In southern Spain, you should visit at least one white village.
How to find the white villages of Spain
If you have driven in Andalucia in the southern part of Spain, you may have seen villages shining white on the mountains. In Spain, these settlements are called by name white villages i.e. the white villages.
Most of the white villages are located in either the provinces of Málaga or Cádiz, near many popular holiday destinations such as Fuengirola. On the sunny coast, it’s worth setting aside time to see at least one Pueblo Blanco. In total, there are dozens of white villages in Spain.
A typical white village is built on top of a hill or mountain. The history of Andalusia can be seen in the Moorish architecture of the villages, which often include a fortress built for defensive purposes.
The reason for the white color of the buildings in the villages is the same as in the Greek archipelago: white paint keeps the houses cooler than dark colors. Andalusia is really hot in the summer months, and the weather is pleasantly mild even in the dead of winter. The buildings are regularly painted to maintain a clean color.
It is easiest to visit the white villages with your own rental car, which allows you to combine several destinations in the same trip. Without your own vehicle, the best day trip is to villages like Ronda or Mijas.
See five examples of the white villages of Andalusia below!
1. Ronda
Perhaps the most famous white village in all of Spain, Ronda is known for its dramatic gorge and the bridge that crosses it. The Ronda bridge and a whopping 120 meter drop is one of the most photographed landscapes in the area.
Ronda is also bigger than other white villages: the small town of about 35,000 inhabitants has a lot of accommodation and restaurant options, and it can be considered as a base for a car trip.
It is also easy to make a day trip to Ronda from Málaga or Fuengirola.
2. Frigiliana
The name Frigiliana may not sound familiar, but the white village is considered one of the most beautiful in Spain. Pure white buildings, narrow alleys, flower plantations, churches and squares – Frigiliana is like straight from a postcard.
The village is located about 60 kilometers from Málaga. When coming down from the mountains, the nearest coastal town is Nerja, from where you can drive to Frigiliana in about a quarter of an hour.
3. Border Arches
The stunning location of Arcos de la Frontera makes it one of the most popular white villages in Andalusia: the buildings and the village fortress seem to be literally balancing on the ridge of a rocky hill.
The labyrinthine alleys are atmospheric, and the river flows below. It is no wonder that the village has been declared a National Historic Monument in Spain.
Arcos de la Frontera is located about 65 kilometers from the city of Cádiz.
4. Alternations
For Finnish tourists, Mijas is one of the most accessible white villages, as it is located almost directly above the favorite destination of Fuengirola.
When vacationing in Fuengirola, you should go up to Mijas at least once to admire the scenery and enjoy lunch or dinner. Mijas is divided into two parts, of which Mijas Pueblo is a white mountain village and Mijas Costa is a beach destination.
The distance between Fuengirola and Mijas can be easily covered by taxi or bus. If you don’t want to rent a car on vacation, Mijas is easily accessible without one.
5. Zahara de la Sierra
The small village of Zahara de la Sierra is particularly picturesque because of the turquoise lake at its foot. Above the village standing on top of the hill rises a historic fortress. For the setting, Zahara de la Sierra is guaranteed to be one of the most beautiful in Andalusia.
The village of only about 1,500 inhabitants is located less than 40 kilometers from Ronda and about one hundred kilometers from the city of Seville.
Read also: This unreal place can be found in a region in Spain that Finns love – but have you ever even heard of it?
Source: www.rantapallo.fi
