The Rhine Valley, with its beautiful landscapes, charming towns surrounded by picturesque vineyards, is high on our list of places to visit on a German road trip. We were fortunate to see much of the Upper Middle Rhine Valley while driving the scenic Rhine Castle and Romantic Rhine route. Short on time? Read on as we tell you how to get a taste of the Rhine Valley.
Driving to the Rhine Castle route to Koblenz on our first day in Germany, we looked across the Rhine River to hills covered in vineyards and small towns hugging the riverfront. We were glad that we had made some time to explore that side of the river on the return leg.
In particular, there was one town we wanted to visit, Rüdesheim am Rhein.
Rüdesheim am Rhein
Rüdesheim am Rhein is a charming town just over one hour’s drive (65km) from Frankfurt. It’s the perfect town to get a taste of the Rhine Valley. If you’re not convinced, then look at any riverboat cruise itinerary travelling the Upper Middle Rhine Valley, and you’ll find the town on their itinerary.
The town is a great way to experience the local architecture, the Rhine Valley and wine.
Rudesheim am Rhein’s lovely Marktplatz
Rüdesheim am Rhein architecture
Dating back to the 15th century, the town has an old town filled with medieval buildings. The best way to experience the town’s charm is to walk up one of the alleyways leading from the riverfront and stroll through the town. You’ll find beautiful half-timbered houses and squares in a compact area.
The beautiful half-timbered houses on Oberstrasse
Rüdesheim am Rhine wine
The UNESCO World Heritage Upper Middle Rhine is renowned for its picturesque vineyards, which produce world-famous Riesling and Pinot Noir wines. The countryside is dotted with world-famous winegrowers. And, there’s no better place than Rudesheim am Rhein’s old town to sample some. You’ll find plenty of local wine cellars which offer tastings and wine for purchase when strolling through.
An underground wine cellar in Rudesheim am Rhein
Stroll along Drosselgasse
The heart of Rüdesheim is the town’s most popular and scenic street, Drosselgasse. The lively cobblestoned street is filled with historic inns and restaurants serving local dishes.
Historic Drosselgasse is where you’ll find old inns and restaurants
Ride the Cable Car or drive to the Niederwald Monument
The Niederwald Monument was constructed between 1871 and 1883 to commemorate the unification of Germany, which took place when 25 individual states merged into one nation following the Franco-Prussian War. If you are in Rüdesheim, visiting the monument by making your way up the hills is highly recommended.
The majestic Niederwald Monument overlooking the Rhine Gorge
The monument sits majestically on a pedestal overlooking the Rhine Gorge, perched above the valley in a park. It’s one of Germany’s most revered monuments.
How to get a taste of the Rhine Valley
The park offers the public a terrace overlooking the vineyards and across the Rhine River to the towns, vineyards, and countryside of the west bank.
Views over the Rhine River and valley from the Niederwald Monument terrace
The panoramic view is absolutely worth the effort. Savour the scenery from above.
If you have extra time
Take the ferry between Rüdesheim and Bingen. A short six-minute ferry ride will offer you the opportunity to view both sides of the river from the water and stroll through the walkable town and riverfront.
Our opinion
Being on both the river cruise and tourist bus routes, be prepared to share your Rüdesheim experience with the crowds. We returned to visit in mid-September at the end of our summer road trip in Germany to find that there were lots of tourists milling around the town.
In our opinion, there are other, more enchanting towns in the Rhine Valley. It is, however, the perfect place to get a taste of the Rhine Valley if you have time constraints.
In case you’re interested
Have plenty of time and want to see more? Please take a look at some of our other experiences in the Rhine Valley.
Fresh off a morning arrival on our flight into Frankfurt, we hopped into our car and headed north. We were driving the scenic Rhine Castle and Romantic Rhine route. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed route is divided into two parts.
