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The Grazalema Sierra

The Grazalema Sierra
Wonderful walking | Accessible routes amid the amazing landscapes and fresh mountain air of the Grazalema Natural Park.
Griffon vultures | Soaring overhead and, memorably, at their nesting site in a remote canyon.
Grazalema | One of the region’s prettiest white towns, framed by mountains and with sloping cobbled streets.
Ghosts of the past | Moorish water cisterns, stone-hewn troughs, intricate threshing floors.
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 3 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • 7 days' category B car hire
  • The Grazalema Sierra
    The Grazalema Sierra
  • Coros Peak
  • Grazalema
  • Grazalema Natural Park
  • Limestone landscapes
  • Zahara de la Sierra
  • Montejaque Circuit
What is included
  • 7 nights
  • 3 picnics
    7 breakfasts
  • route notes
  • GPS navigation
  • 7 days' category B car hire

Holiday information

A walking holiday in the Grazalema Sierra

The pretty ‘white town’ of Grazalema is the base for this self-guided, single-centre walking holiday, with hire car included. The range of routes allows you to walk in spectacular mountain scenery with relative ease, while also offering the chance to see rare wildlife and an array of colourful flora in the Grazalema Natural Park.
The amazing landscapes and fresh mountain air of the Grazalema Natural Park make for wonderful, rewarding walking in Spain’s deep south. Africa is close in every sense, from the scent of orange trees to the Moorish influence on the whitewashed buildings. If the scenery is magnificent, equally outstanding is the wildlife – the craggy limestone peaks shelter surprisingly green valleys and gullies, which in turn are home to an astonishing array of flowers and birds.

Of the region’s famed pueblos blancos (‘white towns’), Grazalema is one of the prettiest, framed by mountains and with sloping cobbled streets, and makes a perfect base for a week of walking and discovery. This is an area we know very well – Inntravel has offered holidays here for many years – and we offer an exceptionally wide range of detailed and informative walking routes. Fantastic at any time of year, they are particularly special in April and May, when flowers line the paths.



Walking & more

The key to Inntravel holidays is flexibility. You can start on the day of your choice, and are free to add extra nights. There’s no fixed itinerary, so take your pick of our suggested walking routes as the mood takes you.
  • The average maximum daytime temperatures and monthly rainfall relate to the nearest weather station and are intended as a guide only.

    Spring flowers start to appear in February, although the best time is mid-April to mid-May. In March, the flowering gorse bushes provide a yellow carpet on the slopes.
    Average temperatures and rainfall
      Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec
    °C 11 11 14 16 20 24 29 29 25 19 14 11
    mm 111 102 83 76 52 33 13 13 32 79 128 124
  • An introduction
    Knowing this area as we do, we have been able to curate an extensive selection of walking routes in and around the Grazalema Natural Park. Some lead direct from Grazalema, while others are accessed using your hire car.

    Please note that access to the protected areas within the Natural Park is strictly controlled by entry permits of which a limited number are released each day in order to protect the unique bio-reserves. These areas are usually closed between June and October and, in addition, the Natural Park authorities may also very occasionally close them at short notice during particularly dry weather to prevent the risk of fire. Permits can be requested online (we will provide more information in your holiday pack). A permit is required for the walks marked with an asterix (*).
  • Coros Peak: 3.5km, 1.5hrs; ascent/descent 180m
    Just a short drive from Grazalema, and ideal for a late afternoon as the sun dips towards the horizon, this walk around and over Coros Peak offers far-reaching views for minimal effort, as you look north beyond the lake at Zahara, south over Grazalema, and west towards the highest peaks of the park.
    Coros Peak
    Coros Peak: 3.3km
  • Choice of routes: 3.5km to 8.5km
    Cork Woods circuit: 7.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 160m
    Just 10 minutes from Grazalema, this is a lovely and gentle exploration of cork-oak woods, streams, and open valleys, very little-frequented by other walkers.

    The Green Gorge*: 3.5km, 1.5hrs; ascent/descent 215m
    To reach this walk, you drive over panoramic Dove Pass (1,300 metres) which affords fantastic views over the turquoise waters of the nearby lake. The walk itself contours past a viewpoint before descending steeply into the dramatic Garganta Verde (‘Green Gorge’). Lined with Mediterranean bushes, the gorge is home to 200 pairs of griffon vultures, and the path leads to a small terrace where you can admire these graceful creatures before retracing your steps up out of the gorge and back to your car. (*Permit required.)

