Hiking in the Andalucian Hills, Spain (Genalguacil, Jubrique, Benarrabá)
Dan and I love walking, and we have been hiking in many places around the world. From the Lake District in the UK to Cap de Creus National Park in Catalonia, Spain, and, for the last 10 years or so, Dan has always gone hiking in the Andalucian Hills with his family. The last few times I’ve come along as well, and this year Nellie was able to come with us too! I’m not entirely sure what made them visit the first time. I think his dad had been there before, but I can definitely see why they keep going back. It’s the views! The hills are stunning, the countryside is beautiful, and the towns are some of the most picturesque I’ve ever seen!
The area itself is quite remote – there’s literally one mountain road that connects all the villages. The only tourists that the area gets are walkers and hardly any British people at all – the locals are always surprised when we turn up, but they are so friendly and welcoming. Just don’t expect them to speak much English, so you’d better brush up on your Spanish phrases!
I would recommend that you go in September or October, as the weather is still sunny and warm but not too hot for walking. We usually go in late October, and the temperature is in the mid-20s (°C), which means you can walk in shorts and a t-shirt and enjoy lunches out in the sun, but it does get a bit chilly at night.
How to get up into the Andalucian Hills
To get up into the Andalucian hills, you first need to fly to Malaga airport. From there, you will need to hire a car or take a taxi as public transport won’t get you any further than Estepona. Head West along the main coastal road to Estepona (about 50 minutes) and then turn North and head up into the hills for about 30km – it’s just under a 2-hour drive in total (but not for the faint-hearted, or those with car sickness!) Those mountain roads are so windy! There seem to be a few bus stops along the mountain road, but I have never seen a bus anywhere, so I wouldn’t rely on that. There are also no taxis in the hills unless you ask one of the locals to take pity on you and drop you somewhere, so best to pre-book your return journey (if it’s even possible!)
Where to stay in the Andalucian Hills
We always stay in Genalguacil, which is one of the most picturesque towns I have ever visited. The towns in the area definitely have a Moorish vibe from the style of the houses to the cobbled streets, which show the area’s history to perfection. The town is actually an ‘open-air museum’ as every couple of years, artists are invited to create art in the town, which is then left there permanently to be enjoyed by the residents and visitors. My favourite spot is the Plaza de la Constitución, a big open square with incredible views across the valley. It’s especially beautiful at sunrise and sunset.
And cats – don’t forget the cats! Cats are everywhere and have free reign of the town. They’re very friendly and have even been known to let themselves into your house!
There is only one small hotel in town called La Posada del Recovero, but there are a few apartments/houses to rent, called ‘casa rurales.’ All of the accommodation is quite basic but comfortable – this is definitely not a luxurious place but it has its own charm!
If you want to stay in one of the other towns, there are more options. In Jubrique, there are lots of hotel/apartment options and even some with swimming pools! Benarrabá has plenty of options too, all at very reasonable prices!
If camping is more your thing, then there are two very well-equipped campsites located next to each other in the heart of the Genal Valley. Camping Genal and Camping San Juan, where you can hire a tent, caravan, or even a little bungalow. They have all the facilities on site, including some great restaurants (see below – Where to eat!)
Where to go hiking in the Andalucian Hills
Whichever town you choose to stay in, there are plenty of walks to do, but as we always stay in Genalguacil, I’ll outline some of the hikes that we choose to do. If you’re not confident in planning your own route (although everything is quite well signposted), you could take a guided tour of the Genal Valley. If you stay in one of the towns (Genalguacil, Jubrique, Benarrabá), you are staying on top of the hills. This means that your walk will consist of a hike down into a valley and then back up another hill to reach a new town. (Then down and back up again to get home). If you’re staying in the campsites, you’re already in a valley, so you will only need to climb up to reach the other towns (and then your journey home will be all downhill – phew!)
Walk to Jubrique
As creatures of habit, we tend to take the same walks every time we travel. The first day we spend walking to Jubrique, a town on a neighbouring hill to Genalguacil. The walk takes around 1 1/2 to 2 hours each way, and we always stop for a long lunch in Jubrique before heading back. The walk starts from Genalguacil and takes you on a gently winding path down through the forest for about 30 minutes. The views are beautiful as you head down the mountain, and you can spot the chestnut trees that the area is famous for, as well as plenty of oak and olive trees, too. The tracks are quite well signposted, but it’s worth taking a map too, just in case!
After that, it gets a bit steeper and rockier underfoot as you get closer to the valley, and when you hit the bottom, there is a little stream to cross. We use the stepping stones and boulders, but we noticed that this year they have started to build a little bridge (not sure when it will be completed).
Once you have crossed the river, it’s all uphill to Jubrique and a fairly steep climb! It’s about a 30-minute hike, straight up, but there are plenty of places to stop, take a rest, and enjoy the amazing views! Once you hit the town, it’s time for a well-earned drink and some lunch before heading back to complete the hike in the other direction, back to Genalguacil!
