BEST Things To Do in Frigiliana Spain On A Day Trip

Looking for things to do in Frigiliana Spain on a day trip? Or maybe you plan to stay a few days while you explore the surroundings? I’ve got you covered!

After living on Costa del Sol for over 10 years, I’ve visited Frigiliana more times than I can count. It’s such a lovely little town, though it’s gained a lot of popularity among tourists, it’s still evident why it’s one of the most beautiful white villages in Andalucia.

With whitewashed houses, steeped cobbled streets, well-maintained pot plants, and just enough restaurants and bars with sea views, Frigiliana will easily spellbind you from the moment you set foot there.

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Things to do in Frigiliana Spain

Visit the museum at the Palace of the Counts of Frigiliana

Right above the Plaza de las Tres Culturas, on Plaza El Ingenio, you find the large Reneissance palace, Palace of the Counts of Frigiliana. It was also a chapel inside.

It dates back to the 16th century and was built using stones from the old castle on top of the hill.

The palace was later used as a cane sugar factory and is recognized for the Secco paintings on the walls. Inside, you can see how the production of cane sugar, syrup, and honey took place.

The road up to the Palace of the Counts of Frigiliana.

Get lost in the narrow streets

Frigiliana is famed for its beautiful streets and well-maintained houses with pot plants and intricate decorations.

As you can imagine, taking your time walking through these streets is a must when you consider what to do in Frigiliana.

If you don’t have time to do any other things when you visit, you might even feel like it’s enough strolling around the village itself for a couple of hours.

Make sure you wear good walking shoes and be prepared for a lot of hills. Luckily, there are plenty of benches to relax on if you get tired.

Tourists walking between whitewashed houses which is one of the best things to do in Frigiliana Spain.

Shop for unique gifts

While strolling around the village, a good excuse to take a break is to peek into the many handicraft shops.

There are also art galleries where you can find paintings and photography by local artists which I think are some of the most unique things to see in Frigiliana.

There are plenty of shopping opportunities so you won’t have problems finding gifts and other souvenirs to bring with you home.

Whether you’re looking for clothes or handmade jewelry, the many boutiques have plenty of unique items.

Art shop in Frigiliana with colorful paintings outside of men and hands.

Visit the Church of San Antonio

When strolling around the village, make sure you don’t miss out on the Church of San Antonio. It’s a modest church, but the interior is pretty with golden chapels and arches.

The church dates back to 1676 and was built on the site of an old hermitage. I especially like the large wooden doors that were built by local artist Bartolomé de la Cruz in the mid-1800s.

Have lunch with a view

There are many restaurants and bars to choose from and most of them offer sweeping coastal views. I’d recommend one if I could, but I’ve actually enjoyed most places I’ve eaten in Frigiliana.

There are quite a few ones above the terraced gardens above Plaza de Las Tres Culturas, but even hidden in the narrow streets, you can walk into to nice courtyards.

Restaurants in Frigiliana with people eating and drinking.

Explore the viewpoints above the village

Frigiliana is spoilt for viewpoints. So it might not come as a surprise that checking out these is on top of the list when it comes to what to do in Frigiliana.

You might have spotted some of them before lunch, but as I suggest a walk up to the Castle ruins after lunch, the best viewpoints are on the way there.

So I suggest you leave the viewpoints above the village for after lunch.

If you zig-zag up to the top of the village, you’ll reach Panorámica Frigiliana which, in my opinion, has the best views of Frigiliana and the coast.

Views of Frigiliana and the coast on a sunny day.

Hike to El Castillo

Warning! This is a strenuous walk for anyone who’s not used to hiking and with bad knees. If that’s you, consider if you want to go up to see the views or if you prefer chilling with something to drink and some tapas in the village instead.

If you continue up from the Panorámica Frigiliana Viewpoint, you’ll reach a trail taking you through terraced gardens and further up to the forest.

There are signs to El Castillo and once you reach the top of the hill, you need to walk out to the end. And I’ll warn you before you get disappointed because there are no castle ruins.

At least I haven’t found any. But there are spectacular views and apparently, this is the spot where the castle once stood guarding Frigiliana in Medieval times.

The hike takes around 15-20 minutes up to the place where the castle once stood. This is definitely my favorite spot of what to see in Frigiliana, but again, I’m a sucker for hiking and a good view.

Views from El Castillo Frigiliana of the village, surrounding forest, and the deep blue coast at the far end.

If you have more time…

If you have more time than one day in Frigiliana, here are some of my top tips on what to do. The area is a hiker’s paradise and home to a couple of the best hikes in Costa del Sol.

Besides, Nerja is just a 15-minute trip away and one of the best towns to visit near Malaga, so why not go check it out?

