Parade of Nations, Spain by Joel Kramer

Vejer de la Frontera

A perfect mix of unmatchable charm, deeply embedded history and breathtaking views, Vejer offers you undisturbed vacation on a platter. The village is dotted with some amazing restaurants, pretty boutiques and quaint bars. All of these set in a foreground of the postcard-like beaches of El Palmar, Cadiz and Jerez. No McDonald’s, no high-end restaurants, you’ll rarely find a place that’s so beautifully disconnected from the otherwise highly-commercialized world. And you’ll almost never find a place that lets you have absolutely delectable lunch in one continent, while staring at another!

Vejer de la Frontera, Spain by Thibaut Brix

Guadalupe

Guadalupe is an interesting blend of simple and elegant, and quiet and sprightly. It’s not very rural, nor is it a Podunk town, neither is it a bustling urban city. It sits somewhere perfectly in between. You know you’re entering a very special place, the moment the first sights of the monastery crop up from the streets. Guadalupe is surrounded by lush fields on one side, tall mountains on the other. You’ll find most homes with balconies adorned with meticulously arranged flowers. Fountains, colorful storefronts, intricately designed stonework are a common sight here. And then there’s the typical Spanish chapel, complete with fancy artworks, terracotta roofs, medieval arches and the like. The whole scene is so unreal; the feeling is pretty much equal to walking into an idyllic painting.

Royal Monastery of Santa María de Guadalupe, Spain by PILAR J

Calatanazor

If you want to witness a scene set entirely in elegantly carved stone, and preserving every essence of the long forgotten medieval era, Calatanazor is the place you should already be on your way to. At one point in history, this village was ruled by Muslims, so you’ll also find interesting influences of Muslim architecture in the otherwise catholic setting. In addition, there’s the Valley of Blood, where you can still hear the distant ring of battles fought in the ancient past. Here’s a village with its worn out ruins and facades, away from the burst of excitement that Spain is, basking in that golden Spanish sun like nothing’s wrong with the world at all.

Calatañazor, Spain by a_marga

Capileira

Capileira is a village that is as well stocked with fascinating stories of the Moorish colonists, as it is with charm and intrigue. The village sits snugly on a hilltop, and can be peered and craned at from the foothills. Ominous mountains and lush forests protect Capileira and its charming churches, tiny alleyways and quaint little white houses with their wrought iron balconies. The view, from every possible angle, at any possible time is just plain breathtaking.

Capileira, Spain by Joscelyn Upendran

Aiguablava

Aiguablava sits on a small rocky outcrop, facing a turquoise blue bay that’s dotted with tiny boats and kayaks. On one side you have a dense green hill that gently slopes into the sea, and on the other there’s the rocky area heavily loaded with abundant vegetation. Add to that the charming little beach tucked neatly in between. Aiguablava’s cuisine reflects every bit of abundance and variety nature has bestowed upon it. You’ll find exotic cheeses, heavenly red wines, unforgettably awesome sea cuisine blended perfectly with olives, vegetables and garlic. Not only is this a fireworks of flavors in your mouth, conveniently for you, the cuisine here also happens to be delightfully healthy!

Aiguablava, Spain by Xavier Badosa

This article was contributed by Thomas Staw; he is a keen blogger and a reader. He works for White Beach Holidays Ltd which offers great holiday villas in Lanzarote for rent. You can book Casa Femes direct online through their website.

The post Spain’s Best Kept Secrets: 5 Unheard Villages You Cannot Afford To Miss Out On appeared first on Europe Explored.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Adam Jones

I think April will be a good time, before it gets too hot. The closest major city is Granada. I’ll be flying there, maybe with a break in Barcelona. Granada looks to be stunningly beautiful. I am staying two nights in the city and it will probably be in the Parador de Granada, although the Hotel Casa 1800 Granada is supposed to be very picturesque.

From Granada I could head by bus to Capileira, which is a small town that sits at the foot of Mulhacén, the tallest mountain in Spain. There is a Microbus service there. It takes travelers up the mountain on days with good weather. It’s actually becoming a rather popular tourist destination, so I’m not concerned about it being too isolated. I’d rather walk up the mountain, though. Apparently it’s not that difficult and doesn’t require any climbing equipment, just normal hiking gear.

I could take the bus to Beas de Granada (east of Granada). There is a fantastic one-way walk that leads back into the center of Granada. It’s supposed to be one of the best hiking experiences to be had in the Sierra Nevada. The route is about 30 kilometers atop a broad ridge, which might be a little long for me. I’ve also been warned to hike this path in May at the latest due to the heat.

Photo licensed under the Creative Commons, created by Andrew Hurley

Another option is to travel in June or July. I could go from Granada to Trevélez (which is on the eastern side of Mulhacén) to climb the path to the Seven Lakes, but any earlier in the year and there’s too much snow. Most of the climb isn’t too difficult and I’ve heard that the waterfalls are amazing. It leads up to a place called the Seven Lakes (Siete Lagunas). I’m probably going to choose this one.

There’s actually quite a few other hikes, like a hard one called Vereda de la Estrella. I could also hike from Capileira to Trevélez, but not in winter. There’s so many choices!

One of the other great activities that you can do around the mountainous countryside of Spain is mountain biking. The hilly terrain and dry conditions lend themselves perfectly to this pursuit and there are no rules against doing this.

This article was written by John Davies who enjoys blogging for Thomson Al Fresco holidays. He has travelled around most of Europe, camping with his family most of the way and he enjoys nothing more than sharing his experiences with other bloggers and travellers alike through guest posts.

View Camping in Spain: Hiking the Sierra Nevada Mountain Ranges in a larger map

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You can hike Climb Mulhacen in a single day from the villages of Capileira or Trevélez, but it is recommended to stay for a night either at the mountain refuge at Poqueira, or in the bare shelter at Caldera to the west.

View Climb Mulhacen in Sierra Nevada – the highest peak in Spain in a larger map

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