Pueblo Blancos of Andalucia

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So, after a busy week of Semana Santa we headed south to the lovely coastal town of Nerja, renting a small room with a great ocean view. The weather in Spain so far has been colder and rainier than we expected, so we were glad to see some sun and 70 degree temps for our 2 days on the beach.



Then it was on to Ronda and the start of a week touring the Pueblos Blancos or white villages. These are small towns, usually at the base or on top of rock structures, characterized by whitewashed homes. Established during medieval times, the old sections still consist of very narrow alleyways and steep walkways. They were painted white using lime keeping them cool in the summertime and prevented the moisture from the dampness. Walking around in them, you definitely felt like you could be in a movie set. In Osuna, it was used for some Game of Thrones setting.



Ronda, the first town we visited, is known for their stone bridge built in the 15th century spanning a gorge @350' deep. Rebuilt in the 18th century. Spending 3 days it was a great town, and surrounding area to explore. The surrounding countryside was rocky mountains, deep gorges, acres and acres of olive trees and cork oak forests. Ronda's claim to fame is the oldest (1784) and largest bullring, Orson Welles is buried there and Hemmingway spent alot of time there. But at 2400' elevation, it was colder than we expected!



Then it was meandering thru the countryside till we reached Osuna, our base for the next couple of days. We stayed at an old former monastery, and continued to enjoy the medieval spirit of the village. We returned to Cordoba to drop our car off and then took the train to Cuenta, The panoramic pic at the start of this blog is standing outside the old town.



'Cuenca is a city rooted in the mountains of the central-eastern part of Spain. Originally founded by the Arabs, it still retains its historic walled area, with its steep cobbled streets and medieval castle ruins. Attached to the calcareous rock wall, the famous and well-preserved "hanging houses" are located on the Júcar and Huécar rivers. These cantilevered constructions give the impression of being clinging to the cliffs of the Huécar gorge' giving google credit for that description. Upon arrival, Cuenca has abit of a gritty feel to it, but after a couple days of waudering, we both really liked this town! And at 3600', it was even colder!



We are now back in Madrid, getting ready for our 6am flight tomorrow, back to Boise. It has been another great trip!

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Photos

Osuna - The Collegiate Church of our Lady of the Assumption
View from our room

Why we haven't watched Game of Thrones
Some famous scenes filmed in Osuna