Guide to Visiting Frigiliana: Spain's Prettiest White Village

Considering a visit to Frigiliana? This travel guide to Frigiliana has all the details for your trip!

A white alley with white buildings and intricate rock streets.

Often called the most beautiful pueblo blanco (white village) in Spain, Frigiliana has undeniable charm and allure with its white walls, cobblestoned streets, winding lanes, and coastal views.

While there were many absolutely gorgeous pueblos blancos in Spain, I left a little piece of my heart in Frigiliana, and it’s definitely worth a visit if you are in the area.

In this ultimate guide to visiting Frigiliana, we’re going to share the best things to see and do in Frigiliana, plus lots of helpful tips like where to park, where to eat, how long you need, and more. Let’s dive in!

This post contains affiliate links. When you buy through these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. These commissions help keep this site running. Thank you so much for your support!

10 Best Things to Do in Frigiliana

1. Parroquia de San Antonio de Padua

A church with multiple wooden pews with white pillar arches with a golden cross and paintings at the front of the room.

This church, the Church of Saint Anthony of Padua, sits right in the center of Friligiana, is one of the main monuments of the city, and has many beautiful aspects to it. There’s the dark-stained, trussed ceiling, the embellished cornice behind the alter, and the fresco that adorns just the one arch on the right hand side of the church. Interestingly, this fresco was discovered quite recently, during the restoration of the roof of the church.

The church is free to enter, and worth the quick stop inside to admire the historic and pretty architecture.

2. Mirador de Santo Cristo

The view from the top of a hill looking down at the town of Frigilana with white buildings all around on the coast of the sea with the gorgeous colors shining in the sun.

The Mirador de Santo Cristo is the main viewpoint in the middle of the town in Frigiliana, and offers absolutely spectacular views over the white village and out to the Mediterranean Sea. This is definitely a must do in Frigiliana.

3. Palace of the Count of Frigiliana

A old building with bars over the windows and brown and white splotches of paint on the exterior.

This palace (in Spanish: Palacio de los Condes de Frigiliana) is a historical Renaissance palace with that housed the count of Frigiliana in the 1600’s; it is also known as El Ingenio.

Today is used as a sugar mill that produces the only sugar cane honey in Europe. Sugar cane honey is somewhat similar to molasses, though it has not been processed as much as molasses, and is more flavorful. The palace-turned-sugar mill is a large, imposing building set in the middle of town, but unfortunately, it is not open for visitors or tours.

Rows of sugar cane honey and sugar in glass bottles on a white shelf.

However, there is a little shop + bar just adjacent to the factory (on the right hand side if you’re looking at it), that is simply known as “El Ingenio.”

In addition to selling more typical souvenirs, you can buy locally produced honeys, and the sugar cane honey that is produced in the factory. These are all great local souvenirs to pick up and bring home from Frigiliana.

4. Mirador de Castillo de Frigiliana

The view from the top of a large hill looking center down at the white buildings at the city of the Frigiliana at the edge of the coast of the blue sparkling ocean.

The Mirador de Castillo de Frigiliana, also known as the Castillo de Lizar, is a viewpoint from the remains of an old castle that sits on a hill overlooking the city. There is really nothing that remains of the castle at this point, but the views are spectacular.

While you can walk to the viewpoint from town, know that this is in actuality a very steep, decently long hike, and not a quick stroll. I started walking up, quickly saw how steep it was and how much farther I had to go, and decided to just drive up with my car before I left town. I’m glad I did it this way, because it would have been a long, tiring hike.

A few things you should know about coming up to this Mirador: First, the road you will drive on is very steep and very narrow. In many places, it’s really just wide enough for one car. Thankfully, there isn’t much traffic here, so you will likely not encounter other cars, but still, drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to shift over if you encounter another car.

A cement street winding up the rocky hill with 2 blue cars on the side of the road.

Second, the viewpoint isn’t really marked. I parked at this parking lot, and then took several paths before I found the one to the overlook over the city. If you park here, you’ll in the trees. Start hiking towards the right side, near the road you came up, but you don’t want to hike around the hill, you want to hike up the hill.

Multiple cars at the top of a viewpoint looking at the top mountain range.

It was a bit of an adventure that I wasn’t totally sure was going to be worth it, but once I got to the overlook, the views really were breathtaking. In the end, I felt like it was definitely worth the bit of effort to come up here.

5. La Fuente Vieja

A stone wall with a small tree on the side and orange carvings on the side of the wall.

The Fuente Viejo (“the old fountain”) was built in 1640 by the Count of Frigiliana, who had his coat of arms engraved above the fountain that you can still see today. This fountain, originally called “The New Fountain”, was designed to water both humans and animals alike. You can see where the stone wall around the bottom has been worn away by the animals who came to drink!

