Former politician and passionate traveller, Michael Portillo, spent three months criss-crossing Andalucia for his new TV programme, Portillo’s Andalucia, showing on Channel 5 this month. Beginning his trip in Granada and ending in Carmona, Portillo took a journey through this historic province, home to ancient traditions, mesmerising Moorish architecture and diverse cuisine. From flamenco to the Alhambra, and from gazpacho to seafood, the cultural diversity of the region is spectacular. Portillo, who is half Spanish, spends much of the year in Carmona, and calls it his ‘second home’.

In Episode One, Portillo stays at Parador de Granada, one of the most popular hotels in Spain’s state-run network of historic and cultural properties located in some of the most beautiful settings on the Iberian peninsula. Parador de Granada gives travellers a chance to stay for a night amidst La Alhambra and its gardens and fountains that evoke its blended Arabic and Christian past. It occupies the site of a Christian monastery as well as the ancient Arab bathhouses of the palace.

Andalucía is home to eight UNESCO World Heritage Sites. In 2024, some of these most iconic sites will celebrate their 40-year anniversary, with notable commemorations planned to mark and recognise the occasion. Among them can be found the iconic Alhambra, Albaicín, the Generalife Garden in Granada, and the Great Mosque of Cordoba, which all earned their place on the World Heritage List in 1984.

Andalucia has launched a new promotional tourism campaign, ‘Andalusian Crush’ which aims to entice visitors to the south of Spain. 

In line with promoting the region’s rich cultural identity, the campaign focuses on Andalucia’s culture, history and heritage, rather than the stunning scenery with which is it usually associated. American actor Peter Dinklage, famous for his role in Game of Thrones, provided the voiceover for the promotional video, following his own extensive experience filming throughout some of Andalucia’s most beautiful landscapes. Dinklage informs viewers that the region will break you “in a thousand pieces” and to be “careful of the Andalusian crush”, amplifying the enchanting power of this region. 

When in Andalusia, travellers can explore a world of history, heritage and culture, including: 

• Marvelling at the red-and-white Mosque-Cathedral of Córdoba 
• Being inspired at the majestic Alhambra in Granada 
• Visiting traditional, white-washed villages and hilltop towns like Frigiliana 
• Learning the art of Flamenco in Jerez de la Frontera

The tourism model used by Seville's Smart Tourism Office is included in the European body's mission of '100 smart and climate-neutral cities by 2030'.

Seville is working on urban planning and digitalization plans as well as promoting sustainable tourism through ambitious projects such as a scheme that will measure the flow of tourists in the most visited areas of the city. The system, currently being tested in the popular Barrio de Santa Cruz, will use thousands of data readings which will allow decisions to be made in real time to redirect tourist flows to other areas in orderto combat cases of overcrowding.

https://www.visitasevilla.es/en/official-webguide-seville

The city will run several events to celebrate this special announcement inviting visitors and residents to enjoy Sanlúcar’s delicious cuisine and unique wine. This programme seeks to showcase the region highlighting its high standards of quality-of-life thanks to its geographical location and climate, which provide a world-class sun and beach proposition for visitors. The city is rich with natural resources thanks to its proximity to the Guadalquivir River and the natural reserve of the Doñana National Park, which are both an inspiration for the city’s food culture and the legendary horse races that take place on a long stretch of beach in August.

Two elements of the food culture of Sanlúcar which have been highlighted in the Spanish Capital of Gastronomy celebrations are Sanlúcar king prawns and the region’s Manzanilla wine (straight from the heart of the Jerez Region). Sanlúcar’s king prawns are one of the most renowned gastronomic treasures of Andalucía and are farmed in the mouth of the Guadalquivir River adjacent to the Doñana National Park. This prawn carries an intense and rich flavour mainly thanks to the characteristics of the waters in which it grows. At present, these delicate prawns have an official quality brand called Langostino de Sanlúcar (King Prawn of Sanlúcar) which recognises the prawns caught on the coast of the lower Guadalquivir River. In 2020, 146,00 kilograms of these prawns were sold in the Sanlúcar de Barrameda fish market.

The celebrated counterpart, the Manzanilla wine, is a variety of fino sherry made around the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda and is produced under the Spanish Denominación de Origen Protegida (DOP) of Manzanilla-Sanlúcar de Barrameda DOP since 1964. In Spanish, chamomile infusion is called "manzanilla", and thus this wine gets the name because of its flavour said to be reminiscent of such an infusion. The sherry is manufactured using the same methods as a fino and results in a very pale, dry wine.

Visitors looking to discover the city and its culinary scene during its year as Spanish Capital of Gastronomy should look out for its main gastronomic treasures:

• Tortillitas de camarones: This simple yet delicious tapa uses small fresh prawns to create fritters that are best served piping hot.
• Acedías and tapaculos: two of the city’s most famous fish best served fried and to be eaten by hand.
• Arroz con Pato: one of the lesser-known dishes that are popular among the locals of Sanlúcar. It is made from products sourced in the estuaries and areas bordering the river. The star is blue duck that is eaten in sauce or with rice hence the name ´Rice with Duck’.
• Guisos Marineros: seafood stews are especially famous in Sanlúcar de Barrameda. They come in many shapes and sizes made with cuttlefish, king prawns, monkish and many other delicacies caught just off the coast.
• Las Papas Aliñás: one of the most recognised potato dishes in Cádiz. Its main characteristic is that it is served "warm" and not cold like most potato salads. It is a type of potato salad that optimises simple, local ingredients.

The title of Spanish Capital of Gastronomy will be held by Sanlúcar de Barrameda from 01 January to 31 December. Huelva (2017), Leon (2018), Almeria (2019) and the region of Murcia (2020 and 2021) are among the Spanish cities that have previously held this annual recognition that celebrates food and tourism since its first edition in 2012.