For anyone happy to take on around 5-15km each day – with the occasional hill thrown in.
The season for this holiday is:
01 March 2025 - 30 November 2025
01 March 2026 - 30 November 2026
Follow ancient trails between timelessly pretty villages to discover the Aracena Sierra: a landscape that is unspoiled, tranquil, and as bounteous as it is beautiful.
In this quiet corner of northwest Andalucia, black pigs roam free in cork oak and chestnut forests, while, nestled in the valleys, some of Spain’s most picturesque villages entice with their ornate architecture and antiquated way of life. Above the maze of cobbled streets, the ruins of castles and a mosque provide striking reminders of the centuries of conflict played out in this former border country.
Leading you across the Sierra from west to east, from historic Almonaster to tiny Alájar to vibrant Aracena, this rewarding walking holiday unveils all that is special about the region. Immerse yourself in its glorious countryside and breathtaking views, embrace traditional Andalucian life in the pretty village plazas, and dine on Spain’s finest Jamón Ibérico. In Aracena, don’t miss the Gruta de las Maravillas – a hidden fantasy world of limestone grottoes and subterranean lakes.
Visit in spring and early summer for woodlands and olive groves rampant with wildflowers, or in autumn as hundreds of varieties of wild mushrooms throng the forest floor, and wild boar and venison grace local menus. Whenever you travel, be sure to take your time: this Sierra deserves to be savoured.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| °C | 13 | 14 | 17 | 19 | 23 | 29 | 33 | 33 | 28 | 22 | 16 | 14 |
| mm | 68 | 62 | 50 | 56 | 42 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 24 | 72 | 81 | 93 |
We provide notes for three excellent and varied routes around Alájar. These can be mixed and matched with olive-oil tasting, ham carving, and/or a guided walk – all provided by your hosts (pay locally).
La Peña circuit: 10km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 555m
Ascend to the pilgrim site of La Peña de Arias Montano where pleasant gardens, spring waters, and the Church of Our Lady of the Angels surround a superb viewpoint over Alájar. Your route continues uphill through ancient chestnut forests filled with birdsong and grazed by black pigs, with occasional widescreen vistas showcasing the Natural Park as you begin to descend back towards La Peña. Before returning to Alájar, there’s the option to take a short but steep ascent to another stunning viewpoint (add 1.5km).
Los Molinos circuit: 14.5km, 5.5hrs; ascent/descent 335m
This delightful, gentle route follows the course of the Alájar river, staying directly alongside its bank and passing the remains of flour mills which once used the power of the water to grind millstones. The real joy of this route lies in its tranquillity, and in the flora which lines your path.
Los Madroñeros circuit: 7.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 270m
A pretty trail to the tiny hamlet of Madroñeros via a quiet and scenic lane and across wooded slopes. Once all but abandoned, Los Madroñeros is being reclaimed as a weekend retreat for second homeowners. The return path to Alájar ascends on a small path from which views open out across the southwest Sierra.
We can only accept payment in GBP, but you can use this converter to find out how much the holiday equates to in your own currency.
7 nights: 01 March 2025 - 30 November 2025 & 01 March 2026 - 30 November 2026
Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above
| Starting | Price | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 31 Mar 2025 | £1045 | £275 |
| 1 - 30 Apr 2025 | £1085 | £275 |
| 1 May - 31 Jul 2025 | £1175 | £275 |
| 1 - 18 Aug 2025 | £1090 | £285 |
| 19 Aug - 22 Sep 2025 | £1155 | £280 |
| 23 Sep - 27 Oct 2025 | £1080 | £275 |
| 28 Oct - 23 Nov 2025 | £955 | £275 |
| 1 - 31 Mar 2026 | £1105 | £290 |
| 1 - 30 Apr 2026 | £1145 | £290 |
| 1 May - 31 Jul 2026 | £1240 | £290 |
| 1 - 18 Aug 2026 | £1150 | £300 |
| 19 Aug - 22 Sep 2026 | £1220 | £295 |
| 23 Sep - 27 Oct 2026 | £1140 | £290 |
| 28 Oct - 23 Nov 2026 | £1010 | £290 |
| 3rd & 4th person discount | -£200 to -£211 | |
| Single traveller supplement | £200 to £211 |
Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes and maps, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.
