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This holiday can start on any
date you request
Day One - Arrive Malaga,
Jerez or Seville airport, collect hire car and transfer to your hotel in
Ronda for 2 nights
The
hilltop town of Ronda sits on a ridge of The Serrania de Ronda and
has been a strategic fortified village for thousands of years.
Spread either side of the El Tajo gorge the old and new towns are
joined by the Puente Nuevo (New Bridge) which crosses the gorge. The
views from Ronda are breathtaking and the excellent restaurants on
the edge of the ridge have sweeping views of
distant mountains, deep green valleys and clusters of white
villages.
Ronda has the most visited bullring in the whole of Spain which was
home to Pedro Romero who invented the new style of corrida on foot
and there is also a delightful museum dedicated to the "banditos" that ruled the
sierras for hundreds of years creating the romantic image that the
town has today.
Day Two - A
self drive tour of the villages of the Sierra de Grazalema
 After
the morning exploring Ronda you can head up into bandit country on a
self-drive trail through the stunning sierra of Grazalema where you
can find two of the most stunning white villages; Zahara de la
Sierra and Grazalema itself. The scenery is about the most breathtaking in
the whole of Andalucia with huge mountain peaks, deep blue lakes and
clusters of white washed houses towered over by an ancient Moorish
fortress.
Each village is perfect for a wander around the streets, a steep
climb up to the fort and then to sit in the square over a nice
chilled drink sampling the local speciality tapas including "Caldareta
de Cordero" (lamb stew), "Garbanzos de Espinacas" (chickpeas with
spinach) and "Boquerones en vinagre" (anchovies marinated in white
wine vinegar and garlic).
Day Three -
Transfer to
Castellar de la Frontera for 1 night
The drive from Ronda to your next base of Castellar de la Frontera
takes you deep into the heart of rural Andalucia through the
Algodonales Natural Park. Algodonales means Cork Oak and this
ancient forest has been the lifeblood of generations of Andalucíans
for hundreds of years.
The world famous Iberico products come from the black pigs which
roam free and feed from the fallen acorns and the cork bark is
stripped from the tree every ten years to make everything from wine
stoppers to table mats.
Your hotel for the night is a beautiful converted convent which was
established by the Countess of Castellar in 1650 and is set on the
largest private estate in Europe. The hotels restaurant is set in a
stunning Andalucia patio and serves traditional local dishes such as
wild boar with chestnut puree and "Secreto Iberico" a most tender
cut of the black Iberico pig.
The village of Castellar de la Frontera
 Castellar
de la Frontera is the best preserved, walled village in the whole of
Spain, where the villagers houses, shops and restaurants actually
lie within the walls of the Moorish fortress with is entered via the
huge castle door way.
The views from the top of the castle are breathtaking reaching as
far as Gibraltar and across The Strait to The Riff mountains of
Morocco.
Day Four -
Transfer to
Vejer de la Frontera (via The Rock of
Gibraltar) for 2 nights
 The
drive from Castellar to Vejer de la Frontera takes you past The Rock of
Gibraltar which is well worth a stop if you have never been before. A quick tour
of The Rock and you can meet the famous Barbary Apes, explore the caves and
Great Siege Tunnels and the Upper Rock Nature Reserve to take in the magnificent
views across to Africa which looks almost close enough to touch! You can also
take a boat trip "Dolphin Safari" out into The Strait to see the many cetaceans
that pass through this strategic point.
The village of Vejer de la Frontera
 The
white village of Vejer de la Frontera sits on the south-west Atlantic coast of
Andalucia, nestling between sea and sierra. As you wind your way up from the white
sand beaches below the streets get narrower as you enter the palm tree lined
Plaza de España which is fringed with cafe bars and restaurants. From here you
can enter the walled part of the old town which is
a magical place to explore with its quiet cobbled
streets meandering through a jumble of secret corners, hidden patios and
delightful houses. The village is known throughout Spain for its deep rooted
traditional values and it is only recently that the widows of the village have
stopped wearing the black hooded cloaks at all times of the day.
Day Five -
A day to relax and explore the surrounding area
The
main highlights surrounding Vejer are along the small fishing
villages along the Cadiz coast line. Here you can eat fresh fish on
the beach that has been caught that morning plus visit the Roman
ruins of Bolonia and the two historical towns of Tarifa and Medina
Sidonia. There is a lovely walk from your hotel down to the beach
below or to the Roman aqueduct of Santa Lucia plus there are endless
birdwatching opportunities as this is one of the best places in
Europe for observing bird migration as hundreds of thousands of
storks, birds of prey and small passerines make their journey from
Europe to Africa and back again.
Day Six - Transfer to
Arcos de la Frontera for 2 nights
 The
white village of Arcos de la Frontera is one of the most
dramatically positioned in the whole of Andalucia as it sits atop a
limestone ridge and the walls of the houses and castle stop as the
cliff face plunges down to the river valley of the Guadalete 330
feet below. The village was declared a national historic &artistic
monument in 1962 due to its impressive architecture and position.
The old town is a warren of tiny cobbled streets and all lead up
from the central plaza to the Castillo de Arcos which towers over
the village. The views are spectacular and you can see exactly why
it was one of the most sought after frontier posts as incoming
armies could be seen from afar.
Day Ten -
Relax and explore Arcos de la Frontera
The village of Arcos is perfect for a morning stroll around the labyrinth of
streets which are lined with tiny houses, Moorish archways, picturesque churches
and grand palaces built by the nobility in the 18th Century. A walk up to the
castle offers you a birds eye view of the area and there are plenty of tapas
bars for a light lunch or some good quality restaurants which serve traditional
local dishes for some thing more formal. The terrace of the Parador offers a
rooftop view of the whole town and this is the prefect place for an early
evening drink as the sun spotlights the houses cascading below and take a look
at dusk from the main square as the moonlight floods over the countryside of
orange groves sweeping all the way south to Morocco.
 Be
sure to stock up on some local products before you leave and nothing is more
authentic than the sweet cakes made by the nuns in the closed convent. Push the
bell and then place your order which will appear on the blind spinning cupboard
set into the convent door. These "dulces" are made from natural, local
ingredients and help to support the work of the nuns. Other products to take
home are bags of almonds, bottles of the local wine (sold in any bar) and
"pasas" sun dried raisins.
Day Eleven
Transfer to Malaga, Seville or Jerez airport, deposit your hire car
and say hasta pronto to Andalucia!
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The Andalucían White Village Trail "Los Pueblos Blancos" 
The
white villages of Andalucia are living historical monuments that give us a
glimpse of what life was like hundreds of years ago. This trail through southern
Spain follows the ancient frontier between the Moors and the Christians where
fortified villages rise up from the wild open landscapes of mountains and
valleys. The central "plaza" is the hub of village life where you can sit and
simply watch the world go by and then explore the labyrinth of narrow cobbled
streets and pathways that lead you past the shining white washed houses with
wooden shutters and geranium filled balconies whose occupants may try and sell
you their almonds, honey or local wine as you stroll past. The local widows
still dress all in black and laden mules are a common site carrying produce from
the orchards below. The local village fiesta is a time for everyone to
celebrate and young and old dress in their flamenco finest to sing and dance
until dawn. 
