Southern Spain: Ring Around the Pueblos Blancos

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Arcos de la Frontera, one of Spain's Pueblos Blancos

The Pueblos Blancos (White Towns) of Southern Spain are some of the prettiest towns in the country. All feature clusters of whitewashed houses, narrow, winding, cobblestone streets, and ornate churches atop cliffs and river gorges, and offer rolling views of the sierras (hills) below.

Sure, they’ve got charm, but here you’ll also find Andalusia’s famous sherries, miles of wildflowers and olive groves, and about 1000 years of history. Increasingly popular with tourists, they’re touted as “The New Tuscany.”

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Southern Spain: Starting Out in Sevilla

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Wedding couple at the Real Alcazar

Ah, Sevilla

With cobblestone avenues and shady, narrow streets, trickling fountains, palm trees swaying in the riverfront breeze, geraniums spilling from windowboxes overhead, long, late-night dinners at sidewalk cafes, and dancing in the streets, you’ll have to trust me: here in the gateway to Southern Spain, you can’t help but tilt your head to one side, smile and sigh.

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Southern Spain: A Just Reward

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At Cordoba's Alcazar, Columbus gets the royal okay to go exploring

If your spouse/significant other ever suggests starting a business in your two-bedroom home, and because you work at home he asks you to be the part-time receptionist, and then the business grows to 14 employees, and after many months and proven success he offers to take you somewhere nice to thank you for being a good sport…choose Spain.

I sure as heck did.

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