Exploring the white villages and Grazalema mountains west of Ronda
The Sierra de Grazalema is situated in the south of Andalusia just far enough of the touristy coast to the be easy to reach and fairly quite. Maybe best known for the town of Ronda on its edge (used as a location many films and TV shows) with its unique and massive bridge gapping a deep canyon the Sierra itself is peppered with small villages collectively known as as the pueblos blancos.
We had the chance to get to know the area during a van trip through Andalusia and were enthralled by the combination of nature and culture that is represented in such a small area.
Our visit first brought us to Ronda which is right on the eastern edge of the mountain range itself. The sizable town is divided into a medieval and younger part on opposite sides of a canyon. The two parts of connected by a iconic bridge. While the medieval part of the city is pretty the newer side has much more to offer in terms of restaurants and architecture. From an outdoorsy point of view the Via Ferrata making its way up into the city from the bottom of the canyon is of note.
Ronda is also a good starting point towards the west and the white villages. Each village has got something on offer: From maybe the best Palmera (a Spanish baked sweet) we had to date in Grazalema to the cheese artisans of Rosario. The small roads winding through the mountains and green valleys are also excellent for road cycling. Especially the Puerto de Palomas (1.180m) is a great challange.
The area is also an unexpectedly good hunting ground for multipitch and alpine climbing with many steep faces and ridge lines to be climbed. Take note however that the whole area is a national park and a permit might be necessary for some activities. The highest peak of the Sierra (1.648m) for example can only be climbed by a very small number of people each day.
After spending a few days in these mountains one might be ready to continue on north towards the larger cities of Sevilla and Cordoba. Especially the later is very much worth a visit.