The Rhine Castle route
We would drive the first half to Koblenz and stay there for a couple of days before completing the second half to Bonn. Koblenz, situated at the confluence of the Rhine and Moselle rivers in the Upper Rhine Valley, is one of Germany’s oldest cities. The Mitterhein wine region also runs between Bingen and Bonn.
Driving the scenic Rhine Castle and Romantic Rhine route
The drive from Bingen to Koblenz
Dotted with over 40 castles, the route is also part of the Rhine Valley wine region. The city of Mainz, approximately a 90-minute drive from Frankfurt, serves as the gateway to the wine region, while the Castle route begins from the town of Bingen. Bingen is a sleepy town with a lovely main street with cafes and restaurants. We stopped to have lunch there before continuing.
From Bingen onwards is a real treat for anyone wanting to drive this route. The road winds its way alongside the river while riverboats slip gently past. Along the way, there are castles and fortresses on high peaks or set lower amongst the vineyards on both sides of the river. While it isn’t practical to visit all the castles, nor are many open to the public, it was fun driving along, spotting them all. The drive between Bingen and Koblenz should only take an hour; however, to enjoy the scenery, making short stops at designated viewing points and allowing yourself a detour to a castle or two on the way, you should allow at least two to three hours.
The fairytale Philippsburg Castle in Marksburg on the Rhine Castle route
With so many castles and options, we strategically chose a few spots to look out for on the route.
Burg Reichenstein
Sankt Goar (Rheinfels Castle), from where you can look across to the Lorelei
At Boppard, we stopped to look across the river to Sterrenberg Castle
After Boppard spotted Marksburg Castle
Looked out for Stozenfels Castle just before arriving in Koblenz
A visit to Schonberg Castle
A castle that wasn’t on our list, but we couldn’t resist visiting after seeing it perched on the hillside from afar, was Schonberg Castle. A short distance off the main road in the town of Oberwesel, we wound our way up the hill to the castle’s car park.
Outside Schonburg Castle walls
The castle, a UNESCO World Heritage-listed site, was built in the 12th century; however, there are records of a dwelling on the site in 900 AD. From the car park, it’s a couple of minutes walk to the small arched entrance into the cobbled carriage path and inside the castle walls, from where a narrower walkway continues into the castle courtyard.
Schonburg Castle courtyard and entrance
The Dukes of Schonburg and their families lived in the castle from the 12th century until 1689, when much of it was destroyed by troops during the Nine Years’ War. Partially reconstructed in the late 19th century, it wasn’t until the town purchased it in 1950 that it was completely revived.
The castle is now a 4-star hotel, Burghotel Auf Schonburg, with a museum in the castle tower, which is open to the public. The castle’s gardens are, however, available for only hotel guests to roam. For others, there is a vantage point overlooking the Rhine River, giving you splendid views. The picturesque scenery from above was worth making the small detour and was one of the highlights of our drive.
View from Schonburg Castle lookout
There is also a small lookout before entering or after exiting the castle walls, from where there are excellent views of the grapevines of the hills of the valley behind the castle.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress in Koblenz
In Koblenz, we had anticipated taking a morning walk up to Ehrenbreitstein Fortress high on the hillside over the city from the other side of the Rhine River. Unfortunately, there was no easy way to cross the river on foot.
Instead, we waited until after we returned from our day excursion to the beautiful town of Cochem, to go across by cable car to look around the fortress. The cable car ride provides fabulous views over Koblenz’s old town.
Ehrenbreitstein Fortress is a complex of buildings sprawling over a large area of the eastern bank. The fortress buildings are now home to the State Museum, displaying antiques and war memorabilia.
If you’re not a museum-lover, you can take a wander around the extensive fort area, savouring the views, especially from the viewing platform, which is a piece of art itself. The triangular-shaped wooden platform was originally built for a Horticultural exhibition, then repurposed and placed on the fortress’s grounds. From the platform, you get spectacular views of Koblenz, the Rhine and Moselle Rivers.
