Alcalá de los Gazules is a historic hill town (pueblo blanco) in the province of Cádiz, located within Los Alcornocales Natural Park. Its vernacular architecture is characterised by whitewashed houses, narrow winding streets, traditional tiled roofs, and buildings adapted to the steep topography, reflecting centuries of Moorish and Andalusian influence. Notable landmarks include the Church of San Jorge, the remains of the medieval castle, and several historic convents and manor houses that illustrate the town’s rich cultural heritage. The surrounding landscape supports agriculture based on cork oak woodlands, livestock grazing, olive cultivation, and cereal production. What distinguishes Alcalá de los Gazules from many other Andalusian white villages is its close relationship with the extensive cork oak forests of Los Alcornocales, its well-preserved medieval urban layout, and its long-standing connection to both forestry and traditional livestock farming, giving it a distinctive character shaped by both natural and cultural landscapes.

This was our first visit to Alcalá de los Gazules in twenty years. Unfortunately, when we arrived, there was nowhere to park in the town because some kind of event was taking place, so we retreated to the bottom of the hill. There, quite unexpectedly, we came across an old bridge over the Rio Barbate, and then, as if appearing from nowhere, a herd of Malagueña goats emerged. They kept us happily occupied, photographing them for a good hour or so. We returned the following Monday, when we were able to park in the town and visit a bar run by acquaintances of ours who were still there. It was a lovely reunion, although it was also a reminder of the passing of time; many of the people we had known on our visit twenty years earlier were, sadly, no longer with us. The town itself is beautiful. We walked up through the streets to the top of the hill, where we discovered a small park. There were many butterflies and birds—a wonderfully unexpected place in such a historic setting. Alcalá de los Gazules is a lovely hilltop white town, and one that has managed to retain much of its original character. Unlike places such as Vejer de la Frontera, it has not undergone the same level of gentrification and transformation for tourism. For me, this is part of its appeal: it feels lived-in and authentic, rather than like a carefully curated version of Spain created for visitors.