Sierras Subeticas

The Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park is a stunningly beautiful, rugged park located in the heart of Andalucia between the three great cities of Cordoba, Granada and Seville. It lies within a comarca or district also called Sierras Subetticas.

The Subbetica of Cordoba is an area of cultural, natural and historic interest in the southern part of the province of Cordoba. It takes in fascinating towns like Priego de Cordoba, Cabra or Baena and villages like Zuheros, Luque and Iznajar.

The Cueva de los Murciélagos (the Cave of the Bats) is a system of caves situated on the edges of the limestone Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, 4km from the attractive village of Zuheros. Of the 60 caves registered in the park, the most important one is the Cueva de los Murciélagos, internationally renowned for its schematic and unique rock paintings and significant archaeological remains dating from Neolithic times.

The Via Verde Subbeticas is a southern extention of the Vía Verde of the Olive Oil that originates in Jaen city. The Via Verde Subbeticas covers 56 km, much of it on the fringes of the limestone mountainous area of the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park. It links a series of beautiful villages, such as Zuheros, Luque and Cabra.

The distinct geographical setting of of Palenciana, set almost precisely on the border between the provinces of Córdoba and Málaga, means that the village is surrounded by a curious mixture of almond trees and the plains of the famous Llanos de Antequera. It has around 1,500 inhabitants.

Fuente Tójar preserves an ancestral tradition that is celebrated during its Feria Real de San Isidro Labrador. The event features a troupe of famous dancers, made up of eight men dressed in multicoloured costumes that dance to the sound of their own instruments. The village has around 700 inhabitants.

Encinas Reales has a beautiful Neoclassical temple dedicated to La Advocación de La Expectación, and from nearby Vadofresno, one can see amazing views over the River Genil. In line with its name, this town was once surrounded by encinas (holm oaks) and, according to legend, was renamed "Encinas Reales" because Queen Isabel La Católica rested under the shade of these trees on one of her trips.

Doña Mencía offers a wonderful blend of nature, culture and history, attracting a huge variety of visitors. Significantly, it is part of the protected Natural Park of the Sierras Subbéticas, where the Vía Verde de la Subbética is located. The town has around 4700 inhabitants.

Benamejí sits curiously on the edge of an immense crack that has grown over the years, causing many houses to disappear. Despite its dangerous implications for locals, this geological phenomenon has become one of the main tourist attractions of the town, which has around 5000 inhabitants.

At first glance, Lucena appears to be composed entirely of furniture factories and retail outlets; however, the old town hosts many exquisite churches reflecting its importance in the Subbetica during the Baroque era, and encouraging visits by history lovers. The town has around 42, 500 inhabitants.