The Rhine Castle route from Koblenz to Bonn
The Rhine Castle route is determined to run from Bingen to Bonn. However, we were disappointed not to find any noteworthy castles or fortresses on the drive along the Rhine River between Koblenz and Bonn. Maybe they are well hidden from the roadside.
Our opinion
The first section of our drive, between Bingen and Koblenz, mesmerised us with the centuries-old, magnificent castles and fortresses as well as the terraced vineyards on the rolling hills on both banks of the Rhine River. The entire journey is picture-postcard worthy, and we would consider driving again at a much slower pace, making more stops and detours to visit select castles.
Note: Some castles and fortresses charge an entrance fee to visit inside.
In case you’re interested
During our journey, we stopped in the beautiful old town of Mainz, stayed in the historic city of Koblenz, which dates back to 8 BC, and from Koblenz, took a day trip to the charming town of Cochem, located along the Moselle River. Click on the links below to read more about these beautiful places in Germany.
Our love of leisurely road trips allowed us to break the 10-11 hour drive from southeast Queensland to the Blue Mountains with some stops and a couple of overnight stays. Below are our suggestions for places to stop on a road trip from Brisbane to New South Wales.
Route options
With several route options available, our road trip from Brisbane to New South Wales was to be on the inland route with two overnight stays. The first was in the inland Scenic Rim town of Stanthorpe, and the second was in Australia’s country music capital, Tamworth.
Our plans rapidly changed when an oil tanker rollover blocked the highway. After sitting in a traffic jam for several hours, a quick decision was made to re-route and take the coastal road.
Phone calls were made on the go to cancel and make new accommodation bookings. We were glad to have taken the “Free cancellation” option on our original bookings
More traffic delays and we finally arrived at our overnight destination seven hours after leaving home. The drive would usually take two hours!
Hint: Travelling teaches you to be flexible and agile and enjoy the experience, even if it’s not what you expected.
The best places to stop on a road trip from Brisbane to New South Wales
An overnight stay in Kingscliff
Only a couple of hours of relaxed driving from Brisbane and just over the Queensland border is the coastal town of Kingscliff.
Kingscliff is not just a place to stop over on the way south, it’s a beautiful holiday destination in its own right and perfect for short or long stayovers. We have enjoyed short stay breaks in the laidback atmosphere that comes from one street town.
Pretty parklands across from Kingscliff’s main street
The “welcome drinks” at Peppers Salt Resort were extremely welcome and within moments of check-in, we had put the day behind us, were relaxed and ready to enjoy the evening.
A short stroll to the adjoining Salt Village and we are spoilt for choice by the dining options: Asian, Mexican, Italian, or simple fish and chips. For those staying for a few days, treat yourself to the spa or shop in the boutiques. Then, of course, there’s the beach!
Beachside at Kingscliff
Our misfortunes of the day changed to a fortune of a relaxed evening at the resort.
Hint: When you leave Kingscliff, drive south along the scenic coast road through Cabarita Beach, a small beachside village.
Stretching out legs at Nambucca Heads
The highway has dramatically improved. over the years. There is no longer the need to drive through small towns at limited speeds. Now you can pick and choose which towns you wish to detour into or turn on cruise control and keep driving.
We choose to stop at the scenic Nambucca Heads for lunch. We discover Gordon Park on the river. It’s a peaceful spot to stretch your legs and grab lunch and coffee—a fantastic place to take a break.
Tranquil Gordons Park, Nambucca Heads
Overnight stay in Port Macquarie
We arrived in Port Macquarie with fond memories of a stay during another road trip many years ago when we had arrived fresh from New Zealand to make our home in Australia. Arriving in the early afternoon allowed us time to do a little exploring. The best way was on foot.
We began our brisk walk from the town centre along the Coastal Walk. The painted rocks at the breakwall capture our intention. The painted rocks started as an art competition in 1995. and have become a gallery of sorts: tributes to loved ones who have passed away; celebrations of love and; anniversaries amongst others. Our walk is slowed down to a stroll as we stop, read, and admire the artwork.
