Castillo de Las Aguzaderas - Zahara de la Sierra - Molino El Vínculo - Village of Grazalema - Ronda

Route: Seville - Castillo de Las Aguzaderas - Zahara de la Sierra - Molino El Vínculo - Village of Grazalema - Ronda - Seville
Duration: 9 h
The first stop in our tour will be at Castillo de Las Aguzaderas wich was of Muslim origin, which makes use of the previous foundations. This fortress owes its origin to the strategic geographic location where it is situated, the so called Moorish Strip, which was the frontier with the Kingdom of Granada. This fortress possesses an enclouser built to protect the water well which existed at the time, the most important spring water source (Source of the Aguzaderas) in all of the countryside.The next stop in our tour we will at Zahara de la Sierra which was once described by the romantic British traveller Richard Ford, as a "Moorish eagle's nest - the castle (and town) date back to Moorish times. It was an ideal place to build a fortification located between Sevilla and Ronda and the earliest documented reference dates to 1282. It was first captured by the Christians in 1407 and then recaptured by the Nazaries (Moors from the Emirate of Granada, often known as Nasrid Kingdom of Granada). Also we will visit to olive oil factory El Molino, an olive oil press open to the public, La Extractora, a shop where oil produced in the mill can be purchased along with regional craft products.Our nexy stop will be at Village of Grazalema which located in a high valley over 800m in the Sierra del Endrinal and dominated by the magnificent rocky outcrop known as Peñon Grand. The village was established in Moorish times by Berber settlers who discovered a striking similarity with the mountains of their homeland and those of the Sierra de Grazalema. They introduced sheep to graze the lush mountain pastures and produced wool for ponchos and blankets to guard against the wet climate. In 1485 the Duke of Arcos conquered the Moors in Grazalema but the cottage industry of producing woollen blankets - the renowned mantas de Grazalema - continued, reaching its peak in the 17th and 19th centuries. In the heart of the village is an attractive main square, the Plaza de España, lined with bars and restaurants. On this square is Grazalema´s central sight, the 18th-century church of La Aurora. Also here is the village hall (ayuntamiento) and the parish church, the Iglesia de la Encarnación. Up Calle Mateos Gago from the square is the 17th-century Iglesia de San José, a former Carmelite convent with paintings by a disciple of Murillo. Close to the church is a viewpoint that looks out over the village. Our last stop in the tour will be at  charming town Ronda. To visit Ronda is to enter another era and see unique places and landscapes; to enjoy an experience similar to that of those romantic travellers and writers who have made this city so famous. Palaces, lookouts, Arab baths, Roman theatres and even Neolithic caves can be seen by travellers and transport them in time. Visit to Ronda require time to make the most of it, in order to properly see each of its emblematic places, enjoy its delicious gastronomy and a glass of wine in some of its fashionable establishments. After that we will return to Seville.
Price: Per person