Five Fantastic Towns to Visit in Andalucía, Spain

Julius — Sun, 09 Sep 2012 18:54:26 +0000

Andalucía has a lot to offer a visitor; it’s the largest of all the regions of Spain, of which there are 17. Based in the south of Spain it enjoys the Mediterranean and the Atlantic seas. It’s neighboured by Portugal and the Spanish provinces of Extremadura, Castile La Mancha and Murcia. Visiting less touristic towns than the large (and more accessible) cities is the ideal way to see this area of Spain therefore given the regions size; it’s a good idea to do it by car. From Granada province, to Malaga then onto Cadiz province each has its own special something.

Las Alpurjarras, Granada

Not one town but a cluster of villages which stretch from Granada province into Almeria province. These very atmospheric small villages feel otherworldly particularly if visited in the winter. The drive from Malaga is breath-taking, it’s a dramatic landscape. Once at the highest village (Travelez), take a moment to eat the Serrano ham from there, it is air dried and is famous for its flavour. It’s a great idea to spend a couple of days driving around these villages, taking in the leisurely way of life and stopping to admire the views of the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range.

Photo of A typical Alpujarran village, Busquístar, Andalucia, Spain by Stephen Lea

Antequera, Malaga

This grand large town with an impressive castle is an easy drive north of Malaga. It has an impressive bull ring, an imposing dramatic cathedral next to the castle and some good examples of nobleman’s houses. Antequera is next to El Torcal, a national park including a mountain range made of limestone which divides Malaga and Antequera. El Torcal is perfect climbing territory or those who enjoy bird watching and hiking.

Antequera, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by valderrama

Marbella, Malaga

Heading back to the coast, Marbella offers a charming old town with plenty of places to sit to enjoy the sun and a vino or two. It is thought of as a resort town but Marbella itself is a grand village with typical white houses and narrow streets. In the summer months it does suffer a little from a massive influx of tourists but it has romantic restaurants nestled into the corners of pretty squares like Plaza de Los Naranjas. Alternatively, the hotels in Marbella have restaurants which fold onto the main boulevard, where you can gaze out to sea while enjoying a candle lit meal.

Photo of Marbella, Malaga, Andalucia, Spain by bongo vongo

Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz

Arguably the most beautiful of the towns on this list (and in Andalucía no less), is Vejer de la Frontera. This grand white washed bohemian town situated on a high rocky outcrop in Cadiz province overlooks rice fields. The landscape around Vejer is characterised by the winds that lap around the land. They say these winds can drive people crazy because they are so relentless but this shouldn’t put the road tripper off. Wind turbines stand tall all through the province and create a different view from the other provinces.

Photo of Vejer de la Frontera, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Thibaut Brix

Tarifa, Cadiz

Set beside the beach, Tarifa is probably the coolest place to hang out particularly if surfing, wind surfing or kite surfing is your type of thing. It’s got an arty bohemian feel too with lots of little independent shops, cafes, restaurants and places generally to chill out. Nightlife wise it all happens out of the town along the coast road where there’s all manner of hip hang outs.

Tarifa, Cadiz, Andalucia, Spain by Kevin Walsh

There are so many towns to visit in Andalucía but to get the most out of a trip to Southern Spain it’s a good idea to choose five interesting and unique ones – each one being different from the last. These offer the variety that is typical of Spain yet are all quintessentially Spanish.