    Sendero Rio Majeceite: 8.5km, 3hrs; ascent/descent 240m
    On the western edge of the Grazalema Natural Park, this walk follows a pleasant streamside path from Benamahoma down to El Bosque, before climbing up past the botanical gardens – worth a visit – and returning on a higher path with views of the mountains beneath which Benamahoma is nestled.

    Circular route from Zahara via Bocaleones: 6.5km, 2.5hrs; ascent/descent 230m
    From the village of Zahara, enjoy this short walk which descends to follow the Bocaleones stream as it makes its way to the bottom end of the Garganta Verde gorge, before returning to Zahara along tracks with the town rising above you.
    Garganta Verde
    Cork Woods Circuit: 7.5km
    The Green Gorge: 3.5km
    Sendero Rio Majeceite: 8.5km
    Circular route above Zahara via Bocaleones: 6.4km
  • Choice of routes: 7.5km to 16.5km
    Circular walk via Dornajo: 9km, 4hrs; ascent/descent 500m
    This circuit from Grazalema leads up past the peak of Peňon Grande and through Llanos de Endrinal, to reach a high pass. From here there is an optional out-and-back path to the Dornajo farmhouse ruins, adding an extra 4.5km and 225m ascent/descent. The circuit continues from the pass down to the Goatherd’s Leap viewpoint before gently descending alongside the forest back to Grazalema.

    The Two Valleys: 10.5km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 510m
    This is a lovely circular walk from Grazalema through a varied landscape. Instead of scenery of limestone mountains, you discover a lost world, where ruined farms, overgrown threshing floors and collapsed stone walls evidence a time when countryfolk once made their living from the land, traversing the very same paths that you do.

    Montejaque circuit: 16.5km, 6hrs; ascent/descent 610m.
    Starting in Montejaque, this spectacular and very varied route leads through a lunar landscape then descends through natural ‘rock gardens’ connecting grassy plains. After passing an old farm with a threshing floor, you enter woodland and then a beautiful green valley. The walk finishes by crossing the olive-clad ridge hiding Montejaque.

    The Pinsapo forest*: 9.5km, 4.5hrs; ascent/descent 575m
    From just above Grazalema, enter the Pinsapo reserve and ascend to the ridge for far-reaching views north across overlapping ranges. Your route skirts the side of the ridge and descends into the Pinsapar, a mysterious forest of rare Spanish firs (Abies pinsapo). Return the same way. The route can be shortened by not descending as far into the forest. (*Permit required.)
    Two valleys
    Circular walk via Dornajo: 9km
    The Two Valleys: 10.5km
    Montejaque circuit: 16.5km
    The Pinsapo forest: 9.5km
  • Ronda, Arcos de la Frontera, Jerez & more
    The walking may be excellent, but don’t neglect the many fascinating towns and villages. The magnificent and astonishingly sited white town of Ronda is unmissable, as is the smaller but equally dramatic Arcos de la Frontera set in splendid isolation on a sandstone cliff. There are many other atmospheric white towns within easy driving distance, including Zahara de la Sierra with its hill-top castle, and Setenil, whose houses shelter beneath an overhanging rock ledge. Jerez de la Frontera, an elegant town famed for its sherry, is another worthwhile excursion, while fantastic, flamboyant Seville is also less than a 90-minute drive away. We provide route notes for three different driving tours which reveal the best of the region.
    Explore Ronda

Accommodation

Grazalema is a charming town and makes a great base for your holiday. 
La Mejorana
  • guesthouse

Bedrooms

Options to extend or shorten your stay

Prices & travel options
All prices are in £ sterling (GBP). If you'd like to see what they equate to in your currency, use the converter. For general information on pricing, see the 'your holiday price explained' page.
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  • 7 nights: 01 February 2026 - 31 May 2026 & 01 September 2026 - 30 November 2026

    Start any day | End by latest date(s) shown above

    Starting Price *
    1 - 28 Feb 2026 From £795
    1 - 31 Mar 2026 From £790
    1 - 30 Apr 2026 From £755
    1 - 24 May 2026 From £755
    1 - 30 Sep 2026 From £755
    1 - 31 Oct 2026 From £725
    1 - 23 Nov 2026 From £685

    * Final price is subject to change due to the customisable nature of our holidays and is dependent on accommodation availability for the dates selected. We will contact you to confirm the final price. Single supplements are applicable on many of our holidays. Please contact us for full details.

