Things to do in White Towns of Andalusia

Experience the best that the Sevillan province has to offer with a guided tour of the countryside and stops in the quaint towns of Zahara de la Sierra, Grazalema, and Ronda. Visit picturesque white villages, an olive oil factory, local castles, and cliff tops. Starting in Seville, cross the Andalusian countryside to get to Zahara de la Sierra, passing the Aguzaderas Castle. Explore the town of Zahara de la Sierra town, a picturesque, whitewashed village hidden in the mountains.  Next, stop at an olive oil factory on your way to Grazalema. The Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park is home to a range of beautiful landscapes that are perfect for enjoying a leisurely drive. Watch Griffon vultures circling the mountains as you pass the largest colony of Griffon vultures in Spain.  Stop for lunch in Grazalema, surrounded by the classic local white houses adorned with colorful flowers. On the way to Ronda, pass through a Mediterranean forest that serves as an essential source of honey, cork, aromatic spices, and wood. See locals working with cattle, Iberian pigs, and goats. Ronda is one of the oldest towns in Spain and was built on two separate cliffs connected by Spain's most famous bridge, the New Bridge, which was built in the 18th century. Tour Ronda with your guide and take time to explore the town on your own as well.

Discover the ancient Roman city of Italica on this guided day trip from Seville. Travel aboard a comfortable and air-conditioned van. See mosaics, Roman ruins, and areas that were used as film locations for the popular Game of Thrones TV show. Depart from Seville and drive a few minutes north to the village of Santiponce, the site of one of the most important and largest Roman ruins in Spain. Reach the well-preserved ruins of the Roman city of Italica. Explore this sites that was founded in the year 206 BC by General Publius Cornelius Scipio as a place of settlement for soldiers wounded in the battle of Illipa. Stroll through the birthplace of Marcus Ulpius Trajan (53 AD) and his successor, Aelius Hadrian (76 AD). Marvel at the massive amphitheater, one of the largest in the Roman Empire with a seating capacity for up to 25,000 people. Wander through the tunnels where the gladiators would have walked and stand in the den that housed the lions. Go to places where scenes from the Game of Thrones television series were filmed. The amphitheater was the setting of the Dragonpit, where several key characters held a summit in season seven. Continue to the monastery of San Isidoro del Campo, a medieval fortress from the Mudejar, Gothic, and Baroque periods. Return to your meeting point in Seville at the end of your tour.

Depart Seville and journey to the city of Granada to take a tour of the historic Alhambra, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its cultural importance and architectural beauty. Benefit from the services of an official tour guide and expert interpreter of the heritage of the city and fortress, built for the Nasrid emirs who ruled Spain in the 13th and 14th centuries. Marvel at the fortifications of the Alcazaba (citadel), built to protect the city's post-Roman districts, including the Moorish suburb of "El Albayzín." Admire the beauty of the Nasrid Palaces and Generalife, the summer pleasure gardens of the Emir. Next, drive to the center of Granada for lunch (own expense). Then, take a guided walk of the UNESCO-protected Albaicín district where the winding streets are reflective of its Medieval Moorish past. Stroll past whitewashed houses and encounter age-old churches and flower-filled balconies. Stop to take in the spectacular panoramas over the Alhambra fortress perched on its hill.  Return to Seville at the end of your historical adventure, and get dropped off at your original starting point.

After leaving the Costa del Sol and Malaga, continue along a scenic route with local vegetation such as orange trees, olive trees, and cork oak and the white village of Ardales and Cuevas del Becerro. Arrive at Setenil de las Bodegas, one of the most beautiful and original white villages in the province of Cádiz. Take advantage of your free time to enjoy this peculiar town. Visit the houses embedded under the rocks of the precipice and sit down for a coffee. In Ronda, arrive at the bus station before continuing on foot and enjoy a guided tour of the main sights. A walking tour in the romantic town center with its churches, mini-palaces, and Spain's oldest bullring, offers plenty to uncover. Enjoy the incredible views of the Puente Nuevo, which crosses the “Tajo” (the Cut) on the Guadalevin river where you'll taste a local Ronda wine on a terrace with an exclusive view of the Tagus Bridge. The Palacio Mondragón, also known as Palacio del Marqués de Villasierra, is, without doubt, an interesting visit, being a landlord Palais with Arabic gardens, but it is also the Archeologic Museum of Ronda, with interesting pieces proving the antiqueness of the city. Enjoy your free time to explore the city at your own pace.

