The dramatic rugged hills in this area are known as, the Sierra de Cádiz.
Hotels & Accommodation
The rugged hills known as the Sierra de Cádiz
are densely wooded with pine trees and cork oaks. Here, clinging
precariously to the edges of deep river gorges or perched on rocky
cliffs, are a series of fascinating fortified towns, with whitewashed
houses lining narrow, winding streets. These "pueblos blancos"
(white towns) still bear the imprint of their defensive function
in the 13th to 15th centuries, with ruined fortifications and walls,
demarcating the former frontier (frontera) of the Christian
and Muslim kingdoms.
Arcos
de la Frontera is one of the most spectacularly placed white
towns, dotted with fine churches and mansions and enjoying magnificent
views over the Serranía de Ronda.
East of Arcos is Grazalema,
in a similarly impressive location; approach the village on the
A372 from Ronda for the best views of it looming ahead. Dwarfing
the village are the barren, rugged peaks of the Sierra
de Grazalema Natural Park, which hide the small but stunningly
situated Zahara
de la Sierra. A good base for exploring the park is El
Bosque, which is close to a beautiful wooded river valley. Try
the village's fresh trout, caught locally in the Majaceite river.
North of the Sierra de Grazalema is Setenil
de las Bodegas, which unlike most pueblos blancos was not constructed
on a hill or rocky cliff, but nestles in a network of caves in a
gorge. Also north of Grazalema is Olvera,
worth a visit for its Moorish castle with magnificent views of surrounding
hilltop villages and its nearby vía verde, a former railway
line that is now a cycleway and footpath.
South of the Sierra de Grazalema is another protected
area, the Alcornocales
Natural Park, which as its name suggests, is heavily wooded
with groves of cork oaks (alcornocales). The park office is in Alcalá
de los Gazules, a good vantage point from which to view the
park. South of Alcalá de los Gazules and just outside the
park is Benalup,
which is famous for its caves, the Cuevas
del Tajo de las Figueras, with their Neolithic rock paintings
and tombs. On the eastern fringes of the Alcornocales Natural Park
is Jimena de la Frontera, dominated
by a large ruined Moorish castle, and Castellar
de la Frontera, a fortified hilltop village overlooking the
Guadarranque reservoir. With its two disparate centres, the village
has a curious history of resettlement. South of Castellar de la
Frontera and just outside the park is the village of Los
Barrios, with a pretty, flower-filled main street and the starting
point of the Ruta de los Toros (Route of the Bulls).
Further south is one of the most attractive pueblos
blancos, Vejer de la
Frontera. The town sits on a rocky peak and is imbued with a
strong Moorish feel about its winding streets radiating from a beautifully
tiled main square at its centre. North of Vejer is the hilltop town
of Medina Sidonia.
Although not as popular as Arcos and Vejer, it has managed to retain
its unspoilt character.
Fishing ports & coastal resorts
The ancient sea ports of the Cadiz coast were first
developed by the Phoenicians, Greeks and the Romans. Many of these
fishing towns and villages still have fleets in operation today,
which supply some of the region's best seafood. Between Cadiz
and Tarifa is one of Andalucia's most unspoilt
coastlines, much of it protected, punctuated by small resorts that
sit alongside pristine sandy beaches.
Northwest of Cadiz is the seaside town of El
Puerto de Santa María, with a charming historic quarter
and a well-earned reputation for producing fine sherry and brandy
that you can experience for yourself; take your pick from any of
the town's fine bars and restaurants to sample these drinks and
some of Cadiz's best seafood tapas. Further along the coast are
the fishing ports of Rota
and Chipiona,
the latter with a beautiful 12-km stretch of sandy beach that few
foreign tourists visit, although it can be busy in summer with holidaymakers
from Seville and Cadiz. The historic sea port of Seville, Sanlúcar
de Barrameda, is famous for its manzanilla sherry that tastes
of salty sea air.
Southeast of Cadiz and set back from the shore is
the town of Chiclana,
on the edges of a protected saltmarsh called the Marismas
de Sancti Petri Natural Area. Chiclana's beach resort is Sancti
Petri, which is worth a visit in summer for its boat trips to the
Sancti Petri island with its lighthouse and ruined castle.
Further south are a series of small coastal towns
and villages set in wild landscapes fringed by virgin beaches. Conil
de la Frontera is the first of these, with a pretty, historic
centre and main square, surrounded by a maze of streets, and a long,
sandy beach. Further east along the coast is El Palmar, a beachside
hamlet with a great campsite and a good choice of places to stay,
well known for its superb dune-backed sandy beach. From here you
can see the lighthouse on the Cabo
de Trafalgar headland that marks the beginning of the small
resort of Caños
de Meca, a hippy hangout with a laid-back atmosphere and a nudist
beach at its eastern end.
Although blighted somewhat by some ugly development
and largely shunned by foreign visitors, the next resort of Barbate
has an impressive 2km-promenade lined with bars and restaurants
right by its extensive sandy beach. Between Barbate and Caños
de Meca is a protected stretch of magnificent cliffs and pine forest,
the Breña y
Marismas de Barbate Natural Park, with a coastal walk that is
well worth the effort for its wonderful views.
Zahara
de los Atunes and Bolonia
are two low-key resorts between Barbate and Tarifa, Bolonia being
best known for its nearby Roman ruins, the settlement of Baelo
Claudio.
Tarifa is synonymous
with windsurfing as one of the world's prime locations for this
sport. It is a lively, buzzing resort with loads to do; apart from
the ubiquitous windsurfing, you can choose from kite surfing, scuba
diving and whale- and dolphin-watching trips.
East along the coast from Tarifa is the industrial
sprawl of Algeciras,
Gibraltar and then, just off
the coastal road, the small town of San
Roque. It enjoys superb views of the Bay of Algeciras (if you
turn a blind eye to the oil refinery), Gibraltar and the mountains
of Africa on clear days, as well as having a beautiful pine forest,
the Pinar del Rey, just to its north. San Roque is a great place
for golfers, with no less than six golf courses in its municipality.
Closer to the shore is Sotogrande,
an upmarket residential development and marina near the river estuary
nature reserve of the Estuario
del Río Guadiaro Natural Area.
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