# Sierra de Cazorla

Spain's largest natural park, with the newborn Guadalquivir, limestone gorges and the Borosa river. An hour and a half from Jaén and two hours from Granada.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-cazorla · Revisado: 2026-11-12

The Sierra de Cazorla is the most visited part of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the largest protected area in Spain: 214,336 hectares of pine forest, limestone and water in the east of Jaén province. The Guadalquivir is born here and runs its first kilometres wedged between rock walls, with deer, ibex and griffon vultures everywhere. The town of Cazorla, white and steep beneath the Peña de los Halcones, is the gateway: it has the castle, the ruins of Santa María, the restaurants and almost all the hotels. What you come to see lies beyond, along the A-319 road.

## How do you get there from Jaén, Granada or Córdoba?

By car, always. From Jaén it is about 90 minutes: the A-316 to Úbeda, then Torreperogil and Peal de Becerro along the A-315 and the A-319 to Cazorla. From Granada, about two hours, along the A-44 and the A-401 via Jódar towards Úbeda and then Peal de Becerro. From Córdoba, a little over two hours along the A-4 to Bailén and the N-322 towards Úbeda. From Almería, Murcia or Alicante you enter from the south, along the A-92N to Baza and the A-315 to Pozo Alcón, about two hours and three-quarters from Almería. From Albacete, along the N-322 towards Úbeda.

There is an ALSA bus from Jaén, Úbeda and Granada to Cazorla bus station, on Avenida del Guadalquivir, but it does not enter the sierra. Without a car, what remains is TurisNat's guided 4x4, which picks you up at your accommodation.

## Where do you park?

In Cazorla, never inside the old town: the streets are narrow and steep. The town council has car parks on the Plaza de la Corredera, at the Puente de la Villa, on Avenida del Guadalquivir and next to the schools. In the sierra, the Cerrada del Utrero car park has about ten spaces, and the Borosa river one is at the start of the trail, next to the fish farm. On spring and autumn Sundays they fill up mid-morning: arrive before ten.

## What is there to do?

A short, scenic walk: the Cerrada del Utrero, a 1.7 km circuit of 45 minutes through the gorge the Guadalquivir has cut into the limestone, with the Linarejos waterfall opposite. It is half an hour from Cazorla along the A-319 and the Vadillo-Castril road.

The real route: the Borosa river, from the fish farm next to the Torre del Vinagre to the Cerrada de Elías, where the path becomes wooden walkways over the water. It is 7.3 km each way and about three hours each direction, with little gradient.

The source of the Guadalquivir: the Cañada de las Fuentes, at 1,360 m, in a pine clearing. You reach it by forest track from the Puente de las Herrerías or with TurisNat's 4x4, which combines it with the vultures on the Chorro cliffs.

The reserve zone by 4x4: a good part of the park is closed to private cars. TurisNat holds the regional government's authorisation to drive those tracks with a guide, on half-day routes from €39.

The town: the Yedra castle, of Almohad origin, with a museum of life in the sierra; the ruins of Santa María, the Vandelvira church that was swept away by a flood in 1694, and the vault through which the River Cerezuelo passes under the square. For small children, the tourist train goes up to the viewpoints in an hour.

## How much time do you need?

One day covers the Cerrada del Utrero, the river source and a lunch in Cazorla. With two, you add the Borosa, which takes a whole day. With three, the 4x4 through the reserve and the town at a leisurely pace. The sierra is big and the road slow: don't try to see the Tranco reservoir, the Borosa and the source on the same day.

## When should you go?

April, May and June bring swollen rivers and full waterfalls. In October the deer rut arrives and the gall oaks change colour; it is also the time of most visitors at weekends. In summer the pine forest gives shade, but it is best to walk early. In winter it may snow in the high areas and the track to the source gets difficult. After heavy rain, ask at the Torre del Vinagre visitor centre whether the Cerrada de Elías is open.

## Where should you sleep and eat?

In Cazorla, if you want to eat out and stroll: the Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla, on the Corredera, or the Hotel Guadalquivir, simpler. In the sierra, if you want an early start on the routes: Coto del Valle, a four-star rural hotel with a spa next to the Empalme del Valle, or the Parador, a farmhouse inside the park that admits pets. For eating, the Mesón Leandro is open every day with game meat grilled over charcoal and on a hot stone; Casa Alfonso X does tasting menus with Jaén olive oil, and is closed on Wednesdays.

