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Writer's pictureTania Andreea

Frigiliana, the most beautiful village in Andalusia

Updated: Apr 20, 2023

Frigiliana is a village in the Spanish region of Andalusia. Being recommended in most travel blogs as one of the most beautiful places, I couldn't help but put it on the list. I did an 8-day tour in Andalusia, and if you are curious to know more about this region, I wrote articles about: Malaga, Marbella and how I spent 8 days in Andalusia.


Before offering the possibility of the existence of contrary opinions regarding the title of this article, it is recommended to mention that Frigiliana was voted as the most beautiful village in Andalusia. Therefore, I did not attribute this characterization to it, it is not a subjective one and it is not based on my experience. If it is the most beautiful or not, each visitor of this place will decide and judge according to personal preferences and expectations.


spectacular  view over frigiliana spain


HOW TO GET TO FRIGILIANA:


The nearest airports are in Malaga and Granada, and a little further, in Seville. Most likely, if you choose to visit this place, you will land at Malaga airport. From there you have several options:

-with a rented car. I wrote a guide about everything you need to know about renting a car on vacation. - within an organized tour. You can book trips departing from Malaga, Motril or Granada. - with public transport. It's a bit more complicated, but not impossible. From Malaga, there are buses to Nerja, which is approximately 6 km from Frigiliana. From there you can call a taxi.


WHAT CAN YOU VISIT IN FRIGILIANA:


- Walking on the streets of the old center;


The historical center is definitely the star of this village. The narrow and cobbled streets, with modest white houses, decorated with colorful pots of plants, make you wonder if you traveled back in time. In this village, you can really feel the Spanish authenticity, although it is a very popular location and visited by hundreds of tourists daily.

the old center of frigilina, one of the villages of nerja

During our visit, we could see how the locals use horses or mules to carry various objects or construction materials on the steep streets of the village. It is not a very pleasant image, considering the animals that have to endure the burden of weight in hellish heat, but it is an interesting image from a cultural point of view and I was surprised to see that the Spanish still use animals for such activities.

the historical centre of frigiliana, spain

The most interesting streets and places to check in the area of ​​the historic center are: Callejon de Zacatin, Plaza de la Iglesia, la Chorerra, Callejon del Penion, Fuente Viejo, Barribarto.


- Hike in the Sierra de Tejeda Natural Park, on the Higueron River to Acequia de Lizar. It is a spectacular hike, with spectacular panoramic views of the mountains around Frigiliana. The entrance to the route is to the east of the town, going towards the Higuerion river. Once you manage to cross the river towards the mountain, follow the riverbed upstream for a few km.


If you decide to venture on the hike, take into account that it is not summer, the temperatures can become hard to bear when you are making the effort of climbing whole kilometers.


You can find more hikes in Frigiliana, but also from other locations in Andalusia here.


-Walk through the Santa Fiora mini botanical garden, which looks more like a park. It is an interesting place where you can admire various species of plants and trees, being the greenest area of ​​the village. Entrance is free.


avocado tree from frigiliana, spain
Avocado tree in Frigiliana

- A ride with the tourist train can be an activity and an interesting way to discover the beautiful streets of Frigiliana without doing any physical effort. It is ideal both for children and for people who cannot walk much.


WHERE CAN YOU STAY IN FRIGILIANA


Frigiliana is not a place where you have much to do, and if you do not choose to go hiking, then I do not recommend an accommodation here. Rather choose Nerja or Malaga, locations from where you have both public transport connections to other places, as well as a more varied range of tourist activities and places to visit. For both I have written separate articles that also have accommodation recommendations. Find the link for them at the beginning of the article.


If you choose to spend more time in Frigiliana, I leave some accommodation options, which have good ratings on Booking:


- Hotel Rural Almazara, is a hotel with a swimming pool, ideal for relaxing after a day of exploring. It has both an outdoor and an indoor pool. On request, a transfer to the airport is offered;

- La Amara Zaid, an apartment-type accommodation unit, very interestingly decorated, which also has a small kitchen;

- Posada Morisca Charming Hotel, it is located near Frigiliana and is easily accessible if you have a car. The location has a swimming pool with a superb view of the mountains;

- El Torreon 109, an adults only B&B with a mini-infinity pool, with a superb view over Andalucia.


WHERE TO EAT IN FRIGILIANA


Although it is a fairly small town, the locals have managed to adapt to the huge daily flow of tourists, so that, in addition to the varied range of accommodations, there are numerous places where you can dine.


We chose the place to eat depending on the crowd, as we do most of the time. We chose the most crowded place, on the premise that the food is good and fresh, without doing any research beforehand. I'm not saying that you should do the same, but when you haven't had time to research about a good place to eat, it can be an option. That's how we arrived at the Virtudes Restaurant, where the food was very good.


Most of the restaurants are located in the Plaza de las Tres Culturas area and if you dine outside you can enjoy the beautiful view of the village valley.


CONCLUSION:


Although it is not a place that offers tourist attractions to spend several days, Frigiliana deserves to be put on the list to visit even for a day, or a few hours, if you arrive in Malaga or Nerja.


Personally, after visiting several villages in Andalusia, I would not vote it as the most beautiful. Mijas Pueblo and Olvera surprised me more, and if I had to choose only one Andalusian white village, then I would choose Mijas, it was more to my taste.


I filmed my whole experience in Frigiliana and posted it in a vlog, like the video and subscribe to my channel if you liked it.




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