Coastal Walks in Andalucia

40 hikes around Gibraltar, Marbella, Malaga and Almeria

Over 40 half and full-day walks along Andalucia's Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts. The guidebook features the best of the Subbetica range, nearly all walks falling within Natural Parks and Reserves, from Vejer to Tarifa on the Atlantic and from Estepona, Marbella and Mijas to Nerja and Almunecar on the Mediterranean. Year-round walking.

The coastal belt of Andalucía enjoys mild weather in winter, spring and autumn, while even in mid summer walks can be enjoyable thanks to the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea.
Centres:
The area covered by this guide stretches from Vejer to Tarifa on the Atlantic Coast, and from Estepona past Marbella and Mijas to Nerja and Almuñecar on the Mediterranean.
Difficulty:
Walks are graded as: easy, easy/medium, medium or medium/difficult. Several of the walks involve some steep ascents and descents but the routes have been chosen so that all are within the capabilities of anybody in good health who walks on a regular basis. The guide contains a mixture of half-day and full day walks.
Must See:
A few hundred metres from the beaches of Andalucía's southern seaboard, the mountains of the mighty Subbetica range offer some of the finest walking in southern Europe. Mainland Spain's highest peaks, some rising to almost 4000m, are cut through by deep gorges while a series of high villages facing south to the Mediterranean serve as perfect walking bases.

Just a few hundred metres from Andalucia's famous beaches, the mountains of the Subbetica range rise steeply from the coast to offer some of the finest walking in southern Europe. From the windswept Atlantic shores around Tarifa and Cape Trafalgar to the rugged limestone ridges above Marbella, the dramatic gorges of the Costa Tropical and the volcanic landscapes of the Cabo de Gata near Almeria, this is a coastline that rewards those who look beyond the sunlounger.

With routes easily reached from Malaga airport and walkable year-round thanks to Andalucia's mild coastal climate, this second edition Cicerone guidebook by Guy Hunter-Watts and Mike Yeatman covers 40 graded coastal walks from 6 to 20km (4 to 12 miles), suited to regular walkers of all experience levels. Route descriptions are paired with 1:50,000 mapping and downloadable GPX files, with refreshment and access information provided for every walk.

40 graded walks across four coastal areas, covering the Costa de la Luz, Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical and Costa de Almeria, with nearly all routes falling within designated natural parks and reserves and walks graded easy to medium/difficult
The Costa de la Luz from Vejer to Tarifa is covered in full, with routes along the Atlantic cliffs, the marshes of Barbate, Cape Trafalgar and the gorges of the Parque Natural de los Alcornocales, including the celebrated Gibraltar circuit via the Mediterranean Steps
Walks in The Sierra de las Nieves and Sierra Bermeja above Marbella and Estepona are described with detailed route notes for the ascent of La Concha and walks through the rare Spanish fir forests of El Pinsapar, within easy reach of the Costa del Sol resorts
The Cabo de Gata, Europe's driest region and a UNESCO biosphere reserve near Almeria, is covered with six fully described walks through volcanic coastal landscapes, remote coves and dramatic sea cliffs found nowhere else on the Spanish mainland
1:50,000 mapping and downloadable GPX files are provided for every walk, with suggested walking bases, refreshment stops and access information for each of the seven coastal regions throughout
A year-round walking destination, the Andalucian coast combines reliable sunshine, extraordinary natural diversity and easy access from Malaga airport. This guidebook reveals the side of southern Spain that most beach holidaymakers miss out on. 

Coastal Walks in Andalucia - Quick Facts
Area: Andalucia, southern Spain 
Coastline covered: Costa de la Luz, Costa del Sol, Costa Tropical, Costa de Almeria 
Total walks: 40 
Walk distances: 6 to 20km (4 to 12 miles) 
Walk duration: 2 to 8 hours 
Grades: Easy, easy/medium, medium, medium/difficult 
Difficulty: Suited to regular walkers of all experience levels; some steep ascents and descents 
Natural parks covered: Parque Natural de la Breña y las Marismas, Parque Natural de los Alcornocales y del Estrecho, Paraje Natural de Sierra Bermeja y Sierra Crestellina, Parque Natural de la Sierra de las Nieves, Parque Natural de la Sierra de Tejeda Almijara y Alhama, Parque Natural de Níjar-Cabo de Gata 
Walk highlights: Gibraltar circuit via Mediterranean Steps, Cape Trafalgar, La Concha ascent, El Pinsapar Spanish fir forest, Nerja circuit via Río Chillar, Cabo de Gata coastal walks 
Key landmarks: Gibraltar, Cape Trafalgar, Cabo de Gata UNESCO biosphere reserve, Sierra de las Nieves, Hallstatt 
Best time to visit: Year-round; mild winters make it ideal for winter walking; summer walks are possible thanks to coastal cooling 
Access: Easily reached from Malaga airport 
Mapping: 1:50,000 maps included for every walk 
Digital navigation: Downloadable GPX files included 
Special features: Walking base suggestions for each area; refreshment and access information; notes on history, plants and wildlife