traveldk.com

So ancient that even the Romans called it Antiquaria, this market town presents a wonderfully condensed architectural history of the entire area, beginning with Neolithic dolmens dating from between 4500 and 2500 BC. In addition, there are significant Roman ruins, including villas with outstanding mosaics, a Moorish Alcazaba (closed to the public), the 16th-century Arco de los Gigantes, and fine Renaissance palaces and churches to explore. Many treasures originally found in the town – including the exquisite Ephebe of Antequera, a rare, life-size Roman bronze of a young boy – are displayed in the Municipal Museum, housed in an 18th-century palace.

Another town built atop a sheer cliff, this is probably the most dazzling of the pueblos blancos and the one situated furthest west. As ancient as any town in the region, little remains of the period before the reconquista , when it received its “de la Frontera” appellation, meaning it was a bastion “on the frontier” between Christian and Moorish Spain. The Galería de Arte Arx-Arcis crafts museum and shop displays locally fashioned carpets, blankets, baskets and pottery (see Traditional Textiles).

At the apex of the Atlantic’s untamed Costa de la Luz, this city floats like an ancient dream on what was originally its own island. With good claim to being Europe’s oldest city, it’s thought to have been founded by the ubiquitous Phoenicians in around 1104 BC. Much of what can be seen today, however, dates from the 18th century, the city having been almost completely razed by an Anglo-Dutch raid in 1596. The vast Catedral Nueva (1722) is one of Spain’s largest churches, and many Baroque edifices enhance this unpretentiously beautiful provincial capital and, apart from two weeks in February when it stages Spain’s most celebrated Carnaval bash, it remains very much under-visited (see Cádiz).

This stretch of Atlantic coast, named after its characteristic bright light (luz ) and covering the area from Chipiona to Tarifa, is still off the beaten path despite recent attempts to exploit its wild loveliness. Part of what protects it are the prevailing winds, wonderful for windsurfers but wretched for sunbathers, who may have to face wind-tossed sands travelling at fairly high speeds. Still, there are excellent beaches that can be enjoyed, often backed by cliffs, and modest resorts, such as Chipiona, mostly frequented by Spaniards.

Still living up to its well-earned reputation as one of the world centres for sun, surf and cheap, superficial fun, this string of former Mediterranean fishing villages nevertheless retains more than at first meets the eye. To those who care to look beyond the brash tourist enclaves, there is still much authentic charm on offer here – and even a good share of places that offer the chance of tranquil reflection – especially in the towns of Estepona, Nerja, Mijas and ultra-classy Marbella. Year-round golf makes the whole area a great attraction for international lovers of the sport (see Costa del Sol Golf Courses) and, in high season in particular, Torremolinos is the place to find some of Spain’s liveliest nightlife.

This gargantuan chunk of limestone rising up from the Mediterranean was one of the mythic Pillars of Hercules. Yet, despite being nicknamed “The Rock”, as a worldwide symbol of stability and security, this fortress is actually a serious political football these days. Taken by the English in 1704 as part of the War of the Spanish Succession, today it is still very much a part of the British ethos, and only grudgingly do the Spaniards who live around it even acknowledge its existence. The Spanish government meanwhile most definitely wants it back. Legend has it that Britain will retain sovereignty of the rock as long as its most famous residents, the wild Barbary apes, remain, but their increasing number does not prevent on-going diplomatic arguments. Still, if you’re homesick for Englishness, cross over the frontier at La Línea to enjoy some fish and chips or a pint of ale.

The largest city in Cádiz province is synonymous with the production of “sherry”, which is simply a corruption of “Jerez” – itself a corruption of the original Phoenician name of Xeres (see Brandy de Jerez). Before that, it was part of the fabled Tartessian civilization (8th century BC). Sights include an array of religious edifices, various palaces and a rather academic archaeological museum. However, flamenco and horses also get the credit for bringing the city international fame. It has a renowned centre for equestrian art, Andalucían style, and is home to one of the largest remaining gypsy populations, a determining force in flamenco tradition (see Aspects of Gypsy Culture).

Despite being home to the main airport bringing holiday-makers to the Costa del Sol, this provincial capital has been bypassed by the brunt of the “sun coast” development, and thus also by the swarms of foreign tourists. It has managed to hold onto its Spanish-ness quite admirably – despite recent attempts to bring it up to speed with the buzzing Costa lifestyle. An important trading port since ancient times, it was the favourite city of poet Federico García Lorca, who loved it for its rawness. But its even greater claim to artistic fame is that it was the birthplace of Pablo Picasso, a fact that has now, at long last, been acknowledged by the presence of a Picasso museum, the third largest in the world dedicated to the modern master (see Museo Picasso, Málaga). Málaga’s alcázar, built between the 8th and 11th centuries, includes a Roman amphitheatre.

The term “white villages” refers to the profusion of whitewashed hillside hamlets in the Serranía de Ronda, the mountainous territory around Ronda. Many of them are truly spectacular and it’s well worth spending several days driving from one to the other, and then striking out on foot to take in some of the views (see Drive from Ronda to Jerez). Towns not to miss include Grazalema, Zahara de la Sierra, Gaucín, Casares, Setenil, Jimena de Libár and Manilva. Villagers, who originally settled on these plains to protect themselves from potential bandits in the lowlands, have lived the same way of life for centuries, and retain a strong agricultural tradition. Between Grazalema and Zahara, you’ll go through Andalucía’s highest mountain pass, the breathtaking Puerto de las Palomas (The Pass of the Doves).

To many visitors over the centuries, this town evokes the “real” Andalucía, at its wild and spectacular best. This mountain rock eyrie is quite literally breathtaking, being dramatically sliced down the middle by El Tajo, a fantastically deep and narrow limestone ravine, formed over thousands of years by the Río Guadalevín. The town itself is essentially two in one – the ancient half being steeped in rich Moorish history, with lovely cobbled streets, while the more modern part on the north side of the gorge sees to contemporary everyday needs.