    Includes accommodation, meals and services integral to the holiday as described, plus walking notes, but no travel from the UK, nor any connecting travel from the airport unless stated below.

    Price includes: 7 days' category B car hire (eg Seat Ibiza or similar with air conditioning and manual transmission)

    Driving time to/from the hotel: Jerez 1h30, Málaga 2h, Seville 2h

    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.

  • RECOMMENDED AIRPORT(S):
    Jerez, Málaga or Seville
    As an alternative to flying, we can arrange rail travel from London

    Travelling from the UK

    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Málaga or Madrid.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    Travelling from outside the UK
    We have many years' experience catering for customers who live outside the UK, and will be happy to make tailored arrangements to fit with your plans.

    You have two options:

    1) Book your own flights to London, from where we can book flights and onward connecting travel to your hotel.

    2) Book your own flights direct to an airport appropriate to your chosen holiday. You can either make your own way from the airport to the hotel, or we'll be happy to book onward connecting travel for you. Please consult with us before booking your flights, so that we can advise you on the suitability of your proposed route and timings.
    Outward route Airline
    Aberdeen - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Belfast Intl. - Malaga Aer Lingus,  easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Birmingham - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI,  Vueling 
    Birmingham - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bournemouth - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Bristol - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Bristol - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Cardiff - Malaga TUI,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Nottingham East Midlands - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Nottingham East Midlands - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Edinburgh - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Seville easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Edinburgh - Seville (via Barcelona) Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Exeter - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Glasgow Prestwick - Malaga Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Inverness - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Leeds Bradford - Malaga jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Leeds Bradford - Seville (via Amsterdam Schiphol) KLM 
    Outward route Airline
    Liverpool - Malaga easyJet,  jet2 
    Outward route Airline
    London City - Malaga British Airways 
    Outward route Airline
    Gatwick - Jerez TUI,  Vueling 
    Gatwick - Malaga British Airways,  easyJet,  TUI,  Vueling,  Wizz Air 
    Gatwick - Seville British Airways,  easyJet,  Vueling 
    Outward route Airline
    Heathrow - Jerez (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Heathrow - Malaga British Airways 
    Heathrow - Seville British Airways 
    Heathrow - Seville (via Madrid) Iberia 
    Outward route Airline
    Luton - Malaga easyJet,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Luton - Seville easyJet,  Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    London Southend - Malaga easyJet 
    Outward route Airline
    Stansted - Jerez Ryanair 
    Stansted - Malaga British Airways,  easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair 
    Stansted - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Manchester - Jerez jet2 
    Manchester - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Manchester - Seville Ryanair 
    Outward route Airline
    Newcastle - Malaga easyJet,  jet2,  Ryanair,  TUI 
    Outward route Airline
    Newquay - Malaga Ryanair 
    Travelling from outside the UK

    If you are flying from outside Europe,  we recommend flying via Málaga or Madrid.  To discuss onward connecting travel to the start of your holiday, please contact us.

    This list of flight options should be used as a guide only, and you should check each airline’s website for current routes, frequency and schedules. Not all flights operate daily, and may not run for the entire season. You should also heed the latest flight arrival time and earliest flight departure time stated in the connecting travel section, as it may not be possible to arrange connecting travel outside these times. Please do not book your flights until we have confirmed your accommodation to you. Alternatively, our expert reservations team will be happy to offer advice and to make flight bookings for you for any of the options listed above. We charge £35 per person for our flight booking service. Your flights are then covered by our package-booking conditions, which give you greater protection in the event of delay or cancellation, as well as providing ATOL cover.

Reviews

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 >

Please note: any reference to maps in customer reviews is now out of date – we no longer provide these. For information on this, please see our FAQs page.

All 7 reviews
  • Mr C Stewart
    Holmfirth
    23 September 2023

    The holiday overall was super, the village of Grazalema being absolutely lovely.

