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The region, one of the most characteristic of Spain, is an important tourist destination, thanks to its beaches, cities of art, and beautiful landscapes. Among the most beautiful and interesting cities are Seville, Granada, Cordoba, Antequera, Ronda, Baeza, Ubeda, Cadiz, Carmona, Jaén, Jerez de la Frontera.
Among the smaller towns worth visiting are those of Priego de Cordoba, Alcalá la Real, Baena, Osuna, Guadix, Montilla, Lucena, Cabra, Ecija, Aracena, Niebla, Marchena, Alhama de Granada, Utrera. There is no shortage of archaeological remains scattered throughout the region, the most interesting being those of Italica, Madinat al-Zahra, Bolonia.
UNESCO has inscribed six Andalusian sites on its list of World Heritage Sites: the Alhambra, the Generalife and the Albayzín in Granada; the historic center of Cordoba; the Cathedral, the Alcázar and the Archivo de Indias of Seville; the Renaissance towns of Ubeda and Baeza; the 69 prehistoric rock art sites of the region (Rock Art of the Mediterranean Basin in the Iberian Peninsula); the Doñana National Park.
Famous are the so-called pueblos blancos of Andalusia, there is a tourist road (Ruta de los pueblos blancos) which connects some of them, the most beautiful are those of Arcos de la Frontera, Zahara de la Sierra, Villaluenga del Rosario, Grazalema, Benaocaz, Algodonales, Setenil de las Bodegas, Alcalá del Valle, Castellar de la Frontera, Ubrique, Bornos, El Bosque, El Gastor, Algar, Olvera, Torre Alháquime, Villamartín.
The Andalusian coast along the Mediterranean Sea, unfortunately partially disfigured by concrete, due to its mild climate is a privileged destination for tourists from northern Europe, the seaside resorts along the famous Costa del Sol are very popular both in summer and in intermediate seasons, among these the best known are Marbella, Nerja, Estepona, Malaga, Torremolinos, Mijas and Fuengirola; behind the majestic mountains of the Sierra Nevada is the Costa Tropical, with less invasive settlements than those of the Costa del Sol, the main centers being the towns of Motril and Almuñécar. The Costa de la Luz extends along the Atlantic coast, a coastal strip less exploited by tourism and therefore better preserved from a landscape point of view, among the most interesting centers we find Tarifa, the archaeological remains of the Roman city of Bolonia (Baelo Claudia), Vejer de la Frontera, Conil de la Frontera, Cádiz, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, El Puerto de Santa María, Ayamonte.
Rich in unique ecosystems, Andalusia has numerous protected areas, among these two national parks and 24 natural parks, the national parks are the Sierra Nevada National Park and the Doñana National Park, which protects the marshy area of the mouth of the Guadalquivir. Among the protected areas we also find the desert area of Desierto de Tabernas, north of Almeria, used, due to its resemblance to the landscapes of North America, for the filming of numerous Western films. Among the best preserved coastal landscapes are those of the Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park, east of Almeria. The Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, in the north-east of the region, is the largest protected natural area in Spain. Scenographic rocks can be admired in the Torcal Natural Park, near Antequera, the natural landscapes of the Alpujarras in the Sierra Nevada are also very beautiful, where there are interesting Moorish-style villages such as that of Pampaneira.
