Geography of Andalucia

Andalucia is located at the very south of the Iberian Península, only 14 kilometres from North Africa at the closest point. It is also where the Atlantic Ocean meets the Mediterranean Sea. Geographically the area is remarkably diverse with snow capped mountain ranges, desert, fertile plains, wetlands, volcanic landscape and kilometres of unspoilt beaches (plus many “popular” ones too!).

There are two mountain ranges in Andalucia, the low Sierra Morena to the north and the Bética ranges to the south. These two major ranges are divided by the broad fertile Guadalquivir valley. The huge fertile plains of the Guadalquivir are extremely important economically as they produce an abundance of vegetables, fruit and the sherry producing vines of the Jerez region.

The Doñana National Park is another important area of the Guadalquivir valley as it is home to a World Heritage Site, a Biosphere Reserve and it is on the List of Wetlands of International Importance. The Guadalqivir plain or valley is the flattest area in Spain yet most of Andalucia is mountainous as approximately 50% of the region is over 600m above sea level. The famous Sierra Nevada is in the Bética range. It contains the highest mountain on the Spanish peninsula “Mulhacén” at 3,481m above sea level. Because of the proximity of the Sierra Nevada to the coast it genuinely is possible to be skiing in the morning and sun bathing in the afternoon.

The Sierra Nevada is for serious and experienced walkers and climbers; however, there are many other Sierras that are just as beautiful, less popular and more accessible. Amongst them are; Sierra de Cabo de Gata, Sierra de Mária, Sierra de las Nieves, Sierra Subbetica and many, many more. Takes time to investigate and visit these wondeful areas.

The beaches in the region range from long sandy, dune backed areas in the west (Tarifa, Huelva, Cadiz) through pebble and sand beaches (Costa del Sol and the Eastern Costa del Sol), secluded coves and spectacular cliffs around la Herradura (Costa Tropical) and Almería (Costa de Amería) to the sparsely populated wild beaches of the Cabo de Gata in the east.

The weather is perhaps the main reason why many people visit or come to live in Andalucia. Seville (18.7 degress) and Almería (18.6 degrees) have the highest average temperatures in Spain whilst Granada has the lowest average (15.1 degrees). The coldest month of the year is January when average temperatures can drop to around 6.5 degrees in Granada, the hottest month is August with an average high of 28.5 degrees in Ecija. Andalucia has the driest and hottest summers yet it has above average rainfall when compared to the rest of Spain.

The Low and High areas of Andalucia offer many possibilities to the holiday maker and resident alike and should be investigated. Andalucia is not only a beach resort or a ski resort, the opportunities are endless.