6. Explore the Cute Streets

A woman in a blue dress sits on a stone step with cobblestone markings leading up the way of the alley with plants on the edge of the streets.

Of course, one of the top things to do in Frigiliana is just wander around and explore all the cute streets in the city. The city is really immaculate – there’s no trash, and the white walls were bright and free from dirt or graffiti. Black, wrought iron lamps hung at intervals and similar black wrought iron lined the windows, creating a very aesthetically pleasing contrast.

Additionally, there was a lot of greenery on the streets of Frigiliana, from flowerpots hung on the walls to larger pots filled with shrubs and plants sitting out on the streets or in the doorways.

For example, this street is just adjacent to the Mirador de Santo Cristo.

A woman stands on the side of a cobblestone road leading up the alley with white buildings on both sides and vibrant flowers

One thing that makes Frigiliana unique, and just extra adorable, is that not only are most streets cobblestoned, but there are designs in the cobblestones!

An alley with lots of white buildings and plants with black and white cobblestone designs on the ground.

You can find this charming staircase that perfectly frames the countryside around Frigiliana at 17 Calle de Rosarico la Joaquín.

A woman stands on the top of a staircase with spiral designs on the road.

(As an aside, this blue and white striped dress was *perfect* for Frigiliana)

Give yourself plenty of time to get lost as you explore the cute nooks and crannies of Frigiliana. Wandering the streets was absolutely one of my favorite things to do in the village.

An alleyway with white building and blue doors and windows with a brick chimney on the side of a wall.

7. Mirador de la Avenida Carlos Cano

A viewpoint looking over at he city's white buildings with a garden / park heading down from the buildings.

Mirador de la Avenida Carlos Cano is another, lower viewpoint in Frigiliana, just on the edge of the town. While it offers similar views to Mirador de Santo Cristo, I liked that you get more straight on views of the town, and are right on the edge of the cliffs that drop off at the edge of Frigiliana.

8. Square off of Calle Prta del Molino

A cute small square with intricate black and white tilework tucked around white buildings

I stumbled across this tiny little square tucked away on the northwest edge of town (a little bit away from where most tourists were) and was instantly charmed by how little, yet how picturesque the tilework, the greenery, and the white buildings were all together.

9. Plaza de Las Tres Culturas

A cute restaurant with white and brown overhangs and multiple brown tables and chairs by the edge of the wall looking at the buildings above.

This large, open, bricked plaza sits right on the edge of town, and looks out over the landscape. There are quite a few restaurants that extend out from the main plaza here.

The name of the square, “Plaza of the Three Cultures,” is a nod to the three cultures and religions have inhabited this region throughout the ages: Christianity, Islam and Judaism. Despite that moving name, the square is rather plain. Still, this is a great place to come to eat lunch with some views, but the plaza itself is nothing worth writing home about.

10. Santa Fiora Botanical Garden

A cement path leading throughout the garden with purple flowers and green trees surrounding the square with white building surround the park.

The Santa Fiora Botanical Garden is a very small garden area with trees, plants, and herbs that have been important in the history and livelihood of the people of Frigiliana. These include trees and plants like olive trees, sugar cane, palms, and herbs like oregano, thyme, and others. There is also a petanque court set up in the middle of the garden.

It’s a small but lovely garden, and only takes a few minutes to walk through. This would be a great place for a picnic, as there are some benches to sit on and areas to spread out.

The garden is completely open to the public, with no opening hours or cost to visit.

Practical Information About Visiting Frigiliana

The rest of this guide focuses more on some practicalities for visiting Frigiliana.

Where to Park in Frigiliana

If you are driving yourself to Frigiliana, you’ll be happy to know that both the highway and city roads are very good and well-marked. It is easy to drive yourself to and from the city. I’d recommend parking on the outskirts of town, and there are two places in particular I’d recommend.

First, there is a paid parking lot right by the Plaza de Las Tres Culturas called Frigiliana Public Parking – Garage – Aparcamiento público. This parking garage is off of MA-5105 and is right before you enter the city. Parking is covered and secured, and costs about 1-2 euro per hour.

Alternatively, there is also free public parking on the side of the street on MA-5105. Parking spaces are plentiful and extend for a couple kilometers, but this does mean you might have to walk for a little bit to get into town if all the close spots are taken.

I have both of these locations marked on the Google map at the bottom of this post.

Have you reserved your rental car for Spain yet? I’d recommend doing it as soon as possible! I find that DiscoverCars.com has some of the prices and availability for car rentals, but the earlier you book, the better the deals you can get.

