Frigiliana area guide

Välkommen till Frigiliana

There are few better places to experience a traditional Spanish village than Frigiliana, with its international community of people dedicated to enjoying the best of the Andalusian lifestyle.

Frigilana has been voted Spain’s most beautiful village and it’s clear why. Nestling in the foothills of the Sierra de Tejeda, its spotless streets lead you past whitewashed, flower bedecked houses to a ruined Moorish castle and panoramic views of the Costa del Sol. That’s if you make it that far and aren’t sidetracked by one of the 60 cafes, bars and restaurants tucked away in side streets and hidden terraces. This is a small village you can spend a lifetime getting to know.

The village’s immediate surroundings are equally beguiling: leave town and follow Rio Higueron, or the nearby Rio Chillar where you can spend long lazy days hiking, horse-riding or simply picnicking. If the beach is more your thing then head for Nerja, particularly the coves around the cliffs of Maro, which offer some of the bluest and most transparent waters on the Malaga coast.

Plats

Community

In Frigiliana you are just as likely to hear English, Dutch or Swedish spoken on the streets as you are Spanish. In this cosmopolitan community of 3,000 people, around a third are drawn from 20 different countries. This is nothing new however and the annual Festival of the Three Cultures celebrates the Christian, Muslim and Jewish traditions that have long co-existed in Frigiliana.

Property

You won’t be alone in wanting to move here and as a result there are perhaps fewer bargains to be found. The more expensive properties can be found in the older Morisco-Mudejar neighbourhood at the top of the village, while the townhouses and apartments of the more modern lower half are a little cheaper. You can also investigate the local surroundings for villas and fincas (farm houses).

Amenities

Frigilana’s reputation as an unspoiled pueblo blanco (white village) means you won’t find any large supermarkets. However there are greengrocers, a bakery and numerous interesting independent shops. The village hosts a market every Thursday and Sunday, a great place to buy local produce, speciality foods and clothing. For exercise you’ll also find a large sports pavilion and municipal swimming pool.

Transport

It is a 10 minute drive down winding roads to Nerja’s beaches. If you don’t fancy the drive a cheap, regular bus service will take you there and to other locations around the Costa del Sol. You’ll find the nearest airport under an hour’s drive away in Malaga.

Health

There’s a health centre and chemist in the village but if you need more specialist care then the nearest fully equipped hospital is a 30 minute drive in Velez Malaga.

Cost of Living

The Costa del Sol has long been a reasonable place to live, and so it remains. But with no large supermarkets in Frigiliana, costs may be a little higher than the larger cities and resorts along the coast.