Apart from all the coastal resorts, ranging from
Tarifa (30 minutes) to
Puerto Banus (40 minutes) where you can just sit at the many bars and restaurants and people watch (or spend a fortune at the designer shops). If you are looking for a quieter time there are many historical and cultural places to visit:
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San Roque (10 minutes) - although it cannot compare with some of the older towns in Andalucia, having been founded only in 1704, it deserves a visit as it will introduce you to the main themes of the more remote historic towns further up in the hills - the steep narrow streets of white houses with their iron-grilled bay windows, the tiny squares and the profusion of flowers, date, palms, orange and lemon trees that are characteristic of the region.
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Cadiz – the oldest city in Europe which again is quite Moorish in appearance with its narrow cobbled streets opening onto small squares.
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Jerez– famous for its sweet wines (‘sherry’ was named after the town by the British as they couldn’t pronounce ‘Jerez’) and its fine horses and wonderful singers and flamenco dancers. Their famous ‘Dancing Horses’ are a sight not to be missed if you have the opportunity.
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Castellar de la Frontera – a hilltop Moorish fortress which was once a strategic stronghold in the fight between the Christians and the Muslims but is now a simple hill town with a dramatic appearance from the outside and a wonderful unspoilt interior of tiny crowded houses within the old walls of the 13th century fortress. A mysterious and evocative place well worth a visit if only for the drive up there with its spectacular scenery (look out for the huge storks’ nests adorning telegraph poles and electricity pylons).
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Ronda – it is a lovely town, about an hour’s drive away, standing on a towering plateau in the mountains and is famous for its plunging river gorge and for having the oldest and largest bullring in Spain. It is very popular and has a wide range of cafes and restaurants.
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Gibraltar – it is well worth a visit if only for the tax-free shopping.
