Lorraine Williamson
When The Times set out to name the 50 best places on earth to live, it bypassed the usual glitter of Marbella’s beaches and turned its gaze to the hills. There, in the folds of Málaga’s Sierra Blanca, sits Ojén—a village that feels worlds away from the coast yet is only minutes from it.
Its selection wasn’t surprising to those who know Spain’s “pueblos blancos”, but the recognition has firmly put this once-sleepy enclave on the international map.
Life between peaks and sea breezes
Ojén’s appeal lies in a tension it never tries to resolve: rugged mountain scenery on one side and the Mediterranean’s shimmer on the other. Trails snake up to La Concha, a shell-shaped summit whose views stretch to Gibraltar and, on clear days, the hazy outline of Morocco. The climb is demanding enough to feel like an adventure, yet close enough to town that residents treat it as a regular weekend walk.
Echoes of a layered past
History here is subtle rather than showy. The church still carries the bones of the mosque it replaced. A century-old fountain on the square bubbles with the same spring water locals have relied on for generations. And in a small museum, bottles of Ojén’s once-famous aguardiente recall the days when this aniseed spirit travelled as far as the Spanish royal court.
A retreat for thinkers and creators
Long before travel influencers sang its praises, Ojén drew those seeking space to think. In the 1950s, Charles de Gaulle secluded himself here to draft his memoirs, drawn by the silence and the light. That creative current remains: concerts echo through natural caves whose acoustics rival any concert hall, and small galleries stage exhibitions that belie the village’s size.
The rhythm that wins hearts
Yet awards and history only tell part of the story. What keeps visitors lingering is the daily rhythm—morning chats over coffee, evenings that spill across the plaza, a sense of community that survives even with Marbella’s nightlife just down the road. Living not far from Ojén myself, I can vouch for its rare balance: minutes from the bustle of Marbella’s beaches, yet calm enough to feel a world away. Many arrive for a weekend and find themselves planning a move before they leave.
Sources: Idealista, La Opinion de Malaga