Mirador de los asomaderos

Imagine parking your car at one of the viewpoints, enjoying the stunning views of Grazalema and its surrounding natural landscape.

Once you enter the village, you can leave your car in the free parking lot at Plaza de los Asomaderos, the location of the best observation point with views of the Sierra de Grazalema and the Guadalete River valley.

While you're there, stop by the Tourist Office for a dose of local history and tourist information.

Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación

Step back in time as you visit this gem—a church built in the late 15th century after the Reconquista, on the site of a former Mudejar temple.

Admire its façade, featuring a majestic bell tower and a double portal, and explore its interior, where the Chapel of Nuestro Padre Jesús Nazareno and iconic religious images await you.

Plaza de España

From Plaza Pequeña, you can stroll along the narrow Calle Agua, which passes through a small square filled with terraces, until you reach the Plaza de España—the most central spot to visit in Grazalema and a hub of social activity in the village.

This rectangular and elongated urban space is flanked by the Town Hall and the Church of La Aurora, a beautiful temple built in a transitional Renaissance-to-Baroque style in the 17th century. After leaving the church, you can enjoy a drink at one of the terraces in the square.

Mirador El Tajo

Passing by the Church of Aurora and climbing a steep road, you will reach the Mirador del Tajo, another of the most iconic viewpoints to visit in Grazalema.

From this balcony, you will enjoy an almost complete panoramic view of the white houses with reddish gabled roofs in the village, and in the background, the Sierra de Grazalema with several peaks standing out—sure to leave you speechless.

Ermita Del Calvario

If you have more time, you can take a short hiking route to the Ermita del Calvario, located in the Sierra del Endrinal, which is another of the best things to do in Grazalema.

Of this Baroque-style temple, built in the 18th century, only the thick walls remain after it was burned and looted during the Second Spanish Republic. However, its ruins, intertwined with nature, have a magical aura. Just a few meters from the hermitage is the Mirador del Santo, offering incredible views of Grazalema and its entire natural surroundings.

Iglesia de San José

After lunch, you can walk up the charming Calle San José to the Church of San José, located in the upper neighborhood and one of the most beautiful places to visit in Grazalema.

This 17th-century religious temple was formerly a convent of the Discalced Carmelites, remnants of which can still be seen next to San José Park.

It is worth admiring the simplicity of its exterior facade, which aligns with the Andalusian architecture of the village houses. The facade is crowned by a two-story belfry with three bells. Inside, you will find a 17th-century image of the crucified Christ, the image of the Virgin of El Carmen, and remnants of an old sculpture of Saint Anthony.

Mirador de Los Peñascos

A few meters from the Church of San José, heading up San Daniel and Emigrantes Grazalemeños streets, you will reach the Los Peñascos viewpoint—another must-see spot in Grazalema.

From this vantage point, you will enjoy a 360-degree view of the Peñón Grande, the Guadalete Valley, and the entire historic center, where the churches of San Juan and San José stand out.

Iglesia de San Juan de Letran

After enjoying the views from the Los Peñascos viewpoint, the next step is to head back to the town center by walking down the charming streets of El Carmen and Doctor Mateos Gago. At the end of the latter, you will find the picturesque Church of San Juan de Letrán.

This 18th-century temple, built on the site of an old mosque, is the smallest in the town and blends seamlessly into the urban layout. It stands out for its slender tower adorned with Mudejar-style decorative elements. Today, it serves as the headquarters of the Brotherhood of Our Father Jesus the Nazarene and Mary Most Holy of Sorrows.

Calzada Medieval

To conclude this list of must-see places in Grazalema, there’s nothing better than walking along the more than 500 meters of the old medieval road, made of limestone slabs, which runs alongside the Guadalete River, below the Plaza de los Asomaderos.

As you follow this narrow and sloping path—an extension of an ancient Roman road that once connected Ubrique to Grazalema—you will get an up-close look at the natural surroundings of the Sierra de Grazalema, with forests of elms, ash trees, and willows. You’ll also enjoy stunning views of the Peñón Grande.

Ermita Nuestra Señora de los Angeles

The patron saint of Grazalema has had this beautiful hermitage since the late 19th century, located on the outskirts of the town along the traditional midday walk route, on the road to Ronda, just about eight hundred meters from the village. As stated in the inscription on its atrium fountain, it was "built from the ground up between the years 1889–1890 thanks to the generosity of Mrs. Ana Benítez García, widow of Rueda Barreda."

It was blessed on September 7, 1890, by the parish priest and archpriest of this town, Mr. Fernando Naranjo Barea, although the construction period might have started earlier. In the center of its floor lies a gravestone marking a multiple burial dated 1882, containing the remains of the parents, siblings, and husband of the aforementioned benefactor.

