GRANADA FESTIVAL OF MUSIC AND DANCE 2002
The best orchestras, classical ballet, and flamenco troops will meet for another year in Granada to celebrate the city's International Festival of Music and Dance, one of the most important cultural events for the start of the summer. From June 21 to July 7, the Carlos V Palace, the Generalife gardens and the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Alhambra, are some of the stages which will be dressed up for the gala and offer performances such as the Seville Royal Symphony Orchestra, the City of Granada Orchestra, The Prague National Ballet and the Javier Latorre flamenco ballet. The Granada festival of Music and Dance has been held for 51 years, and has its origin in the symphony concerts which have been held since 1883 in the Carlos V palace during the Corpus Christi fiestas. A unique occasion to enjoy one of the most important cultural events in Andalucía in the incomparable setting of the Alhambra.

BLUE FLAGS 2002
Each year Andalucía welcomes thousands of visitors who enjoy the many kilometres of beach offered on our coastline. This year more than 60 beaches and 20 Andalucian ports have been awarded the Blue Flag – that's six beaches and five ports more than last summer. Málaga is the province to receive most blue flags with 24, followed by Almeria with 19, and Cádiz 17, Huelva and Granada share flags on ten beaches and three ports. The 63 beaches and 20 sports ports to obtain the award are from 36 Andalucian municipalities which cover more than 100kms of coast. The Blue Flag award, given by the Environmental Education Foundation, is celebrating its 15th anniversary. The Environmental Education and Consumer Association, as the Spanish arm of the Foundation this year analysed more than 700 applications from across the country.

CÓRDOBA GUITAR FESTIVAL 2002
The diversity of musical styles and stages characterises the programme for the Córdoba Guitar Festival which will be held between July 1 and 13th. The Córdoba guitarist Vicente Amigo will open the festival, and be followed by artists of the stature of Manhattan Transfer, Wendal, Cristina Hoyos, Enrique Morente, Raimundo Amador and Rosario Flores. In the complementary activities homage will be paid to the maestro Leo Brower. There will also be activities in collaboration with the Andalucian Filmoteca, with a meeting with directors of other festivals and an increase in the offer of training courses where, for the first time, flamenco singing and current guitar will be included. This year's edition of the Córdoba Guitar Festival has a budget of 800,000 €.

BETICA ROMANA ROUTE AGREEMENT
The tourism board has renewed its collaboration agreement with 13 local councils along the route of the old Vía Augusta, with the idea of promoting and revitalising this route as a tourist and cultural itinerary. The route – 'Paseando por la Bética Romana', will promote the patrimonial values of the municipalities in the provinces of Seville, Cádiz and Córdoba through which the old roman road Vía Augusta passed, and intends to attract a large number of tourists interested in the historical values found along the route- To cover the route, which goes through localities such as Santiponce, Osuna, Tarifa or Montoro, you can spend from a weekend to as much as 15 days. The route is also part of the Roman roads of the Mediterranean European project together with 12 other European regions.

FIMAR 2002
The locality of Isla Cristina in Huelva province, is intimately linked to the sea and fishing. It's the best place therefore to hold Fimar – the only trade fair dedicated entirely to the sea. More than 100 companies related to fishing and all its facets will display their latest new products in the fair between June 26 and 29th. The latest technology in boat motors, nets and of course products for the preservation of fish and salted fish, so famous in Isla Cristina, together with its shellfish, sardines and other varieties. The idea of organising a fair dedicated entirely to the sea came about 7 years ago, after the celebration of a gastronomy show in this municipality of Huelva province, an event which evolved into the current industrial fair for the sea.

ALGECIRAS FAIR 2002
Fun, dancing and a good programme of bullfights are some of the attractions we can enjoy in the fair at the Cádiz province town of Algeciras which is held between June 23 and 30th. It's the grand fair in Algeciras, even declared to be of National Tourist Interest in Andalucía. There is a bullfighting festival of great importance which this year will offer two bullfights with young bulls and picadors, a festival with lances and five bullfights where we can see matadors such as El Juli, Francisco Rivera, Finito de Córdoba and Manuel Díaz El Córdobés. The Algeciras fair also offers us a cattle fair with the retinta breed on 21,22 and 23 as well as a grand parade to animate the fairground site even more.

NIGHT OF SAN JUAN 2002
One of the most deeply routed fiestas of the many held in Andalucía at this time of the year is, without doubt, the one lived to the full on the night of June 23. A magical night in which legend and tradition mix, with the need to set fire to the old which we have collected over the year and want to see burnt away in a bonfire. In Málaga squares and beaches fill with the so called 'júas', dolls which burn in the fire together as symbols of all we want to get rid of, all those things which we consider to be bad. A night – the shortest of the year, full of magic and celebrated also in other places such as Vejer de la Frontera in Cádiz, where it's known as the Candelá de San Juan, or the lovers rite held in the Jaén town of Albánchez where a witch made from rags is burnt. Fire, love and magic, symbols without which the night of San Juan would not be the most magical of the year.

ANDALUCÍA TOURISM MEET
Hotels, tour operators, travel agents and municipalities. The first Andalucía Tourism Meet, held recently in the Córdoba province town of Lucena, welcomed some 50 professionals from all sectors related to the business of tourism. The objective, to offer a wide display of the enormous possibilities on offer to be enjoyed in Andalucía. The exhibition occupied 1000m2 where information was offered about numerous places in our region. The offer to tourists was mixed also with gastronomy, one of the most outstanding aspects of the event. This first Andalucía Tourism Meet was held in Lucena as part of the project 'Lucena, open city' which will also see other events to promote local gastronomy, foodstuffs and youth.