Whether you are visiting Andalucia for the first time or whether you’ve lived in Andalucia for years, chances are that you haven’t heard of the tiny village of Zuheros, reputedly Spain’s most beautiful village.

You may well have visited many pueblos blancos (white towns) in Cádiz, Malaga, and Huelva provinces but I promise you, Zuheros, with its Moorish castle, narrow winding streets and gorgeous restaurants, all set against the backdrop of the magnificent Sierras Subbéticas, will take your breath away. 

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Where is Zuheros?

Zuheros is located in the province of Córdoba in Andalucia, Southern Spain. It is just over an hour from Cordoba, just over two hours from Seville and ninety minutes from both Malaga and Granada.

It is located on the edge of the Sierras Subbéticas, making it an especially wonderful location for people who want to get out and enjoy walking in nature. 

Getting to Zuheros & around Zuheros

To explore around Zuheros you really do need to have a car as the public transport options in the area are extremely limited.

How long do you need in Zuheros?

That’s up to you. It can be visited as a day trip from either Córdoba or Sevilla or you could make the most of it and stay a night or two in the area, which is what we did the first time we visited.

Where to stay in Zuheros

🍽 Where to eat in Zuheros

Zuheros is a very small town but there are great options for food. Asador Restaurante Los Palancos is a truly fabulous restaurant on the plaza right by the castle serving hearty plates of delicious food (book a table because this place can fill up fast if you’re visiting at the weekend or over a Spanish holiday). El Rincón del Paseo – this is more of a kiosk serving good food. We didn’t eat here but it gets rave reviews on google and was certainly full of happy-looking people when we were in town. 

👧🏽 If you’re visiting with kids or just aren’t sure about Spanish food, use my helpful guide to tapas to find something everyone will want to eat.

Brief history of Zuheros

There is evidence of human occupation as early as the Neolithic period in the Cueva de los Murciélagos in the cliffs above Zuheros as well as later evidence of Roman occupation. The castle that currently dominates the village was built sometime between the 10th – 11th centuries, but it is thought that there was a Moorish castle built in the 9th century there first. Zuheros at this time was called Sujayra. In 1240 Castillian Fernando III conquered Zuheros, strengthening the border between Christian and Islamic Spain (this guy also conquered Alcala de Guadaira, a gorgeous small town near Seville that is home to the third biggest castle in the whole region).

What to do in Zuheros

As should be extremely clear by now, Zuheros is a very small place but it has a lot to do. I have split this section into activities in town and activities just outside town.

Activities in Zuheros

Castillo de Zuheros (Zuheros Castle)

🏰 Zuheros Castle is one of the town’s major draws. It dominates the small white village, standing as it does on one edge of the village square. Truthfully, it won’t take you long to look around the castle but the magnificent views over the surrounding countryside, the rocky cliffs of the sierras subbéticas and the olive groves are well worth the entrance fee.

🎟 Tickets are purchased in the archaeological museum (also on the square).

🔎 Archaeological Museum

This small museum on the square also won’t take up much of your time but since you have to go in here to buy castle tickets, take a quick look around as the outline of the area’s long history is interesting. 

🔔 Iglesia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios

A very pretty 16th century church that is thought to have begun life as a mosque. It is located on Plaza de la Paz, right next to the castle. Its clock tower was once a minaret. It is also known as the Iglesia de los Remedios.

⭐️ Museo de Costumbres y Artes

At the other end of the village is this impressive museum dedicated to the history of life in the region. I didn’t have time to go in but the reviews I read are really glowing and I will absolutely be returning to visit it.

🚶🏽‍♂️ Walk around Zuheros

Enjoy the architecture of this traditional pueblo blanco as you try to get lost in the tiny town. On top of the tourist information is another small mirador (viewpoint). The main square, Plaza de la Paz has great views and there’s even a playground just below.

Periurbano Park 

🌳 Around the lower edge of the village is the Parque Periurbano, which makes for a nice stroll if you have the time. We love the walk here and the small hanging bridge here that is a lot of fun, too.

