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Best "Home Base" Andalucia's White Villages

We are booked on the RS Best of Spain Tour in 14 Days for Spring 2019. Among other stops, the tour spends 1 night in Ronda, and 2 nights in Arcos. There are of course many beautiful "white villages" to explore in this region. After the tour we have some time and would like to come back to this region for 3-4 days before heading home. Which town in this region would serve as the best home base? Rick has written an article about this region: (https://www.ricksteves.com/watch-read-listen/read/articles/andalucias-white-hill-towns) where he mentions the following towns as noteworthy: Arcos, Zahara, Grazalema, and Estepa. Other searches reveal other recommendations such as Mijas, Casares, Ronda, Frigiliana, and Comares. I realize we won't see all these places in 3-4 days, however, my question is, which of the towns I've mentioned here would serve as the best home base from which to take day trips to explore the area given that some of the towns are already stops on the Rick Steves Tour? We plan to rent a car after the tour and explore this area, but would like a good home base, and at present, I don't know very much about this area at all, other than what I've read in a few short online articles. We could fly out of either Seville or Malaga for our return.

Thanks - I appreciate any and all suggestions! Gord

Posted by
3551 posts

Arcos area. is beautiful and great with a car rental. Stay in a village there and see all including Jerez think sherry and Lippazaner horses. The other areas are quite a distance from Arcos.

Posted by
7160 posts

Either Arcos or Ronda would work for visiting the white villages. Most of the other villages are very small and don’t have much to offer that would require spending a lot in time. Most look best from a distance. I thought climbing the tower in Zahara was nice as it provides a nice view of the area. The road between Zahara and Grazalema is only 6 miles, but will take you 30 minutes. That’s the worst road for driving and that’s only because of the twists and turns. Near the white towns and Benaojan are the prehistoric cave paintings at Cueva de la Pileta.

Nice hotels in Ronda are the Parador de Ronda, and Hotel San Gabriel. Both are very near the 1700s “new” bridge.