Fuente del Rey
20 minAll agesDog-friendlyAll year
Monument · 20 min · Free · Three Baroque pools and 139 spouts, finished in 1803 · National Monument
From Córdoba1 h by car
From Jaén1 h by car
Bat Cave€8, by reservation
Best timeSpring and autumn
What to do
What to do in Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética
Each plan says how long it takes, who it's for and whether you can book.
Barrio de la Villa and Balcón del Adarve
45 minAll agesDog-friendlyAll year
Walk · 45 min · Free · The medieval quarter of white streets and the viewpoint over the gorge
Cueva de los Murciélagos in Zuheros
1 h 30From age 6, with no knee problemsAll year, by reservation
Guided visit · 1 hr 30 · 700 steps · €8, €6.50 for ages 6 to 12 · Booking on 957 694 545
From €8
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Itineraries
Itineraries that pass through
Days and weekends already planned out, with how to get between each stop and who to book with.
Plan the trip
Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética, step by step
Each choice narrows the next: the season shapes how best to travel, and how you travel decides where you stay and where you eat.
When to go
When to go to Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética
In spring, with green countryside and the trails at their best, and in October and November, with the olive harvest. In July and August the midday heat is strong; in winter the sierras may have fog.
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How you travel
Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética your way
Choose how you're travelling and we'll tell you where to stay, how to get around, where to eat and which services you'll need. We only show the ways of travelling that make sense here.
By car among white villages and olive groves
The Subbética is explored by car: Priego, Zuheros and the Cueva de los Murciélagos are separated by mountain roads among olive trees, and the trails begin outside the villages. Within Priego and Zuheros, park at the entrance and continue on foot: the old quarters have narrow streets.
60–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHuerta de las Palomas, five…
- Getting aroundFrom Priego to Zuheros, by…
- Where to eatZuhayra restaurant, in Zuheros
- ServicesCave Ecomuseum, for booking the…
Where to sleep
- Huerta de las Palomas, five minutes from Priego, with free parking
- Hotel Rural Zuhayra, at the top of Zuheros
- Casa Baños de la Villa, inside the Barrio de la Villa
Getting around
- From Priego to Zuheros, by mountain road
- To the cave, a 4 km climb from Zuheros
Where to eat
- Zuhayra restaurant, in Zuheros
- Huerta de las Palomas restaurant, on the Zagrilla road
Services
- Cave Ecomuseum, for booking the visit
By bike on the Vía Verde del Aceite
The Vía Verde del Aceite crosses the south of the province of Córdoba among olive groves along the old railway line, 67 km within the province, and passes at the foot of Zuheros. The association also publishes mountain-bike routes through the north and south of the Subbética. The Zerca hotels hire out bicycles.
55–110 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Rural Zuhayra, with bike…
- RidingVía Verde del Aceite, 67…
- Where to eatZuhayra restaurant, in Zuheros
- ServicesMaps and tracks on the…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Rural Zuhayra, with bike hire, beside the Vía Verde
- Huerta de las Palomas, next to Priego, also with bike hire
Riding
- Vía Verde del Aceite, 67 km in the province of Córdoba
- Subbética Norte and Sur mountain-bike routes, for seasoned legs
Where to eat
- Zuhayra restaurant, in Zuheros
Services
- Maps and tracks on the Subbética Tourism website
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights3
Who you're with
Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética for whoever you're with
A trip with a toddler is not the same as one with a teenager. Pick yours to see what works and what to bear in mind.
A cave with bats and a fountain with 139 spouts
With children, the Subbética has two highlights: the Cueva de los Murciélagos, with its descent of steps into the dark, and Priego's Fuente del Rey, with its spouts and stone faces. In between, white streets and viewpoints.
- What works bestThe Cueva de los Murciélagos…
- Where to sleepHuerta de las Palomas, with…
- Where to eatHuerta de las Palomas restaurant…
- Worth knowingThe cave has about 700…
What works best
- The Cueva de los Murciélagos, at €6.50 for ages 6 to 12
- The Fuente del Rey, counting the spouts and looking for the lion
- The Barrio de la Villa and the Adarve viewpoint
- Priego castle, if it has reopened
Where to sleep
- Huerta de las Palomas, with a pool and gardens
Where to eat
- Huerta de las Palomas restaurant, with parking
Worth knowing
- The cave has about 700 steps: it is not for pushchairs or very young children
- The Arab baths are for over-18s only
What to do as a family
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're cycling
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Rural Huerta de las Palomas
Why we like it: Four-star country hotel among gardens on the Zagrilla road, five minutes from Priego, with a pool, restaurant, free parking and bike hire.
Hotel Rural Zuhayra
Why we like it: Country hotel with 18 rooms at the top of Zuheros, with views of the sierra, a restaurant, a café with a fireplace and bike hire for the Vía Verde del Aceite.