Book your flights through us and we'll find the best route and times to suit you. Please contact us to find out more about our flight booking service. We can also book connecting travel - see below.
Extra nights (£ per person per night) in a double or single room
| Hotel Convento Aracena , Aracena (B&B) | Double room | Single room |
|---|---|---|
| 01 Mar - 30 Nov 2025 | £90 | £163 |
| 01 Mar - 30 Nov 2026 | £95 | £172 |
Connecting travel options - flying via Seville
| Outward route | Price per person |
Latest flight arrival time |
|---|---|---|
| bus Seville Plaza de Armas to Almonaster la Real (2h20) | pay locally | 1400 Mon-Fri |
| taxi to hotel (1h45) | included | flexible |
| Homeward route | Price per person |
Earliest flight departure time |
|---|---|---|
| taxi to Seville airport (1h15) | included | flexible |
| bus Aracena to Seville (Plaza de Armas) (1h25) | pay locally | 1200 (2230 Sat & Sun) |
If you've experienced this holiday first hand, why not write a review?
We are keen for as many customers as possible to review their holiday. To make it easier to do so, we include a specific review section on our post-holiday questionnaire, and this is what we publish here, unedited. Read our full review policy >
This was one of the more challenging Grade 1-2 walks we've done with Inntravel - more 2 than 1 in places. The wild flowers everywhere were amazing, and the scenery beautiful. We met very few, if any, walkers on the paths and enjoyed some good food and wine. Unfortunately Posada de San Marcos doesn't provide dinner at the weekend, but Lucy pointed us to other places to eat. (On Sunday evening there is only a pizza restaurant open, so worth getting Lucy to book it for you.)
The swimming pool at the Posada was very inviting, but at both the other hotels they were closed. Hotel Convento weren't opening theirs until June 15th, despite temperatures in the high 20s.
The menu at the Convento didn't look particularly inspiring so we went out for tapas both evenings in the Plaza del Marques de Aracena. Plenty of places to eat and very lively.
Angel was an excellent and enthusiastic guide, adding to our enjoyment of the area.
A glorious holiday discovering a very quiet and beatiful part of Spain. The walks were varied, interesting and very quiet with lovely wild flowers varied countryside. Although some stony paths were a bit challenging, overall the walks were a perfect level for us and it was great not to have to worry about taxi transfers. We were particularly lucky with the weather which was dry and sunny but not too hot - I imagine that later in the year we would have struggled a little!
The walking instructions were on the whole pretty accurate and easy to follow but we were very glad that we had downloaded a basic GPS app as this gave us reassurance about the routes when in any doubt.
All the hotels were good and different from each other. Almonaster and Alajer were both delightful places BUT be aware that (outside of the high season in July and August) on Monday to Thursday the bars and restaurants are all closed in the evenings - and at weekends don't open until around 9pm!. Both hotels however offered excellent meals at a reasonable price.
We stayed an extra night in Arancena and enjoyed having a lazy day in the town vitisng the caves and castle. The outdoor swimming pool doesn't open until June which was a shame as it was certainly warm enough in mid May.
All in all an excellent holiday!
Friendly, helpful, and engaging people, and beautiful countryside!
This was one of the more challenging Grade 1-2 walks we've done with Inntravel - more 2 than 1 in places. The wild flowers everywhere were amazing, and the scenery beautiful. We met very few, if any, walkers on the paths and enjoyed some good food and wine. Unfortunately Posada de San Marcos doesn't provide dinner at the weekend, but Lucy pointed us to other places to eat. (On Sunday evening there is only a pizza restaurant open, so worth getting Lucy to book it for you.)
The swimming pool at the Posada was very inviting, but at both the other hotels they were closed. Hotel Convento weren't opening theirs until June 15th, despite temperatures in the high 20s.
The menu at the Convento didn't look particularly inspiring so we went out for tapas both evenings in the Plaza del Marques de Aracena. Plenty of places to eat and very lively.
Angel was an excellent and enthusiastic guide, adding to our enjoyment of the area.
