19 Most beautiful white villages in Andalusia

Here is the official list of the most beautiful white villages in Andalusia.

These 19 most beautiful white villages of Andalusia are part of the Pueblos más bonitos de España network.

• A few words about Andalusia
• The official list of the most beautiful white villages in Andalusia
• The map of Andalusia with the most beautiful white villages
• Some useful links
• The latest articles on authentic Andalusia

A few words about Andalusia

Andalusia is the southernmost region of Spain. Its history and geography are extraordinary. Numerous mountain ranges cross Andalusia, the most famous of which is the Sierra Nevada.

The coastline is also impressively diverse, with 500 km of shoreline along the Mediterranean and 350 km along the Atlantic Ocean.

It is made up of eight provinces: Almeria, Jaén, Granada, Malaga, Córdoba, Cádiz, Seville, and Huelva.

Let’s head straight for the Andalusian roads to discover the most beautiful villages in Andalusia.

We’ll start with the province of Cádiz, which has the most “Pueblos más bonitos de España.” There are five of them.

Here is the list of the most beautiful white villages in Andalusia:

1 – castellar de la Frontera (Cádiz)

2 – Setenil de la Bodegas (Cádiz)

3 – Vejer de la Frontera (Cádiz)

4 – Grazalema (Cádiz)

5 – Zahara de la Sierra (Cádiz)

6 – Frigiliana (Málaga)

7 – Parauta (Málaga)

8 – Genalguacil (Malaga)

9 – Zuheros (Cordoba)

10 – Bubión (Granada)

11 – Capileira (Granada)

12 – Pampaneira (Granada)

13 – Trevelez (Granada)

14 – Almonaster la Real (Huelva)

15 – Lucainena de las Torres (Almeria)

16 – Nijar (Almeria)

17 – Mojacar (Almeria)

18 – Baños de la Encina (Jaen)

19 – Segura de la Sierra (Jaen)

Note: Each site is briefly presented. If you would like to know more, simply click on the dedicated link to discover all the information and photos.

1 – Castellar de la Frontera (Cádiz)

Castellar de la Frontera is a village in the Los Alcornocales Natural Park. It is a magnificent, authentic, and timeless village.

It is perched on top of a mountain.

Its unique feature: this white village is not located at the foot of an alcazar as usual; it is located within the fortress itself. It has even been nicknamed Little Carcassonne.

Visiting Castellar de la Frontera is truly enchanting.

2 – Setenil de la Bodegas (Cádiz)

This is a beautiful village with the unique feature of having numerous cave houses.

It can also be found on the list of 15 unusual places in Andalusia.

Setenil is located only 17km from Ronda. It would be a shame to miss it during your tour.

A visit to Setenil de las Bodegas leaves no one indifferent.

3 – Vejer de la Frontera (Cádiz)

Vejer de la Frontera, in addition to its aesthetic beauty, offers several things to discover.

These include the old Jewish quarter, which is perfectly preserved, and its beautifully restored windmills.

There are 19 places of interest during a visit to Vejer de la Frontera.

4 – Grazalema (Cádiz)

Grazalema has a curious peculiarity: its microclimate gives it the highest rainfall in Andalusia, and in the entire southern half of the Iberian Peninsula.

The environment and landscapes of Grazalema are also particularly beautiful. Indeed, the village is located within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. This park was declared a World Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO in 1977. It is one of the few places where the Abies pinsapo (Andalusian fir) remain, a tree variety that is as it was in prehistoric times.

Among the places to visit in Grazalema are its restaurants. It is a village where you can eat good, typical, and local food.

5 – Zahara de la Sierra (Cádiz)

Zahara is a village nestled on a beautiful rocky promontory, dominated by a 15th-century tower. This tower was built on the remains of a Moorish fortress.

The official name of the village is Zahara. The name de la Sierra is added to distinguish it from the other village in the province of Cádiz, Zahara de los Atunes.

A visit to Zahara de la Sierra also reveals the village’s very important historical past under Al-Andalus.

6 – Frigiliana (Malaga)

Frigiliana holds a special place. It’s undoubtedly the village I’ve visited the most. It must be said that I lived a few kilometers from this village. Furthermore, I always make sure not to miss the incredible Festival of the Three Cultures that takes place there every August.

Morisco neighborhood has retained all its authenticity from the Al-Andalus period, with its narrow, typical streets. The place that has changed the most is undoubtedly the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, built on the former village mosque.

The beauty of the village is impressive every time I visit Frigiliana.

7 – Parauta (Malaga)

Parauta is the last village in Andalusia to be part of the network of the Pueblos Más Bonitos de España (Best Towns of Spain). It has been registered as such since 2024!

This village, surrounded by legends with its enchanted forest right next door, is the ideal village to visit with the family, especially with young children.

It has another advantage for photography enthusiasts: there are no electrical wires crossing the streets, and the trash cans are built into the walls.

And perhaps during your visit to Parauta, you too will spot elves and fairies.

8 – Genalguacil (Malaga)

The white village of Genalguacil is located in the Genal Valley. The origin of its current name comes from the Arabic Genna-Alwacir, which means Gardens of the Vizier.

Genalguacil is a curiosity; it has become an open-air museum.

For thirty years, the village has become an inhabited museum. Throughout the streets (on the walls, benches, roofs, chimneys, etc.) of the village, you can discover paintings, sculptures, carved tree trunks, ceramics, etc., which blend into the surroundings.

Visiting Genalguacil is a moment of joy and surprises. It’s a great family visit, and there’s relatively little elevation gain.

