The second part of our late-March sun break in Andalusia. We capped off the trip with a few days in a rental car exploring the white villages (pueblos blancas) of Zahara de la Sierra and Grazalema and the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.
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This is part of our March 2022 trip to Andalusia:
- Andalusia in March: Planning a Spring Break
- Andalusia in March: Part 1 – Málaga, Córdoba, Granada, and Ronda
- Andalusia in March: Part 2 – Sierra de Grazalema
Sierra de Grazalema (3 days)
The Sierra de Grazalema region and its Natural Park is home to a third of Spain’s plant diversity, and has a microclimate that makes Grazalema one of its wettest places. The town of Grazalema is a popular destination for walking groups, and for locals on the weekends. It somewhat felt like if someone smashed together scenery from our previous Picos de Europa (similar limestone massifs) and Southwest Portugal trips.
The nearby picturesque village of Zahara de la Sierra, clinging to its hillside with its historic castle looming overhead, ultimately won out as our home base for its unique scenery, castle, and affordability.
Zahara de la Sierra Arrival | Trip Day 4
(continued from Part 1…)
The rest of the drive from Ronda to Zahara de la Sierra was scenic but uneventful. Zahara’s topography and narrow streets should dissuade the casual tourist from attempting to drive their rental car any further than one of the public parking areas. We used the lot at 36.83717, -5.39004 for the duration of our stay due to its proximity to our hotel.
After parking and toting our bags from the car, we checked in to our room at Hostal Rural Marques de Zahara (Booking.com | Hotels.com). Once settled, we walked up to the Mirador Alameda Jardin de los Pinsapos for our first glimpse of the reservoir and the other side of the village built into the hillside. We noted during our walk that many places (hotels, restaurants, and shops) were not yet open for the season. We started to worry about our dinner options, but ended up at Hotel Arco de la Villa and enjoyed a good meal.
Garganta Verde Hike, Mud Rain, and Olvera Castle | Trip Day 5
We ate breakfast at our hotel, and then Sean drove us to the trailhead for the Garganta Verde hike. This was a cloudy day with rain in the forecast, and our first encounter with mud rain. Mud rain (or blood rain) is a common Mediterranean phenomenon wherein hot, southerly winds collect fine Saharan Desert dust that eventually mix with spring or summer rainstorms. The suspended dust then falls as a mud-colored silt.
Garganta Verde Hike
The Garganta Verde hike (5km | 350m ascent/descent | 3h-5hr) begins from the parking lot located at approximately 4km from Zahara de la Sierra in the direction of Grazalema. As of 2022, hikers require a free permit which could be requested via email ([email protected]).
We parked under cloudy and misty skies. After a short walk through the forest, you quickly start the descent along striped limestone canyon walls that are home to large colonies of griffon vultures. We could hear them, but they were initially annoyingly elusive through the mist on this day. At the bottom of the gorge, the river was flowing rapidly (due to recent rainfall) among large, slick boulders and trees. On a calmer day, you can cross it and continue to Cueva de la Ermita (Hermita de la Garganta), a large cave with pink stalactites.
After loitering by the river for a bit, enjoying the scenery, we began our ascent back to the trailhead. We climbed slowly and paused frequently, hoping to spot more those elusive vultures. Alas, they remained out of sight and soon we were back at the parking lot and our rental car. Both the car and our rainjackets were dotted with muddy raindrops by this point.
Olvera
Due to the poor weather and visibility, we opted to drive to Olvera to see its 12th century castle (Castillo de Olvera) instead of attempting another hike. Olvera is just under 33km from Zahara de la Sierra. We parked in the public lot labeled “Parking Plaza Matadero” and walked the short distance to the tourist office and castle entrance. We paid the small entrance fee to the attendant at the tourist office, then started our climb up to the castle walls under a mud-colored sky. The walls are an elongated triangle shape, conforming to the underlying rock.
After completing our castle visit, we walked about 900m across town to Pastelería la Gloria for afternoon snacks, which we brought back to the hotel to eat. We concluded this day back in Zahara with dinner at Bar Josefi (cash only) and a short walk afterward through town.
El Torreón Hike and Grazalema | Trip Day 6
We again started the day with breakfast at our hotel. Then we drove to the trailhead for the El Torreón hike, hoping for better luck with the continuing gray and cloudy skies. Shortly before reaching the parking lot, we spotted some ibex from the car in a rocky drainage.
