Travel Spain Travel Blog

Heading north from Porto Cristo, it’s about 20km to ARTÀ , an ancient hill town of sun-bleached roofs clustered beneath a castellated chapel-shrine, with the bunching peaks of the Serres de Llevant providing a dramatic backdrop. It’s a delightful scene, though at close quarters the town is something of an anticlimax - the cobweb of cramped and twisted alleys doesn’t quite match the setting. Nonetheless, the ten-minute trek to the Santuari de Sant Salvador , the shrine at the top of Artà, is a must for the views out over eastern Mallorca. Also make time to visit the substantial remains of the prehistoric settlement of Ses Paisses (April-Sept daily 9am-1pm & 3-7pm; Oct-March Mon-Fri 9am-1pm & 2.30-5pm, Sat 9am-1pm; ¬1.20), tucked away in a grove of olive, carob and holm oak trees about 1km to the south of the town.

Buses to Artà stop on the edge of the town centre, beside the C715. From the bus stop, it’s a couple of hundred metres west to the short main street, c/Ciutat, where there are several cafés . The best is Café Parisien, at no. 18, a trendy little place with an outside terrace, that offers tasty tapas and salads at reasonable prices. The Ca’n Balague , at no. 19, is a more traditional café-bar also serving light meals.

Artà is a major crossroads: to the east , the main road cuts through the village of CAPDEPERA - a dusty, elongated village, crouched below a fine crenellated castle - before descending to the coast at the massive resort of CALA RAJADA , whose excellent beaches are a favourite haunt of German package tourists. Twice-daily, passenger-only catamarans connect the resort with Ciutadella in Menorca throughout the year. To the west , the C712 weaves through the hills to Ca’n Picafort and the Badia d’Alcúdia.

The pretty streets of ARONA ’s tiny centre are good for a short stroll and the modest, typically Canarian, seventeenth-century Iglesia San Antonio Abad at its heart is also worth a peek, but the town is primarily of use as a good base from which to make the hike (4hr return) to the thousand-metre high flat-topped summit of the Rogue del Conde for rewarding views over southern Tenerife and La Gomera. For the large part, the shadeless route up Conde follows a steep, loose path along an old pack-road - developed to allow cultivation of the plateau on the top of the hill - though the irregularly spaced painted waymarks occasionally deviate from this. To find the trailhead, leave the plaza in front of the church by the road that runs uphill to the left and cross the main road onto an unmarked road. After a couple of bends this road straightens, leaving town in the direction of the mountain. Turn left at a statue of Jesus and right at C/Vento 30. Here, painted trail markers follow a route that immediately crosses a gorge and then heads up the left-hand side of the hill, the path getting steeper and steeper until it reaches the summit.

ARENAS DE SAN PEDRO is a sizeable town with a somewhat prettified fifteenth-century castle and a good range of accommodation : pleasant options include the Hostería Los Galayos (tel & fax 920 371 379, losgalayos.com ; ¬36-48), which also has a reliable restaurant, the roomy Posada de la Triste Condesa (tel 920 372 567; ¬36-48), and Hostal Castillo (tel 920 370 091; ¬18-27). If you haven’t already obtained maps of Gredos, you can pick up a functional pamphlet from the turismo (Mon-Fri 9.30am-1.30pm & 4.30-7.30pm, Sat 9.30am-1.30pm; tel 920 372 368) on c/Triste Condesa, or buy more detailed sheets from the bookshop Librería Nava on the same road.

MOMBELTRÁN , 12km north (an enjoyable, mainly downhill, walk from Arenas), is an attractive alternative stop, with its fifteenth-century castle of the Dukes of Albuquerque set against a stunning mountain backdrop. The village has two hostales , the Albuquerque (tel 920 386 032; ¬27-36) and Marji (tel 920 386 031; ¬48-60), and a summer-only campsite , Prados Abiertos (tel 920 386 061), 4km south of the centre towards Arenas de San Pedro.

