Have you ever followed a picture across the world?
I have.
I know that feeling – the spark of excitement, the thrill of a new discovery on the other side of the map. The anticipation builds as the plans fall into place, and before you know it you’ve flown across the globe on a whim and dropped yourself in a town you’ve never seen before…apart from that pretty picture that started it all.
For me that was Frigiliana, a tiny village perched on a hilltop and tucked into the southern coast of Spain. Just an hour’s drive from the metropolis of Malaga, Frigiliana exudes the kind of ancient fairytale magic we only dream about. Intricate murals on the cobblestone streets make for a walkway of art as they wind through the clusters of white stucco houses and red tiled rooftops. Cast iron lamps and balconies jut out from every whitewashed surface, draped in vines, blooming in bright pink and overflowing potted plants.
When I first caught a glimpse of the town with my own eyes, I felt as though I had jumped straight into the pages of a storybook. The antique decor gives a Victorian flavour to the narrow streets, but with every wooden door painted a different shade of blue, the overall vibe is unmistakably Andalusian.
Frigiliana is one of the renowned Pueblos Blancos (or White Villages) of Southern Spain, and retains much of its Moorish tradition in both aesthetic and lifestyle. The village is still largely underpopulated, boasting just over 3000 people within its tiny borders. The local roads only circle around the outside of town, making many of the houses shops and restaurants accessible only by foot. To reach our guesthouse, we had to climb no less than 150 stone steps – not an easy feat when you’re carrying twice your weight in an overstuffed backpack. Advice for future visitors: pack light. I promise you won’t regret it!
Reaching the apartment at the top of the road, I realized the climb was well worth the effort. From the back balcony I could see past the sprawling, thatched-roof patios and into the thick forest of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, all the way down to the coast of Nerja and the Alboran sea glimmering below. I spent as many breakfasts as possible on that patio, drinking coffee as the sun came up over the hills and watching the stray cats leap through their endless playground of rooftops and ledges.
That night before the sun went down, we wandered down into the centre square. We stopped at a bodega on the edge of the square; a tiny hole-in-wall with a few shelves full of deli meats, wine, pasta, and preserves. At the back was a small tapas counter where we ordered some local salami, manchego cheese, a bowl of olives, breadsticks and two beers, all of which set us back 1 euro each. We sat down outside underneath an oversized umbrella, on barrels that had been converted into bar stools. As we watched the sun seep into the ocean and cast an orange-pink glow on everything around us, I thought to myself, “I could get used to this.”
I owe a lot to that one little picture I found deep in the depths of the internet. It deserves to be framed and hung beside a photo of me standing on those same streets. Every day these pictures remind me that being impulsive is okay, that every decision doesn’t need to be based in reviews and research and five-star ratings. Spontaneous ideas happen for a reason and more often than not it’s well worth it to follow through. Sometimes, it pays off to throw logic out the window and say “That. There. Now”.
P.S: If a little old lady named Mariana asks how you discovered this hidden gem, don’t mention me! I promised I’d keep this secret paradise a…well, secret.
Share your best secret spots across the world in the comments below.