Trailhead: a car park just past the 44km marker on the A-372 (from Grazalema to El Bosque)
The El Torreón summit hike (6.4km | 780m ascent/descent | 3h10m – 5hr) requires a free administrative permit, which we requested easily via email (they asked for passport photos before issuing the permit). We set out from the parking lot under cloudy skies, hoping for a break before reaching the summit. Even with low clouds, I found the rocky landscape interesting and we encountered goats along the way. Luck was not on our side today, though — the famous 360-degree summit views were completely obscured by low clouds.
Grazalema
From the El Torreón trailhead, we drove to Grazalema village and parked in the public lot at the sharp switchback in the A-372 on the east side. Our leisurely walk through town started at Plaza de España (deserted on this cloudy and rainy Sunday) and meandered along Calle de San Jose to Iglesia de San José, Calle del Doctor Mateos Gago, and back to Plaza de España with Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de Aurora. I particularly enjoyed our stop at Cafetería Rotacapa for coffee and a slice of nougat cheesecake!
Rain continued during the drive back to Zahara de la Sierra. Sunday night dinner options were even more limited, so we again ate at Bar Josefi (cash only) and enjoyed dessert.
Castle and Cerro Coros Hike | Trip Day 7
Our final day in Zahara de la Sierra began with breakfast at the hotel, followed by a walking tour of the village’s castle. The Castle of Zahara de la Sierra offers sweeping views of the village and surrounding green countryside. This was yet another cloudy day, but we enjoyed the scenery nonetheless and spotted a goldfinch and more griffon vultures. The walk from the upper section of the village to the castle is straightforward along stone paths. At the top, you can explore the old castle walls and walk up to the keep.
It was then time to check out of the hotel and drive CA-9104 to Puerto de Las Palomas, the trailhead for our hike.
Cerro Coros Hike
The short hike to Cerro Coros (2.1mi | 600′ | 2hr) begins from the parking area at the Puerto de las Palomas viewpoint. It was still cloudy when we started hiking, but the cloud layer was higher today and we could see the surrounding mountains on our way up. The clouds finally began to break near the top, offering our first glimpse of blue sky for this segment of the trip!
This hike was an easy walk to fabulous overlooks of both the Grazalema and Zahara areas. We spotted an ibex along the trail, and many griffon vultures circling above and in front of us at the top.
Grazalema (again)
Our driving route naturally took us back through Grazalema, so we stopped for a second experience of the village. Today, the Plaza de España was bustling with activity, as folks enjoyed the partly cloudy skies. We decided to try the well-reviewed (and apparently famous) sherry and cheese shop, Casa Martín 1920, for lunch. It was a very good decision, as the tasting platter of assorted cheeses, charcuterie, and sherry tasting flight were all remarkable and delicious.
In what will certainly not come as a surprise to anyone who knows us, we paid a repeat visit to Cafetería Rotacapa for another slice of cheesecake before hitting the road again.
Return to Málaga and Departure | Trip Days 7-8
We drove back to the Málaga Airport to return our rental car at the Avis location, before heading back into Málaga proper for the evening. This also enabled us to easily complete mandatory (at the time) COVID-19 tests at the airport testing clinic. With test results secured for our flights the next day, we again took the C1 train from airport to its terminus near our repeat hotel, Soho Boutique Colón (Booking.com | Hotels.com).
From the train windows to the city streets, curbs, and gutters, there was evidence of the recent mud rain everywhere we looked. Later that evening, we took a final walk around the neighborhood to see Iglesia de San Juan (both interior and the illuminated belltower), Plaza del Obispo, Santa Iglesia Catedral Basilica de la Encarnacion, and the Roman Theater. All of these sights have well-illuminated exteriors, perfect for a night walk! Along the way, we stopped for a gelato treat at Levi Angelo Gelato & Chocolate.
The next morning, we again took the C1 train to the airport for our 11am flight home.
So did we accomplish our goal of a sun break for this spring break trip? Probably not as much as I had hoped, given the mud rain phenomenon (neat to experience for the first time, less great for hiking views!) and stubbornly persistent clouds. I still enjoyed seeing four new areas of Spain, especially the charming white villages of the Sierra de Grazalema. Andalusia is, in my opinion, a strong contender for a shoulder season visit, especially if you prefer to avoid the peak summer heat.
