Velez-Malaga: Playa de Torre del Mar

Among the cities of Andalusia, Vélez-Málaga stands out for its role as the historic centre of the Axarquía. Set above the valley of the Río Vélez, it lies a short distance inland from the Mediterranean coast, where fertile lowlands have long supported cultivation. The old quarter climbs towards the Fortaleza, a defensive site of Islamic origin that recalls the town’s position in medieval al-Andalus. The Church of Santa María la Mayor, built after the Castilian conquest of 1487 on the site of a former mosque, is another key landmark. Discover other points of interest through webcams located across Vélez-Málaga and the Axarquía.

Shaped around the Guadalquivir basin, Andalusia developed into Spain’s largest autonomous community by area. The river crosses a broad agricultural plain before reaching the Atlantic, while the Sierra Nevada rises in the east and Mediterranean and Atlantic shores frame the region’s south. Its cities preserve major traces of Al-Andalus: Córdoba’s Mosque-Cathedral and Granada’s Alhambra are among Spain’s defining monuments. Seville, the capital, is closely associated with flamenco, and olive groves define much of the interior. Explore more of southern Spain to broaden your perspective on Andalusia’s rivers, mountains and coasts.

Spain extends from the Cantabrian coast to the Canary Islands, encompassing Atlantic shores, Mediterranean beaches and the broad interior Meseta. The Pyrenees form its northeastern frontier, while the Guadalquivir crosses Andalusia on its way to the Atlantic. Madrid anchors the country’s political and cultural life, but distinct regional identities are central to Spain’s character: Catalonia, the Basque Country, Galicia and Andalusia each have their own languages or strong local traditions. Granada’s Alhambra is a major monument of the medieval Nasrid dynasty, and Santiago de Compostela remains the destination of the Camino de Santiago. Browse related webcams around the Iberian Peninsula to build a fuller picture of Spain.