Latest update: 24 July 2023
Discover the cute white villages of Andalusia on a scenic drive. Beautiful views and winding mountain roads alternate with cute street corners and cozy tapas bars. All the ingredients for a great day of ‘village hopping’. Learn more about the white villages and the white villages route!
Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos
The white villages route in Andalusia leads you through the provinces of Cádiz and Malaga. The houses are all whitewashed. I even understand that the residents re-lime the houses every year. The white lime reflects the sun, keeping the homes as cool as possible in summer. But nowadays, many people often replace lime with paint.
I google for the map of the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos. But each site proposes a different route. Not really surprising because it seems as if every village in Andalusia is a white village. So there is not one official white villages route. You can draw your own plan. You can string hundreds of kilometers with white villages everywhere. So the real question is how much time you have, and you may want to sleep somewhere along the way.
Map: example white villages route
Because I want some guidance, I grab the Lonely Planet of Andalusia and use their white villages route as inspiration. The route of about 150 kilometers goes from Arcos de la Frontera via El Bosque, Ubrique, Benaocaz, Villaluenga del Rosario, Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, Algodonales, Olvera and Setenil de las Bodegas to Ronda. Google Maps doesn’t allow me to add Ronda to the route, so you must enter it yourself. I make a day trip of it and make it to Grazalema.
Many of Andalusia’s white villages are situated on top of mountains or rocky outcrops because they used to serve as defensive villages. It used to be important that you could look far around you to see the enemy coming from afar. This means you will find several beautiful vantage points in almost every white village. Sometimes with a view over the city, sometimes the valley, and sometimes you can even see the ocean.
And the route is not just about the white villages. The drive is also fantastic because many villages are in the Sierra de Grazalema National Park. You drive on narrow mountain roads, and occasionally I would love to park the car next to the road to take pictures. Unfortunately, there are few places where you can safely do so. So make sure you don’t miss anything by simply driving slowly.
White villages route in Andalusia: drive yourself or a tour
If you are still looking for a rental car, I recommend renting from Sunny Cars or EasyTerra. These are reliable car rental companies with all-inclusive rental agreements: escape the hassle of the personnel trying to sell you all kinds of insurance when you pick up the car.
Prefer not to drive yourself but to be driven? At GetYourGuide, you can book various activities that will take you past the white villages. Check out this page to find the best tour for you.
Arcos de la Frontera
Arcos de la Frontera is one of those white villages on top of a rock, which also looks impressive when you drive up. Arcos de la Frontera is the ‘gateway’ of the white villages route. The higher part of the village is the historic center. Just walk there (by car, you don’t want to go that deep into the town: the roads are much too narrow) and wander around the different streets. Arcos de la Frontera is tiny, so it is almost impossible to get lost. The highlight is the viewing platform in front of the church. It offers a beautiful view of the countryside around Arcos. If you want to stay a little longer in this village, read my blog about Arcos de la Frontera.
El Bosque
El Bosque is a small, sleepy village where the main information office for the Sierra de Grazalema Park is located. Here you can get inspiration for walking and cycling routes in an hour. Within half an hour, you have already walked around the center of El Bosque three times. There is a small square with a police station and a few cafes and restaurants. The lower half of the orange trees is also painted white. The main attractions are the botanical garden (Google Maps location) and the ruins of the Tavizna or Aznalmara castle (Google Maps location).
Ubrique
I think Ubrique is a fairly large village; it gives me more of a city feel. Yes, the houses are white, but I miss the cute, winding streets. That’s why I especially enjoy looking at this village from above. To do so, you drive to the old bullfighting arena, now a museum (Google Maps location). The museum is named after a famous bullfighter from Ubrique: Jesulin de Ubrique. If you are lucky, you can also visit the museum. And otherwise, you mainly enjoy the view.
Ubrique is also known for leather. Famous designers buy leather in Ubrique. Of course, there is a leather museum in the village (Google Maps location), and you can buy leather bags at various places in the city.
Benaocaz
Benaocaz is a tiny white village: about 700 people live there. It is a good place to start hiking through the Sierra de Grazalema park. And, of course, you can take a short walk and get a cup of coffee, but the village is definitely not a tourist attraction – which can also be nice at times.
Villaluenga del Rosario
Long village of the rosary, that’s what the name means. That name is due to the shape: long, narrow, and against a cliff. It is a maze of streets. Up and down, one road even steeper than the other.
Pay a visit to the simple cheese museum (Google Maps location) and the Payoyo cheese factory (Google Maps location). You will also often see these Payoyo cheeses on regional restaurant menus. It is not a type of cheese but a brand name. The cheese is made from milk from different goat and sheep breeds. Unfortunately, you cannot visit the factory, and no sheep or goats can be seen around it either.
Grazalema
Grazalema has all the ingredients for a typical touristic white mountain village: cute little streets, a handful of historic buildings, a cozy square, and the starting point for hikes and bike rides. I’m there in the winter, but I can imagine it gets pretty busy here in the summer. In the souvenir shops, you can buy some local products: honey, cheese, jam, chorizo, and olive oil, for example.
More white villages in Andalusia
My white villages route consisted of six villages, but there are many more. Zahara de la Sierra, Algodonales, Olvera, Setenil de las Bodegas and Ronda are part of the route, as stated in the Lonely Planet. But you can also add Vejer de la Frontera, Chiclana de la Frontera, and Medina Sidonia to your route. So many white villages, so little time! Haha.
More Spain inspiration?
Helpful links for your Spain trip
- Accommodation. Booking.com is always a popular choice. But you could also check Homecamper | campspace or Hostelworld for more options. HostelWorld.
- Activities. You book the best tours and activities with GetYourGuide, Klook and Viator. You can also check out WithLocals. Book ‘free’ walking tours at Freetour.com or GuruWalk and try Baja Bikes for bike tours.
- Attractions and museums. Interested in a 5% discount on museums and other attractions? Use this discount code at Tiqets: KIMOPREIS22
- Bus and train. If you want to travel by bus or train to or in Spain, Busbud and Omio are excellent companies for planning your transportation.
- Boat. You can take a boat from Barcelona to the Balearic Islands, or take a ferry between the islands. Check out the options at Direct Ferries.
- Car rental. Compare your options at Discover Cars and Rentalcars.
- Flights. Compare all your options! Be sure to check out Skyscanner, and Kiwi.
- Package deals. Rather go on a catered trip? You could try Expedia or CheapOair.
- SIM card. Beware of unexpectedly high calling and internet costs. Buy a local SIM card when you arrive, or arrange one online via Airalo.
- Travel guides. I like paper travel guides to browse through, for sale at Amazon, among others.
- Yoga retreat. Or treat yourself to a yoga retreat in Spain.
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