Of more substantial interest than Zahara de la Sierra, and a better place to break the journey, is ARCOS DE LA FRONTERA . This was taken from the Moors in 1264, over two centuries before Zahara fell - an impressive feat, for it stands high above the Río Guadalete on a double crag and must have been a wretchedly impregnable fortress. This dramatic location, enhanced by low, white houses and fine sandstone churches, gives the town a similar feel and appearance to Ronda - only Arcos is poorer and, quite unjustifiably, far less visited. The streets of the town, despite particularly manic packs of local bikers, are if anything more interesting, with their mix of Moorish and Renaissance buildings. At the heart is the Plaza del Cabildo, easily reached by following the signs for the parador , which occupies one side of it. Flanking another two sides are the castle walls and the large Gothic-Mudéjar church of Santa María de la Asunción ; the last side is left open, offering plunging views to the river valley.

The beauty of ARANJUEZ is its greenery - it’s easy to forget just how dry and dusty most of central Spain is until you come upon this town, with its lavish palaces and luxuriant gardens. In summer, Aranjuez functions principally as a weekend escape from Madrid and most people come out for the day, or stop en route to or from Toledo. If you wanted to break your journey, you’d need to camp or reserve a room in advance, as there’s very little accommodation available.

The eighteenth-century Palacio Real (Tues-Sun: April-Sept 10am-6.15pm; Oct-March 10am-5.15pm; ¬4.81, Wed free for EU citizens) and its gardens (daily: April-Sept 8am-8.30pm; Oct-March 8am-6.30pm; free) were an attempt by the Spanish Bourbon monarchs to create a Versailles in Spain; Aranjuez clearly isn’t in the same league but it’s a pleasant enough place to while away a few hours.

The palace is more remarkable for the ornamental fantasies inside than for any virtues of architecture. There seem to be hundreds of rooms, all exotically furnished, most amazingly so the Porcelain Room , entirely covered in decorative ware from the factory which used to stand in Madrid’s Retiro park. The Smoking Room is a copy of one of the finest halls of the Alhambra in Granada, though executed with less subtlety. Most of the palace dates from the reign of the “nymphomaniac” Queen Isabel II, and many of the scandals and intrigues which led to her eventual abdication were played out here.

Outside, on a small island, are the fountains of the Jardín de la Isla . The Jardín del Príncipe , on the other side of the main road, is more attractive, with shaded walks along the river and plenty of spots for a siesta. At its far end is the Casa del Labrador (June-Sept: Tues-Sun 10am-6.15pm; Oct-March: Tues-Sun 10am-5.15pm; visits by appointment only - tel 918 910 305; ¬4.81, Wed free for EU citizens), which is anything but what its name (Peasant’s House) implies. In a hotchpotch of styles, ranging from Neoclassical to Rococo, it was described by Richard Ford well over a century ago as “another plaything of that silly Charles IV, a foolish toy for the spoiled children of fortune, in which great expense and little taste are combined to produce a thing which is perfectly useless”. Great expense is right, for the house contains more silk, marble, crystal and gold than would seem possible in so small a place, as well as a huge collection of fancy clocks. The guided tour goes into great detail about the weight and value of every item.

Also in the gardens, by the river, is the small Casa de los Marinos or Museo de Faluas (Tues-Sun: April-Sept 10am-6.15pm; Oct-March 10am-5.15pm; ¬3, Wed free for EU citizens), a museum containing the brightly coloured launches in which royalty would take to the river.

A bus service occasionally connects the various sites, but all are within easy walking distance of each other, and the town’s a very pleasant place to stroll around. Look out for the suitably regal eighteenth-century Plaza de Toros and the newly inaugurated exhibition space entitled Aranjuez - una gran fiesta (summer Tues-Sun 10am-6.30pm; winter Tues-Sun 10am-5.30pm; ¬3, Wed free for EU citizens), part of which is a museo taurino with its trajes de luces , swords and associated taurine memorabilia, and part of which traces the town’s history and royal heritage. Nearby in c/Naranja and c/Rosa are a number of corralas , traditional-style wooden-balconied tenement blocks.

The highest town in the Sierra Morena - guarded to its south by a small offshoot of the range - ARACENA has sharp, clear air, all the more noticeable after Sevilla. Capital of the western end of the sierra with 10,000 inhabitants, it’s a substantial but pretty town, rambling up the side of a hill topped by the Iglesia del Castillo , a Gothic-Mudéjar church built by the Knights Templar around the remains of a Moorish castle.

