we’ve wanted to do the caminito del rey ever since we heard they had restored it after being closed for years… and so last summer we finally hiked it, as part of the andalusian roadtrip we were doing with our friends. though we arrived horribly late and almost missed our turn, the nice people there still let us through for the last trip of the day, and it was well worth it!

the views of the gorges are truly spectacular, and the photos our little phone cameras captured don’t do them justice. the walkways are all sound and sturdy, though in some places you can still see the old paths, rusting away.

the original path was built to connect 2 hydropower dams, so that workers could transport the materials between them. it was finished in 1905, and a few years later, king alfonso xiii walked it to inaugurate the dam and voilà — the name stuck.

it’s not recommended for people who are afraid of heights though…

… but if you can stomach it, it’s truly stunning! :)