## Dónde está
- Cerca: Úbeda and Baeza (a 33.8 km), Guadix (a 69.1 km), Riópar and the Source of the Río Mundo (a 82.9 km), Sierra Nevada (Pradollano) (a 97.5 km)

## Qué hacer
- **Cerrada del Utrero and the Linarejos Waterfall** (45 min · 1.7 km · Families, with children who walk on their own · Independent · free): What It Is
It is the most striking short walk in the Sierra de Cazorla: a 1.7 km circular trail that follows the side of the gorge the Guadalquivir has carved in the limestone, a few kilometres from its source. The Junta gives it 45 minutes, moderate difficulty and a maximum ascent of 156 m. On the other side of the riverbed falls the Linarejos waterfall, which the official listing calls Cola del Caballo, and griffon vultures nest in the cliffs.
The Route
You start at the Cerrada del Utrero information point. You go down some steps beside the wall of a small dam and the gorge gradually opens out. The first hundred metres climb over the lanchar, the rock carved into grooves by the water. Then the path goes round the Lanchón crag, with steps cut into the rock in places, and returns to the road. Near the end there is an old maritime pine with the marks of resin tapping.
Getting There and Parking
From Cazorla, take the A-319 towards the Tranco reservoir. After about 17 km, past the Puerto de las Palomas, you drop down to the Empalme del Valle junction and take the JF-7091 towards Vadillo-Castril. After about 3.5 km, at the turning to the hamlet, the trail leaves on the left. There is a car park of about ten spaces: on spring and autumn Sundays, arrive early. From Arroyo Frío you can also get there on foot by a linear trail of 2.2 km, an hour and a half each way, with plenty of shade.
Bear in Mind
The Junta warns of the risk of falling stones between the start and the viewpoint: do not stop under the cliffs. Wear shoes with soles that grip, because the polished rock is slippery when wet. With small children, a baby carrier is better than a pushchair.
- **Borosa River Trail to the Cerrada de Elías** (6 h · 14.6 km · Regular walkers; with children, only the first stretch · Independent · free): What It Is
It is the best-known route in the natural park. It starts beside the Borosa river fish farm, now Andalucía's reference centre for aquatic fauna, and follows the Guadalquivir's first major tributary upstream by track, path and walkway. The Junta's official listing gives 7.3 km each way, about 3 hours each way, low difficulty and a maximum ascent of 273 m, between 680 and 953 m in altitude. It always climbs, but without steep slopes, and has frequent shade.
The Route
Soon after setting off you pass the Charco de la Cuna, a turquoise pool with trout and barbel. Next come the Astilleros spring and the Caracolillos bridge, named for the folds in the limestone on the bed. At a junction, the main track goes straight on; take the turning on the right to enter the Cerrada de Elías, the stretch everyone comes to see: a path under a vault of strawberry trees and box and wooden walkways hung over the water, between rock walls. The official route ends shortly afterwards, beside the 1930s hydroelectric plant and a spring covered in maidenhair fern. You return by the same way.
Those who want to go on can continue to the Órganos waterfall and the Aguas Negras and Valdeazores lagoons, but that is already a long mountain day beyond this page.
Getting There
From Cazorla, take the A-319 towards the Tranco as far as Torre del Vinagre, where a turning on the right goes down to the start of the trail. There is parking right there. From the village centre it is almost an hour of mountain road: bear that in mind if you plan to have lunch in Cazorla.
Bear in Mind
After heavy rain, the Cerrada stretch may be closed: ask at the Torre del Vinagre visitor centre. From the fish farm's water intake onwards, fishing is catch-and-release; swimming is not part of the route. Carry water even though there are springs.
- **Source of the Guadalquivir at the Cañada de las Fuentes** (1 h · Everyone · Independent · free): What It Is
The Guadalquivir does not rise from a single spring: the water emerges over some fifteen hectares of the Cañada de las Fuentes, at 1,360 m, in the municipality of Quesada, where several mountain streams meet. It is rainwater filtered through limestone ten to fifteen million years old. A pine clearing with a picnic area marks the spot that everyone comes to see. It is a short walk, more symbolic than spectacular: what impresses is the journey there.
Getting There
There are two ways. Independently, by car: the Vadillo-Castril road and the 15th-century Puente de las Herrerías, and from there a forest track to the Cañada de las Fuentes. Cazorla Town Council proposes the Vuelta al Nacimiento, a 58 km circuit designed for mountain bikes that can also be done by car, stopping at the stretches with views. The track is dirt: go slowly and do not attempt it in snow.
The other is with a guide, in the TurisNat 4x4. Its route 4 leaves Cazorla, passes the Cerrada del Utrero and the Puente de las Herrerías, stops beside a laricio pine more than 450 years old, reaches the source and returns by the Puerto Lorente, at almost 1,800 m, and the Chorro cliffs, where griffon vultures are watched through a telescope. It takes 4 h 30 to 5 h and covers about 90 km, 65 of them on tracks. It costs €39 per person in 2026, and €20 for children aged 4 to 12. With the walking extension to the thousand-year-old yews of the Cañada del Travino, about 4.5 km there and back, it is €42.