Casa Baños de la Villa
Why we like it: Country house with nine rooms on Calle Real in Priego's Barrio de la Villa, with its own Arab baths, courtyard, terrace and pool.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Priego de Córdoba | Fuente del Rey, Barrio de la Villa, Asunción and castle | |
| Zuheros | White village beneath the castle, cave and cheeses | |
| The sierras | Bailón river, Tiñosa and the Vía Verde del Aceite |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética
From set lunch menus to Michelin stars. We mark the price level and what to order at each place.
Zuhayra Restaurant
What to order: the Zuheros cheeses and the oxtail
Huerta de las Palomas Restaurant
What to order: the oxtail and the local goat, cow and sheep cheeses
Nearby
Near Priego de Córdoba and the Subbética
The closest places, whichever country they are in.
37.02° N · 4.56° W
Antequera
By carCar-free
36.93° N · 4.78° W
Caminito del Rey and El Chorro
By carCar-free
37.09° N · 3.40° W
Sierra Nevada (Pradollano)
By carCar-free
36.95° N · 3.36° W
La Alpujarra
By carOn footCar-free
Tips
Worth knowing first
- 1Book the cave in advance
You only enter with a guide, and the phone is answered Wednesday to Sunday mornings.
- 2Priego in the morning, Zuheros in the afternoon
The cave also opens in the afternoon at weekends.
- 3Confirm the castle
Its reopening after the works was planned for 2026.
The Subbética is the south of Córdoba province: a sea of olive trees that breaks into limestone sierras, with white villages hanging from the crags and an olive oil with its own designation of origin. It has two stops that justify the trip. Priego de Córdoba, with its Baroque, the Fuente del Rey and the Barrio de la Villa. And Zuheros, a tiny village beneath its castle, with a prehistoric cave in the sierra behind. Between the two there are trails for all levels, from a stroll to the highest peak in the province.
How do you get there from Córdoba, Jaén or Granada?
From Córdoba it is about an hour by car to Priego or to Zuheros, according to the hotels in the area. From Jaén, also an hour. From Granada and from Málaga, an hour and a half. From Seville, about two hours. These are the times published by the comarca's accommodation; with traffic, add a little. Between Priego and Zuheros, allow about 40 minutes on mountain roads.
Without a car, the comarca is difficult: the routes, the cave and the country accommodation call for a car.
Where do you park?
In Priego, the Barrio de la Villa and the centre have narrow streets: park outside the old town and walk in. The Fuente del Rey is a stroll from the centre. In Zuheros, leave the car at the entrance to the village and walk up. For the Bat Cave you have to drive 4 km up from Zuheros to the Ecomuseum, or walk the 4.8 km circular route from the village.
What is there to see in a day?
Start in Priego. Walk the Barrio de la Villa as the Mancomunidad suggests: from the Plaza de Santa Ana along Calle Real to the little Plaza de San Antonio and Calle Jazmines, and out through the Bajondillo to the Adarve, the balcony over the cliff. Next to it is the Asunción, with Pedrajas's Baroque Sagrario, and the castle, whose reopening after the works was announced for 2026. Go down to the Fuente del Rey, with its three pools and 139 spouts.
In the afternoon, Zuheros. If you have booked, go up to the Bat Cave for the guided visit: an hour and a half, 700 steps and the Organ Chamber. Then a stroll around the white village beneath the castle and a dinner with Zuheros cheeses.
How much time do you need?
A day covers Priego and the cave if you start early. With a night, better: sleep in Priego or Zuheros, walk the Bailón river trail or the route to the cave on foot, and finish with the Arab baths of the Barrio de la Villa. With two nights, climb the Tiñosa Peak, the roof of Córdoba province, or cycle a stretch of the Vía Verde del Aceite.
When to go?
Spring and autumn. In April and May the trails are green and in bloom; the Mancomunidad recommends the Bailón river in spring. From October to December it is the olive harvest and the oil mills are working. In summer, start early to walk and leave the afternoon for Priego and its fountains.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
What is there to see in Priego de Córdoba in a day?
The Fuente del Rey, the Barrio de la Villa with the Balcón del Adarve, the Asunción and its Sagrario and, if it has reopened, the castle.
How much does the Bat Cave cost?
The 2023 municipal ordinance sets €8 and €6.50 for ages 6 to 12. Book on 957 694 545.
Can you visit the cave without a reservation?
No: there are only guided visits with prior reservation.
How long does it take from Córdoba to Priego?
About an hour by car.
Where do you sleep in the Subbética?
In Priego, at Casa Baños de la Villa or the Hotel Rural Huerta de las Palomas; in Zuheros, at the Hotel Rural Zuhayra.