Pueblos blancos

In the Axarquia region, where we are based, there are apparently 31 pueblos blancos. 

These famously pretty hilltop villages are each a cluster of white painted houses, straddling the hillside with an abundance of plazas, fountains and beautiful tiled steps........ lots of them. Always at the centre is the church, which often seems too big for the village it presides over.

They are inevitably difficult to reach with steep, winding roads and precipitous drops but compensated for by the most amazing views.  Of course, Martin loves a driving challenge so we have been exploring a few for ourselves and have had a couple of leisurely days of discovery.

Some are tiny,  you can blink and miss them or get swept past by the twists of the road.  Our first stop was in Sayalonga but we missed Algarrobo altogether and Riogordo did not live up to its promise, but then Competa was a delightful and typical example.  When we stopped for lunch in the main square we were surprised to find ourselves surrounded by English - oh no! - apparently it's a very popular destination for ex-pats who live in the 'campo', too isolated for us but certainly very nice to visit.

Alcaucin''s narrow streets were hard to navigate, but worth it for coffee at just 70p, in a charming square, with obligatory fountain, although finding our way out again was a bit hairy.

Periana was quite a find. Firstly we got adopted by a local old character who showed us the almond trees in bloom and then insisted on taking us into the supermarket to introduce us to his son (who looked suitably bewildered). Then we stumbled upon the Cooperative Olive Mill and it was fascinating to see the neighbourhood farmers bringing in their olive crops, of varying sizes, to be pressed and turned into delicious olive oil - so of course we had to buy some, in a large tin (NB Jonny).

Comares  sounds idyllic but the guidebook rightly says ' it sits like a snowdrift atop it's lofty hill, the adventure is in getting there',  mmm.... I think we'll save that one for another day!