5 white villages of Andalusia

It sounds like a movie's name or a legend but the White Villages of Andalusia do exist and many routes are made for tourists to go from one to another. 

When we think about Andalusia we mainly know the main southern cities, but it’s much more than that, and if you have time you need to walk out of the beaten path and go explore the region. 

What we called White Villages (Pueblos Blancos) are large andalusian villages. There are characterised by whitewashed walls with dark (red-brown) tiled roofs. These villages are old from the prehistoric times and you can visit ancient caves where rock paintings are still visible: pretty great uh? If you wonder why the walls are white, they take there origins in the Berber architecture of North Africa, the Moor’s land. There are more than 15 villages for you to visit but here are 5 of them:

Arcos de la Frontera

This national historic site located on a cliff above the Río Guadalete is known for its churches and its architecture which conveys the transition from Gothic to Renaissance styles. During the Easter festival there are a lot of processions passing throughout the village.

If you want to discover this white village you can book a bike tour that will take you from Seville to Jerez and Arcos de la Frontera. The same tour is also available from Cadiz 

Ronda

One of the most famous Andalusian villages, in fact more than its white walls, Ronda is known for its sheer cliff and high bridges crossing deep ravines. It’s also famous for its bullfighting and its ancient Arab Baths.  Only 85 kilometres from Arcos de la Frontera and 100 kilometres from Malaga, this village can be easily visited. You can go by bus, train or car, but don’t miss it, it’s lovely.

Zahara de la Sierra

Belonging to the province of Cadiz and located in a steep hillside this little village dates back to Moorish times and have known a tourmented history due to the various conflict between Islamic and Christians rules. The village is famous for the fiesta of Corpus Christi around Easter time. If you’re a nature lover, don’t wait any longer and go visit this stunning place.

Salobreña

Located in the south of Granada, Salobreña is a seaside village. The hilltop on which it’s located is dominated by an ancient Moorish castle. The village is known for its delicious cuisine and its pleasant beach : perfect combo!!

Setenil de las Bodegas

The village grew out of a collection of cave dwellings and is known for its massive rocky overhangs which can be surprising at first. A lot of Islamic heritage can be found in Setenil de las Bodegas.