Andalucía’s Cultural Wonders
Andalucía’s
s r e d n o W l a r u t C ul By Ryan Maley Andalucían adventures: Low season delights in sultry southern Spain Passion, culture, identity. Despite being Spain’s most southerly region, for me Andalucía is undoubtedly the country’s beating heart. Shaped by a melting pot of distinct cultures that are evident in the region’s food, architecture, and language, Andalucía boasts an abundance of attractions, gastronomic adventures, and secrets for discerning travellers to uncover. With one of the best climates in Europe for sun-chasers, southern Spain is the perfect getaway for low seasons. Whilst the cities are sweltering from June-August, the shoulder seasons can offer perfect weather and fewer crowds, especially as inhabitants from inland Spain tend to summer along the coast in the south. Flights from the UK to the gateway airport of Málaga are easily attainable for £50£100 return in the low seasons, a price that should put the region right to the top of your travel list.
Low Season Traveller
El Acebuchal El Acebuchal is a secluded village in the municipality of Cómpeta, just north of the well-known whitewashed village of Frigiliana. The village was in a historically important location between the coast and Granada, allowing the trade of goods between the two.
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In 1948, the Franco regime’s Guardia Civil ordered the 200 inhabitants of El Acebuchal to leave the rural village, suspecting that the locals were helping the rebels’ fight. The village was left to fall to ruin in the 50 years that followed, becoming known locally as the ‘lost village’ of El Acebuchal.
project grew, and others also returned to rebuild their own homes. Today, the small, quirky village has been restored to its former glory, and is becoming a popular site for rural tourism. Antonio owns the main bar and restaurant in the village, which is worth the trip alone. Given the spectacular location in the Sierras de Tejeda, Almijara and Alhama Natural Park, local produce and game feature heavily on the menu, but the showstopper has to be their stunning homemade bread and oil. Take a seat on the terrace and appreciate how the hard work and dedication of Antonio and his family have brought the village back to life. Las Alpujarras Nestled along the slopes of Andalucía’s Sierra Nevada, La Alpujarra is a famous collection of traditional white pueblos straddling the provinces of Granada and Almería. Typified by the white flat-roofed buildings and narrow streets built by the Berber population after the Moorish occupation of the region, the villages remain incredibly fertile thanks to the annual snow-melt of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The most well-known of the villages are the trio of those in the Poqueira valley: Pampaneira, Bubión, and Capileira. These three villages have capitalised on the touristic interest in the region, and have plenty of accommodation, attractions, and restaurants available for those wanting to make the picturesque trip up into the mountains. However, for an experience of true rural life in Spain’s low seasons, you should also take a wander through some of the quiet streets of the lesser-known villages such as Mecina Fondales or Ferreirola.
50 years later, Antonio Sánchez, the son of one of the original inhabitants, returned with his family and set about the task of rebuilding the village. Excitement about the Caminito Del Rey - not for the faint of heart! (right)
