Vejer de la Frontera

Vejer is an extremely pretty village close to the shore in South Andalusia. It sits on a low hilltop overlooking the Strait of Gibraltar. Indeed, you can see Africa´s coastline from its streets. From the other side it is surrounded by low mountains. It is truly a precious sight.

After you drive through all the orchards and orange groves that surround the village you will arrive to a typical ‘pueblo blanco’. When I say it’s a typical white village I mean that every single house is white! They show an excellent example of the Moorish architecture which is not that surprising given the fact that they were under Muslim rule for centuries. 

The whiteness of the houses is broken up by the red terracotta roofs and the huge amount of flower pots that are displayed on the walls. The word ’picturesque’ I think was born in this place.

The main square is a delight of colour, water and sun. It all centers around a fountain which is made up of colourful tiles and curiously, water sprouting frogs! The whole things is shaded by palm trees and it’s probably thanks to this that it was full of families and laughing children even during the sacred siesta hours.

Just on the outskirts of the newer part of the village you will find a lovely park with three windmills in it. One of them is not complete however there are two that have been completely restored and are interesting to see. Have a look if you have time.

When you walk around the jumble of narrow cobbled streets of the old part, be a true tourist and don’t be shy to take a peek inside when you see an open door. The inner patios are often a delight to see, full of flowers and coloured tiles. When you get to the cliff, have a coffee at one of those lovely terraces that provide great views over the plain.

This gorgeous village is about 10-15min drive from the coast so it’s a perfect lunch spot if you want to break up a whole day of sun adoration. You can even do paragliding here which must be an amazing experience given its location. Vejer de la Frontera is definitely among the must-visit places of Andalusia!