At Town Beach, the artwork ends and our pace quickens. We aim to walk to the Lighthouse, but time is not on our side and we turn back at Nobby Head after a walk of breathtaking rough and rugged scenery.
Views on the Coastal Walk
After several hours of exploring we are back at our hotel to shower and enjoy a drink at the bar before walking the short distance into the town centre to choose somewhere for dinner. Again, we are spoilt for choice and decide on a simple pizza dinner.
The Blue Mountains
A World Heritage area, Blue Mountains National Park is one of Australia’s icons. You’ll be enchanted by its natural wonders. Explore the endless hiking trails around cliffs, canyons, waterfalls and lush forests of the national park by spending a few days in the area.
Views from the Skyway across the Jamison Valley, Blue Mountains
Other places to stop on a road trip from Brisbane to New South Wales
Of course, depending on how much time you have, there are numerous stops and stays to make on a road trip from Brisbane to New South Wales. A few suggestions are below. We stayed at a couple on our return journey.
Byron Bay
Ballina
Yamba
Coffs Harbour
Port Stephens and Nelson Bay
The Hunter Valley
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Planning on visiting Malaga or Seville? Read on to find out why you shouldn’t leave southern Spain without visiting Ronda.
Southern Spain is speckled with pueblo blancos (white towns). Each has its own character and it’s hard not to get caught up visiting all of them. If you’re short on time, Ronda is the one town to visit.
Why you shouldn’t leave southern Spain without visiting Ronda
We chose Ronda as our base for several days because of its point of difference from the other white villages.
Steeped in history, the city sits on two sides of a deep gorge connected by a fantastic bridge—the bridge, Puento Nuevo (new bridge) was built in 1793.
Our apartment was located in Plaza Espana next to Puento Nuevo, with an added “wow” factor. Our expansive patio looked out over the magnificent Sierra de las Nieves! The Tourist Office around the corner from our apartment armed us with a map and options on how to spend our time in the town.
Views of the Sierra de las Nieves from our apartment patio
We were fortunate to arrive on a Saturday when a free flamenco concert was being held in Ronda’s Old Town.
A summer evening in Ronda
The views from both sides of the bridge are dramatic, and it is the first place to stop to soak in the scenery before you explore the old town.
In the Old Town, we followed the sound of music down some cobblestone alleys to appear at an open-air area where the rehearsal was in progress. Moving on, we stopped in a pretty square to visit the cathedral, Santa Maria de la Mayor. An added pleasure was watching a wedding party emerge.
The plaza offers several restaurants if you’d like to eat in the quiet precinct. We opted for the low-key garden restaurant to try a few of the local dishes on offer. The food portions are large and delicious.
Back at the concert venue, we found the seats were filling up fast. Instead of sitting down with the audience, we decided to sit on the ledge above to watch people and observe. By 10:00 pm, the arena was full. Concertgoers came dressed for the occasion and the atmosphere was jovial as the concert commenced.
We left after an hour, wishing we understood the language better so we could have enjoyed the music, singing and dancing as much as the locals did.
The Cathedral was spectacularly lit up as we passed by on the way back to our apartment. At 11:30 pm. townsfolk were still out and about in droves, and the town was buzzing. Just one of the benefits of visiting in the summer months.
Things to do in incredible Ronda
Enjoy the dramatic views from Mirador Aldehuela
Mirador Aldehuela is on the Old Town side of Puento Nuevo and directly opposite Plaza Espana. We recommend that it’s one of the first things you do. The dramatic views down to the Guadelevin River flowing at the bottom of the gorge surrounded by the cliff formations are jaw-dropping.
Views of the gorge from Mirador Aldehuela
Take in the evening views of Puento Nuevo
For another perspective of Puento Nuevo, stroll along Mirador de Aves via the pathway from Plaza Espana in the evening.
