© ParadoresHotelParador de Cazorla
Why we like it: A parador in the style of an Andalusian farmhouse inside the natural park, in the sierra above Cazorla, with a seasonal pool, garden and game cooking. Pets welcome.
Duration2 nights
From Jaén1 h 30 by car (estimated)
Best timeApril – June · October
Budget€180–280 pp
DifficultyMedium
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Designed for arriving on Friday evening and sleeping two nights in the sierra or in Cazorla. Saturday is the long day, the Borosa; Sunday, short routes and the town before heading home.
Friday
- 119:00Arrival in Cazorla
From Jaén to Cazorla in an hour and a half. Leave the car in a car park in the centre and dine at the Mesón Leandro, next to the ruins of Santa María: game meat grilled or cooked on stone, open every day until 22:30. If you are sleeping at Coto del Valle, drive up afterwards on the A-319, about twenty minutes of mountain road.
Saturday
- 108:00The Borosa river
Via the A-319 to Torre del Vinagre and the turn-off to the start of the trail, beside the fish farm. It is 7.3 km each way along track and path beside the river: the Charco de la Cuna, the Caracolillos bridge and, via the right-hand turn-off, the wooden walkways of the Cerrada de Elías. The official route ends beside the hydroelectric plant. Eat what you carry there and come back the same way: about six hours in all.
- 216:00Torre del Vinagre visitor centre
On the way back, an hour in the park visitor centre, with rooms on rock, water and pine forest, and the botanical garden next door. Dinner at your accommodation or back to Cazorla.
Sunday
- 109:30Cerrada del Utrero and the source
At the Empalme del Valle, the Vadillo-Castril road takes you in 3.5 km to the Cerrada del Utrero car park: 1.7 km circular in 45 minutes, with the Linarejos waterfall in front. Then, via the Puente de las Herrerías and the forest track, the Cañada de las Fuentes, where the Guadalquivir rises at 1,360 m.
- 214:00Lunch and the castle in Cazorla
The Degusta Jaén menu at Casa Alfonso X, €47 without drinks, open on Sundays; book. Then climb to La Yedra castle, which on Sunday closes at 17:00, and go down to the Cerezuelo river vault on the 17:00 tour. Drive back to Jaén at the end of the afternoon.
From Jaén, the Sierra de Cazorla is an hour and a half away: Úbeda, Peal de Becerro and the A-319 to the town. You can go in a day, but the Borosa river takes a whole day and starts almost an hour of bends from Cazorla, so with two nights the trip changes. This plan puts the Borosa on Saturday, with the walkways of the Cerrada de Elías as the goal, and leaves for Sunday the Cerrada del Utrero, the source of the Guadalquivir and the castle. From Granada it is about two hours; from Córdoba, a little more.
What do you walk?
| Route | Distance | Time | For whom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Borosa river to the Cerrada de Elías | 7.3 km each way | 3 h each way | Regular walkers; low difficulty according to the regional government |
| Cerrada del Utrero | 1.7 km circular | 45 min | Everyone, with children who already walk on their own |
| Source of the Guadalquivir | A short walk | 1 h | Everyone; reached by forest track |
Where to sleep?
For the Borosa, it is best to sleep in the sierra: Coto del Valle, a four-star country hotel with a spa on the Tranco road, near the Empalme del Valle, has doubles from €90 with breakfast and doesn't admit pets. The Parador, a farmhouse inside the park, does admit them; it closes from 3 January to 4 March 2027. If you prefer to dine in the town and stroll, the Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla is on Plaza de la Corredera, with a pool in summer, and the Hotel Guadalquivir, two streets away, has doubles from €62 without breakfast.
If you prefer not to walk so much
Swap Saturday's Borosa for a guided 4x4 route with TurisNat through the reserve zone, closed to private cars: route 5 runs the Borosa valley towards the Cerrada de Elías and route 1 reaches the Valdeazores and Aguas Negras lagoons. Half a day from €39 in 2026, with pick-up at your accommodation. In October there are special outings for the deer rut.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Sierra de Cazorla, 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 Sierra de Cazorla
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Best timeGood timeLow season
How you travel
The same break, your way
The plan stays the same. What changes is where you sleep, how you get there and how much you spend.
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.
