Andalusia’s white villages

Route description

Ronda is split by a gorge nearly 100 m deep, crossed by the 18th-century Puente Nuevo; walk down the paths below the bridge for the best view. From Ronda, take a minor road north to Setenil de las Bodegas, a white village whose houses are built under huge rock overhangs.

Zahara de la Sierra sits below a Moorish castle tower above a turquoise reservoir. From here a steep mountain road with many hairpins crosses the Puerto de las Palomas to Grazalema, a white village in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, one of the rainiest places in Spain. This road is unsuitable for large motorhomes, which should take the longer route around.

The A-372 descends west through El Bosque to Arcos de la Frontera, a white town on top of a sandstone cliff; its steep, narrow streets are best explored on foot, so park at the bottom. Continue to Jerez de la Frontera, the home of sherry, with bodegas to visit and the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art.

The route ends in Cádiz, an old city on a narrow peninsula surrounded by the sea, with a cathedral and the small beach of La Caleta. Spring and autumn are the best seasons, as summer temperatures inland are very high. In all the villages, park at the edge and walk in.