The white village of Zahara de la Sierra in the Cadiz province, Andalucia, Southern Spain

Zahara de la Sierra

The picturesque village of Zahara de la Sierra © Michelle Chaplow
The picturesque village of Zahara de la Sierra © Michelle Chaplow

Zahara de la Sierra

by Chris Chaplow

The white village of Zahara de la Sierra has one of the most stunning settings in the province of Cadiz, if not the whole of Andalucia.

As you drive on the A382 road, which links Arcos de la Frontera with Antequera, or the A376 from Seville to Ronda, you see a castle built on a rocky peak high above the turquoise waters of a lake. Scattered below it are the whitewashed houses of Zahara de la Sierra (not to be confused with the fishing town of Zahara de los Atunes, on the Costa de la Luz north of Tarifa).

The town, with land covering a total of over 70 km2, is built on the sides of the hill whose height ranges between 300m and 1100m. The name of the town, which has about 1500 inhabitants, known as 'Zahareños', probably comes from the Arab word sahra meaning desert.

THINGS TO SEE

The Plaza Mayor is Zahara's main focus and heart, and a pretty place to stop in a bar to watch the world go by. Around the square are the Church of Santa María de la Meza, tourist office, Town Hall, souvenir shop, mirador (viewing spot) terrace bar, and the actual mirador which offers splendid views over the reservoir, the  countryside and across to the village of Olvera in the distance.  Don't miss the stone fountain in the centre - a water trough with a central street light. Read about the Church of Santa María de la MezaTourist Office, Puerta de la Villa (Town Gate), Castle,  Iglesia MajorTorre del Homenaje, Chapel of San Juan de Letran, and the fountains on the Things to see page>

WHERE TO PARK

You can park the car on the main road at the bottom of the village and walk up or is possible to drive into the village. There is a well.-organized one way system so that you enter the village by following signs for the centre, pass along Calle Ronda. Go carefully at lunchtime as the road is narrowed by the restaurants' terraces spilling onto the road. You enter the main square which is the focus point.   If no parking is available, drop off the passengers and drive out on Castillo Mazarin, through the abutments of 'Arco de la Villa' and there is a car park on the roof of Hotel Arco  de la Villa, or continue to park just beyond and walk back to the square.

Ouside Village

Reservoir - Embalse de Zahara - el Gastor.
The reservoir, which is relatively new, has made the town even more popular with visitors, who now have the option of water sports and swimming, sports which didn't exist 10 years ago in Zahara. Just below the town is an area to park the car and walk by the reservoir. You can hire Kayaks to go out on the lake.   Also  Molino "El Vinculo", Area Recretiva Arroyomolinos, La Garganta Verde,  Cueva de la Ermita. Outside the village page>

 

 

>NATURAL AREAS

Grazalema Natural Park is adjacent to the village. More>

HISTORY

Zahara was once described by the romantic British traveller Richard Ford, as a "Moorish eagle's nest - the castle (and town) date back to Moorish times. It was an ideal place to build a fortification located between Sevilla and Ronda and the earliest documented reference dates to 1282. More>

Handicrafts

Local crafts focus on leather goods and saddlery; nearby Ubrique is the most famous town for producing these goods in the area. These traditional practices have remained constant over the centuries, thanks to the town's continuing livestock tradition.

GASTRONOMY

Tomato and asparagus soups are popular local dishes, and pastries such as cream puffs, known as cuernos (horns), are also part of the local gastronomy.

Festivals

The famous fiesta of Corpus Christi has been declared to be of National Tourist Interest. The people of Zahara dress up the fronts of the houses with branches and rushes, making the whole place town as if it were part of the countryside.

BUS TIMETABLE

Comes runs a bus service from Ronda to Cadiz which stops at Zahara de la Sierra. See Comes timetable.

Hotels

Book Hotels in Zahara de la Sierra

Los Estribos

Set in Zahara de la Sierra in the Andalucía region, Los Estribos has a terrace and lake views. The air-conditioned accommodation is 14 km from El Bosque.

A flat-screen TV is offered.

Ronda is 23 km from the tented camp, while Grazalema is 9 km from the property. The nearest airport is Jerez Airport, 61 km from Los Estribos.

Entre Vistas

Situated in Zahara de la Sierra, 35 km from Plaza de Espana and 35 km from Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, Entre Vistas features air-conditioned accommodation with a balcony and free WiFi. This recently renovated country house is located 32 km from Cueva del Gato and 34 km from Tajo's Tree-lined Avenue.