 

Activities just outside Zuheros

You can probably tell that I love Zuheros and that I love exploring around the little town but even more than the urban activities, I am absolutely smitten by the nature surrounding this town on the edge of a national park. Even the approach to Zuheros can take your breath away, so magnificently located at the base of truly imposing cliffs is it. I could spend weeks exploring this part of Andalucia.

🐋 The Subbeticas is a district made up of fourteen towns in the south of Cordoba province. The park is a UNESCO Global Geopark and Natural park. Around fifteen million years ago there was a narrow stretch of sea between the Sierra Morena and the rising Cordillera Bética (loosely modern Andalucia), it connected the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. Whales, sharks and other marine animals used this as a channel between the two bodies of water. About five million years ago, the land rose and this channel was transformed into the Guadalquivir River.

🦇 Cueva de los Murciélagos

Apparently, this cave system has never technically been discovered because it’s been known to humans for as long as humans have been in the area. Its entrance isn’t hidden, in fact, it’s really kind of a door in the cliffs. Both ancient remains and Neolithic cave paintings have been found in the cave. 

🎟 To visit you must book in advance. This can be done in the archaeological museum in Zuheros or by phone or email turismo@zuheros.es / 957 69 45 45. On local holidays the tours can fill up so be sure to book. 

The cave can only be visited with an official tour guide and I honestly don’t know if it’s possible to do the tour in English. We were asked if we spoke Spanish, which suggests there might be an opportunity for English if you don’t speak Spanish. There are a lot of steps but since the temperature remains a steady 12℃ year-round it doesn’t feel too hard if you’re relatively fit. 

📵 Note that it is not permitted to take photos in the cave at all.

🅿️ There is a carpark on the side of the road next to the ticket office. You’ll need to show your tickets here and pay (previously you had just reserved your spot) and then walk five minutes up the road to the cave entrance. 

🦌 Iberfauna – Animal Reserve

Halfway between Zuheros and the cave is Iberfauna, an animal refuge that can also only be visited only on a guided tour.  Here you will learn about an interesting variety of animals from the peninsula that have been rescued by the owners of the sanctuary including lynxes, Iberian wolves, wild cats and more. 

🎟 this tour also must be booked in advance by email or phone 957112487 /contacta@iberfauna.com. Nearby Antequera also has a wolf sanctuary you can visit.

Mirador de la Atalaya

This three-level lookout point offers up views that will blow your mind. Located at a curve in the road it may not look like a great idea to stop here but let me assure you that it is. 

🧀 Quesería los Balancheres

Just below Zuheros is this well-renowned cheese factory, shop and restaurant. The factory can be toured if booked in advance. 

🗓 In the third week of September every year, Zuheros hosts a famous Cheese Festival, hosting cheese prorducers from all over Spain for promotion and tasting. This event takes places in the Paseo de la Constitución.

Want to trek around Zuheros? 

There are multiple walking opportunities around Zuheros and in the Parque Natural de las Sierra Subbeticas. Some of these walks require checking in first with the park authorities (a formality but it is required) and others don’t. Please be sure to check before you walk.

The best way to find fun walks is to search for the walker symbol (a little walking person) on Google Maps and read reviews. You can also search google for sites about senderismo (walking/hiking) in the region.

🥾 Vía Verde 

If you don’t want anything too strenuous, walk the Vía Verde for a while. The vía verde is a network of over 2000 km of converted railway lines across Spain, 500km of which is stretched across Andalucia. There is a nice section just outside Zuheros.

🥾 Río Bailán and Other Walking Options

If you don’t want to take an official walk then the Cañon del río Bailón is a fun place to climb and explore. We spent a good few hours clambering around on rocks here. Also from this starting point are walks along paths that are well signposted.

I’ve also taken a gorgeous hike along to the Fuente de Pozuelo (we did need to officially sign up to do this), which was utterly magnificent.

What to do Near Zuheros

Of course, Zuheros is famous for being the gateway to the Subbeticas National Park so its main draw is its rugged natural beauty and the opportunity to walk. Luque and Doña Mencia are nearby small towns that are interesting to walk around. Antequera is another gorgeous small town just an hour away. Granada, Jaen, Córdoba and Malaga are all within ninety minutes of Zuheros and Ronda and Seville are both a short two-hour drive away.