Arcos
de la Frontera.

Arcos de la Frontera sits on a cliff above the Guadalete River in Andalusia. It is one of the best-known pueblos blancos, the white villages scattered through the surrounding hills. The old town follows a street plan shaped by centuries of Moorish and Christian rule: narrow lanes climb and twist between whitewashed walls, opening now and then onto small squares. At the highest point, the main square balances on the cliff edge, next to the Santa María church, which overlooks the river valley far below. A castle and a parador hotel share the same clifftop, both facing the same drop to the river. The town is defined by its setting: streets end abruptly at railings and viewpoints, with daily life continuing around them.