Although the church is certainly worth the climb, Aracena’s principal attraction is the Gruta de las Maravillas (daily 10.30am-1.30pm & 3-6pm; guided hourly visits, half-hourly at weekends; ¬5.40), the largest and arguably the most impressive cave in Spain. Supposedly discovered by a local boy in search of a lost pig, the cave is now illuminated and there are guided tours as soon as a dozen or so people have assembled. On Sunday there is a constant procession, but usually plenty of time to gaze and wonder. The cave is astonishingly beautiful, and funny too - the last chamber of the tour is known as the Sala de los Culos (Room of the Buttocks), its walls and ceiling an outrageous, naturally sculpted exhibition, tinged in a pinkish orange light. Close by the cave’s entrance are a couple of excellent restaurants, open lunchtime only. Aracena is at the heart of a prestigious jamón -producing area, so try to sample some, and, when they’re available, the delicious wild asparagus and local snails - rooted out from the roadside and in the fields in spring and summer respectively.

ANTEQUERA , on the main rail line to Granada, is an ordinary, modern town, but it does have peripheral attractions in a Baroque church, El Carmen (Mon 11.30am-2pm, Tues-Sun 10am-2pm, Sat also 4-7pm; ¬1.20), which houses one of the finest retablos in Andalucía, and a group of three prehistoric dolmen caves . The most impressive and famous of these is the Cueva de Menga (Sun & Tues 9am-3.30pm, Wed-Sat 9am-6pm; free), its roof formed by an immense 180-tonne monolith. To reach this, and the nearby Cueva de Viera (same hours), take the Granada road out of town - the turning, rather insignificantly signposted, is after about 1km on the left. A third cave, El Romeral (same hours), is rather different (and later) in its structure, with a domed ceiling of flat stones; it also lies to the left of the Granada road, 2km further on, behind a sugar factory with a chimney.

If you want to stay in Antequera there’s a good pensión, Madrona , c/Calzada 25 (tel 952 840 014; ¬18-27), near the market, which serves excellent food. Antequera also has a rather unattractive modern parador and several hostales on the roads in and out of town. Details of these, plus town maps and information on El Torcal (see below) are available from a helpful tourist office (Mon-Sat 10am-2pm & 5-8pm, Sun 10am-2pm; tel 952 843 573) on Plaza San Sebastián, alongside the church of the same name.

El Torcal , 13km south of Antequera, is the most geologically arresting of Spain’s national parks. A massive high plateau of glaciated limestone tempered by a lush growth of hawthorn, ivy and wild rose, it can be painlessly explored using the walking routes that radiate from the centre of the park - trails are outlined in a leaflet available from the Centro de Recepción (Tues-Sun 10am-2pm & 4-6pm; tel 952 225 800). The only waymarked route (in green) is also the shortest (1.5km) and most popular, and in summer you may find yourself competing with gangs of schoolkids who arrive en masse for vaguely educational trips. A longer five-kilometre trail is more peaceful, great for strolling and taking in the looming limestone formations, eroded into vast, surreal sculptures. Camping is no longer allowed inside the park but there is a campsite , Camping Torcal (April-Sept), just off the A3310 6km south of Antequera. Five daily buses run from Málaga Monday to Friday and one runs on Sunday.

Inland from Palma bay, you could certainly find worse ways to spend an afternoon than hopping on a bus to ANDRATX , a small, undeveloped town huddled among the hills to the west. From here, it’s another short bus ride through a pretty, orchard-covered landscape to the dishevelled, low-key resort of SANT ELM . There are plans to expand the resort, but at present it’s a relatively quiet spot where there’s a reasonable chance of a room in high season, either at the conspicuous Hotel Aquamarín (tel 971 239 105, fax 971 239 125; May-Oct; ¬36-48) or, preferably, at the Hostal Dragonera (tel 971 239 086, fax 971 239 013; ¬48-60), a simple, modern building with clean and neat rooms, most of which offer sea views. For such a small place, there’s also a surprisingly wide choice of cafés and restaurants , the best being Na Caragola, which specializes in seafood and has a charming terrace and ocean views - reckon on ¬36 for a complete meal, including house wine.

