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56 Andalusia VACATION ENHANCING TOURS From seaside to city heights, follow the paths of great minds and explorers with a guided tour so you won't miss a step! SEVILLE City Sightseeing Tour Classic Seville Seville Walking Tour Flamenco Night in Seville Cordoba from Seville Full Day Tour Consult your travel agent for more details on this and other tours. TRYP CÓRDOBA O O O O Tryp Córdoba is located in the heart of the city of Cordoba and just 10 minutes from the Mosque, Jewish Quarter, Alcazar of Christian Kings, Synagogue, Arab Quarter, and the Calahorra Tower. It is five minutes from the AVE train station and the main shopping areas. The hotel boasts 103 guestrooms, most of which have a view of town. GRAN MELIÁ DON PEPE, MARBELLA O O O O O This exquisite recently refurbished hotel sits directly on the beach of Marbella, a short walk from the city center. The hotel offers two outdoor swimming pools, heated indoor pool, health club with fitness classes, tennis courts, saunas, nearby golf courses, and discounted entry into the Casino de Marbella. Most of the 200 guestrooms have terrace or balcony and sea views. Guests may select from four restaurants and two bars (including a piano bar), serving everything from snacks to traditional Andalusian cuisine. CORDOBA COSTA DEL SOL ANDALUSIA In the southern region of Spain, it's easy to imagine the caravans of royals and Romani making their seasonal progress from the Mediterranean seaside through groves of oranges and olives. In the dust of one of the only semi-deserts in Europe, the Tabernas, one can picture them making camp and making merry to the sounds of flamenco and glasses of sherry. It was from here, this land of 300 days of sunshine, that Christopher Columbus departed for the New World—and where visitors can find a taste of the old one. Provincial towns, exotic Moorish influence, towering mountains, and fantastical beaches are all part of the journey when visitors escape to Andalusia. The capital of the region, Seville, lures visitors to the western boundaries with views of the River Guadalquivir below. Two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the Alcazar Palace—one of the best examples of Mudejar architecture—and the Cathedral, which houses the tomb of Christopher Columbus in the depths of its 12 th century mosque foundations, are another draw. In Granada, the exotic architecture reaches even greater heights with the Moorish masterpiece the Alhambra, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one that lights the hilltop of La Sabica in a golden glow before the Sierra Nevada. To the south, the Costa del Sol's Malaga and Marbella live up to their sunny name, with Blue Flag beaches as stunning as any skyscraping creations of man. In the city of Marbella, an exclusive haven for the European elite, nightlife glitters with as much energy as the sea, and delectable cuisine dazzles, but differently than the inland province of Cordoba's does. There, the Mediterranean diet reigns, fitting hand in hand with this countryside port city's love of gardening. Effusions of plant life bring vibrancy to squares such as La Plaza del Potro, only minutes from the Great Mosque, Mezquita, Alcazar fortress, and medieval Jewish Quarter.