Andalusia is a historic territory at the south of Spain which is split into eight provinces. Andalusia derives from the Arabic name for the whole of Spain, Al-Andalus.

Andalusia was part of the Roman Empire from the first century BC but after its fall was invaded by the Visigoths who originated from The Balkans.

In 711 AD the area was invaded across the straights of Gibraltar by the Umayad Arabic Muslims who by 716 controlled almost all of the Iberian Peninsula.

The Arabs finally left Spain in 1492, with Granada being the final stronghold. Seville, Cordoba and Carmona – the three places we visited- were captured by the Christians in the first half of the 13th Century.

To end 2018 and see in 2019 we spent three nights in each of Malaga and Ronda. Malaga is a medieval cathedral city, although the majority of tourists just see the airport en route to the resorts on the coast, and Ronda is spectacular due to its location. We did some decent walks and discovered the Spanish New Year tradition of the 12 grapes; eating a grape on each chime of the clock at midnight. It can get a bit messy !