ANDALUCÍA TOURISM NEWS JULY 10TH 2002

CALIPTHS BATHS CÓRDOBA
Local Córdoba people and tourists can now get to know exactly what the Caliphs baths were in the past – a reference point in the Hispanic Muslim daily life. After 15 months of restoration the baths now allow you to visit all of their rooms. Portico, changing rooms, cold room, warm and hot rooms, as well as the ovens and lime kilns. They have been covered so as well as protecting them an open air square has been able to be built. The Caliphs baths, built in the tenth century in the Campo Santo de Los Mártires, belong to the olden Alcázar Caliph of Córdoba, and can be visited from the same entrance to the Alcázar of the Catholic Kings. These areas, which conserve the original structure of the warm room and another two vaulted rooms, and keeps the primitive illumination with the skylights often seen in this type of construction.

ALMERÍA MARITIME STATION
The new Maritime Station in Almería Port does away with the classic styles usually seen in these sorts of facilities and appears more to be like an airport, being as it is the most modern in not just Andalucía but also in Spain. From now on embarking and disembarking rooms, accessed along gangways, will link the passengers from the building to each one of the boats. The Maritime Station therefore meets the needs created by an increase in passenger numbers and the new classification of an International Port. The facilities have cost about 5 million Euros and will also improve the movement of the immigrants from the Magreb countries as part of the operation to cross the strait of Gibraltar. Last year more than 800,000 passengers used the port of Almería.

ALMERÍA BY NIGHT
Dusk is a good time during the summer to visit the villages, towns and cities in Andalucía. One of these could be Almería where the city council of this coastal city has started a programme called 'Almería by night' with the objective of revealing the history of the city from Arab times. The idea, although put into practice by the city council tourism department, originated from suggestions made by tourists themselves at the beach information points. The visits are free and leave from the Puerta Purchena, the old Arab gateway to the city, and follow the Plaza Vieja, Almedina and the Cathedral in the company of tourist guides. This initiative is in addition to the already existing 'Sunday in the Alcazaba' which also lets us see this site after dusk.

RESTORATION OF JAÉN SPAS
The province of Jaén is to restore three of its most emblematic spas which will soon shine again with the splendour of the past. They are the Santa Elena, Frailes and Marmolejo spas, and the provincial council is to spend more than 300,000 Euros on the project with the objective of diversifying the tourism sector in the district, making the most of existing facilities and improving the offer available to tourists. The spa at Marmolejo, over a 12 hectare site, dates from the 18th century and has a grand historic prestige, boasting upto 14 hotels at one point, some of which were visited by personalities such as Rodolfo Valentino or Charlie Chaplin. This spa, which closed 12 years ago will, after being restored, have a new privately run hotel, as well as a health centre where the waters can be taken.

NIGHTS OF THE HALF MOON
The town of Aguilar de la Frontera in Córdoba will become, for the 6th consecutive year, a medieval village where visitors can follow an historical route round the village, with personalities dressed up in the clothes of the time. The route starts at the Soterraño church, where we can get to know some of the relevant events which happened in the 14th and 15th centuries. These guided visits, known as the Nights of the Half Moon are held on July 19th and 20th, and takes us back several centuries in time thanks to the medieval atmosphere recreated in the village. The route, organised by the Aguuilar de la Frontera town council, is completed with a medieval market where we can find produce from the time, and also attend a supper which attracts more than 500 people each year, and where we can taste Arab Andalucian cuisine.

ETNOSUR 2002
The Etnosur 2002 Festival, the ethnic meeting point of the Sierra Sur, held for the past six years in the Jaén province town of Alcalá la Real, will for the first time this year dedicate the first day of concerts to four African groups based in Spain but from the Sudan, Cameron, the Congo and Senegal. The festival takes place between the 19th and 21st of July and offers performances from Spaniards Macaco, and Cuban rappers Orishas among some 15 groups from 12 different countries. In addition we will have the chance to see, for the first time in Spain, the Brazilian group Mawaca, made up of seven women who sing in more than 11 languages, the group Afrika Lisanga, who perform African dance music – the fruit of the diversity of the music from Zaire, Angola, Guinea, Cameron and Sierra Leon. Etnosur, which last year attracted more than 30,000 people to Alcalá la Real, in addition to exhibitions, conferences and workshops.

THE BATTLE OF BAILÉN FIESTAS 2002
The locality of Bailén in Jaén province, was the scene of the victory of the Spanish troops over the French in June 1808. Since then, every June, this village situated in the foothills of the Sierra Morena, celebrates its famous 'Battle of Bailén' fiestas, when an army unit travels to the town to present their respect to the Capitán General of the city. From July 17th to 22nd all the town takes part in the fiesta, which offers us civic and military acts declared to be of Tourist interest. One of the most outstanding events is a parade where the personalities who took part in the battle are represented, both the French as well as the Spanish, as well as the locals from Bailén who also played an important part in the battle itself.

JULIO IGLESIAS IN ROQUETAS
One of our most international singers, Julio Iglesias, will arrive on the 27th of this month in Roquetas de Mar in Almería, to give a concert which will attract about 8,000 people to the town's bullring. The show is planned to start at 11,30pm, with more than 50 people travelling with the singer, many spending the night in the some 14 hotel rooms which have been reserved. The concert will have four stages, and all the instruments and sound equipment which will arrive in four articulated lorries. Without doubt Julio Iglesias will fill the bullring in Roquetas de Mar, one of the popular tourist destinations on the Almería coast, especially at this time of year.