The hinterland of Málaga has beautiful villages and amazing natural landscapes that are perfect to enjoy the mountain and the open air. In this travel guide we talk about charming towns you can visit in inland Málaga. Furthermore, we suggest several natural areas and we recommend you some of the best restaurants.
Beautiful villages in inland Málaga
There are a lot of charming towns that we can see in the hinterland of Málaga province. Here you have a route to visit some of its white villages. Also, we talk about other beautiful towns:
Route through the white villages in Málaga
The white villages are a group of villages in Málaga and Cádiz that are characterised by the white colour of its houses. This white stands out even from far, as these towns are located in the mountains. There are different options to visit some of them. We suggest you this route through four white villages in Málaga, from the farthest from the coast to the least far:
Ronda
It is considered the most beautiful village in the hinterland in Málaga and one of the nicest in Spain. Its Puente Nuevo or New Bridge that crosses the Tajo de Ronda gorge lives everyone open-mouthed. If you want to do an easy hiking with the family, we recommend the trail SL-A38, it starts in Ronda and it goes to the Molino del Tajo (Tajo Mill). It has a distance of 4.6 km.
On the other side, although it belongs to Cádiz province, a town near Ronda that you can’t miss out is Setenil de las Bodegas, whose houses are built in the very rock next to the river.
Atajate
Atajate is 22.4 km from Ronda and it has a population of only 179 habitants. Here they are still handmade alpargatas (a traditional shoe) and esparto products.
Gaucín
We continue 18.5 km south and we arrive to Gaucín. In its surroundings you can go horse riding, cycling, hiking, etc.
Casares
Lastly, 20 km from Gaucín, we find Casares. Strolling around, we can go up to the ruins of its Moorish fortress, from where we can enjoy a nice view.
Other charming towns to visit in the hinterland of Málaga
One town that attracts attention is Júzcar, known as the smurf village. This is because, instead of being white, it’s a blue town. All its houses were painted blue because this was the location of the premiere of The Smurfs film, and the buildings have maintained this striking colour ever since.
50 km from the city of Málaga, we can visit Antequera, a town full of history and heritage: a good example of this is the Moorish citadel. Furthermore, here it is the Natural Park of Torcal de Antequera, where we can observe an amazing karst landscape.
Closer to the coast, but also considered a white village, we find Mijas. The same way, another white town in Málaga close to the coast is Frigiliana.
Mountains and walking trails in inland Málaga
In the hinterland of Málaga we can visit several natural sites and parks where we can go hiking, cycling, etc. These are some of the most highlighted:
Caminito del Rey, Desfiladero de los Gaitanes
If you like adventure, Caminito del Rey is a must. Caminito del Rey or King’s Walkway is a trail built over the walls of a breath-taking gorge. The gateway has an extension of 3 km and it reaches 105 meter high. You need to get tickets to do this hiking route.
Montes de Málaga Natural Park
25.5 km from the city of Málaga we find this natural park where there are several trails and cycling routes. Among the most highlighted viewpoints we find Cochino’s viewpoint, Martínez Falero and Francisco Vázquez Sell.
Sierra de las Nieves National Park
Parque Nacional Sierra de las Nieves is 26.4 km from Ronda, so, if you stay in this area, it’s a great option to enjoy nature. It has an extension of almost 23 hectares and its highest mountain, with 1.919 m, is Pico Torrecilla.
Río Genal Route
For a hiking route near the river, we recommend the Route of the Walkways over the Genal River. This popular trail goes through some metal walkways that are over the river. The surrounduings are beautiful and it’s not a difficult hiking trail.
Where to eat in the hinterland of Málaga
To enjoy a select gastronomy but at the same time linked with the culture of Málaga, we suggest you these three restaurants:
An exclusive restaurant where to eat in Ronda is Bardal, that has two Michelin stars. In this restaurant, the products and essence of the area are very importants.
Another recommended place by the Michelin Guide in inland Málaga is Platero & Co, located in Gaucín, one of the white villages we have talked about. This restaurant has a terrasse with beautiful views to Valle Guadiaro and Sierra de Grazalema.
Furthermore, in Antequera, stands out Arte de Cozina, where you can taste the traditional gastronomy of Malaga in a stately building from the 18th century. In this same place we can choose Arte de Tapas, where, as its name says, we will eat delicious tapas.
Are you looking for a villa rental in Málaga?
In Home Sweet Home Villas we have several villa rentals in Málaga province so you can live a unique and exclusive experience in this beautiful area in Andalucía.
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