Spain Destinations: Caminito del Rey, Malaga

This almost 8-kilometre path near Malaga (Andalucia) was considered one of the most dangerous in the world. Nowadays, the entire route has been carefully restored and it’s now much safer. Enjoy the unique experience of walking along walkways hanging over 100 meters up on a cliff.

The route is linear, not circular, and it goes in one direction, downwards from north to south. It is almost 8 km long, and takes three to four hours to complete. Visitors need to organize the way back to the starting point. They can choose one of the following options: walk back, or take a shuttle bus that goes from the northern access point in Ardales to the southern one at El Chorro in Álora and back.

In the early 20th century, a canal was planned from the northern reservoirs to El Chorro, so a hydroelectric power station could make the most of the uneven land. This meant that there had to be a path to maintain this canal, and it was known as ‘Caminito del Rey’ because the works were officially opened by King Alfonso XIII. However, humans have been living in this natural area since prehistoric times, as we can see from the large amount of Neolithic sites.