Olvera Spain – Family Travel with Kids

Olvera, Spain is a wonderful small city in the Andalusia area of Spain. Olvera is one of the beautiful Pueblo Blancos. These white washed cities have the feeling of a wedding train tumbling down a hill. Other white washed cities include Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, Grazalema, Vejer de la Frontier, Zahara de la Sierra, and several more. Each of these cities has its own personality and features.

We chose Olvera because we found a great little apartment in the middle of town for a wonderful price. It was a very good choice. We loved spending our days walking around this lovely town and enjoying the atmosphere. We were there in January and it could be a little chilly but with layers it worked out nicely. We stayed through Carnival and it was such a unique experience.

Our visit to Olvera Spain was in Jan/Feb 2018 – this post has been updated since that time with more details.

Location

Olvera is located about 30 minutes north of picturesque Ronda and is surrounded by some very photogenic and delicious olive groves (hense the name). Within a 2 ½ drive are the wonderful and popular cities of Seville, Cordoba, and Gibraltar. About 1 ½ hour away is the Costa De Sol for a great beach break. If you want more of a change in scenery Gibraltar and even Morocco can make a great trip.

The views start on the drive up to the Olvera. It’s lovely. Car is the best way to get to Olvera although there may be bus service. Use caution driving until you get a good feel of the city (although getting lost can be fun). Roads are narrow, some are one-ways and other aren’t big enough for a car Several days some of the streets were closed for markets. I recommend parking along the main street near the bottom of the hill and getting out and walking. Once you’re parked you won’t need your car.

Things to Do in Olvera Spain

The Street of Olvera

Olvera is made mostly of winding white-washed alley’s. Some are large enough for cars. Others are not. Our street could fit most small cars (but you had to pull your mirrors in). Give yourself time to wander – the groceries, some restaurants and pastry shops look just like all the other buildings and can be a nice surprise. Several small squares can make lovely stops for a rest.

The Parish of Our Lady of the Incarnation

I tend to wander up when exploring Spanish cities and Overa is no exception. Make it to the top and you will be rewarded with some of the prettiest views in Spain. At the top of the city like the decoration at the top of a wedding cake it the beautiful Parroquia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación (the Parish of Our Lady of the Incarnation). Stop and take some photos and you’ll be rewarded. The inside of the church is also a wonderful stop.

Arab Castle

Next to church is the Arab Castle. This castle was constructed in the 12th – 13th century. A network of castles throughout the are would communicate with each other through sigling. This castle is fun to explore and photos are again fabulous. Nearby you’ll also see the old Moorish wall with some of the white washed homes built up beside it.

Plaza de Andalusia

On the way back down walk by the Plaza de Andalusia. This is a larger more cosmopolitan street with shops but very pretty. There is a small playground at the plaza (and another one just a block away) The walk up the hill from the plaza has some friendly birds and leads to the Peñón del Sagrado Corazón de Jesús (the Rock of the Sacred Heart of Jesus). It’s a really pleasant gardened walk.

Playgrounds

The city boasts numerous playgrounds. One of our favorite things to do was to pack a lunch (kid friendly food choices are a must) and wander through town stopping at the playgrounds. There are 2 near the Plaza de Andalusia and one mid way down the street at the base of the hill. There is a larger one on the newer side of town that is still a nice walk and one near the Vía Verde de la Sierra.

Via Verde de Sierra

The Via Verde de Sierra was one of our favorite surprises about the area. This very well maintained hiking / biking path stretches 24 miles and is part of a former rail system. The views are beautiful and the kids just loved biking and walking through the tunnels. Part of the path goes through the Penon de Zaframagon a nature preserve with a large colony of griffon vultures.

There is a nice cafe and playground at the beginning of the trail. We loved packing a lunch, going down the trail, then resting at the cafe for Tapas while the kids played. The olive trees that are everywhere add to the experience.

Things to know about Olvera

Language

Spanish, not as many people know English as the bigger cities. We used Google Translate when we were stumped. Learning numbers and a few nouns can be really helpful. There is a decent UK expat presents but they’re not always easy to find. I did see an English school and wondered if they had Spanish classes too.

Lodging

The town has a few hotels but not many and there are some bed and breakfasts. We stayed at an AirBnB in the middle of town. We loved the location, the ability to walk everywhere, the charm of staying in a classic white wash home, and especially the bread and veggie deliveries.

Internet

Internet could be sketchy at times. From what we understand, the internet can be difficult in the entire city. We did at times have some difficulty getting work done as we were planning.

Budget

Olvera is very affordable. We spent about $700 for our lodging. We bought most of our food at the grocery and stopped by the local general store when other supplies were low. We didn’t do many activities since strolling and finding playgrounds kept us busy.

Getting Around

Car to get there but after you park – stay on foot. A bike would be great for the Via Verde de Sierra. We bought a couple of scooters while in town. Closest airport are Seville and Malaga.

Food

There are several cafe’s in the area. Breakfast if more of a danish and a coffee. Lunch is around 2 and dinner does not start until 9. We did better packing our lunch, small Tapas at 2 then eating dinner at home. We started to get to know the near-by grocers and enjoyed getting fresh bread.

One of our favorite parts of Olvera were the morning food trucks. Each morning different trucks would come by and honk depending on what they had. The veggie truck was our favorite but the bread truck was great too. Our road was very small so the honking horns (about 3 feet from the head of our bed) didn’t allow for much sleeping in.

Siesta

Most places close 2-4 (even the grocery stores). It took some time to get our routine adjusted to local time but we made it worked. We planned our shopping earlier to avoid being hungry in the afternoon.

When to Visit

Summer can be very hot and likely more crowded. Jan was a little chilly. I’d aim for shoulder season. Olvera does have several small carnival celebrations that were fun. Easter may be a good time as well (although I don’t know of particular activities).

Pros:

Beautiful, small winding streets, many playgrounds, several activities for the kids during the day. Driving distance to many larger cities to explore.

Cons:

It was a little difficult for us to meet people. After our 6 week stay it was getting a little lonely. Our internal clocks did not adjust well to the late night Spanish lifestyle. Next time I’ll look for a city with more traveling families.