in the numbers of visitors who come to discover its walking trails. Villages just back from the coast tend to be the best first choice when it comes to small hotel and B&B style accommodation where prices are generally low in comparison to the hotels of the coastal resorts. As a rule of thumb, for €50–€70 you should be able to find a decent hotel room for two with its own bath or shower room, and breakfast will often be included.
The contact details of recommended hotels, hostels and B&Bs in and around the villages where walks begin or end are listed, by region, in Appendix C. All of the places have been visited by the author and all are clean and welcoming. Most listings offer breakfast as well as evening meals while some can also prepare picnics given prior warning.
Nearly every hotel in Andalucía is listed on www.booking.com, where, in theory, you’ll always get the lowest price. Bear in mind, though, that by contacting the hotel directly you’ll be saving them the commission they’d pay to the website, so they’re sometimes happy to cut out the third party and offer a lower price. Hotels may also have special offers posted on their own websites. However, both booking.com and TripAdvisor (www.tripadvisor.co.uk) can be a good starting point if you wish to read about other guests’ experiences at any given place.
Hotels in Andalucía make extensive use of marble. It’s a perfect material for the searing heat of the summer, but in winter marble floors can be icy cold. Pack a pair of slippers: they can be a godsend if travelling when the weather is cold. And when sleeping in budget options during cold weather it’s worth ringing ahead to ask the owners if they’d mind switching on the heating before your arrival. Remember, too, that cheaper hostels often don’t provide soap or shampoo.
When checking in at hotel receptions expect to be asked for your passport. Once details have been noted down, Spanish law requires that it’s returned to you.
Eating out in southern Spain
The footpath as you approach the Tajo del Caballo (Costa del Sol, Walk 24)
Although it may not be known as a gourmet destination, you can eat very well in Andalucía if you’re prepared to leave a few of your preconceptions at home. Much of the food on the menu in most mountain village restaurants is stored in a deep freezer and microwaved when ordered – the exceptions to the rule being the freshly prepared tapas that you’ll see displayed in a glass cabinet in nearly every bar and restaurant. These can provide a delicious meal in themselves.
A tapa (taking its name from the lid or ‘tapa’ that once covered the jars in which they were stored) has come to mean a saucer-sized plate of any one dish, served to accompany an apéritif before lunch or dinner. If you wish to have more of any particular tapa you can order a ración (a large plateful) or a media ración (half that amount). Two or three raciónes shared between two, along with a mixed salad, would make a substantial and inexpensive meal.
When eating à la carte don’t expect there to be much in the way of vegetables served with any meal: they just don’t tend to figure in Andalusian cuisine. However, no meal in southern Spain is complete without some form of salad, which is where Andalusians get their vitamin intake. And fresh fruit is always available as a dessert.
Bear in mind that there’s always a menú del día (set menu) available at lunchtime – even if waiters will try to push you towards eating à la carte – and as a result of the recent economic downturn many restaurants now also offer the menú del día in the evenings. Although you have less choice – generally two or three starters, mains and desserts – the fact that set menus are often prepared on the day, using fresh rather than frozen ingredients, means this can often be the best way to eat.
Expect to pay between €8 and €10 for a three-course set menu which normally includes a soft drink, a beer or a glass of wine. When eating à la carte in most village restaurants you can expect to pay around €20–€25 per head for a three-course meal including beverages, while a tapas-style meal would be slightly less. Tipping after a meal is common although no offence will be taken should you not leave a gratuity when paying smaller sums for drinks at bars.
The southern Spanish eat much later than is the custom in northern Europe. Lunch is not generally available until 2.00pm and restaurants rarely open before 8.00pm. A common lament among walkers is that breakfast is often not served at hotels until 9.00am, although village bars are often open from 8am. If you’re keen to make an early start, pack a Thermos. Most hotels will be happy to fill it the night before, and you can always buy the makings of your own breakfast from a village shop.
Breakfasts in hotels can be disappointing, so I often head out to a local bar. Most serve far better coffee than you’ll get at a hotel, freshly squeezed rather than boxed orange juice, and una tostada con aceite y tomate – toast served with tomato and olive oil – can be a great way to start your walking day.
When shopping for the makings of your picnic, be aware that village shops are generally open from 9.00am–2.00pm and then 5.30pm–8.30pm. Many smaller shops will be happy to make you up a bocadillo or sandwich using the ingredients of your choice.
Language
Visitors to Andalucía often express surprise at how little English is spoken, where even in restaurants and hotels a working knowledge of English is the exception rather than the norm. In addition, the Spanish spoken in southern Spain – Andaluz – can be difficult to understand even if you have a command of basic Spanish: it’s spoken at lightning speed, with the end of words often left unpronounced.
Appendix D offers translation of some key words that you may see on signs or maps or need to ask directions but it’s worth picking up a phrasebook before you travel – and be prepared to gesticulate: you always get there in the end.
Money
Most travellers to Spain still consider that the cost of their holiday essentials – food, travel and accommodation – is considerably lower than in northern Europe. You can still find a decent meal for two, with drinks, for around €30; and €60 should buy you a comfortable hotel room for two.
Nearly every start point village in this guide has an ATM, and where this is absent you’ll generally be able to pay in shops, restaurants and hotels with a credit card (although you may be asked for some form of identity that matches the name on your card). Be aware that you’ll often be asked for your credit card details when booking a hotel room by phone.
Communications
While most of Spain now has good mobile coverage for all major phone operators, there are still a few gaps in some of the coastal valleys – which is exactly where many of these walks will be taking you! Even so, it’s always wise to have a charged phone in your daypack, preloaded with emergency contact numbers (see Appendix B, Useful contacts).
Wifi coverage is available in most hotels and is nearly always free of charge for patrons.
What to take
Cairn at the summit of La Concha (Costa del Sol, Walk 20)
The two most important things to take with you when you walk in Andalucía are:
water – always carry plenty of water. During the warmer months the greatest potential dangers are heat exhaustion and dehydration. Wear loose-fitting clothes and a hat, and keep drinking.
comfortable,
