The classic mountain route (White Villages)
Far away from the big cities this travel route permits
visits to small and medium sized villages in the provinces of
Málaga and Cádiz with a special emphasis on landscape
and nature attractions.
There is not just one "White Villages" route, but many
other possibilities. We support a longer tour, which can be split
up into smaller sections.
Itinerary through the mountainous regions Sierra de Grazalema, Serranía de Ronda and Los Alcornocales. Can be easily combined with visits to Cádiz, Sevilla and Málaga or with beach holidays on the Costa de la Luz or the Costa del Sol. Possible excursions to the Nature Site El Torcal (Antequera) or to the rock of Gibraltar.
The white villages owe their name to the way their residents often scatter lime on the walls of their houses. These seem to be inserted like bird nests into the mountains and are usually adorned by a castle. Red tile roofs and narrow streets complete the appearance of a typical "pueblo blanco".
From Arcos to Ronda and Castellar de la Frontera.
Distance approx. 300 kilometers/185 miles
Arcos de la Frontera (Miles 0;
28,700 Inhabitants)
Situated on a mountain range 160 meters high above the Guadalete
river. One of the most beautiful villages of Andalusia.
Espera (Miles 10; 3,900 Inhabitants)
very old settlement with an Arab castle and the Santa María
de Gracia Church.
Bornos (Miles 15; 8,050 Inhabitants)
Castle del Fontanal, Fortified castle de los Rivera; Santo Domingo
de Guzmán church; Convent of Corpus Christi.
Villamartín (Miles 21; 12,050
Inhabitants)
Agriculture village. Churches: San Francisco, de las Angustias
and de las Virtudes; Noble mansion de los Topete;
On the way to Prado del Rey: Ruins of Parajete.
Prado del Rey (Miles 28; 5,870
Inhabitants)
Nuestra Señora del Carmen church;
2,5 miles away: Roman ruins "Iptuci".
El Bosque (Miles 32; 2,000 Inhabitants)
Entrance to the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, situated in
a beautiful landscape. Santa María de Guadalupe Church
Excursion to Benamahoma (4 miles): groves of Spanish fir.
Ubrique (Miles 42; 17,500 Inhabitants)
Phoenician foundation. Churches: San Antonio, San Pedro, Nuestra
Señora de la O; Monastery de Capuchinos (Franciscan monks).
Benaocaz (Miles 45; 670 Inhabitants)
Baroque town hall, Renaissance church.
Villalengua del Rosario (Miles
48,5; 450 Inhabitants)
San Miguel church, bullring built in the mountain rocks.
Grazalema (Miles 56; 2,200 Inhabitants)
Centre of the Natural Park. Nuestra Señora de la Aurora
church; Textile museum Artesanía Textil.
On the road to Zahara: mountain pass Puerto de las Palomas (1357 m/4452 ft.), Hiking paths to "El Pinsapar" (Spanish fir forest) and to "la Garganta Verde" (cave).
Zahara de la Sierra (Miles 65; 1,500 Inhabitants)
Moorish foundation, located on a mountainside.
Remains of an ancient castle, Santa María de la Mesa church.
Algodonales (Miles 70; 5,600 Inhabitants)
Olive groves and fields of vegetables close to the Sierra de Líjar.
Baroque church of Santa Ana with a tower and its door called puerta
del Perdón.
Olvera (Miles 82; 8,580 Inhabitants)
well conserved Arab fortress in between wooded hills; Nuestra
Señora de la Encarnación church.
Towards Ronda (1,4 miles): Pilgrimage church Virgen de los Remedios
in Baroque style.
Setenil de las Bodegas (Km 91;
3,000 Inhabitants)
Cave houses inside the rocks overhead the river. Fortified castle;
Gothic church de la Encarnación.
Ronda (Miles 103; 35,100 Inhabitants)
Jewel of Andalusia and main town of the Serranía de Ronda
Region. Invites a longer stay.
Benaoján (Miles 108; 1,580
Inhabitants)
of main interests are the nearby caves "Cueva de la Pileta"
and "Cueva del Gato" with pictorial records of its residents
(Paleolithic).
Montejaque (Miles 110; 1,000 Inhabitants)
the Guadares river disappears in the "El Hundidero"
cave to appear again in the "Cueva del Gato" cave.
Jimena de Libar (Miles 117; 390 Inhabitants)
Roman-Moorish castle.
Atajate (Miles 122; 175 Inhabitants)
very old settlement from the pre-historic epoch. Moorish tower
Benadalid (Miles 126; 260 Inhabitants)
has the oldest fortress of the region
Algatocín (Miles 129; 950
Inhabitants)
Roman ruins
Gaucín (Miles 135; 1,800
Inhab.)
Good view point; Remains of a fort; Renaissance church; convent
church in Baroque style;
In the surroundings: "Cueva del Órgano".
Casares (Miles 145; 3,660 Inhabitants)
founded by the Romans in the time of Julius Caesar. Centre of
the village in Moorish style. Ruins of an Moorish castle; churches:
de la Encarnación and San Sebastián; archaeological
excavations.
Jimena de la Frontera (Miles 169;
9,350 Inhabitants)
situated in the beautiful los Alcornocales Natural Park underneath
the ancient castle. Restored Gothic church la Misericordia; Pilgrimage
church Reina de los Ángeles.
Nearby: "La Laja Alta" cave
Castellar de la Frontera (Miles
185; 2,680 Inhabitants)
Moorish fortress village from the 13th century. From here you
can see Africa.
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