White villages of Andalucia - Pueblos blancos

Andalucia has some quite obvious must-see places, especially for first time travellers. Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, all three with stunning historical sights, as well as popular Malaga or picturesque Ronda, will surely be on that list. But if you have more time, or come here again, take another path and see Andalucia through its white villages – pueblos blancos. Usually located on top of the hills and off main roads, they are worth the (sometimes adventurous) road trip, which will be full of stunning views.

Here are some of our favourite white villages, but there are many others, depending on the parts of Andalucia you visit.

Torrox (pueblo)

I will start with the least obvious and least touristy town, which was our home for a month in August 2022. We have a lot of sentiment for this place and would recommend it for a visit if you wish to stroll through a relatively quiet village, with remarkably fewer tourists than other places on this list. It is also a perfect base to explore Andalucia, due to its location between Malaga and Granada, and to enjoy some time on the beach in the coastal part of the town, which is less than 10 mins drive from the pueblo. Torrox pueblo has a much more local feel than the nearby Frigiliana or Nerja which are full of tourists and expats (as is Torrox Costa). You can see more pictures from Torrox in this post.

Frigiliana

A white village next to Torrox. One of our favourite places for short visits and photo shots, probably the nicest kept and decorated white village, very photogenic. Many people say it’s the most beautiful white village on Costa del Sol. It is also a very good place to buy handmade souvenirs and a home to many local art galleries. A place full of tourists and expats, but with lots of charm.

Tip: Go to restaurant El Mirador for a drink on a terrace with the best view from Frigiliana

Mijas (pueblo)

Another picturesque white village on Costa del Sol. Similar to Frigiliana in a number of aspects: scenic views, beautifully maintained houses and streets, closeness to the coast, touristy feel (donkey taxis!) and popularity amongst international visitors. Out of all the villages we describe here, Mijas is the only one that has a bullring, the smallest one that I have seen in Andalucia.   

 

Villages of Alpujarras: Capileira, Bubión, Pampaneira

+ Soportújar

Located in the province of Granada, on the slopes of Sierra Nevada, the region of Alpujarras offers lots of beautiful hiking trails, so you can decide to spend some more time here if you wish to explore those. It is also nice for a day trip from Costa del Sol or Granada. It is possible to walk between the three villages. When I visited Alpujarras for the first time (many years ago!), I took a bus from Granada to the highest of the three villages, Capileira, and then walked downhill to Bubión and Pampaneira, where I caught a bus back to Granada. This time we moved between the villages by car and just strolled through the villages. I love the climate of this place!

On the way to Alpujarras, we stopped in Soportújar, known as a village of witches. It turned out to be one of my kids’ favourite places and quite fun also for adults, as we walked through it searching for traces of witches’ presence.

Tip: It is a highly popular and really tiny place. Try to visit outside of the middle of the day, especially if you need to find a parking place. We tried visiting on our way to Alpujarras, around late morning/noon and couldn’t find a single parking spot, so decided to return on our way back, and it was less packed.

Comares

+ La Zorrilla

Off the beaten track, with the least number of tourists. Located quite remotely and very high, with spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. Some of the houses are built on rocks, and the town architecture has Arabic elements, e.g. arches from medieval times.

Tip: Try Bar Pepa for menu of the day if you prefer a local feel, while most of the tourists will sit in one of the two restaurants on the main square.

On the way to Comares we also visited a little hamlet La Zorilla. It’s a tiny village surrounded by mango trees fields, with literally two dozens of houses, and probably the same number of cats. Worth stopping there for a lovely quiet stroll.