Southern Spain’s natural parks, white towns (pueblos blancos), and cultural traditions are the true rulers of the Iberian Peninsula.

We journeyed five days by car between Malaga and Seville, stopping at – some expected, and some unexpected – places along the way: Ronda, Sierra de las Nieves, Sierra de Grazalema, Arcos de la Frontera, and Jerez de la Frontera.

Despite occasional mishaps – from a parking ticket, to staying one night at separate hotels only 20 miles apart, to driving briefly down a pedestrian thoroughfare – the Iberian Peninsula was an important cultural foundation of our eight-week trip to Spain that we would not trade, especially…

• our stay and horse riding on organic farm Tambor del Llano adjacent to a national park;

• a baroque concert featuring Paco Seco in Ronda’s Iglesia de Santa Maria de Mayor;

• flamenco and sherry at Tabanco el Pasaje in Jerez; and

• a visit to watch a rigorous Monday of training for Spanish purebred (P.R.E.) horses and their riders at the Fundacion Real Escuela Andaluza del Arte Ecuestre.