Bed and Breakfast

Bed and Breakfast In Andalucia © Michelle Chaplow
Bed and Breakfast with that all important sunshine, in Andalucia © Michelle Chaplow

Bed and Breakfast

One of the most pleasant ways to enjoy the most authentic side of life in Andalucia is to stay at a Bed and Breakfast. Throughout southern Spain you can find charming, small hotels that operate as bed and breakfasts. These are located in the heart of emblematic towns and cities as well as out in the countryside and even along the coast often in quaint seaside villages.

In reality there is a wide array of traditional architecture to see and experience in southern Spain. These range from the typical “cortijo” farmbuilding that is built around a central patio, to the oldstyle city flats that raise an entire low-rise building around a large communal patio, to the cave dwellings found in some areas. What they all have in common is a design that keeps them cool in the summer and you should be able to find examples of each that operate as Bed and Breakfast hotels as you travel through this region.

When you stay at a Spanish bed and breakfast hotel it is useful to understand the Spanish concept of breakfast as it is often simply a coffee and a pastry or toast with the traditional olive oil or fresh tomato paste for topping. However, while breakfast may be light, it is customary to have a snack at mid-morning and then many bed and breakfast hotels offer the typical,  Spanish style lunch or meal of the day at an extra cost. This, however, can be well worth the price as it should fill you up for the rest of the day and you can do like the Spanish with a coffee and snack in the late afternoon and then a tapa or two for dinner.

Staying at a Bed and Breakfast in Andalucia is also an excellent way to meet locals and fellow travellers.