Andalucía

Every popular image associated with Spain can be found in Andalucía.

It’s the land of mighty bulls, strutting thoroughbred horses, flamenco dancers and machinegun guitar. Of searing heat and white-washed villages; sherry, siesta and fiesta; the Alhambra palace and Mezquita cathedral.

It caters for millions of tourists, but away from the Costa resorts and cities, Spain’s second largest region has remote and mountainous areas which are not so accessible and off the tourist trail.

The Cazorla, Segura y las Villas natural park is one of them; an expanse of peaks, ravines and river valleys with very few roads, served in the main by tracks and footpaths. It’s the largest protected area in Spain.

Better known is the Sierra Nevada, home to the highest mountain in mainland Spain (Mulhacén, 3,482 metres). Footpaths in the national park offer routes to summits which also include Veleta (3,394m) and Alcazaba (3,371m).

Sections of coast have been spared the scarring inflicted by the construction industry. The Cabo de Gata in Almería is perhaps the most impressive of these ‘saved’ areas.

Strung along the shore, the coastal sierra is dissected by volcanic-sand coves and fishing villages; there’s a fantastic six-day hike, reported in this section.