Around the turn of the 21st Century, I spent some time exploring Andalusia in Southern Spain. Friends had bought a house on the edge of Benalmadena village, which proved a useful base.

I found though that I would get out Malaga Airport and drive West towards Torremolinos and Marbella. I realised 10 years on, how much I'd missed in Malaga city when our cruise boat called in to the port. The city was delightful and included a fascinating Picasso Museum, the house where Picasso was born, Roman ruins and a Moorish fort.

Whilst the house was being rebuilt, I stayed at, what proved to be a delightful respite from the high rise of the Spanish coastline - the Miami Hotel on the edge of Torremolinos was built by Picasso's cousin. It is completely overshadowed by tower blocks and hotels but is an oasis of calm. It has incredibly cheap rates but few of the luxuries of the modern hotels.

It's amazing that you only have to drive a few miles inland to get away from the tower blocks and find charming Spanish villages - albeit that the majority of the residents will be from everywhere but Spain!

Ronda, Seville and Granada are also within easy reach of the beach resorts.

Ronda is popular with tourists and its old town is perched high on a limestone pillar above a deep ravine. William Hearst based part of his California Hearst Castle on the facade of Ronda Cathedral. The town is also known as the birthplace of modern bullfighting with a museum dedicated to bullfighting.

Around a 90 minute drive from the coast is Granada, home of the Moorish Alhambra Palace. The city though also contains a fine Cathedral and Chapel Royal, containing several Royal tombs.

Make certain you get your tickets for the Alhambra in advance - entry to part of the palace is by timed entry.

A longer drive (around 2.5 hours) from the coast is Seville.

The city formed the backdrop of Bizet's opera, Carmen. Carmen worked at the Old Tobacco Factory, which now forms part of the University and is one of Spain's largest buildings. A statue of Carmen is by the river, opposite the bullring.

Visitors to the city mostly come to visit the Cathedral - the belltower of which, the Giralda Tower, dominates the skyline. In terms of cubic capacity, it is the largest cathedral in the World; St Peter's in Rome and St Paul's in London beat the cathedral in size if you measure it by square feet.

Amongst the treasures in the cathedral is the tomb of Christopher Columbus.

Near the Cathedral is the Alcazar Palace, still used by the Spanish Royal family at times. The palace contains similar Moorish decoration to that seen in the Alhambra Palace, Granada.