Well, this was nearly impossible to rank so I’d HIGHLY recommend you take a trip to Andalucía yourself to see these beautiful pueblos blancos in-person. I also want to preface that I did not see all of the pueblos blancos as there are manyyy, but using research I prioritized which ones I wanted to visit—while spending a decent amount of time in each.
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The 3 most beautiful pueblos blancos in Andalucía:
- Vejer de la Frontera
- Frigiliana
- Grazalema
1. VEJER DE LA FRONTERA
This city holds a special place in my heart and I can’t wait to visit again when the weather is a little warmer (I went in December).
Vejer de la Frontera is a magical town, sitting atop a giant hill with the most amazing views. It’s so far away from some of the bigger tourist destinations in Spain, making it a favorite for escaping from the crowds and having a very authentic Spanish experience.
The city has a deep Arabic history and you can still see much of this Arab-Andalusian influence in the architecture and streets. Once you get to the old part of town (enclosed by castle walls), you’ll be greeted by an intricate labyrinth of corridors to explore. I was here for a few days and feel like I only got a small taste of this city and its history.
Tip: For the most incredible view, take a stroll down the street “Arco de las Monjas.” (first picture below)
Additional Vejer de la Frontera recommendations:
- Stay: Linking my Airbnb with the most incredible views (can you believe this was less than $100/night?!)
- Eat: 4 Estaciones (very adorable interior too!), La Judería Taberna, La Ventana Taberna (amazing view of Vejer – sit by the window)
- Activity: Arabic walking tour of the city, drive to nearby Conil de la Frontera for a surf lesson, go on a sherry tour in Jerez
- Shopping: there are a lot of cool boutiques from local artisans within walking distance. I’d also recommend taking a trek outside the city to Aqua in Conil de la Frontera for antique Spanish/Moorish furniture and trinkets. I picked up some antique Spanish azulejos (tiles) from the early-1800s.
2. FRIGILIANA
Frigiliana may be the happiest city I’ve been to. It was just a short 10-minute drive from Nerja, Spain off the Costa del Sol in Andalucía. There are also buses that go between the two cities if you don’t have a rental car—most of los pueblos blancos aren’t easily accessible by public transport so this is a nice perk.
When I arrived in Frigiliana, I easily found a public parking garage (a true blessing as parking can also challenging in some of los pueblos blancos).
Frigiliana is the perfect pueblo blanco for aimless wandering, enjoying a slow afternoon sipping on wine, all while seriously contemplating a move to Spain. I almost don’t want to tell people about this hidden gem so tourism is minimal when I move there…only mildly kidding.
Tip: If I would have done this trip over, I would have opted to stay in Frigiliana versus Nerja for a more authentic and remote Spanish getaway, although Nerja did have more open restaurants to choose from that time of year.
3. GRAZALEMA
While researching los pueblos blancos, Grazalema caught my eye at the mention of “the most beautiful handmade wool blankets.” As an enneagram 9, blankets are my love language, so Grazalema obviously had to make the list.
In addition to the blankets, one of my favorite parts about visiting Grazalema was the drive to the mountain town. Grazalema is a quick 45-minute drive from Ronda, situated on the foothills of the Sierra del Pinar mountain range. I passed so many quaint hillside pueblos blancos, I wanted to stop every 10 minutes to photograph them all.
I also loved how immaculate everyone’s porch flowers and planters were. I should have stopped and asked them for tips…but alas, my Spanish is a tad rusty.
Tip: Visit Artesanía Textil De Grazalema to purchase a handcrafted wool blanket and see the factory museum.
What do you think? Are these the 3 most beautiful pueblos blancos in Andalucía?
