The beautiful Cádiz village of Olvera is located close to the Grazalema Natural Park, which is well worth paying a visit if you’re coming to this part of Andalusia on holiday. With a current population of around 9,000 people, this town—previously known as Wupira—once marked the limit of Muslim control in the area. In 1983, it was declared an Artistic and Historic Monument.
What to see in Olvera: a castle and a beautiful old town
The old town of Olvera is a labyrinth of steep and charming streets, interspersed with stately mansions. The well conserved castle, built towards the end of the twelfth century by the Nasrid dynasty, stands at the highest point of the village. Next to the castle lies the ancient archbishop’s barn, which was later converted into a wine cellar and a female prison. This structure currently holds the Museo de la Frontera y los Castillos [Frontiers and Castles Museum] where, amongst other things, you can learn about the location of the Andalusian frontiers during the Reconquista period.
Temple of the Dukes of Osuna
The Archpriestal Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación is certainly worth visiting. This church is situated in the superb Plaza de la Iglesia, which is found very close to the castle. This monumental place of worship, with two magnificent twin towers, was built under the orders of the Dukes of Osuna, who ruled over the population in the late eighteenth century. During the Spanish Civil War, the church lost the majority of its artistic treasures.
Find time in your schedule to wander around the popular La Villa neighbourhood, which was the ancient Muslim medina. By taking a walk around this neighbourhood, you will find that it is entirely Moorish. Be sure to keep an eye out, as you will occasionally catch sight of sections of the former city wall between its immaculate whitewashed houses.
In the lower town of Olvera, head to the Plaza de Andalucía, a curious park built into the side of a large rock, offering a fantastic panoramic view of the castle and church.
Just 2 kilometres outside of Olvera lies the Sanctuary of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, where locals come to pay homage to the patron saint of the village. Every year, on the second Monday after Easter Sunday, locals undergo a popular religious pilgrimage to this site on what has become known as Quasimodo Monday, paying thanks to the heavy rainfall that brought an end to the terrible drought of 1715. This celebration is never short of turnovers, cured meats and delicious cakes.
The best restaurants in Olvera
If you fancy a bite to eat in Olvera but don’t know where to head, we can recommend two restaurants that serve delicious meals. The first is La Bodega (Julián Besteiro, 128), which serves a daily set menu with excellent homemade dishes at a reasonable price. The second is El Puerto (Cordel, 2), located by the Parque Entrecaminos, which tends to serve locally sourced food and is popular with local clientele. Be sure to try the house soup, grilled squid and asparagus scrambled eggs.
Surrounding areas of Olvera
If you love spending time in the great outdoors, you could also explore the Vía verde de la Sierra [mountain ‘green route’], which follows the train track that used to connect Jerez to Almargen. This trail is 35 kilometres long, starting in Olvera and ending in Puerto Serrano. If you follow this route, after 15 kilometres you will come across the Peñón de Zaframagón [Zaframagón Rock], which was declared a Protected Natural Landscape because it is the habitat of a large colony of griffon vultures. Nearby is the Zaframagón Vulture Observatory and Interpretation Centre, where you can learn more about these animals.
After 12 kilometres, you will arrive at the picturesque town of Setenil de las Bodegas, with a spectacular centre in which many of its houses are sheltered by an overhanging rock. Of its equally spectacular medieval castle, only the keep and the cistern remain. You should also take a look around the Parish Church of Nuestra Señora de la Encarnación, which dates back to the fifteenth century.
A land of bandits
The town of El Gastor lies 24 kilometres from Olvera, slightly further along the route. This typical mountain village is home to the José María el Tempranillo Museum of Popular Traditions and Arts, which is located in the very house in which the girlfriend of the legendary bandit was born. There are also several dolmens just outside the town.
Close to El Gastor, we recommend checking out an impressive ecotourism project, called La Donaira. It is the fruit of the labour undertaken by an Austrian businessman who saw this site as the perfect place for his tourism-and-ecology-related fantasies to become a reality.
Try and remember all of these fantastic options for your getaway to Olvera, whether you’re planning on exploring this beautiful white town of the Cádiz mountain range or its surrounding areas. Remember that Olvera is part of the Route of the White Villages, along with Arcos de la Frontera, Grazalema, Setenil de las Bodegas and Zahara de la Sierra.