What You Will See
Deer and Spanish ibex are common in the pine forest, and on the rocks lives Valverde's lizard, which exists only in these sierras. In spring the cañada carries more water.
- **4x4 Route Through the Reserve Zone with TurisNat** (4 h 30 · From age 4; no physical effort · Desde 39 € per person): What It Is
A good part of the natural park is reserve zone: its forest tracks are closed to private cars. TurisNat, in Cazorla, has authorisation from the Junta to drive them with a guide. You travel in a shared off-road vehicle with 7 or 8 seats, or in 16- or 27-seat vehicles, with stops to walk a little and watch the wildlife through the binoculars and the spotting scope they carry on board. Deer, Spanish ibex and griffon vultures are the usual sights.
Which Route to Choose
There are about fifteen. The half-day ones cost €39 per person in 2026, and €20 for children aged 4 to 12. Route 5 goes up the Borosa valley, from the Charco de la Cuna, towards the Cerrada de Elías: useful if you do not want to walk the 7 km each way. Route 1, at €42, reaches the Valdeazores and Aguas Negras lagoons, the settings of El hombre y la tierra. Route 4 goes to the source of the Guadalquivir. If you want the whole day, route 12 climbs to the Campos de Hernán Perea for €60. In autumn there is a special outing for the deer rut, with no guarantee of seeing or hearing it.
How to Book
Always by reservation: by phone (953 72 13 51), WhatsApp, email or at their office in Cazorla. When you confirm they give you the pick-up point and time, which can be the door of your accommodation. The routes are not cancelled for rain or snow. There are no bars along the tracks: you can bring something to eat for the stops.
- **Castillo de la Yedra and the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs** (1 h 15 · Everyone): The Castillo de la Yedra rises at 831 metres, on the skirt of the Cerro de Salvatierra and above the Cerezuelo river, and from its battlements you can see the whole of Cazorla. Its origin is probably Almohad, from the 12th century, and the Castilians completed it between the 13th and 15th centuries, hence the Gothic style of its rooms. Today it houses the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs of the Upper Guadalquivir, run by the Junta de Andalucía and created in 1983, with two sections: a historical one in the keep and another on life in the sierra in an adjoining building.
Three Rooms in the Keep
The tower holds the historical section. The first room is a chapel with a large Romanesque-Byzantine Christ surrounded by apostles painted in the 17th century. The armoury shows swords, crossbows and two suits of armour. The noble room, covered with a Gothic rib vault, has three 17th-century Flemish tapestries and 18th-century bargueño cabinets. Go right to the top: the view over the town, the river and the sierra is part of the visit.
Life in the Sierra, in the Annexe
In the adjoining building is the arts and customs section: farm tools, models of olive oil mills, Arab pottery found in the castle itself and a Cazorla kitchen set up with all its furnishings.
Seasonal Opening Hours
From 16 September to 31 May it opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10:00 to 20:30, and on Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 17:00. From 1 June to 15 September, Tuesday to Saturday from 9:00 to 15:30, and Sundays and public holidays from 10:00 to 17:00. It closes on Mondays, 1 January, 1 May and 25 December. The listing does not publish an entry price: ask on 953 101 402 or at museocazorla.ccul@juntadeandalucia.es.
Walking Up from Santa María
The castle is at Camino de San Isicio, 45. You walk up from the Plaza de Santa María, next to the ruins and the Cerezuelo river vault, by a climb of about ten minutes. Do not try to drive up: the streets of the old town are narrow; leave the car in one of the Cazorla car parks.
The castle is closed on the Sunday by 4x4 through the reserve and the Castillo de la Yedra on this site. If you have spare afternoon time, the tourist train goes up to the viewpoints from the Plaza de la Constitución.
- **Santa María Ruins and the Cerezuelo River Vault** (45 min · Everyone): The ruins of Santa María and the vault of the Cerezuelo river are the place where the history of Cazorla is best understood. Santa María was the town's great Renaissance church, from the 16th century, attributed to Andrés de Vandelvira, the architect of Úbeda. To build it at the bottom of the valley, the Cerezuelo river had to be channelled under a barrel vault that passes beneath the high altar and the square. On 2 June 1694 a storm made the river overflow, the vault acted as a dam and the water wrecked the church.
A Church Without a Roof
What remains, restored in 2009 and 2010, are the roofless walls, the north doorway and the coffered vault of the apse, open to the sky in the middle of the Plaza de Santa María. The municipal tourist office is now in the ruins themselves, and it is also where entry to the vault is arranged.
Beneath the Square, Beside the River
The visit to the vault goes down into the tunnel through which the Cerezuelo still runs, under the square. It is done in time slots every day; according to the municipal notice, at 10:30, 11:30 and 12:30 in the morning and at 16:30, 17:00 and 18:15 in the afternoon. Ask about the price and the next free slot at the tourist office, because times may change with the season.
