Walking holiday Andalusia - Cómpeta

Explore Andalusia at its best from Cómpeta

8 days starting

from €249,-

Discover this beautiful white village located at the foot of the Sierra Almijara overlooking the Mediterranean Sea

The southern Spanish mountain village of Cómpeta is located in the Axarquia region in the southern province of Málaga (Andalusia). It is hidden at the end of an elongated valley and far away from mass tourism. The 'white village' literally has pure nature as its backyard: the Tejeda and Almijara mountain ranges and the enormous nature park with the impressive Mount Maroma (2063 m) as a backdrop.

Spring and autumn in particular are ideal times of year for walking with daytime temperatures of around 20 degrees. Even in winter, temperatures in the middle of the day are still pleasant. Nature is at its most beautiful in spring when the almond trees bloom exuberantly white and the oranges are ripe. In this region the sun shines no less than 325 days a year!

The nature of Axarquia has a lot to offer: wooded mountains that alternate with open terrain and orchards where olives, almonds and other fruits grow. The walks, often on footpaths and donkey paths, go to altitudes of 1000 to almost 1200 meters on some days, starting from Cómpeta, which is at 640 meters.

Your tour guide Onne will point out the most beautiful places in the mountains and take you several times to a beautiful place from where you can walk back to Cómpeta.

The town of Cómpeta has no fewer than 20 restaurants and bars.
A 3-course menu costs approximately €10 to €12 at lunchtime and a cup of coffee or a glass of beer approximately €1.40. There is a municipal swimming pool including an indoor pool in the town, which is open daily (entrance approx. € 2). A local museum (free) shows in an interesting and realistic way how people used to live and work in Cómpeta. It's a good place to be in Cómpeta!

During this trip you will stay in Casa Hadriano. It is an authentically restored and comfortably furnished village house in the center of Cómpeta. Other options are 3* hotel Balcón de Cómpeta or a private apartment. Your stay here is based on accommodation in a double room. You can extend this walking holiday with a 2-day stay in Granada, including to visit the world-famous Alhambra.

Nature at your doorstep

Tour guide

Onne Schepel

Languages

Dutch - English - Spanish - Portuguese

Route

From gently sloping to steeply rising, height differences from 200 to 500 meters.

Approximately 8-14 km are covered per walking day,
in 3-5 hours with the possibility of shortening the route.
More difficult walks are also possible locally.

Day 1
Outward journey
After arrival at the airport you travel by public transport or taxi to Cómpeta where you will be received by your tour guide Onne. If flight times permit, you can take a short orientation walk above the village today (approx. 5 km/1.5 hours).

Day 2
Hike Cómpeta-Canillas-Archez-Cómpeta (approx. 12 km/4.5 hours)
From the central square in Cómpeta you walk through an olive grove and along an irrigation canal on a beautiful old path with beautiful views to Canillas de Albaida. You descend to the river via a Roman path and continue along the mill route to the Moorish village of Archez with an ancient minaret. Then back to Cómpeta via narrow donkey paths and vineyards.

Possibility to shorten the route to 7 km/2.5 hours.

Day 3
Walk Cómpeta-Casa de la Mina-Cómpeta (approx. 14 km/5 hours)
The first part of this circular walk goes straight up. You soon have a beautiful view of Cómpeta in the depths. The walk goes over a ridge (1030 m). Here you can deviate from the route to walk to the lookout hut on top of Cerro Gavilan. The walk takes about 30 minutes longer, but with good visibility you can even see Gibraltar and the Rif Mountains in Morocco! Via the ridge you descend via a goat path to the abandoned inn Casa de la Mina (860 m). Then you walk back to Cómpeta via the Puerto del Collado (890 m).

