Side Trips to Ronda + Arcos de la Frontera

I think both are worth visiting with Ronda meriting an overnight. Some people don’t like Ronda and say skip it because it can get very crowded during the main tourist season. Only you can decide. I wouldn’t skip visiting a place because some people don’t like it.

The White Villages, if going to more than Ronda, are probably best seen with a rental car. Arcos de la Frontera is about an hour drive from Ronda. Depending on which route you’re taking one can stop at either Grazalema or Zahara de la Sierra for a short visit en route.

I always get a rental car so can’t speak to getting around the White Villages in a timely manner using public transportation.

We also always rent a car so cannot help with bus or train. Do not know where else your trip will take you but, of all of Andalucia, the places we would not return are Ronda (super touristy and crowded), Arcos de la Frontera (great view, no more) and Nerja (an expat community). We too went based on reading RS. Instead, in addition to Seville, Cordoba and Granada, would suggest Malaga, Tarifa and, perhaps, Cadiz. If you are interested in walking El Caminito del Rey, which is awesome, you could stay in Arriate and take a peek at Ronda.

Thanks to all. I'm sensing that I would need a rental car here, probably from Granada to start. Thanks, mml, for sharing your experience, and that you did follow Rick's advice to go to those towns. I will heed you advice, and probably look to other places than Ronda + Arcos de la Frontera. I'm not sure it's worth the time and trouble to get there, if it means renting a car. I am looking into Tarifa and Cadiz, although Rick had written that the main reason to go to Tarifa is as a way to get to Tangier. So, I'm not sure what it would have to offer, unless we wanted to be in a port city, or have beach time (the beaches do look gorgeous there.) I'll have to see how it would fit into our schedule.

Between Tarifa and Cádiz, Cádiz would be my choice. For a smaller town Jerez de la Frontera might be worth looking into. Neither Tarifa, Cádiz, nor Jerez have any wow sites.

Thanks again, jaime. That clarifies a lot for me, and I was getting that impression. I will look more closely at Cadiz, and probably forgo Tarifa for now (no interest in going to Tangier). I'll also look into Jerez de la Frontera. There was a beautiful sand dune beach in a place called Bolonia, although I don't know if that's attached to Cadiz or not.

The sand dune in Bolonia is mind-blowing, and is is next to the ancientn Roman site of Baelo Claudio with the Roman remnants and an excellent small museum. This is a bit of a drive from Cadiz but roads are great in this area and it is an easy drive. Not too far away is Zahara de los Atunes with a glorious sandy beach.

I hope you do not take this the wrong way, but towns including Ronda and Arcos are so firmly on the tourist track the many visitors do not realize that there are dozens upon dozens of beautiful "white villages and towns" in Andalucia, many which are far less inundated by tour buses and hordes of day trippers.

I spent a month or more every year in this area and would be happy to comment if you have interest in the areas of Cadiz, Jerez, Barbate, and the jewel of a town, Vejer de la Frontera, with its adjacent beach of El Palmar de Vejer. I've just returned from visit to Seville, Jerez, and Vejer.

I always rent a car and would advise you to do so if you want to explore the smaller towns.
Jerez is a glorious "white city," one of the jewels of Spain, with plenty to do and see, and some great restaurants.
Sanlucar de Barrameda is another gem, about an hour or so from Cadiz or from Jerez.

Tarifa and Cadiz are not comparable. Tarifa is a small town and Cadiz a small city. We enjoyed Tarifa more for the lovely, small historic center, the local religious celebration we happened upon, the gorgeous accommodation where stayed and the amazing view over to Africa. Cadiz was much more urban feeling and, to us, less interesting. Maybe if we had not had that cultural experience in Tarifa we would feel differently.

And Taifa is one of the towns on the route de almadraba, the annual Spring catching of blue-fin tuna using methods dating to ancient times. When will your trip take place?

Thanks. We're looking at April to go.

Eks, great post, BTW. Thanks for all of the helpful information. I was getting the sense that Ronda and Arcos were more crowded, and thanks for the ideas for the other towns. We have several days in Seville, and I'm wondering if a day trip to Jerez and Cadiz might meet the need. You described Jerez as a jewel of Spain, and it doesn't look too far from Seville, so maybe that and Cadiz could make for a good day tour? I'd probably need to rent a car for that day, which might be easier to just pick up and return in Seville? I'll look into the other suggestions you made, as well.

Jerez de la Frontera is an hour from Sevilla and Cádiz is about 30 minutes further. Jerez is nice, but I wouldn’t call it a jewel. Sanlucar is fairly laid back, but to me, it’s nothing special. I guess it all depends on what you like to do and see. Different people, different opinions. Only you can decide.