Legendary Locations: Andalusia, Spain

Rebecca Shore | Feb 6, 2014

SwimDaily is celebrating the impending launch of Swimsuit's 50th anniversary issue with this video-a-day series featuring our most memorable shoot locations, hosted by the memorable-in-her-own-right Emily DiDonato.

Be sure to come back daily because we are sending ONE LUCKY READER on the trip of a lifetime to the No. 1 Legendary Location. Go here for more details!

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Irina Shayk in 2013 :: Alex Cayley/SI

Traditions die hard in Andalusia, the second-largest autonomous community in Spain, which makes sense when you consider the history contained within its borders. It is home to the Real Maestranza de Caballería, the oldest bullring in the world, situated in Seville, Andalusia's nearly 3,000-year-old capital. It also is the birthplace of flamenco dancing.

In the heart of the old city lies the Gran Meliá Colón, a recently renovated hotel that opened in 1929 and was the favorite haunt of matadors—and Ernest Hemingway, who stayed there after the Spanish Civil War. The Guadalquivir River bisects the city into two districts, each with its own histories and characteristics. While there is plenty to do in Seville, day trips are easy to plan. Cadiz, with its famed white villages, lies on the coast 75 miles south of town.

However you choose to spend your time in the bustling region, one thing is certain. You'll come to understand the allure of one more Spanish tradition: the siesta.

–Janine Berey