It’s a great place to linger as the sun goes down. As darkness falls and the lights around the gorge turn on, highlighting the bridge. The bridge looked spectacular, and the gorge seemed rather eery.
Puento Nuevo, Ronda at night
Take a hike in the El Tajo Gorge
Morning dawned with hot air balloons hovering over our balcony. They skimmed across the sky to hover above the gorge and valley. The views must be unique from above.
The Tourist Office recommended hiking the Molinos del Tajo route, which leads down from the Old Town into the El Tajo Gorge. This would be the best way to experience the town’s distinctive qualities. We took their recommendation and were not disappointed.
Views of Ronda’s Puento Nuevo from the El Tajo Gorge
The main path takes you to the waterfall just below the bridge with some viewpoints providing breathtaking views of the bridge. You can then walk some of the quieter paths leading further downhill to capture bridge views from different angles before circumnavigating to the other side of town towards the old Roman bridge and visiting the Arab Baths. We returned to the township via Jardines de Cuenca, and the spectacular viewpoints spread at intervals across the gardens before emerging in Plaza Espana from the other end of the Puento Nuevo.
The early morning is the perfect time to do the two-hour walk, especially if you are visiting in summer. The temperature is cool, and, at this time of the day, there are not many people on the trails. It provides a wonderful opportunity to savour the views from the lookouts and take unobstructed photos.
Step inside the Arab Baths and walk over the Roman Bridge
If you follow the walking route around to the eastern side of the town, you’ll end up at the Arab Baths.
Relatively intact, the baths provide a peek into the Moorish heritage of the town. This part of town was originally the main entrance into Ronda, and the baths sat just outside the city walls and next to the Mosque. Locals and visitors would stop to cleanse their bodies at the baths before going to the Mosque
A little further around the corner, you’ll find more another remnant of old Ronda with the Roman Bridge at the original entrance to Ronda.
A couple look over the Arab bath site from the old Roman Bridge
Visit the Plaza de Toros
One of the oldest in Spain, Ronda’s bullring stands as a centrepiece as you enter the Old Town. Two statues honouring two sons of the town stand at the entrance. Statues honouring two of the town’s famous matadors, a father (Antonio Ordonez) and son (Cayetano Ordonez) stand proudly at the entrance. With bullfighting falling out of favour in recent times, the bullring serves mainly as a museum these days. Bullfighting is, however, embedded in the culture of the town and once a year in September, the Plaza de Toros truly comes to life when the Feria de Pedro Romero is held along with several others in southern Spain.
Ronda’s bullring, Plaza de Toros
Mirador de Ronda – scenic lookout of the gorge and mountains
A few minutes’ stroll from Plaza Espana, and through the flower gardens is another lookout to the amazing mountain ranges and the gorge. For spectacular sunset views, take a seat on the steps of the rotunda from where you can watch one of the world’s best sunsets.
Visit Setenil de las Bodegas
The small white village of Setenil de las Bodegas is a twenty-minute drive from Ronda and worth a visit whether you are staying in Ronda or just hopping from one white town to another on your way through southern Spain.
Why? Setenil is not just another white village and is unique in its own right for the town’s hilltop castle, which was once an Arab fortress. Even more, it is famous because of the village houses built into the rock and cliffside.
Dwellings built into the cliff face in Setenil de las Bodegas
The village is very popular for its culinary fare. The original houses built into the cliff are now mostly tavernas or restaurants serving the chorizo sausages that the village is famous for. We arrived in the village for a late afternoon visit to find the village still brimming with tourists.
Once you’ve had a wander around the area below, follow the steps up to a small lookout to take a seat and survey the pueblo from above. You’ll find it a great vantage point to view the castle/fortress.
Views of the castle and township from the lookout
Shopping on Carrera Espinel
Carerra Espinel is a one-kilometre pedestrian street with shopping for all budgets. However, Carrera Espinel is worth a walk down for its festive spirit. Part of the way along veer into the pretty Plaza del Socorro, where you’ll find a few dining options and the Inglesia del Sirocco. It’s a pretty square in an incredible town!
