Travels in Spain, Side Trips from Seville … White Hill Towns, Cadiz, Cordoba

The White Hill Towns of Andalucía are stunning, but a little difficult to visit without a car. While we usually travel and get along well by using public transportation, there are times when it makes sense to join a small tour or hire a guide.

White Hill Towns of Andalucía 

For our day exploring the white hill towns, we had a driver and guide, making the journey very easy. It was a long, but wonderful, day of expansive vistas and lovely towns.

The most well-known of the towns are Ronda, Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema, and Zahara. As they sit perched on their hills, from afar the whitewashed towns have the appearance of snow-capped mountains.

There aren’t any true blockbuster sites in the hill towns, the enjoyment lies in their history and charm. Wandering the narrow alleys, peeking into colorful courtyards, visiting historic churches and having a coffee in a welcoming square are the 'sites' people come to enjoy.

Spanning the Gorge in Ronda

My favorite of the towns was Ronda. Sitting high above a steep 300-foot gorge, Ronda is divided into two areas, the old Moorish and the ‘modern,’ which was built after the reconquest in 1485. What were once two separate towns, they were joined by a bridge in the late 1700s. There are a few sites to explore here including one of the oldest bullrings in Spain (built in 1785). The most impressive sites, however, are the town itself, the bridge and gorge. It is a fun place to explore, relax and enjoy some tapas under a big umbrella.

Another day we hopped a train from Seville for a side trip to the ancient port city of Cádiz. Founded by the Phoenicians around 1100 BC, Cádiz is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited settlement in Europe.

Cádiz

The port’s heyday was during the 16th century when it was used as a base for exploration and trade. It has been home to the Spanish Navy since the 18th century.

The historic town has some nice landmarks including an interesting cathedral, a theater, an old municipal building, an 18th-century watchtower, and an ancient Roman theater.

Cádiz Charm

Like all these Andalusian towns, the old town is characterized by busy plazas connected by narrow café-lined streets with iron grills and colorful flower pots hanging from above. Fountains, green spaces, fine buildings, ancient city walls, the sea and its beaches all add to the ambiance. It is a delightful place to spend a day or a few.

I would have liked to visit Jerez, but we didn't have the time. It is good, however, to leave something on the table, to have a reason to return. On the same train line as Cádiz, Jerez is famous for its sherry and the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art. People with a love of horses can enjoy a choreographed performance by these graceful and magnificent beasts. Sampling the sherry produced here is another popular sport. It is possible to have a taste, take a class or join a tour to learn about the fine art of sherry making.

The Mezquita

Córdoba has an interesting Roman and Moorish past, having once served as a regional capital for both empires. We stayed here for two nights at a lovely boutique hotel called the Balcón de Córdoba in the old part of town.

The old town surrounds the main attraction, the Mezquita. It feels more touristy than the other historic town centers with its abundance of semi-tacky souvenir shops lining the streets outside the old mosque. That aside, the city is nice with its modern main part of town and its old town with the Guadalquivir River running through it.

The real gem of Córdoba is a magnificent one. The Mezquita is a huge former mosque with a full-sized 16th-century cathedral standing within its walls. I’ve never seen or felt anything like it and it is difficult to explain. The over 800 columns and arches somehow make this enormous structure seem inviting, it draws you in, it is mesmerizing and is hard to leave.

A Cathedral Within a Mosque

Then there is the cathedral. It is normal to visit cathedrals sitting atop the footprint of a former mosque, but to have one within a mosque? The juxtaposition of a Catholic church within a mosque is something to behold and to ponder.

It is worth visiting Córdoba for the Mezquita alone, even if only on a day trip or a stop on the way from one place to another.

The city has an Alcázar, but it is not of the same caliber as Seville’s Alcázar and is not really worth the time. There is a horse show, but again, a poor imitation of the grand performances held elsewhere.

From Málaga to Marbella to Granada to Córdoba to Seville to the white hill towns and the beaches; Andalucía is an incredibly diverse region full of history and beauty.

I would recommend spending enough time in Andalucía to enjoy as many places as possible ... at a minimum stay in Granada and Seville and pick a good beach town to slow down. See the sites, wander the alleyways, relax at the shore, sample new foods and make lots of memories.