Heady scents of orange blossoms and jasmine, the blinding brilliance of sunlit white walls, the haunting flavor of Amontillado, the abrupt swirl of a red-flounced skirt, the warmth of sun-drenched sand, the dazzling eye-play of arabesques against Moorish arches, the arrhythmic tap of flamenco shoes — Andalucia’s sensual pleasures are reason enough for kicking back in southwest Spain.

Not that Seville and the nearby coast and mountain towns lack sights to attract visitors. The region’s 2,000-year history, Seville’s clutch of World Heritage buildings and the famed medieval White Towns perched on craggy mountainsides draw plenty of interest.

Seville began even before the Romans built the city of Hispalis here, and it continued to flourish after Rome fell. With the arrival of Muslims from North Africa in the early 700s, Andalucia prospered under the Caliphate of Al-Andalus, a time of Spanish cultural achievement when Catholics, Jews, Arabs and Berbers all lived and worked together in complete religious freedom. In the early 1000s, while Seville was flowering under the rule of al-Mutamid, the Poet-King, the caliphate began to break into separate states and the Christian kingdoms seized their chance to reconquer Spain. Of these kingdoms, Leon and Castille proved the strongest, and united they eventually sent the last of the Moors packing from Seville in 1248.

Two centuries later, western Andalucia’s location on the Atlantic made it the embarkation point for early explorers, including Columbus. When the riches began pouring in, Seville secured a trade monopoly with the New World for nearly 200 years, which accounts for its grandiose buildings.

Seville’s three blockbusters — La Giralda, Seville Cathedral and the Alcazar — recall the millennium that spanned these dual golden ages. In its World Heritage Site listing, UNESCO says of the tower simply “The Giralda minaret is the masterpiece of Almohad architecture.” The climb to its top is not by stairs, but by ramp — after the 1248 reconquest, King Fernando III rode his horse to the top to survey his lands. Seville Cathedral is immense (measured by volume it’s bigger than St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome), with a staggering main altar just less than 120 feet tall, covered in carved statues and awash in New World gold. There’s more: the artfilled sacristy, intricate reliquaries and the tomb of Christopher Columbus held aloft by a quartet of giants.

The Alcazar is not entirely what it appears to be — a Moorish palace. Yes, it was begun by the Moors in 712, but in the 1360s building was continued by King Pedro. For all Castille’s attempts to stamp out the remnants of its Islamic predecessors, when it came to building palaces they opted for the luxe, lush Moorish styles. This revival — really a continuation — is called Mudejar architecture, and Seville’s Alcazar is its finest example. Wander within its labyrinth of salons and patios, then take time in the garden — part of the original palace — to savor the scent of orange blossoms, another Moorish import.

Along with history, nature endowed western Andalucia well. The Guadalquivir River flows past Seville on its way to the Atlantic, forming a large delta that is now Doñana National Park, another World Heritage Site and one of Europe’s most important wetland reserves. Its dunes, sandbars and marshes, often compared with the Everglades, are home to lynx, flamingoes, eagles and migrating birds from Africa.

But for travelers, the Atlantic coast means beaches — miles and miles of fine white sand along the Costa del Luz. These towns have learned from the Costa del Sol’s overdevelopment, eschewing mass tourism for low-rise, upscale hotels, with thought to preserving beachfronts and landscapes around them. Beaches here see few foreign tourists, and the towns still offer an authentic local experience.

Cadiz, the region’s major port, is small and Moorish-looking, with white homes, wooden balconies and abundant flowers — curiously qui et and sedate for so important a port. Restaurants lining its Paseo Maritimo offer cuisines from Basque to North African, and of course, fresh seafood.

Sanlúcar and Rota, where an American naval base brings its own influence, have outstanding beaches and bodegas: Rota’s beach is the longest on the coast and Sanlúcar is home to Manzanilla sherry. Locals head to Sanlúcar’s fishing harbor, Bajo de Guía, for seafood restaurants. Ever associat- ed with sherry is Jerez de la Frontera, where visiting at least one bodega, where sherry is stored and aged, is almost mandatory. At the School of Equestrian Art in Jerez the famous Andalucian thoroughbreds are trained in high-precision ballet.

To the east, mountains rise directly from the sea, and on them the famed Pueblos Blancos, the White Towns of Andalucia. Closest to the coast is Vejer de la Frontera, and closer to Jerez is Arcos de la Frontera. Spectacularly perched, Arcos grows even lovelier at close range. One side of its long plaza drops off abruptly in a 450-foot cliff, forming a mirador with views across the Guadalete valley.

Along with the olive, orange and almond trees that cover the valley, the low white houses packed along winding narrow lanes are imports from the mountains of Morocco, built by early Berber farmers. A Moorish castle, several palaces, two Gothic churches with fine altarpieces and woodcarving and several tapas bars add to the pleasure of strolling its maze of cobbled streets.

