The perfect mixture of Orient & Occident: Andalusia

Hardly any place in Europe enchants the senses like Andalusia in the south of Spain. Not only the incredible buildings such as the Mezquita in Cordoba, the Alhambra in Granada or the entire old town of Seville or Ronda are breathtaking, the Spanish way of life also makes your heart sing. Especially when it's getting wet and cold again, it's time to think about your next trip. If you want to immerse yourself in a world of top architecture and top gastronomy, southern Spain is highly recommended. Last but not least, it shows that a mixture of different cultural influences has always created the most beautiful places. If we were to grow beyond nationalistic beliefs, stop fighting each other and support each other, humanity could advance in terms of civilization and create an earth that is habitable and worth to live on in the long term. 

To create such a place, one would have to leave their own interests behind and ask themselves what is best for humanity as a whole. In Spain, you can still experience this sense of community very much. Not only do people help you out on the street, you can also develop friendships even through short conversations. Even though southern Spain is a lot more conservative than the north or central Spain, as a traveler you still feel welcome, especially if you try to speak a few words of Spanish (Andalusians often don't speak English or avoid it, French is even better). In addition to the cities already mentioned, you should not miss a trip to Malaga (and the evening hustle and bustle there), Jerez de la Frontera (great tasting opportunities) and Cadiz (beautiful churches and courtyards, right at the Atlantic coast). Dinner is the main event of the day, doesn't start until 9/10pm and of course it's best to try the various tapas and wines while you end the evening in a flamenco bar (you can find them on almost every corner in Seville - for example - and it's extremely worthwhile to attend a performance, as flamenco opens the heart both in the form of dance as well as singing/guitar music).