Granada, Córdoba, and Andalusia's Olive Country

Granada and Córdoba offer intriguing contrasts. Granada sparkles in its spectacular setting under the Sierra Nevada. Córdoba, the capital of Moorish Spain at its height, is moodier, with an air of lost grandeur that makes finding its hidden plazas and flower-filled patios especially sweet.

Here are Spain’s most important monuments from the time of the Moorish dynasties. A guided stroll through Granada's historic Albaycín makes your experience at the Alhambra all the more unforgettable.

In Córdoba, yes, you should see the Mezquita—now a Cathedral. But here too are some of the south's most delicious low-key charms: friendly bars, the sound of someone playing the guitar, hot pools at cool hammams.

Local ingredients speak of the south's varied landscapes: from meats cured in the high Sierra to avocados and tropical fruits from the coast. But when you drive from Granada to Cordoba, you'll see almost nothing but olive groves. We've arranged for you to stop in the midst of them and taste at a mill that presses olives exclusively from the region's small organic growers.