MEDITERRANEAN GAMES FLAG - ALMERIA
The flag has been hoisted for the Mediterranean games. Minutes before the volleyball players, Carlos Carreño, and Inmaculada González, weightlifter Josefa Pérez, and sailor Mariano Sarmiento, crossed the Plaza Vieja towards the city hall. Following this intervention of the representatives of the organising administrations, Almería now starts on the road towards the games. From now on Almería will be the cultural, tourism and sporting reference point of the Mediterranean - bringing general satisfaction and responsibility to the organisers. But to reach this objective the participation of the inhabitants is vital. A participation which was already evident in the ceremony to hoist the flag, and in the popular fiesta held in the overflowing Plaza Vieja afterwards.

CALLAS FOREVER IN CÓRDOBA
The Plaza de Capuchinos, with the Christ of Los Faroles in its centre and one of the most famous locations in Córdoba, has been the backdrop chosen by the director Franco Zefirelli to shoot a scene from the film ‘Callas Forever’. Nearby the normally quiet Plaza de las Doblas, has in recent days seen a fiesta where some, such as these gypsies from Pruna, wait the start of shooting. Among those taking part, members of the Cajasur opera choir who performed part of Bizet’s Carmen. Callas Forever is a film based on the life of the Greek soprano, which centres on some parts of the opera Carmen, which the singer never ever performed. The Seville province town of Osuna and Guadix in Granada have been other places chosen for the shooting of this film.

TOYA FUNERAL CHAMBER - JAEN
The provincial museum in Jaén now has a new attraction for its visitors. It’s a replica of the Toya Funeral Chamber, or Iberian origin and 24 square metres in size. Since its construction two years ago, it has been on display in several Spanish cities until this definitive display in the Jaén Museum. The tomb has a floor which is almost square and it divided into three naves with several displays of diverse objects. The replica made by experts at the Madrid Autonomous University - the original of which can be found in Peal de Becerro, lets us more easily enjoy this monument. Jaén province has a great number of Iberian archaeological sites spread out across several villages of the province.

MÁLAGA GOLF COURSES
The Costa del Sol is one of the destinations most in demand by fans of golf, who find in the area excellent facilities for the practice of their sport. Since this summer, the province of Málaga now has two new courses - El Santa Clara Golf - in Marbella with 18 holes and the Baviera Golf in La Caleta de Vélez which offers magnificent panoramic views to the sea and mountains and has direct access from the Mediterranean motorway and the local marina. The middle of next year will see the inauguration of the first golf course in Antequera, and there are other projects for new courses already underway in Estepona, Mijas, Fuengirola, Benalmádena, Málaga, Ardales and Nerja. In Marbella three golf courses have opened their doors over recent months. The Green Life golf club with 9 holes, the Cabopino Golf - for public and tourist use and the already mentioned Santa Clara Golf. The Costa del Sol therefore offers a magnificent infrastructure for the practice of the sport, as well as a privileged climate and a wide complementary offer for visitors.

GRANADA CERAMIC EXHIBITION
The La General y El Carmen Cultural Centre of the Rodríguez Acosta Foundation in Granada, is currently hosting one of the most interesting exhibitions in Granada. It’s a display which brings together 335 pieces of ceramic from the last 5 centuries - among them we can find fountains, plates, pitchers, jugs, vessels and other ornamental containers decorated with typical symbols of Granada. A trip through the work of potters over the recent centuries which reveals the evolution of Granada ceramic art from the time of the Catholic Kings to the current day. Among the most curious items on show is a Neolithic bowl, and other items brought from museums and private collections such as a water jug and cheese dish from the 17th century. The exhibition remains open until November 17.

BANDITRY DAYS
The fifth Andalucian Banditry Days have just been held in the Córdoba province town of Jauja, and once again attracted the attention of many interested in the subject. For yet another year the demand for tickets to the days have beaten the expectations of the organisers, with some coming from countries as different as Finland, Germany or Italy. All because the romantic figure of the Andalucian Bandit remains an attractive topic for students or the romantic tourists from the 21st century who find in Andalucía the same essence as did the travellers of the 19th century. Since these forums were started 5 years ago the number of tourists to visit places in the sierras of Seville, Málaga or Córdoba has been increasing and over the time 5 new restaurants have been built with new rural accommodation and information points linked to the project called ‘Tempranillo’s Route’ - named after the most famous bandit of all who was born in this Córdoba hamlet.

NARVAEZ MAUSOLEUM - LOJA
The General Narváez Museum Chapel, in the Granada province town of Loja, is ready to be the starting point of visits to the town following its restoration after a year of work. The work has centred on the recovery of the murals and marbles which had deteriorated with the passage of time. The Junta de Andalucía and the Loja Town Council have invested 30 million pesetas in the restoration - 19 from the regional government and 11 from the town hall. The tourism board and the local council of this Granada town want to promote and reactivate tourism in the area with this important piece of architecture of the time.

TIERRA ADENTRO JAEN
The inland tourism fair ‘Tierra Adentro’ which is held between the 25-28 October in Jaén, is not limited to the promotion of the inland regions, but will also show the wide range of attractions to the tourism market away from the coast. Businesses and institutions will present their tourism products of all types. In the Jaén official fairground area we can see the main attractions of rural tourism, such as the nature, architectural heritage, gastronomy and folklore. The councillor for tourism José Hurtado has said that this fair, which is held annually in Jaén, will not be just another fair. The fair coincides with the 3rd Andalucian cuisine contest, which will be held in a semi-covered hall in the Jaen feria site. A wide range of cultural and tourist parallel activities are also planned.

VISITS TO THE ALHAMBRA
The Nazarene complex of the Alhambra is one of the Andalucian monuments which is most visited by tourists from across the world. Over the last ten years close to 21 million people have come to contemplate its palaces and the marvellous Generalife gardens. According to figures from the organising body of the Alhambra, the monument has see an average of 2 million visitors a year, although the rate has varied. Recently visits have shown a stability. For the Alhambra this shows that visits to the Nazarene complex has not been affected by the terrorist attacks on New York on September 11 - that month visitor numbers were close to those seen in the same month last year.