With a Guide: Cazorleando
If you would rather have it explained, TurisNat organises Cazorleando, a guided walk of about two hours through the historic centre that includes entry to the vault. It leaves at weekends, on public holidays and on long weekends at 10:30 from the Plaza de la Constitución, next to the tourist train stop, and passes the Palacio de las Cadenas, the church of San José, the convent of the Mercedarians, the Zabaleta balcony, the Plaza and fountain of Santa María, the ruins, the vault and a stretch of the river. It costs €20 per person, €12 for ages 6 to 12 and is free for under-fives; at least two paying adults are needed and the maximum group is twenty. It includes guide, map and insurance.
Around the Square
The Plaza de Santa María is in the lower district, a few minutes' walk from the Plaza de la Corredera. From there the path climbs to the Castillo de la Yedra, which you can see above the river, and the tourist train leaves from the Plaza de la Constitución. For a meal in the district, the Mesón Leandro is on Calle Hoz, in the old town. Park in one of the Cazorla car parks and walk down.
- **Torre del Vinagre Visitor Centre and Botanical Garden** (1 h · Everyone; useful when it rains): Torre del Vinagre is the main visitor centre of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the largest protected area in Spain, with 214,336 hectares. It is at kilometre 48.5 of the A-319 road, in the Guadalquivir valley, between Coto Ríos and the Tranco reservoir, and a short distance from the turning for the Borosa river trail. It is the stop for understanding the park before you head into the hills, or for taking shelter for an hour if it rains.
Five Landscapes in the Rooms
The rooms explain the five landscapes into which the park is divided: rocks, water, pine forest, the high peaks and the human landscapes, with models, maps and audiovisuals. There is also a space devoted to hunting and a section on animal tracks and signs for children.
What It Is For Before a Walk
It is the place to ask about the state of the trails before setting out, above all the stretch of the Cerrada de Elías, on the Borosa, after rain, to buy maps and mapping of the park and to ask for advice according to the season. In the same valley are the Cerrada del Utrero and, higher up, the source of the Guadalquivir, which have their own pages.
Opening Hours
According to the Diputación de Jaén and Cazorla Town Council, it opens every day from 10:00 to 14:00 and in the afternoon from 16:00 to 19:00, which in July and August becomes 17:00 to 20:00. As the afternoon and low-season hours may change, call before making the detour; the telephone number the guides give is 953 71 30 17.
Getting There
From Cazorla, take the A-319 towards the Tranco reservoir: you pass the Puerto de las Palomas, the Empalme del Valle, Arroyo Frío and Coto Ríos. It is almost an hour of mountain road. There is parking beside the building. To sleep near the centre, the Coto del Valle is on the same stretch of the A-319.
- **Cazorla Tourist Train to the Viewpoints and the Virgen de la Cabeza** (1 h · With small children or limited mobility · Desde 9 € per person): The Ciudad de Cazorla tourist train is a little train on wheels run by TurisNat, a local company, up the town's slopes and out to the viewpoints on the outskirts. It leaves from the Plaza de Santa María, beside the ruins of the church, and has several routes. The most complete, Cazorla a vista de pájaro, lasts about an hour and climbs to the panoramic viewpoints over the town and to the chapel of the Virgen de la Cabeza. It is a comfortable way to see Cazorla from above without climbing the slopes on foot.
Four Routes, from Half an Hour to Two
Route 1, Cazorla a vista de pájaro, costs €9 per adult and €6 for ages 2 to 12, and leaves with a minimum of ten seats. Route 2A is a half-hour circuit through the historic centre (the Zabaleta balcony, the Plaza de Santa María, the Cadenas fountain and the San Isicio hillside) for €6 and €5. Route 2B adds a guided visit to the church of Santa María and entry to the Cerezuelo river vault, for €15 and €12, with a minimum of fifteen seats and booking 24 hours ahead.
Route 3, Noche mágica de leyendas, is an evening walk of about two hours with a guide in period dress, which tours Cazorla and La Iruela with part on foot and entry to the vault: €22 per adult and €11 per child, with booking and prepayment. In October and November it leaves at 20:00 or 20:30.
Times by Month
In November the train runs from 10:30 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 19:00; in winter, from December to February, from 10:30 to 14:00 and from 16:00 to 18:30; in July and August, from 11:00 to 14:00 and from 18:30 to 21:00. The last departure is 45 minutes before closing. Routes 1 and 2A are not booked: ask the driver at the stop about availability. For groups of more than ten there are out-of-hours departures. Information on 953 721 351 or at info@turisnat.es.
From the Plaza de Santa María
The stop is in the Plaza de Santa María, in the lower district. From right there you can walk up to the Castillo de la Yedra. If you prefer to walk with a guide, TurisNat also has the Cazorleando route through the old town. Park in one of the Cazorla car parks and walk down: inside the old town the streets are narrow.

