THREE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN ANDALUSIA: SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS, OLVERA AND FRIGILIANA
Spain is one of the countries that I always have in mind when it comes to visiting beautiful places and special beaches, and Andalusia Region is on the top of my favorites in this country. Obviously, the region is quite vast and it can be difficult to choose which places are worth putting on the bucket list and which would fit 100% in personal standards, especially when we have little time at our disposal.
Andalusia is one of those travel destinations that would satisfy any type of tourist. From the one who prefers to laze in the sun with a cocktail in hand, to the adventurous one, who likes to roam the mountains all day long. I thought I would put together the places I visited here, choose the most beautiful ones and make a list. Obviously, it is a personal top, but one that I try to share as objectively as possible and in which I will only include small towns.
In Andalusia I spent 8 days, I visited beautiful places there and you can find separate articles about them: Malaga, Nerja, El Caminito del Rey, Ronda, Itinerary for 8 days in Andalucia , Mijas Pueblo, Marbella.
The 3 places that I will tell you about in this article are small villages, which, although they are visited by thousands of tourists daily (at least two of them), still manage to keep their authenticity and not become very commercial. So, we start with the smallest of them:
SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS
This village is famous for the houses built in the rock and in small caves. Nowadays, many of these houses are used as shops or restaurants, but in the past they were small wineries. Incidentally, the name Bodegas translates as winery. This place was known for the numerous vineyards that surrounded the town, but also for the almond plantations.
It is located near Ronda and you can get there, either with a rented car or as part of an organized excursion, in which you can also visit Ronda. You can choose a trip departing from Sevilla, Malaga, or any place on Costa del Sol.
The place has become touristic since the 70s. The locals say that it has largely remained unchanged since then, only in some places terraces and restaurants have appeared, instead of wineries. The landscape is one very rarely seen in the world, Setenil being one of the most instagrammable places in Andalusia.
Although it is quite a tourist town, it is not thriving, on the contrary. The area where this village is located is very rural and, in some places, quite poor. Many of the young residents of this place have chosen to move to more developed areas, leaving the population to age, and many houses are for sale. If you go up to the end of the village, away from the tourist streets, you will be amazed to see these "bodegas" used as stables for animals and coops for birds. The tourists who come here are usually passing through, stay for a few hours and leave, without really contributing to the development of the place. Most people choose to come here as part of organized tours, so don't be alarmed when you see a lot of people, because, most likely, it's a bus that has just brought a group of tourists, which is leaving very quickly.
To explore this place, 2 hours are enough, and the most important touristic and instagrammable places are:
- Calle Cuevas del Sol - the most famous street with houses built in the rock in Setenil;
- Calle Cuevas de la Sombras - the most photographed street in the town and the place we see in all the photos on social media.
- Cueva Alta - is a shop with local products and souvenirs and I recommend it if you want to see what such a "bodega" looks like inside.
- Mirador del Carmen;
- "La Encarnacion" Church;
- Mirador del Lizon;
- Calle Ventosilla Alta, the highest point in Setenil.
- Nazari Castle;
If you want to spend the night in Setenil and enjoy the experience of sleeping in a bodega-type house, I leave a link to a location of this kind, which is called Cueva Luxe Las Calcetas. The accommodation unit is studio-type and has a sauna, hydromassage tub and a mini-kitchen.
OLVERA
Olvera is one of those places I hadn't heard much about before I started planning my trip to Andalusia. I accidentally found a photo of this place on Instagram, and the hope that the place doesn't look good only in pictures, made me put it on the itinerary and I did well. It was the place that delighted me the most and made me see a face of Spain that I had never seen before.
As in the case of Setenil village, it is not very big either, and approximately two hours are enough to explore it. It is located near Ronda, approximately 45 minutes by car.
It is built on a hill, so the streets are more or less vertical, some quite difficult to climb. The architecture is typically Andalusian, with small and modest houses, painted white. At the highest point of the town there is a fortress, which can be visited. Tickets can be bought from the souvenir shop on the left side of the market, and the visit to the museum is also included in their price. Once you climb to the fortress, you can enjoy an absolutely superb panoramic view of the village, the cathedral, but also the fields and the Andalusian olive groves. Parking for the fortress is free.
After visiting the fortress, you can also visit the interior of the cathedral, an absolutely huge building, especially if we compare it to the size of the town. The entrance ticket costs 2 euros/person and includes the visit only inside, without climbing the towers.
Olvera is one of those places that have not yet been discovered by tourists and where you can enjoy the typical tranquility of a village. You will not find many places to eat, nor too many shops, or accommodation units. The locals are not very used to foreigners, and unlike other places in Spain, where tourists are driven away, here they are very well received. At least, that's how it was in our case. The locals were very friendly and eager to make us feel welcome.
If you want to stay near Olvera, then you can consider El Hoyillo by Vintage Travel. It is an accommodation unit that can accommodate up to 6 people, equipped with an outdoor pool, garden and kitchen.
FRIGILIANA
Frigiliana is a somewhat larger and more complex locality, compared to the previous ones presented in this article. Here you can plan from a few hours, up to a whole day, or even several days, if you like hiking and depending on your available time.
It is located near Nerja and one hour away from Malaga. If you don't opt for renting a car, you can get here either by public transport or by organized excursions from Malaga, Benalmadena, or from Granada.
The beauty of this place has attracted millions of tourists over time, who were pleasantly impressed and voted this village as the most beautiful in Andalusia. Whether it is so or not, it remains for each person to decide, but I recommend that you put it on the list to visit if you really think it is worth seeing, not because it is in a certain top.
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. If you want to discover this village and find out interesting things that are not in tourist guides, don't miss a guided private tour.
I wrote a separate article, with opinions, places to eat, accommodation and other logistical details about a visit to Frigiliana.
WHERE TO STAY IN FRIGILIANA?
Casa Ilusión - studio accommodation unit, with sea view, outdoor pool and balcony;
Casa Arcos de Almona Frigiliana by Ruralidays - house-type accommodation unit, which can accommodate a family with a child. It has a private pool, barbecue area and terrace;
CONCLUSIONS ABOUT THE VILLAGES OF ANDALUSIA:
Olvera, Setenil de las Bodegas and Frigiliana are villages of stunning beauty, each with its own unique charm. Olvera impresses with its medieval castle and picturesque white streets, offering spectacular views. Setenil de las Bodegas is famous for its houses built directly into the rocks, creating a unique atmosphere. Frigiliana is distinguished by its Moorish architecture, narrow cobbled streets and local pottery, offering an authentic experience in a charming natural setting.
All 3 localities deserve to be put on the list to visit, if the roads take you to Andalusia. Setenil de las Bodegas and Olvera are both very small and can be seen both in one day, especially if you have a car to facilitate the transfer between the two. A whole day can be allocated to Frigiliana, or if you are faster even half a day.
Certainly, in Andalusia there are many beautiful towns and I hardly chose to write about only 3 of them. During our vacation, we tried to tick off as many beautiful places as possible, to delight our eyes and if you want inspiration, you can read the articles I left at the beginning of the article, or you can take a look at my Youtube channel, I filmed vlogs daily .
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