The most beautiful white villages of Andalucía

Andalucía: a place where the sounds of guitar and flamenco still resonate, a region where the corrida (bull fighting) agitates the spirits and where the numerous religious fiestas and the Semana Santa celebrations create a never ending vibrant atmosphere. In the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga, deep within the valleys or high perched on a mountain top, lie the most beautiful white villages of Andalucía, aka the “pueblos blancos”. This is the Andalucía I love, the place I return to over and over again! This is the place where I decided to study Spanish, the place that I chose to volunteer at a boutique hotel and the place where I lived several months while house-and petsitting. I have visited many of the white villages of Andalucía, some of them several times, but there are a few that hold a special place in my heart!

main square Jimena de la Frontera

The most beautiful villages in Cádiz

1. Zahara de la Sierra   

Perched on a 511m high hill with on one side the green “Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park” and on the other side the turquoise waters of the big lake-reservoir. Like most of the white villages of Andalucía, Zahara de la Sierra was an important Moorish outpost. The most famous landmark is without doubt the 13th century Nasrid Castle and lookout tower – the Torre del Homenaje. It is well worth the walk up there, to enjoy the ruins and the spectacular views of the surrounding countryside.

Around lunch time and in the evening, the whole village gathers on the village square. This is the place for tasty homemade tapas and a few beers. A picture-perfect village in the most stunning surroundings!

view over Zahara de la Sierra

2. Grazalema

Grazalema is the highest village of the region and the one that experiences the most rainfall. The paved white streets don’t seem to have changed much since medieval times. Grazalema is fairly quiet, but the place comes alive around lunch time in the bars in and around the village squares. You can easily spend half a day here, simply watching village life go by.
Between Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra, you can walk through the gorge of the “Garganta Verde”, situated in the green “Sierra de Grazalema”. Griffon vultures circle above the mountains and rocky walls. Walking through the gorge is an unforgettable experience, with steep cliffs on either side that rise up to over 400m. The path gets progressively narrower and narrower, until you have to walk in the river, criss-crossing crystal clear pools. If that’s too much, there are plenty of other walks in the area!

3.Arcos de la Frontera

One of my favourite pueblos! The inner town of Arcos is absolutely stunning! Narrow, white alleyways are perched on the immense cliffs over the Guadelete river. From the Plaza de Cabildo you get an amazing view over the surroundings! Getting lost in the little side streets, with arches spanning over some of the churches, listening to a flamenco show behind the closed doors of the theatre, admiring the numerous beautiful portals… plenty to do to keep you busy! Arcos is one of the more famous villages, so it can get crowded at times on the main square. Staying overnight will allow you to enjoy its treasures in a more relaxed way.

4.Vejer de la Frontera

Once again, difficult to find more charming! The village is only 10km away from the coast, but couldn’t be further away from it in atmosphere!  It still bears traces of its ancient past with the old Moorish walls, the winding streets and the hidden little patio’s. Until the end of the 19th century, women still wore a long black veil (cobajado), a reminder of the muslim heritage.  Enter the various “puertas” (old entry gates) and loose yourself in the narrow alleys.  The Plaza de España is a good place for a drink in the midst of village life.

white villages of Andalucia - Vejer de la Frontera

5. Setenil de las Bodegas

Setenil is definitely the odd one out! Where most white villages of Andalucía are built on protective rocks, the lower part of Setenil has been built underneath the rock! The calle Cuevas del Sol has plenty of tapas bars to soak up the remarkable atmosphere along the river Guadalporcún. The rocks provide great protection from the scorching Andalusian sun too.

houses built in the rock Setenil de las Bodegas

6. Olvera

Surrounded by olive trees and perched on top of a hill, Olvera is another white village with a strong Moorish influence. Two buildings stand out by their height and size: one is the old Arab castle; the other is the splendid neoclassical church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación . Both make up the classic view of Olvera. The town is very hilly, so you might want to visit early morning or late in the afternoon to avoid climbing in the heat.

The most beautiful white villages in Málaga

1. Ronda

Technically not a village. Ronda is a small city of 35.000 inhabitants, but appears big compared to the much smaller villages of the area. The oldest part of town, known as “La Ciudad”, dates back to the Moorish period with little squares and narrow cobbled streets. But THE highlight and the reason why thousands of people flock to Ronda every day is the gorge that separates the old town from the new part, by means of the Puente Nuevo (“new bridge”) At the side of the gorge, there is a pathway where you can walk right down to the bottom of the gorge and see the bridge from its base.
Ronda and the area around it used to be famous for “bandoleros” or “smugglers”. The Museum del Bandolero is a quirky and interesting museum dedicated to them.