## Dónde comer
- **Mesón Leandro** (Restaurant, Cazorla, €€€). Qué pedir: the hot-stone meat for two, the fillet of deer or wild boar, or the grilled Segureño lamb chops
- **Casa Alfonso X Restaurant & Bistro** (Restaurant, Cazorla, €€€€). Qué pedir: the Degusta Jaén menu, with Cazorla talarines with rabbit, trout al pastor and Segureño lamb; for dessert, the olive oil in textures
- **Mesón Don Chema** (Restaurant, Cazorla, €€). Qué pedir: meats from the sierra and tapas; ask about the mountain dishes and the homemade desserts of the day

## By car: No Car, No Sierra
Cazorla is the gateway, but what you come to see is 30 to 60 minutes away along the A-319, a winding mountain road. A car is essential unless you book the 4x4.
Presupuesto orientativo: 70–120 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're driving
- **Parador de Cazorla** (Hotel): The Parador de Cazorla is not in the town but out in the sierra, inside the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the largest protected area in Spain. Paradores places it 26 km from Cazorla by mountain road. The building imitates Andalusian farmhouses, with its great entrance gate and wooden roofs, and all around there is only hillside: it is accommodation for those who come to walk, to cycle or to be quiet, not to go out to dinner in the town.
Rooms with Views of the Sierra
There are standard doubles, superior doubles, junior suites and one accessible room, all bright and with views of the sierra. They have air conditioning, minibar, a laptop-size safe, flat television, hairdryer and a pillow menu; there is room service and breakfast in the room. The price changes with the date and is checked in the Paradores calendar, with room-only, bed-and-breakfast or half-board rates.
Pool, Garden and Parking
The complex has a seasonal outdoor pool, a garden and spacious lounges. The outdoor car park is free and has electric-car charging points. The Parador accepts pets: Paradores asks you to check the conditions before booking.
Mountain Table
The restaurant serves regional Andalusian cooking with mountain recipes, hillside meat, game in season and Segureño lamb. Being so far from the town, the practical thing is to dine here or take half board.
Getting There and When It Closes
The access is signposted from Burunchel, on the La Iruela road. From Úbeda and Baeza you get there by the N-322 and the A-319 via Peal de Becerro and Cazorla. Watch the calendar: the Parador closes from 3 January to 4 March 2027.
Routes from the Door
Hiking and mountain-bike routes through the sierra start from the Parador. In the same area are the source of the Guadalquivir and the Cerrada del Utrero, and Paradores also mentions the Cueva del Agua and the Roman ruins of Quesada. The old town of Cazorla, with the Castillo de la Yedra, is half an hour by car. To organise two days, see the weekend in the Sierra de Cazorla from Jaén.
- **Coto del Valle Rural Hotel** (Spa hotel, desde 90 € / night): Coto del Valle is a four-star rural tourism complex at kilometre 34.3 of the Tranco road, the A-319, inside the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. It sits beside the Empalme del Valle, the junction where the road leaves for Vadillo-Castril, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir, and a kilometre and a half from Arroyo Frío. It has a hotel with spa, a restaurant opened in 2003 and separate apartments. It is a base for touring the park by car without going back to Cazorla every night over the Puerto de las Palomas.
Balcony onto the Pass, or Attic Room
The standard double has a 150 cm bed or two 90 cm ones and a spacious balcony with table and chairs looking onto the mountain pass: €120 in low season and €140 in high, with buffet breakfast. The attic double, reached by a spiral half-staircase, with a sloping wooden ceiling, costs €90 and €105. There are also superior rooms, with hydromassage and balcony, from €140 to €160. All have a bathroom with shower, television, heating, air conditioning, minibar, safe and free wifi.
The apartments are about 500 metres from the hotel, linked by a path of ten to fifteen minutes on foot; the six-person one, on the ground floor with a fitted living-room-kitchen, costs €180 a night.
Spa and Autumn Offers
The hotel's rural spa sells hydrothermal circuits. Until 23 December 2026, Monday to Thursday except public holidays, the circuits cost €25 for 55 minutes, €33 for 85 and €45 for 115. There is also an offer of a standard double with terrace, breakfast and two 55-minute circuits, Sunday to Thursday, between 8 November and 23 December.
A Table in the Valley
The restaurant works with produce from the district and Jaén oil: typical local dishes, a speciality in meats and menus for different needs. It is adapted for coeliacs if you let them know.
The Park from the Door
From here, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir are along the Vadillo road, and the Torre del Vinagre Visitor Centre, with the start of the Borosa trail, is further along the same A-319. The weekend in the Sierra de Cazorla from Jaén covers this part of the park. Pets are not allowed.
- **Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla** (Hotel): Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla is a three-star hotel at number 9 on the Plaza de la Corredera, the town's main square. Its advantage is the location: the whole old town can be reached on foot from the door. It has a restaurant, function rooms, a seasonal outdoor pool and a small gym.
Singles, Doubles and Quadruples
The rooms come in five types. The single, for one person. The double with a double bed and the double with two beds, for two. The double with terrace, larger, with a terrace and mountain views, which is the one to ask for if you want to see the sierra from your room. And the quadruple, for four, designed for families. All have a private bathroom with bath, bidet and hairdryer, toiletries, air conditioning and a flat-screen television. Prices appear in the booking engine on its website; if you cannot find what you are looking for, the hotel asks you to write to it so it can offer you another option.
Check-in is from 13:00 and check-out until 12:00: an hour later than in many hotels, handy if you are coming back from a morning walk.
Restaurant on the Corredera
The hotel restaurant serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with tapas and raciones in the bar and cooking from Cazorla and Jaén, such as Segureño lamb, migas serranas or rin-ran. The hotel also organises weddings, communions and other events.
The Old Town on Foot
From the Corredera you go down in a few minutes to the Plaza de Santa María, with the ruins and the Cerezuelo river vault, and climb from there to the Castillo de la Yedra. For dinner out, Casa Alfonso, with olive-oil menus from the district, is in the centre. The tourist train goes up to the viewpoints. There is a municipal car park in the square itself; the others are on the page for Cazorla car parks.
To travel with a pet, write beforehand to informacion@hotelciudaddecazorla.com or call 953 82 52 72.
- **Hotel Guadalquivir** (Hotel, desde 62 € / night): Hotel Guadalquivir is a two-star family hotel at Calle Nueva, 6, in the centre of Cazorla, near the Plaza de la Corredera. It is simple, inexpensive accommodation, with no restaurant or pool, aimed at those who spend the day in the sierra or exploring the town and come back at night to sleep.
Rooms for One to Four
It has single, double and triple rooms, and can prepare quadruples on request. All have double-glazed windows, which insulate from the cold and the street noise, air conditioning, heating for the mountain winter and free wifi throughout the hotel. There is a lift to the upper floors.
What It Costs
The 2026 rates, per room per night including VAT, vary with the season. In high season, from 1 March to 2 November, the double costs €64, the single €52 and the triple €83; in low season, as now in November, €62, €50 and €81; at Easter and long weekends, €68, €55 and €86. They do not serve breakfast for now: have breakfast in one of the cafés in the centre.
Booking by Phone
You book by phone, on 953 72 02 68 or 953 72 12 48, or by email at info@hguadalquivir.com. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times or pet conditions: ask when booking. The hotel has no garage: leave the car in one of the Cazorla car parks, and then do everything on foot.
Cazorla on Foot, the Park by Car
From Calle Nueva you go down to the Plaza de Santa María, with the Cerezuelo river vault, and climb to the Castillo de la Yedra. For a meal nearby, Mesón Don Chema is on the Escaleras del Mercado. You reach the natural park by car over the Puerto de las Palomas towards the Guadalquivir valley; if you prefer to be driven, see the 4x4 route through the reserve.
### Servicios
- **Cazorla Municipal Tourist Office**: In the ruins of Santa María; information, maps, routes and visit slots for the Cerezuelo river vault. Open every day
- **Car Parks in the Centre of Cazorla**: Several municipal car parks around the old town: Corredera, Puente de la Villa, Avenida del Guadalquivir and the schools
- **Cazorla Bus Station and Taxis**: ALSA buses to Úbeda, Jaén and Granada from the Avenida del Guadalquivir; taxi rank in the Plaza de la Constitución

