My Top 10 Places to Visit in Andalucia

Published on 9/15/2011 in Places of Interest

I was inspired to write this article by the excellent PDF guide about the top 10 places to visit in Andalucia written by Luisa and Simone of www.vayanda.com and recommended by EyeOnSpain's Justin.

I've been to seven of the places on their list and I would agree that most of them are lovely. Of course, one can always quibble about such lists, as they are by definition personal,but they are always the starting point for a healthy discussion.

I've been visiting Andalucía for over a decade and have lived permanently in the Serranía de Ronda for the last three years, so I know the region pretty well.

For what it's worth, here is my top 10.

Apart from the big three cities of Córdoba, Granada and Sevilla, which go without saying, my top 10 places to visit in Andalucía, in alphabetical order, are:

Bolonia (Cádiz) - Without doubt the best beach in Andalucía, almost totally unspoilt, with the spectacular restored Roman city of Baelo Claudio as a backdrop.

Cádiz - The oldest city in Europe is much under-rated. In the process of receiving a make-over, this is a port town to rival Liverpool or Hamburg.

Bolonia beachCazorla (Jaén) - A place to get away from it all. Mile upon square mile of virgin forest and little hint of civilisation. Boasts probably the remotest Parador hotel in the whole of Spain!

El Chorro (Málaga) - This series of linked reservoirs is stunning, with ample opportunities for sightseeing and bathing in the clear waters.

Grazalema (Cádiz) - The wettest place in Spain, the scenery is spectacular and the town is very pretty with oodles of ambiente.

Jimena de la Frontera (Cádiz) - A stunning pueblo blanco perched on a hill with narrow cobbled streets and flowered balconies.

Montejaque (Málaga) - This delightful pueblo blanco was my home for two happy years. With a permanent population of just over 1000 and 14 bars, the scenery and walks roundabout are second to none.

Ronda (Málaga) - La Ciudad del Tajo, also known as La Ciudad Soñada, is where I now live after four decades of travelling throughout Spain. Ronda's location perched atop a stunning 100 metre gorge, with mountains all around, is breathtaking. With a splendid Old Town, as well as modern amenities, it meets the needs of residents and tourists alike.

El ChorroTarifa (Cádiz) - The crossroads of Europe and Africa and the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. A fascinating pot-pourri of cultures at the southernmost tip of Europe.

Úbeda - Baeza (Jaén) - These two neighbouring towns boast stunning honey-coloured medieval buildings. To wander the streets is like going back in time.

This is obviously a personal list and others will have other preferences. Which are your top 10 places to visit in Andalucía? It would be good to hear about these. Post a comment so that we can all learn about the best that Andalucía has to offer.

Written by: Paul Whitelock

About the author:

Paul Whitelock is a retired Ofsted school inspector and former UK languages teacher. He now lives with his German wife near Ronda and is a freelance journalist, translator and interpreter. Paul can be contacted via his website at www.a1-solutions-spain.com




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Comments:

PablodeRonda said:
Saturday, June 8, 2024 @ 4:46 PM

Hi, Alison and Rosi. I've just discovered your comments from over 12 years ago. Don't know why I didn't see them back then.
If I were to re-do my list now, I would certainly include Vejer, El Palmar, Jerez and Sevilla, all of which I have discovered and loved since my original article.
Maybe I should re-do it as my top 20 ... I would also add Cordoba, Setenil de las Bodegas, Olvera, Caños de Meca, Almuñecar, Frigiliana, Nerja and Torrox Pueblo. Oh, and what about Merida, Guadalupe, Trujillo, Caceres and Zafra? All in Extremadura.



alison said:
Sunday, June 3, 2012 @ 4:01 PM

Oh Vejer de la Fontera, amazing history a Unesco world heritage site and the views from the old tow towards the bay of trafalger are amazing.


Rosi Reed said:
Friday, September 16, 2011 @ 9:41 AM

I've been to 7 of these 10 and would agree with every one on the list.....the problem is that there's probably 10 more places that are every bit as worthwhile to visit. I'm not sure about Bolonia as the best beach though, we had clients there who have had problems with the local feral dogs. Can I post a vote for El Palmar for best beach? Can I also add to the list - Sevilla (and can't believe it was left off) and in Sevilla I would say best thing to do.....rent a bike for the day and ride around the network of bike paths through the centre and down by the river. Can I also add a vote for the place we sell more holidays in than any other - Jerez. It's the only town I know that smells of what has made it famous!


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