Similarly, P. Madoz's geographic and statistical dictionary mentions in 1845 the existence of four hermitages in Grazalema, both inside and outside the village, referring to those of San Juan de Letrán, La Aurora, El Calvario, and Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles. This suggests that a smaller sanctuary may have existed earlier, despite the official date of this temple being 1890.

Romería de
San Isidro

In a setting of lush nature and deep-rooted agricultural tradition, the people of Grazalema write the epilogue of May by dedicating themselves to one of those festivals that speak of tradition, devotion, and reunion.

A festival, that of San Isidro Labrador, which, with a profound religious meaning, culminates in a pilgrimage to ‘El Soto’ in the Ribera de Gaidovar. A journey of companionship that is synonymous with joy and, at the 'gates' of summer, invites parishioners from near and far to enjoy a day of merriment around the figure of the patron saint of farmers.

Prayers, floral offerings, drums, horseback games, dances, baptisms of new members, and the unmistakable smells and tastes of good local cuisine create a scene in which the floats, adorned for the occasion, and the horse riders of the Brotherhood of San Isidro Labrador announce from early in the morning that this is no ordinary day.

Fiestas del Carmen

Bright fireworks that break the darkness of the night; deep flamenco wails that speak of our roots; heartfelt and emotional shouts of "Viva la Virgen del Carmen" and overflowing merriment set the backdrop for one of our great and traditional festive scenes, the Feast of Carmen.

A celebration of deep devotion and reverence in Grazalema, which, when July arrives, invades our streets, where, in the warmth of summer, locals and visitors come together to intensely enjoy days marked by religiosity, culture, and joy.

Nights of fire and flamenco that accompany the procession of the Virgen del Carmen through the streets of the village in an atmosphere of solemnity and feeling.

By Monday, as an epilogue to the festivities, Grazalema gives itself to the traditional Toro de Cuerda, one of the oldest in Spain, which is intensely experienced in its streets.

The Lunes del Toro de Cuerda (Monday of the Cuerda Bull) in Grazalema, considered one of the oldest in Spain, according to studies by various historians and anthropologists, is the most deeply rooted and significant festival celebrated in this municipality of the Sierra de Cádiz.

This festival takes place on the Monday following the feast day of the Virgen del Carmen, that is, the Monday after July 16 each year, as part of the homonymous festivities, during which we can enjoy flamenco singing, fireworks, the procession of the Virgen del Carmen, and the Toro de Cuerda.

In Grazalema, from ancient times to the present day, the bull is still treated as a sacred animal, to which no harm is done, while being respected and admired at the same time.

The Toro de Cuerda in Grazalema is still carried out in the traditional way, that is, as it was done in the past, with a direct struggle between the animal and man, separated or connected only by a rope or maroma. The bull is walked through the urban area, where the young men holding the rope (once made of esparto and today made of a soft, lightweight material like nylon) guide and lead it through the narrow, cobbled streets of the town, allowing it to be shown in front of nearly every house. Beautiful races are held, though not without risk.

The Fiesta del Toro de Cuerda is the one most intensely lived by the people of Grazalema. Children play the Toro game from a young age, using horns and a rope or maroma. Young people not only participate in their own festival but also often attend the festivals of other towns where bulls are released, whether or not they are Toro de Cuerda events.

Currently, the route is fully fenced for safety, as required by Andalusian regulations, with a clear separation between the participants and the spectators. In modern times, this festival has a large number of security personnel to ensure it is safer each year, both for the participants and for the bull.

In addition to the fences that enclose the route, typical balconies, window grilles, doorways, and house doors can be used as refuges throughout the town. Unlike other towns that celebrate similar public festivals, in Grazalema, the doors of houses are kept open as an emergency refuge for participants.

In Grazalema, it is a moral obligation to facilitate refuge in doorways and homes, as well as allow people to climb the grilles to escape the bull. One wing of the door is usually left open to prevent the bull from entering the houses while allowing people to get inside.

The houses in the village are whitewashed with lime a few days before the procession of the Virgen del Carmen, on the Sunday before the Lunes del Toro, so that every façade can showcase its best appearance. After the Lunes del Toro de Cuerda, the façades are touched up because no grille in the bull's route is left unused, leaving marks from the soles of shoes and numerous chips.

The organization of the traditional Lunes del Toro de Cuerda in Grazalema has been managed by the "Peña Lunes del Toro de Cuerda" Association since 1992. Together with the Town Hall, they prepare this important festival. The association has a significant number of members, around 1,100 currently, whose collaboration makes the event grow stronger and better each year.

This association promotes the Lunes del Toro de Cuerda festival across Spain, visiting many towns to publicize, promote, and showcase the culture of this traditional celebration. They also organize a demonstration of the Grazalema Toro de Cuerda in some of the towns they visit.