    However the changing climate did mean that the temperature at the end of September 30 deg plus meant the walks were that bit more challenging.

  • Chris and Cathy
    03 September 2023

    HIGHLIGHT: Taking our breakfast on the terrace with the views of the distant hills and the resident griffon vultures soaring over our heads - sometimes as many as 20 in one field of view! 

  • Mr P Haig
    Reading
    08 May 2023

    Overall, a very good holiday; great walking, ideal hotels etc. The only disappointments were the unimaginative breakfasts at both hotels and the poor picnics offered in Grazalema.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers had 3 nights in Grazalema followed by 2 nights in Granada

  • Mrs C Chambers
    Towcester
    08 May 2023

    We traveled in May expecting to see spring flowers but this year there had been little rain so no flowers or grass. However there were loads of butterflies and beautiful bird songs. We were pleased to have had an extra 2 nights in Malaga and to stay at Molina Lario, a great hotel.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers did our discovery walking holiday 'The Grazalema Sierra' followed by our city add-on in Malaga.

  • Mrs K Knight
    Skipton
    22 April 2023

    We thoroughly enjoyed our time in Grazalema and recommend it as a single centre walking holiday. The hotel was lovely with stunning views from our room and the veranda over the village and distant landscape.  We enjoyed our meals at Restaurante El Torreon and Restaurante El Simancon (inlcuded) but we also highly recommend Casa Martin 1920 on the main square which offers an excellent selection of high quality local produce on its extensive menu of small plates as well as excellent sherry and wine. We went on 5 of the recommended walks including 3 which required a reserve permit (note that you can no longer obtain permits in the local tourist information centres - they have to be booked online). The weather was hotter than it normally is at the end of the April, nearly 30 degrees, so we went on the more strenuous walks at the beginning of the week - the Pinsapar reserve and the Garganta Verde. The Pinsapar walk was stunning but I fond the gorge walk very challenging in the heat. We also enjoyed the walk over the Puerto de las Presillas - the wildflowers at this time of year are stunning. We also visited Setenil de Bodegas rather than the more touristy Ronda. Setenil is famous for its buildings which are built into the rock overhangs. Unfortunately the nearby Roman ruins of Acinipo were not open.  

  • Ms N Graham
    Canada
    16 April 2023

    Travel by rail was easy and smooth, and trains were always on time. Driving in the small villages in the Sierra de Grazalema was challenging because of the steep, narrow and twisty streets. Particularly difficult with a manual shift car.

    INNTRAVEL NOTE: These customers combined our Journey by rail 'Fino and Flamenco' with our Discovery Walking holiday 'The Grazalema Sierra'.

  • Ms P Kimmel
    USA
    11 April 2023

    I combined the Trail of Three Cities with the Grazalema Sierra holiday.  I particularly enjoyed the walks around Cordoba, the Sephardic Jewish Museum, the Mezquita de Cordoba and a flamenco show (also in Cordoba).  The Alhambra in Granada is incredible and the guided tour was great - our guide was extremely knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Staying in Grazalema after the three cities was a really nice change of pace.  Thls little pueblo blanco was beautiful.  Because of a foot injury I was not able to hike as much as I'd hoped, but I enjoyed some local walks and just wandering around the town - much less touristy than the larger cities.  The only thing I didn't like were those crazy winding mountain roads - a bit terrifying!  The hosts at the La Llave de la Judería in Cordoba and at La Mejorana in Graazalema were so welcoming and overall outstanding.  