A glorious holiday discovering a very quiet and beatiful part of Spain. The walks were varied, interesting and very quiet with lovely wild flowers varied countryside. Although some stony paths were a bit challenging, overall the walks were a perfect level for us and it was great not to have to worry about taxi transfers. We were particularly lucky with the weather which was dry and sunny but not too hot - I imagine that later in the year we would have struggled a little!
The walking instructions were on the whole pretty accurate and easy to follow but we were very glad that we had downloaded a basic GPS app as this gave us reassurance about the routes when in any doubt.
All the hotels were good and different from each other. Almonaster and Alajer were both delightful places BUT be aware that (outside of the high season in July and August) on Monday to Thursday the bars and restaurants are all closed in the evenings - and at weekends don't open until around 9pm!. Both hotels however offered excellent meals at a reasonable price.
We stayed an extra night in Arancena and enjoyed having a lazy day in the town vitisng the caves and castle. The outdoor swimming pool doesn't open until June which was a shame as it was certainly warm enough in mid May.
All in all an excellent holiday!
Friendly, helpful, and engaging people, and beautiful countryside!
Everything was in full bloom at the end of April. Beautiful! So many different flowers and plants. Loved walking through the cork oak, holm oak and chestnut woods. Some paths a bit rocky under foot and steep.
The woodland flowers in spring and the number and variety of woodland birds were amazing.
This walk suited us very well - we enjoyed that there were 3 different locations with 2 or 3 nights in each hotel. The walking distances between hotels were ideal - without needing a taxi part of the way as some other holidays require, meaning we could leave when we were ready. Very quiet walking especially in the first two villages.
Consider going for a late lunch (latest 4pm) after some of the walks as village restaurants in Almonaster and Alajar do not open in the evening mid-week, bit do stay open until 4-5pm.
We both thoroughly enjoyed this trip with some lovely walks through beautiful, quiet countryside enhanced by all the wild flowers. The hotels were all very good especially the Posada fe San Marcos and the Convento de Aracena.
This is an area of Spain we would not have explored without this holiday. A highlight for us was the ethos at Posada San Marcos driven by Angel and Lucy to their commitment to sustainability.
What a great holiday! The Aracena Sierra is beautiful and a delightful place for walks. There is plenty of variety in the walking and no fiddly transfers or trudging through dull urban outskirts. The three contrasting hotels are all good in their own way but the highlight is La Posada de San Marcos. Angel and Lucy are brilliant hosts. Angel's enthusiasm for the region and Lucy's inspired cooking made for a memorable stay. It's no surprise that so many of their guests return time and again.
Our holiday was in the last week of March and we were lucky that we avoided the heavy rain of the previous week. Obviously the weather is unpredictable but this might be a factor to consider when booking. When the walking notes referred to dry stream beds we found streams.
We ate a (non-included) evening meal at the Convento de Aracena and regretted not going to one of the many restaurants or tapas bars within easy walk of the hotel. Conversely, the food at Jesus Carrion (a restaurant about ten minutes' walk from the hotel) is excellent. The 47 Euro tasting menu, with wine and water included, is strongly recommended but don't plan to do much walking afterwards.
Thoroughly enjoyed this trip. Very peaceful and an unspoilt area. Home made food at La Posada de San Marcos was excellent, and we enjoyed the homely atmosphere of this establishment. Lucy and Angel went out of their way to ensure the whole trip went well. Would definitely recommend the whole trip.
Stunning walking through unspoilt cork oak & chestnut woodland. Hardly saw a soul. Lots of wild flowers, beautiful views, small unspoilt villages and families of pigs.
Lovely walking in wooded hilly country, with excellent hotels. Some of the paths are cobbled and slippery if wet. We were glad to have taken walking poles.
Andalusia is a beautiful region, rich in history, culture and tradition. The forests were alive with wildlife, birdsong and wonderful views and scenery, and nestling within this stunning part of Spain were some very attractive, pretty villages, seemingly untouched by modern progress, retaining their proud traditions and way of life. We were welcomed everywhere, such a peaceful and fascinating region that was a privilege and pleasure to explore and experience
Paul Heaven
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