9 – Zuheros (Córdoba)

Zuheros is the only village in the province of Córdoba to be included in the network of the Most Beautiful Villages in Spain.

This beautiful white village in Andalusia is a small marvel.

Don’t forget to visit the bat cave – Cueva de los Murcielagos –. In addition to the bats you encounter, you feel as if you’re descending into the bowels of the earth.

The local gastronomy (cheese and olive oil) is among the most renowned in the province.

Visiting Zuheros, surrounded by a sea of ​​olive trees, is a truly fantastic getaway.

10 – Bubión (Granada)

As the incredible village of Bubión is only a few kilometers from Capileira and Pampaneira, I won’t say any more here 🙂.

11 – Capileira (Granada)

Capileira, like Bubión, Pampaneira, and Trévelez, is part of an extraordinary region: the Granada Alpujarra.

The Alpujarra is a historic region of Andalusia (the Morisco Revolt of 1568-1570) with absolutely unique village architecture. The chimneys of the houses have become iconic in this region.

This name of this small region comes from the Arabic term ‘al-bugscharra‘ (later Hispanicized to Alpujarra) meaning land of pastures.

If I had to choose one of the first three villages, I would select Capileira, which perhaps has an even more authentic feel than the other villages. However, all these villages can be discovered within a distance of only 10 kilometers.

12 – Pampaneira (Granada)

Pampaneira is perhaps the best known because it is the first of these villages in the Poqueira Canyon.

The Moorish influence is easily observable: there are many similarities with the Berber culture of the Atlas Mountains in Morocco: agriculture with terraced cultivation, the architecture of the houses, the cuisine, the place names (especially the toponyms).

There is also a common craft: the making of rugs, the “jarapas.”

The link below to learn more and visit the Alpujarra with Pampaneira, Bubión, and Trévelez is the same as for Capileira.

13 – Trevelez (Granada)

The village introduces itself as follows: “En Trevelez tocaras el cielo.” Which means: In Trevelez you will touch the sky!

This is the highest village in Spain, at an altitude of 1,746 meters. Its specialty and reputation are based on its ham.

Indeed, the village’s pure, dry air allows for the hams to be dried in the best conditions. Here’s a lovely gourmet break before heading back down to Granada or the Costa Tropical.

14 – Almonaster la Real (Huelva)

This is a very beautiful village in the province of Huelva. It is one of the few to have preserved its mosque as it was built in the 10th century during the Caliphate of Qurtuba (Córdoba). This mosque was itself built on a Visigoth basilica.

Its name comes directly from the Arabic, المنستير al-munastir, which itself has Latin origins: monastery.

To visit Almonaster la Real and immerse yourself in the local culture, the ideal time is during the festivities: Jornadas de cultura islamicas en Almunastir, in October.

15 – Lucainena de las Torres (Almeria)

What’s interesting is that this typical village, Lucainena de las Torres, is located off the beaten track. It is rarely visited despite its proximity to Nijar and the Tabernas Desert.

This is a white village that preserves its medieval layout, with an important mining history, including its ore kilns.

It also offers one of the most famous greenways – Vía Verde – in southern Spain.

A visit to Lucainena de las Torres is relatively quick and can be part of an excursion to Nijar.

16 – Níjar (Almeria)

The village is renowned for its traditional crafts, particularly pottery. There’s even a pottery district in Nijar.

The village of 3,000 inhabitants should be distinguished from the entire municipality of Nijar. Indeed, the municipality of Nijar covers 600 km2.

This territory includes:

• 70% of the Cabo de Gata Natural Park
• 30,000 inhabitants
• 25 towns including Las Negras, Agua Amarga, San José, La Isleta del Moro
• the most beautiful wild beaches of Cabo de Gata (Playa de Monsul, Playa de los Genoveses, Cala de Enmedio)

A visit to Nijar allows you to discover the charm and typical architecture of the white villages of the province of Almeria.

17 – Mojacar (Almeria)

Mojacar is a little gem of an authentic white village in Andalusia.

It has preserved all the typical aspects of the Al-Andalusian period.

The living environment in this place is quite fantastic.

Its setting is exceptional, and just a few kilometers away you reach Mojacar Beach.

There are many places to visit in Mojacar, which is also a place steeped in history.

18 – Baños de la Encina (Jaen)

This village in the province of Córdoba is located in the Sierra Morena. Its fame comes from its castle. Burgalimar Castle is truly extraordinary to see.

It was originally a castle during the Caliphate of Córdoba, but it later became a fabulous Almohad fortress.

19 – Segura de la Sierra (Jaen)

This is the last of the 19 most beautiful villages in Andalusia.

As with most of them, the fortress overlooking the village is impressive. The layout of the streets is typical and authentic.

Furthermore, its origins generally reflect the incredible legacy of these Andalusian white villages.

This place has been known since the Greeks as Orospeda. Later, the Romans called it Secura. During Muslim rule, the village took the name Shaqūra. This name, after the conquest by Catholic troops, became Segura.

Map of Andalusia with the most beautiful white villages

Note: To see all the villages, you must zoom out of the map 🙂 . You can do this by clicking on the “-” symbol.

Full screen map

Some useful links for coming and staying in Andalucia for a few days

Staying on the Costa del Sol? Explore Andalucia with excursions from Malaga (Torremolinos, Estepona, Benalmadena).

If you’re planning to visit Andalucia, including Seville, you can explore Seville on a private guided tour.

Discover an unusual Andalusia with 15 Very Surprising Places.

Easy and economical bookings

• hire car

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