Hotel Arco de la Villa
Why we like it: A rural hotel run by the Cádiz Diputación in the old town of Zahara de la Sierra, at the foot of the castle, with every room looking onto the reservoir.
Duration1 night
From Seville1 h 45 by car
Budget€110–180 pp
PermitsFree, in advance
The plan
The plan, hour by hour
Ask for the Pinsapar permit from the El Bosque visitor centre before booking the hotel, or book the Garganta Verde canyon with a guide who handles it. Without a permit, swap Sunday for the Llanos del Rabel (which also require one) or the Majaceite.
Saturday
- 110:30Zahara de la Sierra
Climb the castle tower, with the turquoise reservoir at your feet.
- 212:30Puerto de las Palomas
The CA-9104 to Grazalema, stopping at the viewpoints of the Puerto de los Acebuches and the Puerto de las Palomas.
- 314:30Lunch in Zahara or El Bosque
Aubergines with cane honey at the Arco de la Villa, or Majaceite trout at Las Truchas. Call ahead: they don't publish opening times.
- 417:00Majaceite trail
A stretch beside the river from El Bosque, there and back. Ask beforehand whether it is open in full.
Sunday
- 19:00The Pinsapar, with a permit
From Grazalema to Benamahoma, 10.5 km downhill among Spanish firs, about 4 h 30. Leave a car at Benamahoma or go with a guide.
- 29:30Or the Garganta Verde from inside
If you are with teenagers from age 12, the canyon with Horizon Naturaleza y Aventura: from €48, with ropes, pools and the permit handled. It takes the whole day.
- 315:30Drive back
From Benamahoma or Zahara, about two hours to Seville.
The Sierra de Grazalema can't be understood without its quota routes: the Pinsapar, a forest of Spanish firs that in Andalusia grows only here and in the Serranía de Ronda, and the Garganta Verde, a canyon the park gives as up to 400 metres deep. With a night you can do one of them at leisure and spend the rest of the time touring the villages.
Where to sleep?
| Accommodation | For whom | What it has |
|---|---|---|
| Hotel Arco de la Villa | Those doing the Garganta Verde | In Zahara, all rooms face the reservoir; mountain restaurant |
| Hotel Rural Enrique Calvillo | Walkers | In El Bosque, beside the Majaceite; they help with permits |
| Hotel Las Truchas | Families | In El Bosque, with a seasonal pool |
If you don't have a permit
Weekend quotas run out in spring and autumn. Without authorisation, the plan still works: Zahara, the pass, the Majaceite and, on the other side of the sierra, Ronda and Setenil under an hour away.
Map
The stops, in order
What to do
Eat
88 €Stay
Services
Plan the trip
Sierra de Grazalema, 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 Grazalema
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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.
A Car to Link the Villages and the Trails
The sierra is explored by car: Zahara, Grazalema, Benamahoma and El Bosque are 15 to 30 minutes from one another along mountain roads, and almost all the trails leave from the A-372 or the CA-9104, with small car parks.
60–110 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Arco de la Villa…
- Getting aroundCA-9104, Zahara–Grazalema over the Palomas…
- Where to eatArco de la Villa restaurant…
- ServicesEl Bosque visitor centre, for…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Arco de la Villa, in Zahara, with reservoir views
- Hotel Rural Enrique Calvillo and Hotel Las Truchas, in El Bosque, beside the Majaceite
Getting around
- CA-9104, Zahara–Grazalema over the Palomas pass: narrow and winding
- A-372, Grazalema–Benamahoma–El Bosque: the Pinsapar and El Torreón start here
- Trail car parks with 5 to 50 spaces: arrive early
Where to eat
- Arco de la Villa restaurant, in Zahara
- Enrique Calvillo and Las Truchas, in El Bosque
Services
- El Bosque visitor centre, for permits
Permit Trails, and a Few Without One
Grazalema is hiking country, but its star routes need free prior authorisation from the park, with a daily quota. Request the permit before booking the hotel and organise the linear routes with two cars or with a guide.
55–95 €per person per day, approximate
- Where to sleepHotel Rural Enrique Calvillo, next…
- Getting aroundEl Pinsapar: 10.5 km linear…
- Where to eatMajaceite trout at Las Truchas
- ServicesEl Bosque visitor centre: permits…
Where to sleep
- Hotel Rural Enrique Calvillo, next to the start of the Majaceite trail; they help with permits
- Hotel Las Truchas, also in El Bosque, with a pool in summer
Getting around
- El Pinsapar: 10.5 km linear from Grazalema to Benamahoma
- El Torreón: 3 km each way, closed from 1 June to 15 October
- Llanos del Rabel: 6.2 km each way, the easiest
- Majaceite: no permit, with works under way after the 2026 storms
Where to eat
- Majaceite trout at Las Truchas
- Take water: the park's springs are not drinkable
Services
- El Bosque visitor centre: permits and trail conditions
- Horizon Naturaleza y Aventura, guides based in Grazalema
How much does it cost?
People2
Nights1
Where to stay
Where to stay if you're drivingif you're on foot
We show you what suits the way you travel.Change how you travel
Hotel Rural Enrique Calvillo
Why we like it: A family hotel in El Bosque, beside the Majaceite river, with rustic rooms, a restaurant dating from 1975 and three country houses with pools in the sierra.
Hotel Las Truchas
Why we like it: A rural hotel run by the Cádiz Diputación in El Bosque, beside the Majaceite river, with an outdoor pool in season, a café with a fireplace and a mountain restaurant.
Services for this trip
Areas, for any way of travelling
| Area | Who it's for | Average night |
|---|---|---|
| Zahara de la Sierra | Castle, reservoir, Garganta Verde | |
| Grazalema | Mountain village between the two passes | |
| El Bosque and Benamahoma | Majaceite, visitor centre, hotels |
Where to eat
Where to eat in Sierra de Grazalema
Enrique Calvillo Restaurant
What to order: the set menu after the Majaceite, or tapas on the terrace.
Las Truchas Restaurant
What to order: the Majaceite trout and, as a first course, El Bosque soup.
Arco de la Villa Hotel Restaurant
What to order: fried aubergines with cane honey and a venison stew, with Payoyo cheese for dessert.
Tips
Worth knowing first
Local tip
Request the permit by email at [email protected] with two weeks' margin, and wait for the reply before booking.
We'd skip it
El Torreón between 1 June and 15 October: it is closed because of fire risk.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Seville to the Sierra de Grazalema?
Between an hour and a half and two hours by car, depending on the village.
How do I ask for the Pinsapar permit?
From the El Bosque visitor centre, by email or on 956 70 97 33. It is free and has a quota.
Where to sleep to do the routes?
In El Bosque, beside the Majaceite and 20 minutes from Benamahoma, or in Zahara if you are doing the Garganta Verde.
Can I go with children?
Yes. Zahara, the pass and a stretch of the Majaceite go well; the canyon, from age 12.