanting furniture, sculptures and objects.

In a similar vein, Jaime Abaurre, the artist known internationally for his grand graphic pieces recently returned to his hometown to open his Más Cara Que Espalda studio while over at The Exvotos, Andalusian artists Daniel Maldonado and Luciano Galán create decorative sculptures that double up as usable objects like pots or jugs.

Following in the footsteps of Port’s rebrand, sherry is the latest fortified drink to have a modern makeover. Jerez de la Frontera, the small city just one hour by train south of Seville, is the home of the beverage and subsequently an emerging city break destination. The walkable city with sun soaked squares and a mix of Renaissance, neoclassical and gothic architecture is great for learning about and sampling this up and coming drink whether you book in for a tour at the José Estévez cellar where tastings happen against a backdrop of an impressive art collection backdrop featuring Miró, Dalí and Picasso or swing by modern bistro El Gallo Azul for sherry with a side of elevated tapas.

84 Rooms recommends: A Guide To Seville, and The Best Restaurants In Madrid.