Plaza del Socorro, Ronda, Spain
Our conclusion
Steeped in history and jaw-dropping scenery, Ronda was true to all that we had read about the town and the amazing photography we had seen when researching places to visit in southern Spain. Ronda did not disappoint!
You simply should not leave southern Spain without visiting Ronda!
One more thing
Looking for more pueblo blancos to visit. Click on the link below to read more.
When researching where to visit in southern Spain, places like Seville, Malaga and Granada frequently arose. We have found another area to include on your itinerary. See the unique and stunning white villages of southern Spain.
See the unique and stunning white villages of southern Spain
The white villages (pueblos blancos) are easily visited from Seville, Cadiz or Malaga on a day visit. The best way to appreciate them and their atmosphere (each varies) is to stay in one. We based ourselves in Ronda and stopped at a few villages on the way there. Here are some that stood out for us.
Jerez de la Frontera
Jerez de la Frontera is the largest of the white villages/towns and is famous for two things:
the Royal Andalusian School of Equestrian Art and breeding and training horses; and
producing some of the best sherry in the world.
Vineyards accompanied us on the road and on reaching the Jerez, we found it brimming with bodegas (cellars). Producers here make sherry from a particular grape variety (Palamino) which grows in the chalky soil of this part of Spain. You’ll be spoilt for choice if you are looking for tasting cellars. Look out for the area’s most famous brand, Tio Pepe which stands prominently on the hillside as you drive into the town.
We weren’t in Jerez to taste the sherry or check out the equestrian centre. We wanted to visit the old town. Vehicular access is prohibited so we parked outside the zone, an extra dimension to our visit. Derelict houses lined the alleys and streets as we walked towards what we hoped was the central plaza. What the city may have to offer a visitor was questionable!
The backstreets of Jerez de la Frontera
Ten minutes of winding through the alleys brought us to a quiet main road which we followed a short way uphill. Suddenly out of nowhere, Plaza de la Asuncion appeared. A small but charming old square with a significant history. A 15th-century Gothic Mudejar-style church, the Church of San Dionisio is on one side, the former town hall dating back to the 16th century, on another. In the middle, you’ll find the Monumento a la Asuncion.
A short walk along the lane took us to one of the most important squares in Jerez de la Frontera, Plaza del Arenal. It’s the heart of the old town and was once the scene of fights and duels in the 16th century. These days, it’s a beautiful open space hosting statues of renowned identities surrounded by beautiful old buildings. The colourful carousel in the corner adds to its charm and vibrancy.
Jerez de la Frontera
We came across the striking Jerez Cathedral. It’s a beautiful building dating back to the 17th century combining Gothic, Baroque and Neo-Classical styles towering over the street as we returned to the car.
Jerez Cathedral
Arcos de la Frontera
Arcos de la Frontera is one of the lesser-visited white towns. Set on a hilltop, we detoured slightly north from Cadiz to Ronda to explore this hilltop town.
Parking in Plaza del Cabildo is limited and narrow alleyways to navigate on the hill. We decided to find a car park in the town area below (Hint: bring good walking shoes to make your way uphill on the cobbled pathway). The views of the white town as we walked towards more than made up for taking the steep incline on a hot summer morning.
Plaza del Cabildo, Arcos de la Frontera, Spain
Plaza del Cabildo
The main street, Calle Cuesta Belen took us to our first stop, Plaza del Cabildo. Beautiful buildings surround this main square on three sides (Basilica de Santa Maria de la Asuncion, Castillo Ducal, the town hall and the Parador de Arcos de la Frontera, a hotel). The Mirador del Cono is the highlight of the Plaza. It serves as a cliffside balcony to look out over the Rio Guadalete.
Explore the narrow alleyways
One of the highlights of our visit to Arcos de la Frontera was getting lost in the little alleys around the town. The best place to start is to go back to the Cuesta Belen entrance of the Plaza and enter through the archway on the left just before the Parador. You’ll find yourself in the maze of alleyways lined with whitewashed houses.