## On foot: Trails of Water and Rock
Cazorla is a land of trails signposted by the Junta, almost all beside a river. With two days you can do the Borosa and the Cerrada del Utrero without rushing.
Presupuesto orientativo: 60–100 € por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir if you're on foot
- **Coto del Valle Rural Hotel** (Spa hotel, desde 90 € / night): Coto del Valle is a four-star rural tourism complex at kilometre 34.3 of the Tranco road, the A-319, inside the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. It sits beside the Empalme del Valle, the junction where the road leaves for Vadillo-Castril, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir, and a kilometre and a half from Arroyo Frío. It has a hotel with spa, a restaurant opened in 2003 and separate apartments. It is a base for touring the park by car without going back to Cazorla every night over the Puerto de las Palomas.
Balcony onto the Pass, or Attic Room
The standard double has a 150 cm bed or two 90 cm ones and a spacious balcony with table and chairs looking onto the mountain pass: €120 in low season and €140 in high, with buffet breakfast. The attic double, reached by a spiral half-staircase, with a sloping wooden ceiling, costs €90 and €105. There are also superior rooms, with hydromassage and balcony, from €140 to €160. All have a bathroom with shower, television, heating, air conditioning, minibar, safe and free wifi.
The apartments are about 500 metres from the hotel, linked by a path of ten to fifteen minutes on foot; the six-person one, on the ground floor with a fitted living-room-kitchen, costs €180 a night.
Spa and Autumn Offers
The hotel's rural spa sells hydrothermal circuits. Until 23 December 2026, Monday to Thursday except public holidays, the circuits cost €25 for 55 minutes, €33 for 85 and €45 for 115. There is also an offer of a standard double with terrace, breakfast and two 55-minute circuits, Sunday to Thursday, between 8 November and 23 December.
A Table in the Valley
The restaurant works with produce from the district and Jaén oil: typical local dishes, a speciality in meats and menus for different needs. It is adapted for coeliacs if you let them know.
The Park from the Door
From here, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir are along the Vadillo road, and the Torre del Vinagre Visitor Centre, with the start of the Borosa trail, is further along the same A-319. The weekend in the Sierra de Cazorla from Jaén covers this part of the park. Pets are not allowed.
- **Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla** (Hotel): Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla is a three-star hotel at number 9 on the Plaza de la Corredera, the town's main square. Its advantage is the location: the whole old town can be reached on foot from the door. It has a restaurant, function rooms, a seasonal outdoor pool and a small gym.
Singles, Doubles and Quadruples
The rooms come in five types. The single, for one person. The double with a double bed and the double with two beds, for two. The double with terrace, larger, with a terrace and mountain views, which is the one to ask for if you want to see the sierra from your room. And the quadruple, for four, designed for families. All have a private bathroom with bath, bidet and hairdryer, toiletries, air conditioning and a flat-screen television. Prices appear in the booking engine on its website; if you cannot find what you are looking for, the hotel asks you to write to it so it can offer you another option.
Check-in is from 13:00 and check-out until 12:00: an hour later than in many hotels, handy if you are coming back from a morning walk.
Restaurant on the Corredera
The hotel restaurant serves breakfasts, lunches and dinners, with tapas and raciones in the bar and cooking from Cazorla and Jaén, such as Segureño lamb, migas serranas or rin-ran. The hotel also organises weddings, communions and other events.
The Old Town on Foot
From the Corredera you go down in a few minutes to the Plaza de Santa María, with the ruins and the Cerezuelo river vault, and climb from there to the Castillo de la Yedra. For dinner out, Casa Alfonso, with olive-oil menus from the district, is in the centre. The tourist train goes up to the viewpoints. There is a municipal car park in the square itself; the others are on the page for Cazorla car parks.
To travel with a pet, write beforehand to informacion@hotelciudaddecazorla.com or call 953 82 52 72.
- **Hotel Guadalquivir** (Hotel, desde 62 € / night): Hotel Guadalquivir is a two-star family hotel at Calle Nueva, 6, in the centre of Cazorla, near the Plaza de la Corredera. It is simple, inexpensive accommodation, with no restaurant or pool, aimed at those who spend the day in the sierra or exploring the town and come back at night to sleep.
Rooms for One to Four
It has single, double and triple rooms, and can prepare quadruples on request. All have double-glazed windows, which insulate from the cold and the street noise, air conditioning, heating for the mountain winter and free wifi throughout the hotel. There is a lift to the upper floors.
What It Costs
The 2026 rates, per room per night including VAT, vary with the season. In high season, from 1 March to 2 November, the double costs €64, the single €52 and the triple €83; in low season, as now in November, €62, €50 and €81; at Easter and long weekends, €68, €55 and €86. They do not serve breakfast for now: have breakfast in one of the cafés in the centre.
Booking by Phone
You book by phone, on 953 72 02 68 or 953 72 12 48, or by email at info@hguadalquivir.com. The website does not publish check-in and check-out times or pet conditions: ask when booking. The hotel has no garage: leave the car in one of the Cazorla car parks, and then do everything on foot.
Cazorla on Foot, the Park by Car
From Calle Nueva you go down to the Plaza de Santa María, with the Cerezuelo river vault, and climb to the Castillo de la Yedra. For a meal nearby, Mesón Don Chema is on the Escaleras del Mercado. You reach the natural park by car over the Puerto de las Palomas towards the Guadalquivir valley; if you prefer to be driven, see the 4x4 route through the reserve.
### Servicios
- **Cazorla Municipal Tourist Office**: In the ruins of Santa María; information, maps, routes and visit slots for the Cerezuelo river vault. Open every day

