Scarlet Jenkins
THE mountainous town of Gaucin in Andalucia has been described as ‘Spain’s most picture-perfect town,’ in an article by The Telegraph.
The piece by Alexander Fiske-Harrison glorifies the town for having ‘great rolling cliffs and forest, valleys and rivers’.
It also highlights Gaucin’s slightly lower temperatures compared to the rest of the region due to its altitude, both elements that make it a great attraction to British tourists.
With a long history of artists residing there, including the infamous opera heroin Carmen, the town used to be renowned and loved for its ‘authenticity.’
But now, like Notting Hill in London, it has become the home for many of the middle class who are looking for somewhere quaint to live out their days.
This gentrification, as you might call it, of ‘bohemians of a richer class’, may have benefited the town, and be part of the reason it is so well regarded today.
With big money being injected into the area by the likes of billionaires like Lord Sainsbury and other celebrities such as Claire Danes, Gaucin is well managed and a high class of restaurants and hotels have begun to pop up.
One such place is the Platero & Co, described by the Michelin Guide as ‘a vision of perfection with its rustic ambiance…built around the very best local and seasonal products.’
Ultimately the article celebrates the town for its views and landscape that ‘make this town what it is.’
Driving on the Manilva-Gaucin Road (A377) and having arrived at the beginning of the descent into the Genal Valley, you have the best view onto the silhouette of Gaucin. It reminds me of a crocodile. The ‘body’ meanders on top of the mountain ridge while the head with the mouth is represented by the castle Castillo del Aguila.