| Sandwiched between the Alcornocales
natural park and Sierra
de Grazalema natural park in the far western reaches of Malaga
province is the pueblo blanco (white town) of Cortes de la Frontera.
It is in a superb vantage point overlooking the sweeping Guadiaro
valley below, with a spectacular backdrop of the Serranía
de Ronda mountains.
 Dominating the landscape around the town are extensive
woods of cork trees (alcornocales) that stretch from the Guadiaro
river westwards, to where the municipal boundary meets Cadiz province,
and beyond. Cork has contributed greatly to the local economy since
the late 17th century. Cortes used to be one of the richest pueblos
blancos because of cork production and evidence of this wealth can
still be seen today in the grand 18th-century mansions lining the
main street.
Covering over 170km², Cortes is one of the
largest municipalities in Malaga province. The town of Cortes has
a population of around 4,500 and is located at 623m.
The Phoenicians were the first to arrive, in the
11th century BC, followed by the Greeks and Romans, the remains
of whose settlement are a few kilometres outside town in Cortes
El Viejo, in the Sierra de la Blanquilla. Scattered around the Cortes
municipality are also vestiges of their aqueducts, bridges and monuments.
The Romans gave the town the name of Cortex, meaning protection
or defence.
Under the Moors, Cortes was controlled in different
periods by the kingdoms of Seville, Granada and Ronda. It was briefly
conquered by the Christian king, Fernando III, in the 13th century
before reverting back to the Moorish control. The Christians led
by the Marquis of Cadiz, Rodrigo Ponce de León, only regained
power over Cortes at the very end of the Catholic reconquest, in
1485.
Many buildings in Cortes date from the 18th-century,
the most prominent of these being the elegant sandstone building
of the Ayuntamiento (Town Hall), with a neo-classical
façade, which was constructed in 1784. Several other buildings
are from the same period, such as the town's church, the Iglesia
de Nuestra Señora del Rosario, the Casa
de los Valdenebros (1763) and the Casa Parroquial
(built in 1700). The curious Casa de Piedra (Stone
House) is a rock that was carved out in Moorish times.
Plaza de Toros
The bullring was built in 1894 and restored in 1921.
With a 1,000-strong capacity, the bullring is one of the largest
in the Serranía de Ronda. Its size is a reflection of Cortes's
strong tradition of cattle rearing (the town's annual feria features
a cattle fair), as are its various and well-established bullfighting
fiestas.
Torre de Paso
A few kilometres out of town at Los Castillos is
the Torre de Paso, a 13th-century defensive tower constructed by
the Moors to guard the Gaucín-Ubrique road.
ACCOMMODATON
There are several hotels, including the four-star
Sol y Sierra, on Avenida Sol y Sierra 1, 952 154 523. For self-catering
accommodation, you can rent the Casa del Patio, a traditional Andalucian
townhouse.
For something completely different, stay in a yurt
at the Hoopoe Yurt Hotel a few kilometres outside of town, 952 117
055.
In La Sauceda recreation area in the Alcornocales
park is a campsite with cabins to rent and is a good base for walking
in the park.
There are three youth hostels in the area. The Albergue
Juvenil El Parador on Avenida de la Democracia enjoys superb views
of the Sierra de los Pinos and the Guadiaro valley. Located in Mediterranean
woodland in the Alcornocales park 6km from town, the Albergue Juvenil
de Cortes is on the Villamartín-Puerto del Espino road at
Km 51.6. The third, the Albergue Juvenil Las Camaretas, is located
next to the municipal swimming pool and also has a campsite and
cabins to rent.
EATING
Cortes has a good selection of restaurants, bars
and bodegas where you can sample local fare, such as Mesón
Alameda on Plaza Carlos III with outdoor tables and Mesón
Los Alcornocales, offering typical serrano dishes. Try the Cortes
speciality of veal, ternera cortesana. In the autumn, look out for
fresh game such as jabalí (wild boar) on menus in the town's
restaurants. Also available is locally produced cheese, honey and
cured ham.
Walks
As it is located between two stunning natural parks,
Cortes is in the heart of excellent walking country. The longest
route is the sendero (walk) of the Llanos de Líbar
on the edge of the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park. Despite its
length of 19km, it covers a shallow gradient, crossing the gently
rolling flood plain (llano) of the Guadiaro river between Cortes
and Montejaque. It takes around
seven hours.
You can also walk along the Guadiaro river to the
Cañón
de las Buitreras Natural Monument, an impressive gorge with
a colony of griffon vultures (buitres). However, the gorge's steep
sides, train tunnels and a lack of a clear track or footpath to
follow through the woods mean that it is easy to get lost, whichever
of the three access routes to the gorge you take. It is close to
the village of El Colmenar, near the Buitreras hydroelectric power
station.
From the picnic area of La Sauceda
in the Alcornocales Natural Park west of Cortes
is a more difficult walk to the Pico del Aljibe (1,091m). On the
last stretch of the walk to the Aljibe peak it's easy to get lost
because there is no track or path through the dense forest.
Other activities in the cork forests and in the
mountains of the Serranía de Ronda around Cortes include
birdwatching, horseriding, potholing and mountain biking.
Cueva de la Pileta
Between Cortes and Benaoján on the MA501
is a cave, the Cueva
de la Pileta, famous for its prehistoric rock paintings.
FESTIVALS
Romerías
If you visit in June, don't miss the town's two colourful romerías
(pilgrimages); at the beginning of the month is the Romería
de la Virgen del Rosario, where the Virgin of the Rosary statue
from the church is paraded through the streets, and the Romería
del Caballo held in mid-June, which is dedicated to horses.
Feria de San Roque & San Sebastián
The town's annual summer fiesta, the Feria de San Roque and San
Sebastián, is a riotous occasion celebrating the town's patron
saints on 23-27 August. The most exciting event is the release of
a bull (known as the toro del aguardiente) into the streets, as
well as a cattle fair, dances and contests. For flamenco aficionados,
there is a fandango named after the town: the fandango de Cortes.
TOURIST INFORMATION
Contact the town hall on 952 154 000. There is a
visitors' centre for the Sierra de Grazalema on Avenida de la Democracia,
952 154 599, with information on both Grazalema and the Alcornocales
natural parks. It also has exhibitions on cork and hunting. It's
open from Thursday to Sunday and on public holidays.
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