A guidebook to 40 coastal walks in Andalucia, Spain. Exploring six natural parks along the Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts, plus La Sierra de Mijas, the routes are graded by difficulty, with options to suit both beginner and experienced walkers.

Walks range from 6 to 20km (4–12 miles) and can be enjoyed in 2–8 hours. The routes cover the Costa de la Luz and Costa del Sol, as well as the Nerja region and Cabo de Gata near Almeria, with Malaga airport providing easy access and Andalucia’s favourable climate allowing for year-round walking.

• Clear route description illustrated with 1:50,000 mapping
• GPX files available for download
• Information on refreshments and access
• Suggestions for walking bases in each geographical area
• Notes on history, plants and wildlife and local points of interest

Map key

Overview map

Route summary table

Preface

Introduction

Seven coastal regions

Plants and wildlife

Andalucía over the years

Getting there

When to go

Accommodation

Eating out in southern Spain

Language

Money

Communications

What to take

Maps

Staying safe

Using this guide

1 Costa de la Luz

Parque Natural de la Breña y las Marismas

Walk 1 Santa Lucía circuit

Walk 2 Las Marismas de Barbate circuit

Walk 3 Vejer de la Frontera southern circuit

Walk 4 Los Caños de Meca circuit

Walk 5 Cape Trafalgar to Conil via the Torre de Castilnovo

Parque Natural de Los Alcornocales y del Estrecho

Walk 6 Valdevaqueros circuit via Punta Paloma

Walk 7 Río de Guadalmesí circuit

Walk 8 El Pelayo circuit via the Torre de Guadalmesí

Walk 9 Río de la Miel circuit

Walk 10 Gibraltar circuit via Mediterranean Steps

2 Costa del Sol

Paraje Natural de Sierra Bermeja y Sierra Crestellina

Walk 11 Manilva circuit via the Utrera Gorge

Walk 12 Casares circuit via la Crestellina

Walk 13 Casares eastern circuit

Walk 14 Casares circuit via La Acedía

Walk 15 Pico Reales circuit via El Pinsapar forest

Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves

Walk 16 Istán circuit via the Infierno valley

Walk 17 Istán to the Río Verde and back

Walk 18 Istán reservoir circuit via the San Miguel chapel

Walk 19 Marbella circuit via Cruz de Juanar

Walk 20 Ascent of La Concha from Refugio de Juanar

Walk 21 Refugio de Juanar circuit via Los Cuchillos

La Sierra de Mijas

Walk 22 Mijas circuit via the Pico de Mijas

Walk 23 Mijas circuit via Puerto de Málaga

Walk 24 Alhaurín el Grande circuit

Walk 25 Alhaurín de la Torre western circuit

Walk 26 Alhaurín de la Torre southern circuit

Walk 27 Benalmádena circuit 

3 Costa Tropical

Parque Natural de la Sierra de Tejeda, Almijara y Alhama

Walk 28 Ascent of La Maroma from Canillas de Aceituno

Walk 29 Cómpeta circuit via Puerto Blanquillo

Walk 30 Frigiliana to El Fuerte and back

Walk 31 Frigiliana circuit via Cruz de Pinto

Walk 32 Nerja circuit via the Río Chillar

Walk 33 Maro to Frigiliana

Walk 34 La Herradura circuit via Cantarriján beach

4 Costa de Almería

Parque Natural de Níjar-Cabo de Gata

Walk 35 San José circuit via Monsul and Los Genoveses

Walk 36 Presillas Bajas to the Majada Redonda and back

Walk 37 Los Escullos circuit via San José

Walk 38 Rodalquilar circuit via Cortijo del Fraile

Walk 39 Las Negras circuit via El Playazo

Walk 40 Agua Amarga to Las Negras

Appendix A Useful contacts

Appendix B Accommodation

Appendix C Glossary

Appendix D Further reading

Seasons

The coastal belt of Andalucía enjoys mild weather in winter, spring and autumn, while even in mid summer walks can be enjoyable thanks to the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea.

Centres

The area covered by this guide stretches from Vejer to Tarifa on the Atlantic Coast, and from Estepona past Marbella and Mijas to Nerja and Almuñecar on the Mediterranean.

Difficulty

Walks are graded as: easy, easy/medium, medium or medium/difficult. Several of the walks involve some steep ascents and descents but the routes have been chosen so that all are within the capabilities of anybody in good health who walks on a regular basis. The guide contains a mixture of half-day and full day walks.

Must See

A few hundred metres from the beaches of Andalucía's southern seaboard, the mountains of the mighty Subbetica range offer some of the finest walking in southern Europe. Mainland Spain's highest peaks, some rising to almost 4000m, are cut through by deep gorges while a series of high villages facing south to the Mediterranean serve as perfect walking bases.

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