Andalucia is an autonomous community in Southern Spain and is officially recognised as such in the preamble of its own autonomy statute.
Its capital is the alluring city of Seville, steeped as it is in history and culture including an intriguing collection of national "pavilions" left behind in the wake of the Iberian-American Exhibition of 1929, and all of them along streets lined with well endowed orange trees shielding quaint little cafés and bars.
Andalucia itself is sub-divided into eight separate provinces, including Grenada.
At one point it shares a very short border with Gibraltar.
The name "Andalucia" derives from "Al-Andalus", which was the Muslim name given to the Moorish Iberian territories that expanded and contracted continually during the long period between the eighth and fifteenth centuries.
However this name is itself believed by some to be a corruption of "Vandalusia", so named by the Germanic Vandals who entered Spain following the fall of the Roman Empire.
Many aspects of the culture usually associated with Spain in general are in fact Andalucian in origin, such as bullfighting and flamenco.
Much of the community's architectural styles still bear witness to the Moorish influence of yesteryear.
Generally the climate in Andalucia is warm, Mediterranean with dry summers influenced by the Azores High.
However a large part of the region is mountainous and where this is the case there is snow.
Indeed the Sierra Nevada National Park is the most southerly ski resort in Europe.
Alpujurras is a landlocked, mountainous historical region in South East Andalucia stretching south from the snow-capped mountains of Sierra Nevada.
Older records show the resort named as "Alpuxarras".
The climate, scenery and general unspoiled restfulness of Andalucia does make it an attractive option for adventurous tourists who enjoy nature, walking and also wildlife.
One can rent a cottage or purchase a smallholding, indeed many come from elsewhere in Europe to buy property in the Alpujurras.
So spectacularly welcoming is the region that visitors holidaying and setting up home in Alpujarras include not only foreign nationals from Europe itself but also people living elsewhere in Spain.
For many of them it is a place of retreat from the stresses and strains of everyday life in the cities, and its serene and old-fashioned ambience allows a different pace of life to predominate just two hours' drive from one of Spain's busiest international airports.
Spain is increasingly becoming a place of settlement for retiring or relocating citizens from here in the United Kingdom, and the climate and quality of life in Andalucia and the Alpujurras in particular make it an extremely attractive option for those seeking a new life in new surroundings with a hospitable climate.