The Seville area welcomes more than 1.7 million tourists a year, almost evenly divided between foreign (mostly European) and Spanish. All nationalities cite climate, culture and beaches, in that order, as prime draws. Tourism is a major motivation to Seville’s economy, along with naval, aeronautics (the Airbus A400M project is centered here) and automotive industries. New five-star hotels, an enlarged convention center that will be Spain’s largest, and 10 miles of new Metro system to pedestrianize the old city center all show Seville’s strong commitment to improving its tourism infrastructure.

Few places in Europe offer such an exotic setting, so far from the everyday Euro-driven hum. Andalucia hums — or pulses — to its own tune. Forget for a moment that you are even in Europe. Let your mind drift and your senses take you back a millennium to when this land was Al- Andalus, the epitome of culture and civilization in the Middle Ages. The White Towns, the patterns of olive trees along the hillsides, the everpresent colorful tiles, even the music are part of that Eastern culture still felt, heard, seen and tasted here.

LODGING

HOTEL ALFONSO XIII

Commissioned in 1928 by King Alfonso XIII, the hotel was intended to be Europe’s most luxurious. Without taking sides, it’s safe to say it’s still a serious contender. Its style is — if there is such a thing — neo-Mudejar, with splendid round arches, open courtyards, tiled surfaces and lavish decoration. White-glove service and every conceivable amenity have kept royal families and heads of state happy in rooms decorated in Moorish, Baroque or traditional Castilian styles, with silk/linen wall coverings and inlaid marble baths. The Royal Suite is furnished with the original — and priceless — antiques that were chosen for its opening in 1929. San Fernando 2, Seville, tel 34 954 917 000, http://www.hotel-alfonsoxiii.com $$$$

HOTEL MONASTERIO
SAN MIGUEL

Once a convent, but now converted to creature comforts, the hotel’s architecture combines stately 18th-century arches and vaulted ceilings with modern additions. The refectory is now the guests’ lounge with a snack bar and a sunken fountain lined in blue-and-white tiles. Traveling without your computer? The hotel will loan you one so you can catch up on email. The restaurant offers a sophisticated menu based on local ingredients and culinary traditions. You never know who you might meet there — King Juan Carlos and Dona Sofia have been guests, as has the King of Norway.
Calle Virgen de los Milagros 27, El Puerto
de Santa María, Cadiz, tel 34 956 540 440,
http://www.jale.com/monasterio

LA CASA GRANDE

Built in 1729, the elegant señorial mansion has been completely renovated to modern standards without losing its 18th-century charm. Many rooms have balconies overlooking valley farms, 450 feet below; all have wooden beams, ceramic tiles, handwoven bedspreads, designer or antique furniture, good lighting and fresh flowers. The house is built around a columned patio, and guests relax there or on the rooftop terrace, with a view of the San Pedro church tower. The guests’ library is stocked with information on the local area. Air conditioning, in-room television, hairdryers, fine soaps — all the accoutrements of a luxury hotel, in the setting of a warm, inviting private home. Calle Maldonado 10, Arcos de la Frontera, tel 34 956 703 930, http://www.lacasagrande.net $$

DINING

LA ALBAHACA

A former noble home is the setting, decorated with paintings and tiles. Serving Basque and Spanish dishes, the chef revels in creative treatments of traditional local ingredients. Iberian pork is roasted with pears and served in a vanilla-laced sauce; sea bass is cooked in sherry with almonds and plump sweet sultanas. Plaza de Santa Cruz 12, Seville, tel 34 954 220 714 $$-$$$

LA TABERNA DEL ALABARDERO

Serene dining rooms in shades of white or pastels are lit by sparkling chandeliers. Artistically presented seasonal dishes might include sea bass with marinated lobster or wild boar cooked with seasonal fruits and blackberry juice. In the bistro, a more moderate fixed-price lunch menu features dishes that are no less complex, such as stuffed supremes of quail with dried fruit and bacon. Zaragoza 20, Seville, tel 34 954 560 637, http://www.tabernadelalabardero.com $$-$$$

CASA BIGOTE

Reserve a table ahead on weekends, since this restaurant overlooking the river and national park is no secret. Impeccably fresh seafood goes into the paella, each variety added at the right moment so that it comes to the table perfectly cooked. The sole is always good, simply prepared, or the menu may offer more innovative options, such as urta (a local white fish) sauced with artichokes. If there’s no table when you arrive, several other restaurants along this former fishing dock are also good. Bajo de Guía, Sanlúcar de Barrameda, tel 34 956 362 696, http://www.restaurantecasabigote.com $$$

INFO TO GO

Seville’s San Pablo Airport (SVQ) is seven miles east of the city. Taxis are plentiful outside the arrivals hall (average fare to the city is $25 to $30). A half-hourly bus operates 6:15 a.m. to 11 p.m., to the Santa Justa railway station in the city center. Spanish railways, RENFE, operates high-speed AVE service between Madrid and Seville, which connects in Madrid to major international routes.

