Casares clings to a limestone ridge nine miles inland from the sea, painted stark white against raw grey crags. The climb from Plaza de España up Calle Arrabal tests your calves immediately, rewarding you with the smell of woodsmoke, wild thyme, and toasted bread. At the summit sit the ruins of the thirteenth-century Moorish fortress and the church of La Encarnación, where kestrels circle overhead. It is a working village founded on olives, mountain pork, and sheer vertical endurance.
Last updated 23 Aug 2026




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Casares is built vertically, rewarding sensible shoes and an unhurried pace. The day revolves around early climbs before the midday heat, followed by leisurely lunches of roasted goat or sopa campera in shaded squares. It suits independent walkers, history enthusiasts, and anyone who appreciates quiet evenings without coastal crowds, where a cold caña on Plaza de España feels earned after tackling the limestone steps.
Begin with coffee on Plaza de España before climbing Calle Arrabal to the Moorish castle ruins. For lunch, settle into Venta García on the road up for roast suckling goat and mountain stew. Spend the late afternoon strolling the quiet alleys around Casa Natal de Blas Infante as the sunlight turns the whitewashed walls pale gold. Select 1 Day above to see it.
A second day lets you hike the marked trails of Sierra Crestellina to spot nesting raptors, followed by a picnic of local Payoya goat cheese and crusty pan de pueblo. In the afternoon, descend to the valley for a quick dip in the Roman sulfur baths of Baños de la Hedionda, then return to the village for tapas along Calle Carrera. Choose 2 Days to expand the plan.
With three days, venture inland along the winding A-377 to the cliff-edge village of Gaucín, or drive down to the coast for espetos de sardinas at Playa Ancha. You can pace your days around long afternoon siestas, late-night glasses of Manzanilla sherry, and sunset walks to the Mirador del Tajo without glancing at a watch.
Climb the steep path to the 13th-century Moorish alcázar for views across the Campo de Gibraltar, where griffon vultures ride the updrafts beside the fortress walls.
Order chivo lechal malagueño, tender roasted suckling goat seasoned with rosemary and garlic, served with fried potatoes at roadside ventas along the MA-8300.
Walk the PR-A 162 path down the Gran Senda de Málaga towards the Guadiaro river, passing ancient olive mills, cork oak stands, and limestone gorges.
Soak in the sulphurous, milky waters of Baños de la Hedionda in the valley below, Roman dome baths still free to enter with a simple towel and sandals.
Visit the Casa Natal de Blas Infante on Calle Carrera, the small museum dedicated to the father of Andalusian nationalism, open daily from morning until mid-afternoon.
Pick up tortas de pellizco, sweet oil-rich sponge pastries, and crusty pan de pueblo from Panadería Sierra Crestellina before the midday closing bells.
Sample cured and raw Payoya goat cheeses directly from Quesería Sierra Crestellina, seasoned with paprika, mountain herbs, or steeped in local olive oil.
Inspect the 16th-century Church of La Encarnación and the Ermita de la Vera Cruz, whose quiet courtyards offer shaded respite on hot inland afternoons.
Take an iron chair at Plaza de España for a morning café con leche or a glass of chilled fino alongside plates of local aceitunas aliñadas and cured ham.
Trek into the Sierra Crestellina Paraje Natural, where jagged limestone ridges provide roosting ledges for the largest griffon vulture colony in the province.
Drive fifteen minutes down to Playa Ancha for grilled sardines cooked over olive wood at beach chiringuitos along the edge of the Mediterranean.
Follow the mountain curves inland to Gaucín and Ronda, winding past chestnut forests and white villages perched above deep Andalusian river valleys.