Puente Nuevo Ronda

2. Mijas

Mijas Pueblo is one of the most popular day trips from Málaga or from any of the coastal resorts on the Costa del Sol. This means it can be very crowded during high season and rather unpleasant to peacefully stroll around. I’d suggest to stay overnight or visit during the winter. Avoid the “burro taxis”, the touristy carriages pulled by donkeys. There’s nothing authentic about it and nothing animal-friendly either, even if the local council seems to have imposed strict regulations.
Once you avoid the crowds, Mijas is a nice introduction to the “pueblos blancos”. The white houses, the terracotta rooftops, the blue flowerpots, it’s all there! Make sure you check out some of the viewpoints and have a drink at a bar in the side streets, where locals are happy to explain you the local gossip 🙂

3. Casares

One of the lesser known white villages in Málaga, 40 minutes from Marbella. Casares is only nine miles from the hustle and bustle of the coast and somehow succeeded in avoiding the coach tour circuit. The sugar cube houses are piled precariously high and nudge the battlements of an Arab castle, from where you’ve got stunning views of the surrounding countryside. It’s more authentic than Mijas or Frigiliana, but be prepared for a steep and energetic climb, rather than a tranquil stroll.

4. Frigiliana

Similar to Mijas Pueblo in style and in crowds, so same tip here: avoid high season or stay overnight! Again, Frigiliana feels like a typical advertising poster for the ‘pueblos blancos’, it’s clean, well maintained and full of charm. As in most villages, there isn’t an awful lot to do, other than enjoying it! A drink in a local bar, marvelling at the narrow streets, taking in the viewpoints and taking pictures: a pleasant day out!

The “pueblos blancos” with their unique atmosphere, their stunning surroundings and their harsh accents hold a very special place in my heart. I know the region pretty well, but can’t wait to return to check out what other hidden beauties lie beyond the green valleys and towering mountains!

Have you visited the white villages of Andalucía? Which ones are your favourites?

21 Replies to “The most beautiful white villages of Andalucía”

  1. Julie Cao

    I have never heard the Andalucia, and would love to learn Spanish and do volunteer work there just like you. Must be an awesome experience to get to know this lesser-toursity place. Zahara de la Sierra looks so nice and is my favorite. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  2. Kavya

    Hi,

    We are planning to visit these villages in January. Would the weather favour a visit in January and drive around?

    Thanks,
    Kavya

    Reply
    • Els Post author

      January can be quite chilly up in the mountain villages like Grazalema I’d say an average of 10C/50F to 15C/60F. On the coast however (Malaga region) temperatures are higher and there’s more chance of sunshine. The advantage is that there will be less people around, but not all pensions/guesthouses/restaurants might be open…

      Reply
  3. Pingback: The white villages of Andalucia | Tripeasel Blog

  4. sarah

    We’re spending 4 weeks in Spain in May and have been trying to decide where to go. I love exploring small towns and villages so this may just be the answer.

    Reply
  5. Laura

    My mum comes from a tiny village in Sicily, so little pastoral hubs are always fascinating to me. Such a great post, thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Revati

    I have increasingly been getting interested in stories from tiny villages across Europe! Can’t wait to go and discover one for myself. Great post!

    Reply
  7. Anna Collins

    What a great article, I also love the village of Gaucin but have yet to visit the others you mentioned i’m ashamed to say, having lived in Malaga for almost 8 years.

    My personal favorites are Frigiliana, just above the popular coastal town of Nerja. Rhonda and also Mijas Pueblo, Mijas has so much to offer and although it has become a favorite for tourists, it still hasn’t lost it’s natural charm and beauty: http://malagatravelguide.net/locations/6-must-do-things-to-in-stunning-mijas-pueblo/

    Reply
  8. susan

    Such beautiful villages with an interesting history. These are great tips for visiting the villages, I can image someone wanting to see all the villages in one day, but that would be exhausting and you wouldn’t get to enjoy each of their own beauty as much as someone should.

    Reply
    • Els Post author

      Yes I do, I actually learnt Spanish in Andalucia, it was challenging in the beginning, but at least I understand everyone else in Spain now 🙂

      Reply
  9. Elena

    I´ve been living for almost 10 years in Spain and have never been to any of those! Now I wanna go…So nice to learn something new and useful while blogging!

    Reply
  10. Emily Luxton

    It sounds as if you need a decent amount of time to be able to explore everything! I love the white walled houses – they make for such picturesque shots. What volunteering did you do?

    Reply

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