Pueblos Blancos and the Sherry Triangle Travel Guide

Scattered across the mountainous provinces Málaga and Cádiz like flocks of nesting birds, the villages and towns of inland southwest Andalucía are known as the Pueblos Blancos—the White Towns. If you have a car, you can visit a handful in a day and take in some of Spain’s most dramatic scenery.

Several towns in this area have the suffix de la Frontera because for hundreds of years this was the frontier between the Christians and Muslims. Although the Reconquest eventually prevailed, it is the Moorish influence that makes these towns so appealing, with their labyrinths of cobbled streets, fortress walls, and whitewashed houses. Although the roads twist and turn and climb steeply in places, driving is not difficult.

Lodging and dining options are limited, so we have included some recommendations for those who plan to stay longer for hiking, outdoor activities, and even trout-fishing. The prettiest time to visit is in spring, when the wildflowers are in bloom.

Ronda is the best known of Spain's Pueblos Blancos (White Towns).

Another wonderful series of towns are those that make up the famous "Sherry Triangle": Jerez de la Frontera, El Puerto de Santa María, and the port of Sanlúcar de Barrameda. These towns are known for their, yes, sherry (jerez in Spanish). Indulging in a wine-tasting tour in their vineyards is one of the best ways to experience these towns. If you have time for only one, make it Jerez de la Frontera, with the best bodegas (wineries) and the world headquarters of the sherry industry. In Jerez you can also see the Dancing Horses of Andalusia.