Caminito del Rey, Málaga Province
Pinned to near-vertical limestone cliffs above the turquoise Guadalhorce River, the Caminito del Rey is a 7.7-kilometre walkway through the Desfiladero de los Gaitanes gorge that was once the most dangerous footpath in Europe. Fully restored and reopened in 2015, it is now safe — but the vertiginous drops, soaring rock walls and kingfisher-blue water below remain every bit as spectacular.
The Walk Itself
The route runs mostly one-way from the northern entrance at Ardales to the southern exit at Álora, passing through a sequence of dramatic landscapes: narrow gorge sections where the walls close to just a few metres apart, open valley meadows, a 100-metre-high suspended wooden walkway bolted directly to the cliff face, and two short tunnel sections cut through solid rock.
The total walking time is around 3–4 hours at a comfortable pace. The path is mostly flat — it was originally built in the 1900s to allow workers to carry materials along the hydroelectric dams — but the exposure to height can feel intense on the cliff-edge sections.
Practical Planning
Entry is managed by timed ticket to control crowds; book well in advance at caminitodelrey.info, especially for weekends between March and October. Tickets cost €10 and include a shuttle bus between the two entrance points.
The nearest base is the town of Álora or the village of Ardales, both charming and largely tourist-free. The walk is not recommended for those with severe vertigo, and children under 8 are not permitted on the route.
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