A Guide to Vejer de la Frontera
- Liesl
- Jun 18, 2019
- 5 min read
When The Husband and I were planning our travels through Portugal, Spain and Morocco last summer, we accidentally stumbled on Vejer de la Frontera, a small hilltop town situated in Spain's picturesque Andalusia region. Before this discovery, I was unaware of these Pueblos Blancos (White Villages) that are found on hilltops in the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga in southern Spain. At first glance of these white buildings and pink Bougainvillea peppering the hillsides, you'd think you were in Greece and not Spain! We looked at some photos online, and immediately booked a couple of nights' stay in this gorgeous, romantic village! Information about this spot wasn't easy to come by, so I knew I'd have to make a guide and share this underrated gem with the world. Here are my recommendations on where to stay and eat, and also how to get there and what you can do and see!
HOW TO GET THERE
Rental Car - This is the best and easiest way to get to this little slice of heaven from all the surrounding towns, train stations and airports. Keep in mind that Vejer de la Frontera is a small town and finding street parking will be near impossible. (Also, don't hire a big car!). They do have underground parking at La Corradero, which is very short walk to the middle of town, and Plaza de España or Plazuela. The parking costs 2€ an hour and 18€ a day. Here's some good-to-know info about renting a car in Spain.
Bus - We opted to take a COMES bus there from Seville, which took about 3 hours and was easy to book, affordable and comfortable. The bus will drop you off at La Barca de Vejer stop, which is downhill from the town. From there you have to take about a 20-minute taxi up to the town center. (Once you reach the bus stop, there's a taxi stand and the number you have to call.) We waited about 15 minutes for our taxi.
Car Pool / Ride Sharing - This option wasn't available for us on our days of travel, but you should definitely check out BlaBlaCar.com for ride sharing options while in Europe. It's affordable and probably more convenient than the bus.
WHERE TO STAY
Vejer de la Frontera has plenty of lovely accommodation options, and the town is so small that you can literally walk everywhere. That said, we can highly recommend that you stay around the town center where all the restaurants and boutiques are located. We stayed at Casa Shelly Hospedería which is a wonderful B&B that has the perfect location in the middle of town, and in walking distance of all the great restaurants and sights. The owner is friendly and professional, and the bed & breakfast itself is spotless and beautifully decorated! Definitely stay in the "Superior Double Room" if you can, it is very spacious and has its own private terrace. Book your room here.
More places to stay: Hotel La Casa del Califa, El Cobijo de Vejer, La Fonda Antigua, Hotel V
WHERE TO EAT
The question should be, "where NOT to eat?", because it really seems that every single restaurant, bar and cafe in Vejer de la Frontera is amazing! The town is full of fantastic eateries, and you'll have no trouble finding a nice spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner. We recommend Califa Express for light bites and refreshments, La Piccolina for brunch and coffee, Garimba Sur for tapas and El Jardin del Califa, El Central and Casa Varo for a lovely lunch or a romantic dinner. If you have your heart set on a place, be sure to make a reservation in advance to avoid disappointment.
More places to eat: Corredera 55, La Juderia
The Cabin (permanently closed)
WHAT TO DO
One of our favorite things about Vejer de la Frontera is that you can walk everywhere, and that's what you should do. Explore on foot! Each little street and alley is picturesque, and with its white walls and pink Bougainvillea, we really felt that we were back in one of Greece's coastal villages (minus all the tourists!). Walk around, pop into all the cute little shops, take lots of photos, stop for drinks and tapas, and just enjoy this beautiful, laid-back town.
A few must-visit places in town are Plaza de España (the town's center with a gorgeous fountain surrounded by restaurants, cafes, B&Bs and boutiques), Castillo de vejer (the castle), Parroquia del Divino Salvador (the beautiful catholic church), and Molinos de Viento (a local history museum, also featuring windmills). You can also view the Estatua de la Cobijada (Cobijada Statue).
If you're staying for a longer time, make sure to explore the neighboring towns and beaches (the nearest one is about 10 kilometers away). For more information on things to do, you can visit the Tourist Office in town, they are happy to help.
Vejer de la Frontera is the perfect place to kick back and relax; eat good food, drink good wine, stroll around the town, and enjoy the afternoon siesta in summer.
Boutiques on Plaza de España
Estatua de la Cobijada (Cobijada Statue)
GOOD TO KNOW
- The town's church bell chimes OFTEN. If that kind of thing annoys you, it's better to get accommodation as far away from the church as possible.
- During the summer months, many restaurants, cafes and shops close in the afternoon for siesta.
- The town can be very quiet during the day (many people go on day trips from here), but don't be fooled, in the evenings the place comes alive and restaurants and bars get packed with people. Make reservations in advance!
- If you don't have your own car, you will pretty much be stranded there. There are no trains or buses directly in town.
- If you're the type that gets antsy on vacation and need lots of things to do, don't plan on staying here for longer than three days. (Unless you have a car and can do day trips).
- Vejer de la Frontera is a great alternative to the busier coastal towns for honeymooners.
We fell in love with this picture-perfect town! It was the most romantic place to just relax, and we were surprised that it wasn't overrun by tourists. It seems that most of the vacationers were local Spaniards, which was great. If you're doing a road trip through Andalusia and want to spend a couple of nights in one of the "white villages", we can highly recommend you to add Vejer de la Frontera to your itinerary, you won't regret it!
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