Hike Acequia del Lizar

If you enjoy hiking, a holiday to Frigiliana is not going to disappoint. My favorite hike that goes straight from the village is Acequia del Lizar looping back along Rio Higueron.

It’s a 10.4 km hike and takes 4-5 hours. I warn you, though! It’s not for you if you suffer from vertigo. A large part of the trail follows the old irrigation ditch and it’s steep down.

Parts of the trail is fenced, but part of it isn’t. This part is not that steep, but some sections are old and not as well maintained as the fenced sections.

Personally, I don’t think it’s dangerous in any place, though, so if you don’t suffer from severe vertigo, it’s a really cool hike!

I wrote a complete hiking guide on my hiking blog which you can read here.

Hiking along the irrigation ditch of Acequia del Lizar Frigiliana with endless views of pine forests.

Hike Rio Higueron

If you prefer a hike safely on the ground, Rio Higueron is fantastic all year round. In the summer, it’s great for walking in the water and cool down in the water holes.

But note that it takes a while before you actually reach the water so bring enough to drink and a hat to protect yourself from the sun.

The great thing about hiking Rio Higueron is that you can walk as far as you like and turn around when you feel like it. So you can make it a 2-3 hour hike or a 6-hour hike depending on your fitness level, the time you have available, and how much time you want to spend in the water.

Water trickling down Rio Higueron in the shade of green trees.

Visit Nerja Caves

The prehistoric caves of Nerja are less than a 15-minute drive from Frigiliana and one of the best things to do in Nerja. So if you use Frigiliana as a base, you have no excuse to miss out on them!

The caves are famous for holding the largest stalagmite in the world and the first chamber has a fabulous acoustic. So much so that they have been holding concerts there and made a little stage.

Make sure you book tickets in advance so you don’t have to wait. The entrance ticket includes an audio guide in different languages.

The largest stalagmite in the world inside Nerja Caves

Take a day trip to Nerja

I highly recommend taking a day trip to Nerja to explore the beautiful coastal town. Make sure you check out the views from Balcón de Europa, walk down to the beaches, and stroll around the town center.

It’s always vivid in Nerja, no matter what time of the year you visit and there is a great shopping scene as well as plenty of bars and restaurants.

If you visit in summer, I highly recommend going kayaking in Nerja. The coast of Maro (from Burriana Beach) offers crystal clear waters, hidden beaches, waterfalls into the sea (though they might not be there due to drought), and underwater caves.

Beautiful white arches with colorful pot plants and views of the sea.

How to get there

Getting to Frigiliana is easy by car and by bus. It takes around 15 minutes to drive the 4 kilometers up windy mountain roads from Nerja making it one of the most popular day trips from Nerja.

I’ve never had problems parking along the main road, but sometimes you have to walk a few minutes into the village. There’s also a small, free parking lot just past the village, but I’ve never found space there.

Alternatively, you can park at the underground car park under Plaza de las Tres Culturas which has a cost of 1.50 Euros per hour and a maximum of 10 Euros a day.

There are also daily buses from Nerja to Frigiliana that also take around 15 minutes. Tickets are only 1.20 Euros one way and you can pay cash to the driver. You can find the timetables here.

Buses and tourist train in Frigiliana.

Where to stay

There are a few hotels in Frigiliana and plenty of apartments for rent. I liked the Hotel Villa Frigiliana as it’s central and offers stunning views. There’s even a seasonal pool.

🐾If you’re traveling with dogs, Casa Rural Miller’s of Frigiliana is fantastic and pet-friendly. It’s a cozy, family-run boutique hotel in the heart of Frigiliana with only 5 rooms and 2 apartments.

Street in Frigiliana with a large cactus on the side of the wall and cobbled streets.

Best time to visit

Frigiliana is a fantastic place to visit all year round. In the summer months, especially July and August, it’s very hot, but for a day trip, it’s still great as you have the Nerja coast right below where you can go swimming in the morning and the evening.

If you plan to stay longer in Frigiliana, you can hike to Rio Higueron and cool down there, though I must warn you, that it does take some time before you reach the water.

During the period from fall to spring, it’s just wonderful to visit Frigiliana whether you want to go hiking or enjoy a cold drink in the sun.

Tourists shopping in the small boutique shops of Frigiliana Spain.

Reflections on what to do in Frigiliana Spain

Summing up, Frigiliana is a fantastic white village with plenty to do during a day trip but also enough to spend a couple of days more if you decide to use it as a base or you want to explore the hiking trails.

That Frigiliana is one of the prettiest white villages in Andalucia is not arguable at all. With its whitewashed houses and well-looked-after plants and flowers throughout the squares and streets, it’s absolutely picture-perfect.

Happy travels!