El Buen Sitio

El Buen Sitio is located in the charming hilltop town of Zahara, in the Sierra de Grazalema Nature Reserve. This three-bedroom house has a balcony with great mountain views.

The house features a single bedroom, a twin bedroom and a double bedroom. There is a lounge with sofas and a flat-screen TV.

Al Lago

Offering views of Embalse de Zahara Lake, Al Lago is a boutique hotel featuring attractive rooms with balconies. Set in the centre of Zahara, it has a restaurant and a terrace.

Each spacious, air-conditioned room at Al Lago has bright, modern décor. All rooms have a flat-screen TV and a private bathroom.

Casa Rural el Patio

Located in Zahara de la Sierra, 35 km from Plaza de Espana and 35 km from Iglesia de Santa María la Mayor, Casa Rural el Patio provides air-conditioned accommodation with a patio and free WiFi. The property has city and inner courtyard views, and is 34 km from Tajo's Tree-lined Avenue.

NEXT VILLAGES

Nearby villages are Montecorto, Algodonales, Grazalema, El Gastor

Walking guide books by Guy Hunter Watts

Buy walking guide books by Guy Hunter Watts

"Walking in Andalucia" by Guy Hunter Watts

Cicerone Walking in Andalucía is a 260 page full colour guide to some of the very best walks in southern Spain, taking the walker on 34 routes - all starting and most finishing in beautiful villages - in the Natural Parks of Grazalema, La Alpujarra, Cazorla, Los Alcornocales, Aracena, and La Axarquia. Many of the full and half day walks are virtually unknown even though they are a short drive from the Costa del Sol. Even though more and more people are beginning to walk Spain's southern sierras, most of the routes remain blissfully undiscovered. Guy says, 'If you decide to head for the hills with my guide you can be sure of two things: you will be walking through areas of great natural beauty and you will meet with other walkers.'  
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Walking in Andalucia.

 

"Coastal walks in Andalucia" by Guy Hunter Watts

Coastal walks  in Andalucia 45 great coastal walks close to Andalucia's Mediterranean and Atlantic coasts. Discover the best hiking trails close to Vejer, Caños de Meca, Conil, Tarifa, Bolonia, Gibraltar, Casares, Estepona, Marbella, Istán, Mijas, Benalmádena, Alhaurín, Cómpeta, Fuengirola, Nerja, Maro and Almuñecar. Talk to most people about the coast of Andalucía and they’ll picture the small swathe of seaboard that runs from Torremolinos to Estepona, the heartland of what is commonly sold as the Costa del Sol. First associations are of crowded beaches, busy coastal roads and blocks of holiday apartments. Few amongst them will conjure up visions of the mighty chain of mountains, the tail end of the Sierra Subbética, which rises up a few kilometres back from the sea. Nor do they tend to evoke the wilder beaches of the Costa de la Luz or the footpaths that run just a few metres from the Atlantic surf.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Coastal Walks in Andalucia.

 

"The Andalucian coast to coast walk " by Guy Hunter Watts

coast to coast walk A stunning 21 day, 435 kilometre trail that links the Mediterranean with the Atlantic. The walk passes through six of Andalucia's Natural Parks and protected areas via its most beautiful mountain villages. Far more than a long walk, this on-foot odyssey can lead you to the heart of southern Spain's magnificent sierras and on a life-changing journey of discovery. One of the best things about the simple act of walking is the sense of reconnecting with Nature and the Big Wide World. We've been moving around on two feet for a very long time yet still, in the simple act of putting one foot in front of the next and moving across landscape, it seems that we reassert our identity. Day to day worries fall into insignificance, or rather true significance, when we get out into the mountains and walking is about a lot more than taking exercise.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers The Andalucian Coast-to-coast Walk.

 

"Walking the Mountains of Ronda and Grazalema" by Guy Hunter Watts

Cicerone The dramatically situated town of Ronda can make a great base for a walking holiday in the mountains of Andalucía, as can any one of the picturesque 'pueblos blancos' (white villages) that nestle among the surrounding hills. This guidebook presents 32 mainly circular walks in the Ronda region, covering the town and its environs, the Natural Parks of La Sierra de Grazalema and La Sierra de las Nieves (both UNESCO biosphere reserves), and the Genal and Guadiaro Valleys. Clear route description is illustrated with mapping, and the route summary table and 'at a glance' information boxes make it easy to choose the right walk.
Buy a printed or eBook copy online direct from publishers Walking the Mountains of Ronda and Grazalema.

 
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