La Molina Eco-Holiday: Casita Verde

SETENIL DE LAS BODEGAS - RUTA DE LOS PUEBLOS BLANCOS

La Molina is located in a legally protected valley west of Setenil de las Bodegas.

Setenil can be reached in 5 minutes by car, and a 20-minute walk past olive fields and impressive rock faces is also popular. Setenil is known for its unique architecture: the houses are built in rock. Setenil is on the Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos.

Pueblos Blancos

The White Villages Route runs along country roads throughout Andalusia. It leads through beautiful and partly mountainous landscapes and connects the White Villages, which are mostly of Phoenician or Roman origin and were expanded by the Moors from the 8th to the 15th century.

Typical of the White Villages are the whitewashed houses along narrow, winding streets and the magnificently flowering plants in all colors in front of the houses.

In many places you can visit churches and stately homes from the Reconquista period, which were often built on the site of former mosques. Their construction forms an interesting contrast to the Moorish architecture of the houses. In addition, many White Villages have been built in impressive locations, so you can look forward to spectacular views.

Places worth seeing

Other interesting villages in the surrounding area are Torre Alhaquime, El Gastor, Zahara de la Sierra, Olvera, Grazalema, Algodonales, Arriate, Cuevas del Becerro, Arcos de la Fontera, El Bosque, Castellar de la Frontera and Villaluenga del Rosario.

Ronda, said to be one of the most beautiful Andalusian cities, is only 20 km away. Seville, Cádiz, Córdoba, Málaga, Jerez de la Frontera, Tarifa, Granada and Gibraltar can be visited in a leisurely day trip.

Natural parks

La Molina is located in the Sierra de Cadiz and is surrounded by three other mountains and natural parks:

To the east the Serrania de Ronda, to the south the Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park and to the west the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park.

Grazalema is Arabic and means “courtyard of peace”. And rightly so - in the rugged mountains and forests you can discover many hidden corners and enjoy the peace and solitude.

The park, which covers over 51,000 hectares, was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 1977, and the area has been designated as a natural park since 1984 - the first in Andalusia.

The impressive landscapes with their contrasting karst formations are the result of a tremendous geological history. Valleys, gorges, caves and rocks tell of it:

For example, the largest cave complex in Andalusia “Cueva del Hundidero-Gato” with the “Cueva de la Pileta” with prehistoric finds and rock carvings.

Or the “Garganta Verde” gorge, which is up to 400 meters deep and has the largest breeding colony of griffon vultures in its rock walls. The highest mountain range in the park is the Sierra del Pinar with the peak Torreón (1,654m).

Hike

This area of Andalusia has some of the best hiking routes in Spain - through hilly landscapes, valleys, gorges and along rivers. Here you can find typical Mediterranean vegetation: holm and cork oaks, carob trees, wild olive trees and Mediterranean herbs. A special feature are the Pinsapo forests, the hedgehog firs, which date back to the last ice age and only grow here thanks to the special climate.

More Attractions

Cueva de la Pileta: Rock carvings of the Aurinac culture (and other cultures) up to 32,000 years old were found in the cave, discovered in 1905. Paleolithic wall paintings of goats, horses and fish are preserved in this large cave, which is only accessible with a guided tour. One of the explorer's descendants leads visitors through the fascinating stalactite cave with petroleum lanterns.

Cueva de Gato: There is another cave complex between Montejaque and Benaoján. The entrance can be visited without a guide, but to explore further you have to join a guided excursion, which, among other things, leads through an underground river.

Ronda La Vieja - Acinipo: Ronda La Vieja - the old Ronda. This site was the site of the original city of Ronda until it was destroyed by the Visigoths around 550 AD and then rebuilt at its current location 20 km away. Today there is a Roman excavation site there that can be visited.

...and whoever wants the sea...

The beaches of the Costa del Sol (Mediterranean) and the long sandy beaches of the Costa de la Luz (Atlantic) are approximately an hour's drive away.