Many non-Spaniards pronounce the name incorrectly.I told Judyshannonstreetwhat to say "Frigid-lee-AH-nah" and then make the "g" softly gutteral and drop the "d." She had an hour in the car to practice on our drive to "Frigiliana," the Pueblo Blanco (White Village) we visited Monday.
This is one of the most beautiful of the White Villages of Southern Spain — so-called because they are constructed of white-stucco and not, as some have wondered, because only white people are allowed to live in them.
As a matter of fact, Frigiliana prides itself on its enlightenment and respect for diversity. The central plaza is called "Plaza de las Tres Culturas" (Plaza of the Three Cultures) and includes symbols of the three major religions, the Star of David, the Christian Cross, and the Crescent of Islam. Every year in late August, Frigiliana hosts the "Festival of the Three Cultures."
Beyond that welcome, the village is historic and breathtaking. San Geraldo led the way up through the winding streets of the old Moorish-Mudejar district. Every so often, we'd lose sight of him only to see him peek back around a corner in glee waiting for us to see what was next. We climbed and climbed to the very top of the city, discovering magic all along the way.
(Click the images to see the magic for yourself.)
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| ALMOST BACK DOWN TO THE PLAZA DE LAS TRES CULTURAS BEFORE HEADING OFF INTO THE SUNSET. |
WOW! What a cool place to see! I really need to visit España.
ReplyDeleteTheOtherJudy
Judy:
DeleteYes, you do!!!
Looks like a fun and interesting place to explore.
ReplyDeleteFrank:
DeleteWe are still wowed by it. Next time, I want to study more of the history.
Thanks for the memories Mitch ! We had two holidays touring the White Towns way back in the early 70's, long before the building boom. Medina Sidonia is another picture-perfect village.
ReplyDeleteCoppa's Girl:
DeleteIt must have been amazing to see back then. A lot more rustic. We've seen some Pueblos Blancos but have talked about doing a driving tour of a bunch of them.
What a beautiful place! I can only imagine that the residents are in fantastic cardio vascular shape with all that climbing! Spectacular scenery!
ReplyDeleteJim:
DeleteLike strolling San Francisco!
You remind me that the next time I travel to Spain I need to spend less time in the big cities and more in splendid little towns like this one. Take care.
ReplyDeleteStephen:
DeleteSo worth it. This was a spur of the moment drive and we're still marveling.
Coppa's girl sent me over here to look at your photos. I wrote a piece yesterday about a forthcoming trip to Spain in March, we are driving down from Santander, stopping at Salamanca and Seville and then a week in Nerja. Very interesting to see your pics.
ReplyDeleteSue:
DeleteGratitude to Coppa's Girl and to you. Sevilla is incredible. Nerja is picturesque. Frigiliana is just north of Nerja. We haven't been to Salamanca. Hope you'll share your experience. What a trip that will all be!
This is fantastic Mitch.......would love to meander the walkways and steps throughout this village. The smile says it all!
ReplyDeleteRon
Ron:
DeleteWe are all still smiling when we think about our day.
fancy little village!
ReplyDeleteanne marie:
DeleteTruly amazing. And so much more to see and discover.
Your photos rival a travel agency. I so want to see Spain now.
ReplyDeleteSpo:
DeleteThanks. I sometimes have to remind myself to not think only in terms of photos, but they usually enhance my experience.
Oh, how beautiful. Just stunning.
ReplyDeleteJennifer:
DeleteWe weren't prepared for how breathtaking it would be.