Sierra Nevada near Moclín, Camino Mozárabe

Espejo, one of Andalucía’s many Pueblos Blancos, whitewashed hilltop villages

After two nights in beautiful Granada. we began the walk in the scenic mountain village of Quéntar, from which we walked a truly stunning 17 km stage of the Camino Mozárabe back into Granada’s old city, with the ramparts and palaces of the Alhambra towering above the path. The spectacular mountainous terrain gradually gave way to gentler slopes of never-ending olive groves. The towns along this section are few and far between but most have real charm and character: Moclín, Alcaudete, and Castro del Río are classic white villages crowned by castles. We experienced the great Iberian blackout of April 28th in Alcalá del Real, usually bustling but that night eerily silent and dark. The trip ended in Córdoba, whose Roman, Islamic, Jewish and Christian communities have left a rich historical and architectural patrimony. It’s also a beautiful, very lively and fun city!

Mezquita-Catedral (Mosque-Cathedral) of Córdoba, built around 785 CE