# Sunday in the Sierra de Grazalema: Zahara, the Puerto de las Palomas and the Majaceite River

A mountain Sunday without permits: Zahara castle above the reservoir, the viewpoints on the Puerto de las Palomas, trout in El Bosque and the Majaceite trail.

Fuente: https://www.geocalia.com/en/spain/andalusia/sierra-de-grazalema/itineraries/zahara-puerto-de-las-palomas-and-majaceite-river-trail · Revisado: 2026-11-12

## El día
- 08:30 · Salida: 1 h 45 by car (from Seville via Morón and Algodonales to Zahara)
- 10:15 · Zahara de la Sierra and Its Castle above the Reservoir (Climb the castle tower with the reservoir below)
  - 15 min by car, 9 km
- 12:00 · Palomas Pass Road, from Zahara to Grazalema (CA-9104 towards Grazalema; stop at the two viewpoints)
  - 30 min by car, 23 km
- 14:00 · Las Truchas Restaurant (Majaceite trout and El Bosque soup · phone ahead) · Las Truchas Restaurant, €€
  - 30 min by car, 6,9 km
- 16:00 · Majaceite River Trail, from El Bosque to Benamahoma (A there-and-back stretch beside the river, at your own pace)
- 18:00 · Vuelta (From El Bosque to Seville, an hour and a half on the A-375; to Cádiz, via Arcos)

The most famous Grazalema routes require a permit, and on a Sunday without one you cannot improvise them. This plan does not need one: it crosses the sierra from north to south, from Zahara to El Bosque, with a castle, a mountain pass and a path beside the river.

## The Day, Hour by Hour

8:30 · Departure. From Seville, via Utrera or via Morón and Algodonales to Zahara de la Sierra, around an hour and three quarters. From Cádiz, better the other way round: start at El Bosque via Arcos and finish at Zahara.

10:15 · Zahara de la Sierra. Park below and walk up the white streets to the castle tower. From the top, the Zahara-El Gastor reservoir and the sierra. On Plaza del Rey is the park's information point.

12:00 · Puerto de las Palomas. Take the CA-9104 towards Grazalema. It is narrow and winding: stop at the viewpoints on the Puerto de los Acebuches and the Puerto de las Palomas. From this road leave the Garganta Verde and the Pinsapar, for another day with a permit. Go down to Grazalema and continue along the A-372 to El Bosque.

14:00 · Lunch in El Bosque. At the Hotel Las Truchas restaurant, Majaceite trout and El Bosque soup. Its website does not publish opening hours: call before leaving home to confirm that it serves lunch that Sunday.

16:00 · Majaceite trail. The path by the river between El Bosque and Benamahoma, in the shade of the riverbank. Walk as far as you like and return the same way. Ask beforehand whether it is open in full: the regional government has been repairing it since March 2026 after the storms.

18:00 · Return.

## Where and What to Eat

Las Truchas, at the entrance to El Bosque, serves mountain cooking of trout, game and cheeses. Restaurante Enrique Calvillo, open since 1975 next to the start of the trail, has a set menu, tapas and terraces. Neither publishes opening hours: book by phone. If you prefer to eat in Zahara, the dining room at Arco de la Villa looks over the reservoir.

## With Children and Dogs

With children, Zahara castle and the pass viewpoints are the best of the day; the Majaceite, as far as they can manage. With a dog, the villages and the river trail are fine on a lead.

## Cómo llegar

### By car
From Seville, an hour and three quarters to Zahara; from Cádiz, an hour and a half to El Bosque via Arcos. The CA-9104 and A-372 are mountain roads.

## Consejos

### Ask about the Majaceite
The El Bosque visitor centre (956 70 97 33) knows whether it is open in full.

### Call the restaurant
The ones in El Bosque do not publish their Sunday hours.

### Stop only at the viewpoints
On the CA-9104 there is no hard shoulder.

## Preguntas frecuentes

### Do you need a permit for this plan?
No. Zahara castle, the Puerto de las Palomas road and the Majaceite do not need one.

### How long does it take from Seville?
About an hour and three quarters to Zahara.

### Can I take a dog?
Yes, on a lead in the villages and on the river trail.

### What if I want to do the Garganta Verde?
Request authorisation from the El Bosque visitor centre in advance, or do it with a guide who arranges it.