Curiosity: There was a kind of jargon, a bovine language, in the everyday speech of the people of Grazalema. The word "hopo" or "jopo", referring to a tuft of hair or figuratively to the bull's penis, was used and is still used on occasion to distinguish between the inhabitants of the upper and lower neighborhoods.

The "jopones" were those who lived in the upper neighborhood (mostly shepherds, farmers, textile factory workers who belonged to the Brotherhood of Carmen), and the "jopiches" were the residents of the lower neighborhood (generally from the upper class, although many of them were also workers).

The lower neighborhood was more urbanized than the upper one, with better houses and buildings representing the different state institutions, which may explain the use of the augmentative and diminutive forms of the word jopo to refer to them. This distinction was very common and is still used today, though with less rigor.

Feria y fiestas mayores

The Fiestas Mayores of Grazalema are an annual celebration held at the end of August. For four days, the streets and squares of the town are adorned to celebrate the major festivities.

Music, gastronomy, bullfighting events, and especially the devotion to Grazalema's patroness, Our Lady of the Angels, fill every corner of the town.

There are various competitions, including decoration contests (for bars or restaurants), flamenco dress contests, traditional games, and the traditional costume ball, featuring both individual and group costume contests on the last night of the festivities.

Recreación historica "Sangre y amor en la sierra"

This festival is inspired by the figure of El Tempranillo and organized by the Asociación Cultural Bandoleros de Grazalema.

In October, the sound of gunfire and the intense smell of gunpowder once again fill the main streets and squares of Grazalema.

These are unmistakable signs that the bandits and the migueletes (soldiers of King Fernando VII) are here to reenact an event that marked the history of Grazalema, its mountains, and involved José María Hinojosa ‘El Tempranillo’ as the central figure.

Intense days in which Grazalema, alongside its residents, embarks on a fascinating journey to the past to recreate and invite you to experience one of those episodes of ‘Blood and Love’ that were written in these lands of limestone mountains.

More than 500 people participate in this reenactment, perfectly dressed in period attire (1832), bringing to life the story of a bandit who lived in the Sierra de Grazalema, experiencing both the sweetest and most bitter moments of his life: the birth of his son and the death of his beloved, María Jerónima Francés.

Concurso sopas cocias

Benamahoma

A delicious gastronomic, musical, and activity-filled proposal surrounds an event that, once experienced, will capture you forever.

Stale bread, onion, garlic, olive oil, water, salt, and bay leaves are the basic ingredients of one of the most rooted and stimulating dishes in the rich and varied cuisine of Benamahoma.

This peasant-origin dish is one we recommend trying if you visit us. Not only will it provide comforting sensations through its flavor and texture, but it will also open the doors to the extraordinary gastronomy that, for years, was an essential part of the sustenance for those who worked from sunrise to sunset in the fields.

Starting with basic ingredients, sopas cocías come in various varieties. While it’s true that the most traditional versions are made with peppers and tomatoes, others are made with local delicacies like targarninas and asparagus, and even, during hunting season, with meat, especially rabbit liver.

If you want to enjoy them in all their glory, you should know that in February, when the cold sets in, a popular contest is held around this delicious dish, organized by the Asociación de Moros y Cristianos and the Grazalema Town Hall.

Romeria de San Antonio Benamahoma

Benamahoma

It’s June 13th, and the bells of the Church of San Antonio de Padua ring early, announcing a very special day. There’s a sense of faith and joy in the air, as the residents of Benamahoma head to the temple with the same enthusiasm and solemnity as their ancestors once did.

The doors of the church, decorated for the occasion, are opened wide, and San Antonio de Padua, the town’s patron saint, is carried in procession through the streets of the town.

In every corner, the presence of San Antonio de Padua is celebrated, as he, in a popular pilgrimage, meets with the faithful—many of them residents of other towns who return to Benamahoma on this special day.

Once the procession concludes through the streets of Real, Moros, and Cristianos, children, young people, and adults gather around a family meal, where everyone collaborates. This leads to a celebration where music and gastronomy take center stage until the late hours of the night.

Toro de resurrección de Benamahoma

Benamahoma

It’s Easter Sunday, and in the narrow, whitewashed streets of Benamahoma, there’s a palpable sense of excitement and nervousness caused by a tradition that, since ancient times, has brought together locals and hundreds of visitors from nearby towns.

Holy Week comes to a close, and around midday, the sound of hooves echoes through the cobbled streets of the town as the first of the bulls, treated with the utmost respect for its integrity, becomes the star of the so-called Toro de Resurrección.

Adrenaline runs high as, guided by a rope, the bulls—one in the morning and another in the afternoon—follow a route with the highest safety measures in place.

Between each bull run, the delicious, traditional cuisine of Benamahoma satisfies even the most discerning palates. It’s a day of joy, bustle, and reunions.