Until around a decade ago the Axarquía region of Andalucía was little known. Then, northern European expatriates discovered the pretty hilltop village of Cómpeta, started buying up some of the run-down 'fincas' and farmhouses in the area.
Today, rural tourism comprises a large part of the local economy. However, the area is still breathtakingly beautiful and has not been spoilt by the interest and influx of foreigners. The main attractions are the area's dramatic hill and mountain scenery, its unspoilt, white washed villages and the strong sweet wine that is made from sun dried grapes.

The region of mountain villages known as Las Alpujarras clings to the southern flanks of the Sierra Nevada, cloven by deep, sheltered valleys and gorges which run down towards the Mediterranean. The Alpujarra, as it is popularly known, in the singular, is famous throughout Spain because of its unique mini-ecology. Its terraced farmlands are constantly watered by the melting snow from above, constituting a high-altitude oasis of greenery which stands in dramatic contrast to the arid foothills below. This is ideal hiking terrain for adventurous travellers, provided you take along a tent and well-padded sleeping bags - the average altitude is 4,000 feet above sea level.

Cave dwelling is not what it used to be - especially in Andalusia. Far from being a primitive option, a cave house in Andalusia can be anything from your cosy country cottage to fully equipped cave guest house. Caves are being rediscovered and refurbished like never before and market is booming. In the north east of the Granada Province cave houses are increasing in popularity and over the last few years have become big business. From Guadix to Galera and all across the Altiplano area, there are some incredibly beautiful houses carved out of the Andalusian mountainous rocks.

The western spur of the Sierra Morena, with gently sloping landscapes that are not very high (800m), occupies the northern part of the province of Huelva.
Its landscape is essentially a succession of holm and cork oaks - which provide the staple diet of the prized Iberian pig - chestnut, walnut and poplar trees.
Vegetable and fruit farms and livestock farms, usually surrounded by walls of stone or "adobe" (sun-dried rick), give this area a unique appearance. This land is dotted with a wealth of towns and villages, which very often appear before the traveller, nestled in the valleys or on the hillsides, at the foot of the castles.

With a total surface area of 209,920ha and covering almost a fifth of Jaen province, this is Spain's largest protected area and one its most extensive forested zones.
First impressions of the park may consist of barren rocky crests and vast pine forests, but the area's botanical importance within Andalucia is matched only by the Sierra Nevada, with a fifth of the vascular plants in the Iberian peninsula being found in the Sierra de Cazorla Natural Park.
Two of the Iberian peninsula's most important rivers, the great Río Guadalquivir and the Segura, have their sources in the Sierra de Cazorla, amid some of the wildest landscape in Spain.

Situated on an arc which extends from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean, in an area characterised by the last foothills of the Bético system (the Sierras of Cadiz and Ronda), the White Villages constitute one of the archetypal routes of popular Andalusian architecture.
The omnipresent lime and their commanding positions - on hills and mountainsides or in gorges - make these villages appear as round white blotches on a landscape dominated by pine trees, holm oaks, cork oaks and, a true botanical rarity, Spanish firs.

The Sierra Nevada is a dramatic, rugged and extensive mountain range, the highest in Europe after the Alps and the most significant section of the Cordillera Penibética. The protected area encompasses 86,208ha of torrential rivers, sheer-sided gorges, stony scree slopes, glacial lakes between snowy summits and, in the foothills of the Alpujarras, cultivated terraces of almond trees and vegetables. There are over 20 peaks more than 3,000m, which makes it the second highest mountain range in Europe after the Alps. On a clear day these mountains can be seen from as far away as Africa.

This region is well known for being the rainiest place in Spain. The Sierra de Grazalema was declared the first natural park in Andalucia in 1984 and is one of Spain's most ecologically outstanding areas. The 51,695ha park is famous for its spectacularly rugged limestone landscape of cliffs, gullies, caves and gorges. By far the most impressive gorge is Garganta Verde, with its exceptional griffon vulture colony and rocky walls that tower vertically for 400m. Andalucia's largest cave system is also here, the Hundidero-Gato with its biggest cavern measuring 4km long and an entrance of 60m tall.