Visit Zahara de la Sierra, Ronda, and Grazalema on a guided from Seville. Admire the views of the typical white villages of Andalusia and Ronda, which is the capital of the Serrania region in Málaaga. First stop is Zahara de la Sierra, a town of Nasrid origin. Then visit one of the most significant white villages in Andalusia, Grazalema, which gives name to the sierra itself. Visitors will enjoy this beautiful town and its stunning views of the mountains. In Grazalema, take a break to enjoy its cuisine in one of its typical bars or enjoy the atmosphere of this charming town. The final stop is in Ronda, one of Spain’s oldest cities that is known for its tajo, a gorge that divides the city in two. Admire the great arches of this ancient place. Enjoy a walk along the streets of Ronda, in the footsteps of writers such as García Lorca and Ernest Hemingway.

Head to the historic state of Fuente del Suero in Andalusia to see the world’s best known stock of Cartujano horses. From ancient times, these noble beasts played an important role in Spanish culture, and the Yeguada de la Cartuja stud farm, next to the Monastery of La Cartuja, is the perfect location to breed them, thanks to the climate and fertile lands. The region was made famous when the Carthusian Monastery became the undisputed center for breeding Jerezano horses in the 15th century. The tradition has continued uninterrupted to this day, and the stud farm boasts more than 200 of the thoroughbreds. You will taken on a guided tour of the farm to learn about its dedication to the preservation and improvement of the Cartujano breed. See free running colts and mares, free running stallions, a dressage exhibition, the current batch of foals, and more Watch the grace and power of the prestige breed, and discover why they are the national pride of Spain.

You will depart from Seville to begin the journey, driving through the Sevillian countryside, surrounded by wheat and beautiful sunflower fields. You will stop at the 'Castle of Las Aguzaderas' - an interesting medieval building located at the old border among Catholic and Moorish kingdoms. Then, continue through the mountains stopping at Zahara de la Sierra, on the top of a steep hill. Zahara is famous for its views and history.  Here, you will have time to wander around, have a cup of coffee and visit a small olive oil factory which makes one of the best olive oils in the region. On the way to Grazalema, you will go through the Nature Park Sierra de Grazalema. You will see a range of amazing landscapes over the provinces of Cadiz, Malaga and Seville, from 'Puerto de las Palomas' which is 1157 meters above sea level. Also, you will get the chance to witness the wildlife in its natural habitat. These mountains are home to the largest colony of Griffon vultures in Spain. Once in Grazalema, there will be time to have a nice meal, surrounded by white houses and colorful flowers.     After lunch, you will leave Grazalema and head to Ronda. On the way you will cross a very beautiful Mediterranean forest full of cork trees and oaks where up to the present day, locals still work with cattle (Iberian pigs, goats and cows) and produce honey, cork, aromatic spices and wood. After an exciting morning, you will reach Ronda, one of the oldest towns in the country. Ronda is unique for its nature and history. It is built on two separate cliffs and the town is connected by a famous bridge, known as 'The New Bridge' despite the fact that it was built in the 18th century. In Ronda, you will have free time to explore the town's beauty.

Watch fearless Torrestrella bulls and beautiful Andalusian horses in action at the El Carrascal ranch. Famed for their bravery and ferocity, the bulls spend 4 years in the open countryside to turn each one into a jewel. Take your seat in the sun or shade and watch bulls and cattle, including a stallion, calves, mares and foals, perform acts of incredible bravery. See the famous horses of the Alvaro Domecq family perform classical and countryside dressage. Be amazed by the skill of the horses and riders as they put on a fantastic show.

The journey will start through the Sevillian countryside. The itinerary will take you to the peculiar white village of Zahara de la Sierra. After this stop, continue to the Sierra de Grazalema, the Garganta Verde and see vultures flying over the beautiful views of the Serrania de Ronda. Resume the march after a fantastic lunch with products of the land in the beautiful town of Grazalema. Complete your trip with a trail through nature or visit impressive monuments that are full of history such as Ronda or Arcos de la Frontera on a guided tour. You will walk through signposted routes (between one and 6-hours), depending on the agility and the age of the participants.

The White Towns of Andalusia are a series of villages in southern Spain located mostly within the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. All of the villages are characterized by their whitewashed houses with red or brown tiled roofs. This private 8-hour tour begins with hotel pick-up in Cádiz. It is said that the houses are painted white to ward off the intense summer heat that affects the region. Historically, the darkest houses and those with poor air circulation had to be whitewashed by painters who had survived the bubonic plague. Lime mixed with water produces heat that kills microorganism. As a result, people living in villages whose houses were whitewashed escaped more diseases than those who did not. Although times have changed, the tradition is still alive and houses continued to be whitewashed as needed.