Possibility to shorten the route to 10 km/3.5 hours

Day 4
Walk Canillas de Albaida and surroundings (approx. 15 km/4.5 hours)
A varied tour, most of which takes you through a nature reserve with three different vegetations. From Canillas de Albaida you follow the Rio Cajula upstream. You cross the river several times via wooden bridges. The vegetation here is rich due to the wealth of water. The gorge through which you walk becomes narrower and the route separates from the river. The path now rises slowly and you walk through a landscape with olive groves and avocado plantations. You reach the highest point of the walk via a forest. Here you have a particularly beautiful view over the villages of Sayalonga and Corumbela. After this, the footpath descends further and the route leads through beautiful dry Mediterranean vegetation including wild rosemary and thyme.

Possibility to shorten the route to 8.5 km/3 hours

Day 5
Free day with walks to the beach or city walk of Málaga
Opportunity to visit Malaga, with, for example, a visit to the Museo Picasso, the Center Pompidou, the Cathedral, which is one of the three most beautiful in Spain, the Alcazaba or the boulevard on the Mediterranean Sea. Alternative:
Walks to or along the beach. 4 options of 5,10,16 or even 21 km.
All

Day 6
Walk from Salares to Cómpeta (approx. 12 km/4.5 hours)
A beautiful nature walk through a holm oak forest. First you will be taken to Salares. In this village you will find a restored Moorish minaret and Moorish bridge from the Middle Ages. You walk back to Cómpeta via the GR249 and along the Roman path.

Day 7
Walk from Fabrica de Luz via Puerto Blanquillo to Cómpeta (approx. 14 km/4.5 hours)
First a transfer (approx. 15 minutes) to Fabrica de Luz. This former hydroelectric power station of Canillas de Albaida is now a picnic area where the Spaniards mainly come at the weekend and where you have beautiful pools and waterfalls. You walk along a beautiful footpath along the river to the Puerto Blanquillo ('white pass') and back to Cómpeta via an ancient mule route (trade traffic on the Granada coast). Along the way you will pass some ventas (former inns for drivers and their mules). With beautiful views.

Day 8
Return trip
All good things come to an end, including this walking holiday in Spain .

Finally, you can take a circular walk before you leave again for the Netherlands. Or do you opt for the extension in Granada? Read more below:

Optional extension Granada

Day 8
Today you will be taken to Nerja bus station. Here you board the direct bus to Granada (not included). For the next 2 nights you will stay in the centrally located Hostal Veronica. In the city of Granada we have two walks

turned off. A tour through the center along the highlights of the city. A second circular walk starts above the Alhambra through the natural park with beautiful views of the Alhambra.

Dag 9
Vandaag heb je tijd om het prachtige Granada te ontdekken. Begin jouw dag vroeg met een bezoek aan het Alhambra, een Moors paleis en fortcomplex dat op de Werelderfgoedlijst van UNESCO staat. De tickets zijn niet inbegrepen, dus vergeet niet om jouw tickets (ruim) van tevoren te reserveren (klik hier voor meer informatie). Sluit de dag af met een bezoek aan het historische centrum van Granada waarvan de wijk Albaicín zeker niet overgeslagen mag worden. Het is een doolhof van smalle straatjes en witgekalkte huizen. Strijk neer op een terrasje van een van de vele gezellige tapasbars en geniet van het uitzicht op het verlichte Alhambra.

Day 10
Today you travel by bus to Malaga airport (not included) for the flight back to Amsterdam. From Granada there are 4 direct buses to the airport per day and to Malaga city 16 times per day.

Please note: this is an overview of the most frequently made walks. A different choice from approximately 30 walks, or a personal adjustment, or extra transfers can always be discussed with your tour guide.

Option 1 - Rustic Experience at Casa Hadriano:

Stay in a beautifully restored village house in the heart of Cómpeta less than one min 1 minute from the church square.
Each room features Andalusian-style furniture and a private bathroom.
With 2 roof terraces with beautiful views over Cómpeta, the mountains and the Mediterranean Sea
A spacious communal kitchen and a living room.
Price :
- For two people from €249 per person.
- 1 person supplement from €140 euros for a week.