DIVERSIONS

Perhaps the greatest pleasure of Seville is simply wandering its streets and parks, stopping at a sidewalk cafe to watch life go by, or sitting on a park bench to listen to birds sing. North of La Giralda (the tower will be your beacon, since you can see it from all over the city) follow Calle Sierpes as it snakes through a tangle of narrow streets lined by little shops. Or head east into Santa Cruz, the former Judaria (Jewish Quarter) now a preferred residential neighborhood of whitewashed homes, iron gratings and flowers.

If the strains of the Habanera or Toreador Song run through your head insistently, lay them to rest by walking past Carmen’s Tobacco Factory, now part of the University, and La Maestranza Bullring (to see a bullfight, reserve well in advance, tel 34 954 224 577). For pure eye-candy, and a relaxing place to laze away a few hours, stroll along the river to Parque Maria Luisa, a green expanse of palms, pines, bright flowers, orange trees, pavilions and leafy corners, bordered by the elegant buildings of a 1929 fair. None is more splendid than Plaza de Espana , an extravagance of colonnades, towers, bridges, pools and stairs decorated by azulejos, intensely colored tiles depicting Spanish provinces. Rent a rowboat and cruise the moat for a closer view.

Although Seville’s nightlife has traditionally been more local than cuttingedge, some are hailing it as “The New Barcelona” for its open-air cafes and upsurge in trendy little bars. Friday and Saturday nights are the busiest — and latest, coming to life around 11 p.m. or midnight and going strong until 4 or 5 a.m. Long before, though, locals begin el tapeo, an evening ritual of strolling, talking, drinking wine and nibbling tapas; one you’ll want to join. From the hundreds of tapas bars to choose from, a few stand out: El Rinconcillo (Calle Gerona 32, tel 34 954 223 183) is Seville’s oldest tapas bar, here since 1670. La Trastienda (Plaza Alfalfa) is old-fashioned with sawdust- covered floors and legendary fresh seafood. Casablanca (Calle Zaragoza 20, tel 34 954 222 498) is miniscule, but the tapas are world-class. Eslava (Calle Eslava 5, tel 34 954 906 568) is an out-of-theway local favorite.

Head south to the Costa del Luz for beaches, which you can hardly miss, since the entire coast is lined with them. For windsurfing, head farther east to laidback Tarifa. Venture into the Parque Nacional Doñana on the 10 a.m. Real Fernando ferry from Sanl˙car de Barrameda up the Guadalquivir River. The 31⁄2- hour trip includes guided walks into the park (tel 34 956 363 813). Nearby golf courses include Jack Nicklaus-designed Montecastillo, an 18-hole championship course that Nicklaus considers one of his best (Ctra. Arcos, Jerez de la Frontera, tel 34 956 151 200, http://www.montecastillo.com).

Also in Jerez, the Royal Andalucian School of Equestrian Art (Avenida Duque de Abrantes, tel 34 956 319 635, http://www.realescuela.org) offers noontime shows Tuesdays and Thursdays, and training sessions open to view on other days. Reserve ahead for bodega tours in high season; González Byass (Calle Manual Maia González 12, tel 34 956 357 000, http://www.gonzalezbyass.es) has one of the best.

And finally there is flamenco. You don’t watch or listen to flamenco dancing, you live it. You feel its rhythms as much as hear them: the insistent taptap- tap of feet sets the floor vibrating beneath you as the guitar’s chords surround you in their momentum and the seductive long skirt snaps and swirls past a blur of ankles and black shoes. But flamenco is not all dance, and you’ll often find the best guitar music spontaneously, in little local bars. Try Bar Tenderete in Santa Cruz (3B Rodrigo Caro, tel 34 954 220 295). For a tourist dance show, expensive but a good evening’s entertainment, reserve at any of Seville’s highly advertised tablaos, such as Anselma (Pagés del Corro 49, tel 34 954 372 502). But if authentic flamenco is your quest, choose either a peña flamenca, where the purpose is preserving the art form, or an informal bar venue —Carboneria (Leviés 18, tel 34 954 214 460) is popular with both locals and tourists. Two of the best peñas flamencas are Peña Flamenca Chano Lobato (Ave. Marconi 2, tel 34 956 261 415) in Cadiz and Centro Cultural Flamenco Don Antonio Chacón (Salas 2, tel 34 956 347 472) in Jerez de la Frontera.