Cordoba was founded by the Romans. Crdobas heyday was during the early Moorish period when it was reputed to be the most splendid city of Europe. The main tourist attraction is the Great Mosque (the Mezquita), built between 785 and 1002. In the 16th century the center of the mosque was transformed into a Christian church.

Granada was the last city to fall to the Christians. Granada's outstanding monument is Alhambra, the palace fortress built by Nasrid rulers in the 13th and 14th centuries. Being the most popular tourist attraction in Spain, tickets to visit Alhambra must be booked at least 24 hours in advance.

Other attractions. In Spain there are lots of other tourist attractions, like the lovely beaches, the beauty of the Spanish inland, the Sierra Nevada Mountains where you can go skiing 8 months of the year, the fiestas, the bull fights, and of course some of the other major cities like, Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia. Many of the regions are also worth visiting, like La Riojafamous for its vineyards. The Basque Country to the north, with the provincial capital of San Sebastian. Castile/La Mancha to the south of Madrid, with the ancient capital of Toledo, once the European center for sciences and education.