Andalucia walking holidays

Andalucia is the channel surfer of the Spanish regions. Never happy with the same old, it flicks from mountains and river gorges to wild Atlantic and sandy Mediterranean coastlines. From Arizona-like deserts of cacti to cork oak meadows and blossoming almond orchards. Here, you’ll see a rural lifestyle that still follows the slow ways of the stone-walled mule tracks from white village to white village. But you’ve also got Seville, Granada, Ronda, Malaga and Cordoba – five of the most glittering (and in some cases underrated) cities in Spain.

Small group

You’ve got two choices when it comes to Andalucia walking holidays: small group tours or tailor made trips. Small group walking holidays will match you with a group of up to 14 fellow hikers and a guide or two. Itineraries change from holiday to holiday, but you can expect to walk between six and 16km a day; that’s around 4-8 hours daily. Some tours might tackle the 1,569m summit of Simancon, while others stroll through butterfly meadows and centuries-old Spanish fir forests. You won’t have to struggle with map reading, arranging transport and accommodation, or rooting out the best picnic stops – they’re all part of the package when you book a small group holiday.

Your guide will be your captain. Some trips star a famous face (say, Chris Stewart, author of ode to Andalucian living Driving Over Lemons). Others will offer a born-and-bred guide with an encyclopaedic knowledge of local life. Either way, you’ll learn all about the region’s storied North African history (Morocco is just a 7km stone throw away) and exactly what the acequia you’re walking along was in a former life. They’ll also keep tabs on the weather and deftly adjust the itinerary in the case of heatwave or deluge.

Arranging transportation is out of your hands on a small group walking holiday. Sometimes a mini bus will pick you up at the end of a calf-creaking walk. Other times, you’ll focus on circular walks that begin and end at your hotel – usually just in time for a sunny dinner on the terrace.