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Andalusia (spelled Andaluc\u00eda in Spain) is one of Spain’s most fascinating regions. The land of flamenco, jam\u00f3n Iberico, and rugged fortified hilltowns, it is wild, historic, and remote, filled with history, adventure, and magnificent landscapes. On his website<\/a>, travel expert Rick Steves describes Andalusia as “the Yankee dream of Spain,” an almost stereotypical vision of classic Spanish imagery. He writes<\/a> that he adores it for its “string of whitewashed hill towns, sunny skies, vibrant festivals, and tempting tapas. … that feels more quintessentially Spanish than perhaps anywhere else”. It is the perfect place to immerse yourself in southern Spanish culture<\/a>.<\/p>\n According to Rick Steves, the most popular spots in Andalusia are its three largest cities, Granada, C\u00f3rdoba, and Sevilla, as well as the buzzing resort towns of the Costa del Sol<\/a>. But the authentic, unspoiled beauty of the region is better found by exploring the smaller towns in the mountains, the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos (Route of the White Towns). According to Steves, “the middle-sized towns that dot this undulating route are more accessible and friendlier than the big cities, but still pack a whallop of delightfully pure Spanish culture.”<\/p>\n