From May to October, buses ply between Sant Elm and Andratx seven times a day Monday to Saturday, and once on Sundays (in winter, once daily). With more time to spare, boats shuttle across from Sant Elm’s minuscule harbour to the austere offshore islet of Illa Dragonera , an uninhabited chunk of rock, some 4km long and 700m wide, with an imposing ridge of sea cliffs dominating its northwestern shore.

Beyond Nerja the road climbs inland, running high above the coast until it surfaces at LA HERRADURA , a fishing village-resort suburb of Almuñécar, which is a good place to stop off and swim, and which also has three seafront summer campsites , the best of which is La Herradura (tel 958 640 056), the westernmost of the three.

ALMUÑÉCAR itself is marred by a number of towering holiday apartments, though if you’ve been unable to find a room in Nerja you might want to stay here for a night. The rocky beaches are rather cramped and have grey sand, but the esplanade behind them, with palm-roofed bars (many offering free tapas) and restaurants, is fun, and the old town attractive.

Half a dozen good-value fondas and hostales ring the central Plaza de la Rosa in the old part of town; the cosy Hostal Plaza Damasco , c/Cerrajos 8 (tel 958 630 165; ¬27-36), and Hostal Victoria , Plaza de la Victoria (tel 958 630 022; ¬18-27), are two of the best. If you want to be right by the beach, try Hotel Epsylon , Paseo de la China 5 (tel & fax 958 634 202; ¬27-36), at the extreme western end of the seafront, a giant place with good value sea-view rooms with en-suite facilities. For a campsite you’re much better off at La Herradura as Almuñecar’s site, El Paraiso (tel 958 632 370; open all year) at the eastern end of the seafront, can become an overcrowded hellhole in summer.

The bus station , which has frequent connections to Málaga and Granada, is located at the junction of Avenida Juan Carlos I and Avenida Fenicia, northeast of the centre, while the turismo (Mon-Sat 10am-2pm & 6-9pm; tel 958 631 125) can be found in an imposing neo-Moorish mansion on Avenida de Europa, behind the Playa San Cristóbal beach at the west end of the town. A couple of places worth seeking out for eating and drinking are Bar-Restaurante Cuchi , c/Alta del Mar 10, near Plaza de la Rosa, a small and friendly restaurant with a ¬5.25 menú , or, more upmarket, Horno de Candida , c/Orovia 3, close to the ayuntamiento , with a delightful roof terrace. For tapas, Bodega Francisco , c/Real 15, north of Plaza de la Rosa, is a wonderful old bar with barrels stacked up to the ceiling behind the counter and walls covered with ageing corrida posters and mounted boars’ heads.

ALMERÍA is a pleasant, modern city, spread at the foot of a stark grey mountain. At the summit is a tremendous Alcazaba (daily 9am-8.30pm; Oct-Mar closes 6pm; ¬1.50, free for EU citizens), probably the best surviving example of Moorish military fortification, with three huge walled enclosures, in the second of which are the remains of a mosque, converted to a chapel by the Reyes Católicos. In the eleventh century, when Almería was an independent kingdom and the wealthiest, most commercially active city of Spain, this citadel contained immense gardens and palaces and some 20,000 people. Its grandeur was reputed to rival the court of Granada but comparisons are impossible since little beyond the walls and towers remains, the last remnants of stuccowork having been sold off by the locals in the eighteenth century.

From the Alcazaba, however, you do get a good view of the coast, of Almería’s cave quarter - the Barrio de la Chanca on a low hill to the left - and of the city’s strange fortified Cathedral (Mon-Fri 10am-4.30pm, Sat 10am-1pm, Sun service hours; ¬1.80), built in the sixteenth century at a time when the southern Mediterranean was terrorized by the raids of Barbarossa and other Turkish and North African pirate forces; its corner towers once held cannons. There’s little else to do in town, and your time is probably best devoted to sampling the cafés, tapas bars and terrazas in the streets circling the Puerta de Purchena, the focal junction of the modern town, and strolling along the main Paseo de Almería down towards the harbour, and taking day-trips out to the beaches along the coast. The city’s own beach , southeast of the centre beyond the train lines, is long but dismal.