Hostels in Andalusia

With territory larger than the Netherlands and Belgium combined, and with population of more than eight million, Andalusia, Spain, seems to be more a country than a region. You will need months to discover the entire region. It is hard to say which is the best city to visit, thus, it is better to visit more places and to check it yourself.

For example, Granada is a city with unique architecture -- there are many places to visit and the highlight is Alhambra. Be aware that tickets in Alhambra are sold out way in advance and lines are humongous. There are often cases in the high season when it is wise to buy your tickets at least two weeks in advance. Seville is another amazing city to visit with the Alcázar Palace, the María Luisa Park, and many other monuments. Córdoba is another place that you should not miss, its main sight is the Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos, but the entire Old Town is astonishing. Other interesting places are Huelva, Nerja, and Ronda. You should also visit Sierra Nevada with its tiny villages and the national park with the same name.

Andalusian summer is incredibly hot and temperatures over forty degrees Celsius are commonplace, so it is not the best time to visit the above-mentioned cities. However, this is also a perfect season to visit Andalusia -- you can visit the seaside and go to some of the marvelous beaches. For instance, Almeria, Marbella, and Roquetas del Mar are very good resorts. Malaga and Cadiz are very beautiful cities to visit, and their beaches are quite nice, as well. Almuñécar and Tarifa are great options for travelers who look for less-crowded places.

Despite the fact that there are many tourists, do not expect much when it comes to English even in major tourist centers like Granada, Seville, and Córdoba. To compensate that, people are extremely friendly; the only exception might be some locals in resorts and large tourist centers, because they are sometimes tired of tourists.

It's a paradise for backpackers as there are many Andalusia, Spain hostels with very low prices. If you stay longer, you could also easily get a discount at most hostels. Cities are well connected, so you can make a fantastic Andalusian trip as there are Andalusia, Spain hostels almost everywhere. There are countless fiestas in each city and each village. Basically, there is a fiesta every day as the fiesta in Granada lasts a week and the fiesta in Seville -- more than ten days. Be aware -- prices at this time can increase tenfold and it is almost impossible to book a hostel in Andalusia, Spain, on the spot.

Handwritten by local expert for Andalusia hostels George Traveller