White villages, pueblos blancos, are small villages in southern Spain. They sit in the mountains, accessible by winding roads, and are chiefly recognizable by their color: they are built of white buildings, on narrow, winding streets, and they date back hundreds of years, most from the Moorish period.

They reflect a Moorish building strategy. Narrow, winding streets allow the city to be in the shade almost all day, and the white buildings reflect away the heat of the sun. Muslim scientists understood well how to create beautiful, cool cities in the heat of southern Spain and north Africa. They often feature prominent arches, allowing people to cross from one building to another over the narrow streets. One of the most beautiful examples is Arcos de la Frontera, named for the many arches over the streets. Arcos, with its 28,000 inhabitants, is built among mountains, with hilly streets and gorgeous overlooks from which one can see the vineyards of the gorgeous countryside.

Arcos de la Frontera, Vejar de la Frontera, and Zahara de la Sierra, as well as other villages in the region, are a beautiful, relaxing, interesting tourist destination; they are as yet not terribly touristed, especially by foreigners, so they allow the traveler to experience a very Spanish way of life. Cobblestone streets and whitewashed buildings reflect the union of Muslim and European that typifies Spain; the Middle Ages are well preserved in some parts of the world.