## Luxury: A Parador in the Pines and a Spa in the Valley
Luxury here is sleeping inside the park, with the pine forest in front of you, and having a guide and an off-road vehicle all to yourself.
Presupuesto orientativo: From €150 por persona y día.
### Dónde dormir in style
- **Parador de Cazorla** (Hotel): The Parador de Cazorla is not in the town but out in the sierra, inside the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park, the largest protected area in Spain. Paradores places it 26 km from Cazorla by mountain road. The building imitates Andalusian farmhouses, with its great entrance gate and wooden roofs, and all around there is only hillside: it is accommodation for those who come to walk, to cycle or to be quiet, not to go out to dinner in the town.
Rooms with Views of the Sierra
There are standard doubles, superior doubles, junior suites and one accessible room, all bright and with views of the sierra. They have air conditioning, minibar, a laptop-size safe, flat television, hairdryer and a pillow menu; there is room service and breakfast in the room. The price changes with the date and is checked in the Paradores calendar, with room-only, bed-and-breakfast or half-board rates.
Pool, Garden and Parking
The complex has a seasonal outdoor pool, a garden and spacious lounges. The outdoor car park is free and has electric-car charging points. The Parador accepts pets: Paradores asks you to check the conditions before booking.
Mountain Table
The restaurant serves regional Andalusian cooking with mountain recipes, hillside meat, game in season and Segureño lamb. Being so far from the town, the practical thing is to dine here or take half board.
Getting There and When It Closes
The access is signposted from Burunchel, on the La Iruela road. From Úbeda and Baeza you get there by the N-322 and the A-319 via Peal de Becerro and Cazorla. Watch the calendar: the Parador closes from 3 January to 4 March 2027.
Routes from the Door
Hiking and mountain-bike routes through the sierra start from the Parador. In the same area are the source of the Guadalquivir and the Cerrada del Utrero, and Paradores also mentions the Cueva del Agua and the Roman ruins of Quesada. The old town of Cazorla, with the Castillo de la Yedra, is half an hour by car. To organise two days, see the weekend in the Sierra de Cazorla from Jaén.
- **Coto del Valle Rural Hotel** (Spa hotel, desde 90 € / night): Coto del Valle is a four-star rural tourism complex at kilometre 34.3 of the Tranco road, the A-319, inside the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. It sits beside the Empalme del Valle, the junction where the road leaves for Vadillo-Castril, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir, and a kilometre and a half from Arroyo Frío. It has a hotel with spa, a restaurant opened in 2003 and separate apartments. It is a base for touring the park by car without going back to Cazorla every night over the Puerto de las Palomas.
Balcony onto the Pass, or Attic Room
The standard double has a 150 cm bed or two 90 cm ones and a spacious balcony with table and chairs looking onto the mountain pass: €120 in low season and €140 in high, with buffet breakfast. The attic double, reached by a spiral half-staircase, with a sloping wooden ceiling, costs €90 and €105. There are also superior rooms, with hydromassage and balcony, from €140 to €160. All have a bathroom with shower, television, heating, air conditioning, minibar, safe and free wifi.
The apartments are about 500 metres from the hotel, linked by a path of ten to fifteen minutes on foot; the six-person one, on the ground floor with a fitted living-room-kitchen, costs €180 a night.
Spa and Autumn Offers
The hotel's rural spa sells hydrothermal circuits. Until 23 December 2026, Monday to Thursday except public holidays, the circuits cost €25 for 55 minutes, €33 for 85 and €45 for 115. There is also an offer of a standard double with terrace, breakfast and two 55-minute circuits, Sunday to Thursday, between 8 November and 23 December.
A Table in the Valley
The restaurant works with produce from the district and Jaén oil: typical local dishes, a speciality in meats and menus for different needs. It is adapted for coeliacs if you let them know.
The Park from the Door
From here, the Cerrada del Utrero and the source of the Guadalquivir are along the Vadillo road, and the Torre del Vinagre Visitor Centre, with the start of the Borosa trail, is further along the same A-319. The weekend in the Sierra de Cazorla from Jaén covers this part of the park. Pets are not allowed.