70–120 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to SleepIn Cazorla, for dinner and…
- Getting AroundA-319 from Cazorla to the…
- Where to EatMesón Leandro, open every day
- ServicesMunicipal car parks around the…
Where to Sleep
- In Cazorla, for dinner and strolling: Hotel Guadalquivir or Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla
- In the sierra, for early starts on the trails: Coto del Valle, by the Empalme del Valle
Getting Around
- A-319 from Cazorla to the Tranco: Puerto de las Palomas, Empalme del Valle, Arroyo Frío, Torre del Vinagre
- JF-7091 towards Vadillo-Castril for the Cerrada del Utrero
- Forest track from the Puente de las Herrerías to the source of the Guadalquivir
Where to Eat
- Mesón Leandro, open every day
- Bring food for the trails: there are no bars along the tracks
Services
- Municipal car parks around the old town of Cazorla
- Car park of about ten spaces at the Cerrada del Utrero and another at the start of the Borosa
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.
60–100 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to SleepCoto del Valle, on the…
- Getting AroundBorosa river: 7.3 km each…
- Where to EatPicnic at the Cañada de…
- ServicesTorre del Vinagre visitor centre…
Where to Sleep
- Coto del Valle, on the A-319: the closest to the trails
- Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla, with check-out until 12:00
- Hotel Guadalquivir, the cheapest in the centre
Getting Around
- Borosa river: 7.3 km each way, 3 h each way, low difficulty
- Cerrada del Utrero: 1.7 km circular, 45 min
- Arroyo Frío to Cerrada del Utrero: 2.2 km linear, 1 h 30 each way
Where to Eat
- Picnic at the Cañada de las Fuentes picnic area
- Mesón Leandro for dinner, every day
Services
- Torre del Vinagre visitor centre: trail conditions and maps
- Cazorla tourist office: guide to local trails
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.
From €150per person per day, approximate
- Where to SleepParador de Cazorla: a farmhouse…
- Getting AroundPrivate VIP service in a…
- Where to EatCasa Alfonso X: tasting menus…
- ServicesRural spa at Coto del…
Where to Sleep
- Parador de Cazorla: a farmhouse in the sierra, seasonal pool, pets welcome
- Coto del Valle: four-star rural hotel with spa; superior rooms with hydromassage from €140
Getting Around
- Private VIP service in a TurisNat 4x4, from €270, with a guide for your group
Where to Eat
- Casa Alfonso X: tasting menus at €47 and €69, with wine pairing
- Parador restaurant: game in season and Segureño lamb
Services
- Rural spa at Coto del Valle
- Electric-car charging at the Parador
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights2
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're on footin style
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
© ParadoresHotel
Coto del Valle Rural Hotel
Why we like it: Four-star rural hotel with spa on the Tranco road, by the Empalme del Valle: a short step from the Cerrada del Utrero. Doubles from €90 with breakfast.
From €90
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Hotel Ciudad de Cazorla
Why we like it: Three-star hotel on the Plaza de la Corredera, in the centre of the town, with a seasonal pool, a small gym and a restaurant serving Jaén cooking.
Hotel Guadalquivir
Why we like it: Two-star family hotel on Calle Nueva, in the centre of Cazorla, with doubles from €62 a night. Simple, with lift and air conditioning.
From €62
View details
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Cazorla | Castle, Santa María, restaurants and hotels; a comfortable base | |
| El Valle and Arroyo Frío | Next to the Cerrada del Utrero and the road to the source | |
| Coto Ríos and Torre del Vinagre | Start of the Borosa and the visitor centre, almost an hour from Cazorla |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Sierra de Cazorla
Mesón Leandro
What to order: the hot-stone meat for two, the fillet of deer or wild boar, or the grilled Segureño lamb chops
Casa Alfonso X Restaurant & Bistro
What to order: 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
What to order: meats from the sierra and tapas; ask about the mountain dishes and the homemade desserts of the day
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Set off for the Borosa before half past eight. The car park at the start fills on spring and autumn Saturdays, and at midday the track heats up.
We'd skip it
The days after heavy rain, if your goal is the Cerrada de Elías: it is the first stretch to be cut. Ask at Torre del Vinagre before you set off.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Jaén to Cazorla?
About 90 minutes by car, via Úbeda and Peal de Becerro. From the town to the start of the Borosa, almost another hour.
How many kilometres is the Borosa route?
The official route is 7.3 km each way to the Cerrada de Elías and the plant: about 14.6 km there and back, about six hours.
Where to sleep to do the Borosa?
In the sierra, along the A-319: Coto del Valle is the accommodation in this getaway closest to the start.
Can I bring a dog?
The Parador de Cazorla admits pets; Coto del Valle does not. For the 4x4, ask beforehand.
Do I need to book?
Restaurants, at weekends, yes. The 4x4, always.