The Barrio de la Villa is Conil's original walled old town, entered through the Arco de la Villa and spreading out around the Torre de Guzmán. It is the most visually coherent part of the town: narrow lanes of whitewashed houses, window boxes with geraniums, the occasional glimpse of a tiled courtyard, and a general quiet that contrasts with the beach bustle a few minutes' walk away.
The barrio has been lived in continuously since the medieval period and retains the irregular organic street plan that comes from centuries of gradual construction rather than any planned layout. The streets are too narrow for cars and in the heat of the afternoon they are in deep shadow — a design that was entirely practical before air conditioning. Wander without a destination and you will find the best of it.
The section around the church of Santa Catalina and the square near the Arco is the most active part of the old town, with tapas bars, small shops, and the morning activity of the market nearby. The streets further north towards the torre are quieter and more residential.