## As a family: A Sierra for Children Who Already Walk

With children, Cazorla works in short doses: a gorge in the morning, a castle in the afternoon and, if possible, a 4x4 day to see deer without walking.

### What Works Best
The Cerrada del Utrero: 45 minutes on a circular path, with a waterfall and vultures

The TurisNat 4x4 route, from age 4; children aged 4 to 12, €20

The tourist train to the viewpoints: one hour, €6 for ages 2 to 12

The Castillo de la Yedra, with suits of armour and an old kitchen set up

### Where to Sleep
Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla, with quadruple rooms and a seasonal pool

Hotel Guadalquivir, with triples and quadruples

### Where to Eat
Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla: breakfasts, lunches and dinners on the Corredera

Picnic at the Cañada de las Fuentes, beside the source

### Bear in Mind
On the 4x4, the family brings the child seat or booster

The Cerrada del Utrero has rock steps: baby carrier, not pushchair

The whole Borosa is 14.6 km: with children, go as far as the Charco de la Cuna, or to the Cerrada de Elías by 4x4

### Qué hacer as a family
- Cerrada del Utrero and the Linarejos Waterfall
- Source of the Guadalquivir at the Cañada de las Fuentes
- 4x4 Route Through the Reserve Zone with TurisNat
- Castillo de la Yedra and the Museum of Popular Arts and Customs
- Santa María Ruins and the Cerezuelo River Vault
- Torre del Vinagre Visitor Centre and Botanical Garden
- Cazorla Tourist Train to the Viewpoints and the Virgen de la Cabeza

## With teenagers: Walkways over the Water and Wildlife Up Close

Teenagers get hooked on the Borosa: a properly long route, with the Cerrada de Elías walkways hung over the river as the prize.

### What Works Best
The Borosa river trail to the Cerrada de Elías, 14.6 km there and back

The Cerrada del Utrero, with steps cut into the rock

The rut outing by 4x4, in autumn: no guarantee of hearing the deer

### Where to Sleep
Coto del Valle, in the heart of the sierra

Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla, with a pool in summer

### Where to Eat
Mesón Leandro's hot-stone meat, which you finish cooking at the table

Sandwiches for the trail: there are no bars on the way

### Bear in Mind
Fishing is not allowed on the Borosa: it is a catch-and-release reserve

After heavy rain, the Cerrada de Elías may close

### Qué hacer with teenagers
- Cerrada del Utrero and the Linarejos Waterfall
- Borosa River Trail to the Cerrada de Elías
- 4x4 Route Through the Reserve Zone with TurisNat

## Consejos

### Start early
The car parks at the Cerrada del Utrero and the Borosa are small and fill up mid-morning at weekends.

### Bring food
There are no bars along the tracks and trails. The picnic areas have tables.

### Book the 4x4
TurisNat always works by reservation and picks you up at your accommodation.

### Ask at the Torre del Vinagre
It is the park's visitor centre: trail conditions, maps and a useful stop if it rains.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### How long does it take from Jaén to Cazorla?
About 90 minutes by car, via Úbeda and Peal de Becerro.

### Which route should you do in the Sierra de Cazorla with children?
The Cerrada del Utrero: a 1.7 km circuit in 45 minutes, with a waterfall. The whole Borosa is long for them.

### Can you drive to the source of the Guadalquivir?
Yes, along an earth forest track from the Puente de las Herrerías. In snow, the guided 4x4 is better.

### Do you have to pay to enter the natural park?
No. The trails are free and open. You pay for guided routes and museums.

### Can you go without a car?
There is an ALSA bus to Cazorla from Jaén, Úbeda and Granada, but it does not enter the sierra. From the town, TurisNat's 4x4 or a taxi.

### How many days do you need?
Two days for the Cerrada del Utrero, the source and the Borosa without rushing; three if you add a 4x4 route.