El Burgo, Sierra de Las Nieves National Park - El Burgo - an unspoilt rural white village - just over an hour from Malaga airport

El Burgo is a beautiful, totally unspoilt, but self-sufficient, white village set, just off the Ronda to Coin road. It is situated in a natural rural valley in the heart of the Sierra de Las Nieves National Park - and only 1hr 10mins from Malaga airport.

Geographically El Burgo benefits from being roughly equidistant from Granada, Seville, Cordoba, Marbella, Jerez and Gibraltar - all within 1-2 hours and ideal for a day-trip. Thirty minutes away is: the Andalucian lake district, the prehistoric caves at Benaojan and Ronda’s ancient gorge.

The four roads leading into El Burgo from Coin, Ardales, Ronda and Serrato are documented as being some of the most beautiful in Spain. The views of the mountains, surrounding the valley bowl are amazing and provide the village with a wonderful micro-climate - giving us more sunshine hours than surrounding villages. Being set in a valley, the village is far less steep than most other white villages and also benefits from no through-traffic cutting through its streets.

The countryside surrounding El Burgo is stunning and an area of natural beauty, which supports olive and almond trees, and cereal crops. This natural reserve - rich in bio-diversity - is a maze of spectacular rural footpaths, making it an absolute haven for bird and nature lovers. Eagles, buzzards, egrets, kingfishers, partridges, nightingales and snipe are just a few of the birds that inhabit the region. The two scenic rivers that pass through the outskirts of the village are home to an array of various fish, frogs and turtles.

The village boasts 7 restaurants, including a pizza bar, the hotel and a hostel, many tapas bars, 2 bakeries, many small supermarkets, 2 butchers, 2 fishmongers, 2 churches, a post-office, a pharmacy, a 24-hour doctor’s surgery, a garage and a petrol station. There is also an excellent outside swimming pool, set just out of the village.

El Yoni’s restaurant on the outskirts of El Burgo has a large outside terrace overlooking the gorge and river. The ‘menu del dia’ at 7.50 euros is excellent, and consists of three-courses, a glass of wine and bread.

Pepe’s, just up the road serves food all day and comes highly recommended. You can sit under the trees at lunchtime and enjoy their ‘menu del dia’ at 7.50 euros, or you can dip into a selection of tapas displayed on the bar, or choose from the blackboard or menu.

‘El Pora’ restaurant/café/bar is set at the entrance to the village and is the hub of local life. It is open early in the morning for breakfast and remains open until the early hours serving tapas on the terrace, or ‘menu del dia’ (7.50 euros) or menu food in the restaurant.

Chavitos, restaurant/tapas bar serves a lunchtime ‘menu del dia’ at 7 euros, a wonderful spread of homemade tapas or an ‘a la carte’ menu - in the evenings too.

El Burgo is a little off the beaten track and remains special and the local people are welcoming and special too.

Written by Pauline James - Owner of Property 11176 in El Burgo, Spain