The lanes and alleyways of Arcos de la Frontera, Spain
Things to look out for:
Inglesia de San Pedro – the church and its Baroque bell tower are just as impressive as the Basilica in Plaza del Cabildo.
Palacio del Mayorazgo – when you’ve finished gazing at the Iglesia de San Pedro, turn around. This narrow building dates back to the 17th century. It is now home to a cultural centre. Pop in to admire the building’s interior and the exhibitions.
Find and stroll along Calle Cuna and Calle Maldonaldo. Both are lined with Palacios and worthy of finding your way to.
Another street to find is Calle Nueva lined. It’s lined with colourful pots against the whitewashed buildings.
Visit the Convento de la Mercerdarias. The convent was closed during our visit, however, all the information we read before our visit recommended a visit. The convent dates back to 1642 and is a classic example of a cloistered convent.
Follow the path from Calle Nueva onwards to Mirador Abades. If you thought the views from the mirador in Plaza Cabildo were spectacular, we classified Mirador Abades as the perfect finale for our visit. Go ahead and take a look for yourselves.
Expansive views from the Mirador Abades
Don’t forget to pop your head into the novelty stores and tapas bars.
Zahara de la Sierra
Zahara de la Sierra is an hour’s drive from Arcos de la Frontera. We passed a few more Pueblo Blancos on the way. Zahara de la Sierra’s Moorish castle is perched high up on the hill coming into view from afar
Driving towards Zahara de la Sierra
Again, we found it best to use the car park at the bottom of the hill. It was also the best way to savour the beauty of the laneways and Moorish houses on the way to Plaza Mayor, the village’s main square. The steep streets were eerily quiet and not a soul was to be seen on the way up.
On reaching Plaza Mayor we realised why the streets had been so quiet. The pretty pink church, Church of Santa Maria de la Mesa was hidden behind a marquee set up to cover the square and pretty stone fountain. Calle Ronda was barricaded for a bull run. The town’s inhabitants were either lining the outside of barriers or inside for the release of the bull.
Getting ready for the bull run in Zahara de la Sierra
While everyone was preoccupied preparing for the bull run we took advantage of the stunning views of the picturesque Sierra de Monte surrounding the aqua-blue lake, Playa de Zahara de la Sahara below. The lake is a popular water sports destination as the mountains are for hiking.
Views over the lake from the Plaza Mayor, Zahara de la Sierra, Spain
A little time was spent at the barricades absorbing the atmosphere before we realised that this was not something we would enjoy. We made our way downhill for lunch before crowds arrived after the spectacle. An ambulance siren accompanies our journey down.
Olvera
We now know where all the Spanish olive oil comes from! Driving to Olvera you’ll see olive groves everywhere. Fires over the past summers have destroyed some hillside groves. In some areas, new trees have been planted and some of the surviving old trees are starting to resprout. We are once again treated to spectacular views driving towards the township. Another castle perched above us on the hill. Just below it, a church.
Roadside views of the church and castle atop the hill in Olvera, Spain
Olvera is a ghost town as we walk uphill. Apart from the restaurants, everything else is closed for the siesta. Walking uphill is beginning to become a habit but we can enjoy the scenic main street without crowds.
The beautiful walkway lined with whitewashed houses to the church in Olvera, Spain
Arriving in the church square, apart from a couple of people sitting under the shade of a tree, we have it to ourselves. A Polish family joined us a short while later. Like us, they are amazed that there is no one else around.
The square is the best place to see the castle while the lookouts around the church provide sweeping views over the township below and the surrounding countryside. It was time well spent stopping and walking up the hot afternoon sun.
Ronda – the most stunning of the white villages
Onwards to incredible Ronda. We decided to base ourselves in the most popular white villages for several nights to find out why it’s classified as one of the most beautiful.
