White Towns, Rugged Mountains & Ronda

Andalucia – rugged limestone mountains

Holiday information
Nights: 9
Grade: 2-3, ascents & descents each day
Terrain: mountain paths, drovers’ roads, meadows
Hotels: one country house; one rural inn, two 2-star hotels; one 3-star hotel
Meals: 9 breakfasts, 7 dinners, 5 picnics
How our holidays work
To find out more about Inntravel holidays click here
Extend your stay
If you are flying via vibrant Seville, add on a city break for a real contrast to your walking holiday.
7-night holiday
We offer a shorter version of this holiday without the two nights in Ronda.
  About Andalucia >Andalucia may have returned to Christian rule in the late 15th century, but the legacy of the Moors, who held power for nearly eight centuries, is still very much in evidence in its customs, gastronomy, architecture and language. The fact that Andalucia is such a melting pot of cultures is what makes it so captivating. There are two very striking features of this part of Andalucia: the pueblos blancos – towns and villages of whitewashed houses with terracotta roofs, whose inhabitants still see themselves as culturally apart from the people of the lowlands; and the rich flora and fauna of the Alcornocales Natural Park, which owes its name to the expanses of cork oaks, and the Grazalema Natural Park. The latter’s craggy limestone mountains belie the fact that it shelters over 1,000 species of flowers – best seen in April or May – and 136 species of bird, among them hoopoes, bee-eaters, Bonelli’s, golden and booted eagles, and one of Europe’s biggest colonies of griffon vultures.
  • self-guided hotel-to-hotel walking, luggage transported
  • rewarding walking in the Grazalema Natural Park
  • rich wildlife and flora
  • breathtaking views
  • full day to explore dramatic Ronda

Andalucia, Spain’s dazzling deep south, is one of Europe’s most entrancing regions. Brilliant white towns and villages (pueblos blancos) dot a landscape of rugged mountains cloaked in the remains of ancient oak forests.
On a sunny afternoon in April, surrounded by blue sky, white mountains and yellow mustard plants, I decide that the 18km walk from Grazalema to Benaoján is one of the most beautiful I've ever done.
     
The Observer
The striking limestone mountains and surprisingly green valleys of the Grazalema Natural Park are ideal for exploring on foot, with inviting trails that snake up through hidden pastures and over craggy ridges that offer incredible views of dramatic landscapes as well as the opportunity to spot Bonelli’s eagles and griffon vultures gliding through the skies. This is Andalucia at its wildest and most remote – a place where you are unlikely to meet another soul on many of your days. With plenty of ascents and descents each day, the carefully researched routes are challenging but thoroughly rewarding – there is a real sense of achievement as you reach mountain passes to discover breathtaking views usually stretching for miles over ridge after ridge. Fittingly, you finish in dramatic Ronda, the most famous pueblo blanco of them all, with a full day to explore.
book this holiday print contact us
Spain
 Average Temperatures
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
10 12 14 16 20 23 27 27 24 20 15 11


toggle