Check current prices and availability on DiscoverCars.com here

Festivals In Frigiliana

Frigiliana hosts the Festival of Three Cultures at the end of August every year. This festival pays homage to the three main cultures/religions that have lived in the region over the past centuries: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

The festival lasts for four days, and includes multiple parades, nighttime projections on the St. Anthony church, craft fairs, concerts, and a designated “Tapas Route.” Learn more about the festival here.

Where to Stay in Frigiliana

If you decide to stay in town for the night (or two), these are two of the best properties to stay at:

El Torreon Bed&Breakfast

El Torreon B & B is a small guesthouse in a cute white building, right in the center of Frigiliana. Guest rooms are charmingly decorated, and there is a gorgeous infinity pool overlooking the Spanish countryside.

Check availability for El Torreon here.

Casa Rural Miller’s of Frigiliana

Casa Rural Miller’s is a small boutique hotel that offers rooms and suites in a typical Frigiliana building in the center of town. There’s a rooftop terrace with a small jacuzzi and views of the sea, as well as access to a lovely shared kitchen and seating area.

Check availability for Casa Rural here

Best Restaurants in Frigiliana

A small staircase leading through lots of plants and pink flowers to a small restaurant looking out into the blue ocean.

These are a few of the top-rated restaurants in Frigiliana:

El Mesón de Mi Princesa Blanca – Beautiful, flower-filled terrace dining area, great traditional food
Restaurante Nueva Tahona – Superb tapas and pizza on the plaza terrace
Restaurant Marisqueria El Sacristan – Lots of seafood options on the plaza terrace
Restaurante El Jardín – Beautiful dining room with delicious food
El Granaino Bar Mesón – For drinks and tapas

Day Tour to Frigiliana from Granada or Malaga

This small group guided day tour from Malaga is perfect for anyone staying near Malaga without a car or who just prefers having a guided tour. On this full day tour, you’ll meet in central Malaga and then ride with the other travelers (maximum group size of 8) to the city of Nerja, then Frigiliana, then a quick stop by the village of El Acebuchal.

During the tour, you’ll be entertained and enlightened to the history and significance of the white villages by your knowledgable local guide, and then return after a full day of exploring to your meeting point in Malaga.

Other travelers have loved this tour – reviews give it 4.85 of 5 stars.

>>Check prices and availability for this day trip tour to Frigiliana here

How to Get to Frigiliana by Bus

There is a bus that runs between the nearby city of Nerja (only 7 km away) and Frigiliana. This bus comes 9 times a day Monday-Friday and 7 times a day Saturday and Sunday. You can get the details about the bus schedule here.

There is a bus that runs between Malaga and Nerja on Saturdays and Sundays. The bus ride between cities takes about 1.5 hours one way. You can then pick up the local bus in Nerja and ride it into Frigiliana. Consult the bus schedule from Malaga to Nerja here.

A Suggested Itinerary that Includes Frigiliana

Look, there are dozens of ways to fit Frigiliana into a southern Spain itinerary. You can take a day trip here from Granada or Malaga as mentioned above, but you could also stop by as you are driving between two larger cities (e.g. between Malaga and Granada). Or you can make it a stop as you jump between white villages in the countryside.

Here’s what I did, and I think it was a really great itinerary. I started in Seville, then went to Malaga, Granada, and Cordoba. Then I swung back around and hit up Frigiliana, the Caminito del Rey, Ronda, and about 6 other pueblo blanco all situated within 30 minutes of each other, before ending up back in Seville.

During the 3-4 days that I spent on the little villages, I stayed in a central spot in the small, off the beaten path white village of Montecorto, at the most charming little guesthouse you can possibly imagine.

A charming bed and breakfast with wood shingling looking at the spanish mountain in the background.

This guesthouse – called “Grandfather’s Mill”, had just 5 rooms, an adorable patio, rooftop terrace, courtyard, garden, and little grove that you could spend your time in. There were orange trees, lemon trees, olive trees, a little well, arched doorways, white paved paths, hammocks, and a little stream running through the property. I never wanted to leave.

A small tiny square with a large tree in the center next to a well and intricate tilework covering the ground.

If you’re going to do a multi-day tour through the pueblo blanco region of Spain, I can’t recommend “El Molino del Abuelo” enough!

How Long Do You Need in Frigiliana

A half day is a perfect amount of time to explore Frigiliana, see the main sites, wander the streets, and get a bite to eat.

Map of Top Attractions in Frigiliana

Final Thoughts on Visiting Frigiliana

Frigiliana is a fairytale village on the pueblo blanco route in Southern Spain that should be on everyone’s itinerary – it’s easy to visit, charming, and has many points of interest that will delight visitors who stroll through her streets.

Guide to Visiting Frigiliana: Spain’s Prettiest White Village