FAQs

If you have any questions relating to this or any other Inntravel holiday, our friendly travel experts will be happy to help. You might also find our General FAQs section helpful.
  • Yes, prior to going on holiday you will be able to download GPX tracks so that you can follow your route on your smartphone or dedicated GPS device if you wish. It’s entirely up to you whether or not you use them – our detailed, step-by-step route notes remain the principal means of guiding you from A to B – but we provide them as a secondary means of navigation for additional reassurance when walking.
  • We can book a wide range of routes from the UK with a variety of airlines. As well as being more convenient for you to book all elements of your holiday together, it also means that we’ll accept liability for your travel arrangements, so if things go wrong, such as the airline going bust, we’ll make suitable alternative arrangements for you. The fee for this service is £35 per person (£15 for children aged 2-11). More information on flights >
  • Absolutely! We are experts in tailored rail travel. Making use of sleeper trains or stopovers in cities along the route, we can get you from London to virtually anywhere in mainland Europe. We can even make arrangements to Mallorca, Sicily and Norway with a combination of ferries and rail. Please contact us to discuss your plans.
  • We can’t book flights that originate outside the UK, but if you wanted to book your own flights to London (or elsewhere in the UK), we can make all onward travel arrangements (including flights) from there. Alternatively, if you are booking your own flights to an airport in continental Europe that’s appropriate for your holiday, we can book onward rail travel and/or taxis. More information about how we can tailor holidays for customers outside the UK >
  • Since our holidays are self-guided, we recommend calling us for a chat about your plans before making a booking, especially if it’s the first time you’ve booked with us.
    The price panel shows the supplement for a single room and also the single traveller charge (this covers (luggage) transfers and other costs which are usually shared between two people).
  • Once you’ve decided on your exact itinerary (our travel experts will be happy to offer advice), you need to provide us with your party’s details, either by phone or via our booking form. At this point we also ask you to pay a deposit so that we can secure a room for you immediately on confirming availability with the hotel(s). If it turns out that we can’t secure the accommodation for the holiday you’ve requested, or offer an acceptable alternative, we’ll refund your deposit promptly and in full. After booking your accommodation and other key elements, we'll then book your travel (or you can do so if you’re making your own arrangements) and send you a Booking Confirmation and Invoice.

    More information about the booking process >
    Information about accommodation, general practicalities and more >
    Booking conditions >
  • Yes, it’s something we insist on, even for holidays in the UK. The vast majority of holidays go smoothly, but when things go wrong, it can be expensive to put them right. Buying a new pair of walking boots after your suitcase is stolen mightn’t seem so bad, but the bill for being airlifted down from a mountain with a broken leg or flown home while still recovering from an illness or accident can incur a five or six-figure bill.

    Many insurers offer travel insurance (you can find details on our insurance page of a policy that you may like to consider if you are a UK resident), but you do need to make sure that you’re covered for medical emergencies – including falling ill with Covid-19 while on holiday – and repatriation. We also recommend that you are covered for other eventualities, such as cancellation and loss of luggage and passports.

    When you purchase a policy, be sure to check that it covers the activities you'll be doing on holiday and that it is adequate for your own individual needs.
  • It is your responsibility to ensure you are in possession of the correct travel documents, with the correct validity. If you’re a UK citizen, you need a full British passport to travel to Spain, but not a visa (please note, however, that a new travel authorisation system is being introduced). If you are a citizen of another country, you’ll need to check requirements with the national embassy or your own consulate.

    Current information regarding vaccinations and travel health advice for UK citizens can be found through the Travel Health Pro website. You must make sure you have adequate insurance cover for illness, accidents and repatriation (see the insurance question). You should also apply for a Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) if your EHIC has expired (if you have a still-valid EHIC, you can use this until it expires).
  • (Castilian) Spanish is one of several official languages; Catalan, Basque and Gallego have equal status in Catalonia, the Basque Country and Galicia, respectively. The currency is the Euro. Spanish time is GMT/UTC + 1. It uses Daylight Saving Time, so in summer is on BST + 1.
  • For information on the practicalities of travel now that the UK is no longer part of the European Union, visit www.gov.uk/visit-eu-switzerland-norway-iceland-liechtenstein.
  • The UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides up-to-date, country-by-country travel advice, as well as information on security, local laws, passports and visas for UK citizens.

    If you live outside the UK, see our essential travel information page for a list of relevant websites.
  • You are the best judge of your child’s/children’s capabilities. We are happy to take bookings for families of older children/teenagers if they walk regularly, love the outdoors and are comfortable with the distances and ascent/descent involved. Please note that the bedrooms at most of the accommodation we use will normally only sleep a maximum of 3 people, and sometimes only 2.
The Grazalema Sierra
7 nights
The Grazalema Sierra
7 nights
Single-centre walking with car
Grade: Flexible: easy-to-moderate & moderate options
Last fetch time is : 3/19/2026 7:13:26 PM

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