Walk to Benarrabá
On the second day, we usually walk to Benarrabá, another hill-top town, with the walk taking about 2 hours each way. The walk down from Genalguacil is a fairly steep one and rocky underfoot. Once you hit the valley, it flattens out for a while, and you cross the river before heading up the hill to Benarrabá. At this point, you have two options: heading left, you can take a long, winding, less steep, more road-like path, up to the top of the hill, which takes a bit more than an hour to complete. The alternative is off to the right and is a steeper, rockier path, which sometimes involves a bit of a scramble, too, but is more direct.
Once up in Benarrabá, you can explore the beautiful town a bit, and there are plenty of choices for something to eat before you head back. On the walk back, the river always looks crystal clear and so inviting that we’ve been known to paddle in it, and there are often kids with nets hunting for the little fish swimming around.
You also have the option of driving to the valley (there is an access road for cars and a car park at the bottom) and then just doing the walk up, having lunch, and walking back down to the car if hiking both ways is a bit much.
Walk to San Juan
On the last day, we usually do a walk to Camping San Juan – a campsite nestled in a valley. The benefit of this walk is that it’s not to a hill top, so it’s not up and down before lunch and then up and down afterward. It’s all downhill one way and then uphill on the way back. It’s about a 2-hour walk each way, and I really love the walk there. The walk to get down into the valley is quite steep to start, but then it levels out when you hit a road. Then, you come to the river, and the last hour of the walk is along the water on the flat. There are some walkways built into the cliffs and bridges etc, so we call it the Indiana Jones walk as you feel like a bit of an explorer navigating your way through.
Once you reach the campsite, the restaurant there is always our lunch stop – they do amazing food and we’ve been known to have a very long lunch there (and even call a taxi to get home as we were too full to walk – and when I say taxi, I mean we begged and bribed a local man to take us home).
Other walks
There are plenty of other walks you can do, and they are well-signposted along the way. In fact, there are often races going on, long ultramarathons where people run the mountain trails, so the trails are usually fairly well maintained (although they are rough and ready mountain trails and are still rocky and gravelly underfoot). In the past, I know that Dan and his family have driven to Benelauria to do a circular, flatter walk there, taking in Benadalid, so there are definitely options if you don’t want to hike up and down valleys all the time. The local tourist agency can provide you with plenty of walking routes and advise you if you’re not sure of your ability, or check out the main Andalucia website for more info.
Where to eat in the Andalucian Hills
Genalguacil – In Genalguacil, there are really only three places in town to eat. La Posada del Recovero (the only hotel in town) is run by Veronika, and by request, she can arrange breakfast, lunch, and dinner for you. We have eaten there for dinner, and the food is delicious, home-cooked tapas, and very reasonably priced. The other restaurant is Bar El Refugio, a relaxed tapas restaurant with amazing views out over the whole valley. We ate there most nights and the food was great – I can really recommend the tomatoes with garlic and herbs!! The last place to eat is Pub Cabry – a bar on the outskirts of town that also serves tapas.
If you’re staying in a self-catering apartment, there is a local shop where you can buy things to eat at home. Just beware that the opening hours don’t actually mean anything – the shop opens and closes when the woman who runs it feels like it!
Jubrique – There are three main restaurants to eat at in Jubrique: La Pozuela, Bar Arco Iris, and Bar La Flamenca. I can’t vouch for the other two, as we always go to La Pozuela – mainly for the views. You can eat lunch in the sun, looking out over the valley you have just walked. The food is always delicious, and make sure to ask for the daily specials as they always turn out to be a great option.
Benarrabá – Benarrabá is a town with quite a few restaurants, but we usually tend to go to the same one all the time – mainly because it is in a pedestrianised street, so the kids can run and play away from any cars. There are two tapas restaurants on this street, and I’ve been to both of them. Last time we went to Andres Sanchez, and this time we ate at Bar Barroso.
Kabilas Restaurant is the restaurant in the main hotel in town, too. The others have been in the past and said it was lovely, but I haven’t ever eaten there.
San Juan – There are two restaurants to choose from in the area, and both of them are restaurants belonging to the two campsites. Venta de San Juan specialises in barbecue meats and local produce. It’s a popular spot, especially at weekends, so make sure you book your table in advance. The specialty is definitely the slow-roasted leg of lamb – if you want this, make sure you let them know when you get there so that they don’t run out!
On the other side of the road, the restaurant at Camping Genal comes highly recommended too, although we haven’t tried this one out yet. It serves similar food, and there is always a huge open fire burning on which they cook the meat. We did spend a bit of time playing in the river there, though, which Nellie loved! (Check out that grin – that’s her ‘smile’ for photos!
So, have I piqued your interest? Maybe a trip to Andalucia could be on the cards.
PIN Hiking in the Andalucian Hills, Spain (Genalguacil, Jubrique, Benarrabá)
