Southern Hills

Southern Hills

South of Cordoba, the N331 threads its way through the undulating fields known as La Campiña, dominated by vineyards and vast olive groves.

Surrounded by vineyards, Montilla is famous for its excellent wine of the same name; visit one of its bodegas to try it for yourself. Ten kilometres south of Montilla is Aguilar de la Frontera, worth a stop to see its unusual octagonal square. Southwest of Aguilar is the protected Laguna de Zóñar Natural Reserve, the most important lake for birds in Cordoba. It is most impressive in winter, when hundreds of ducks flock here. Also south of Aguilar, on the road to Moriles, is another protected lake, the Laguna del Rincón Natural Reserve, with similar birds to the Laguna de Zóñar as well as the occasional flamingo.

Villages

Valenzuela is renowned for its idiosyncratic Día del Corpus (Corpus Christi) celebrations; the streets are carpeted with colored sawdust creating varied designs for more than 2kms. The town has… More →

Santaella is transformed during the month of August, when the Plaza Mayor and Paseo Adarve are transformed into scenes from the Middle Ages and play host to a medieval-style feast. It has around 6… More →

The residents of San Sebastián de los Ballesteros are colloquially known as "Germans", due to the large number of colonies that fled Germany and settled here after the expulsion of the Jesuits.… More →

The town of Puente Genil owes its name to the bridge that was constructed over the Genil River in the sixteenth century. A later bridge was constructed by Hernán Ruiz. Today it has about 30,200… More →

Nueva Carteya produces an excellent olive oil with a Designation of Origin, which is well worth a try for "foodies". The village has around 5300 inhabitants.

Moriles is a particularly interesting place for those keen on sampling Spain's rural wine culture. Visit in the last week of September for the Fiesta de la Cata Anual del Vino. It has around 3700… More →

Monturque village has a collection of interesting things to see, all located at the top of the hill in a peaceful setting next to the viewpoint called the Mirador de los Paseillos or the "Balcón… More →

Montemayor is one of the vollages located on the tourist route; Ruta de los Castillos, (Route of the Castles) as there are two castles in the village; Castillo Ducla de Frías and Castillo de Dos… More →

Montalbán de Córdoba not only offers some excellent surrounding views, but the fascinating monuments of the Ermita del Calvario and the Ermita Madre de Díos. The town has around 4200 inhabitants… More →

The ceramics of La Rambla are one of the village's main attractions. Even in prehistoric times, residents used mud to make glasses and bowls, some of which are now on display in the local Museum.… More →

The magnificent Castillo de Alcalat, built in the early fourteenth century, looms over this whitewashed village, which has around 3300 inhabitants.

Castro del Río is a village famed for its olive oil and furniture made from olive wood, which has been exported as far as Japan. It has around 7800 inhabitants.

Aguilar de la Frontera is a charming town that can be missed if one is travelling on the A-45 motorway linking Córdoba-Antequera. It is certainly worth taking a detour, considering the interesting… More →

Montilla is world-famous for its wine and endless fields of grape-vines punctuate a landscape of gentle rolling hills. It is best known for its dry white wine which is made using the same solera… More →

Fernán Núñez is surrounded by rolling hills, cereal fields and olive groves. It has roughly 9.600 inhabitants and is home to the famous Palacio Ducal.

Parks

One of a series of inland saline lakes dotted around southern Cordoba province, the 3.2ha Laguna del Rincón and its protected environs covers a total of 138ha and attracts numerous wildfowl in… More →

With its surface measuring 37ha, the Laguna de Zóñar is the largest of a series of inland saline lakes in southern Cordoba province and the deepest in Andalucia. It is the most… More →

Book Hotels in Southern Hills

Hotel Doña Aldonza

Hotel Doña Aldonza is located 44 km south of Córdoba. It offers spacious, air-conditioned accommodation with free Wi-Fi. There is an on-site restaurant with a large terrace.

Hotel Doña Aldonza’s bright rooms are equipped with a TV, safe and work desk. Each has a private bathroom with bath tub including free toiletries and a hairdryer.

Hotel Don Gonzalo

Don Gonzalo is located just 2 km from the city centre of Montilla. It features an outdoor swimming pool set within the hotel’s gardens and free Wi-Fi.

The restaurant serves fresh fish and other dishes made with local produce. There is also a bar-cafeteria.