Gaucín

About Gaucín

Gaucín lies at about 612 metres on the southern edge of the Serranía de Ronda, below a limestone crag of 688 metres that looks over the Genal valley to Gibraltar and Morocco. The Moors called it Sajra Guazan, the strong rock. Guzmán el Bueno was killed nearby in 1309 trying to take it, and the village fell to Castile for good in 1485. About 1,600 people live here.

The Castillo del Águila keeps sections of wall, a keep, cisterns and a gateway arch; inside stands the Ermita del Santo Niño, with 17th-century plasterwork on its dome. Entry is free. In the village are the early 16th-century Iglesia de San Sebastián and the sandstone Fuente de los Seis Caños of 1628. Below the castle cliffs, the cemetery and the Mirador de la Laguna have some of the best views.

Gaucín is on the A-369, 35 km (45 minutes) from Ronda, about 40 km from Estepona and 125 km from Málaga airport (1 hour 30 minutes). Park on the main road or at the entrance; the centre is narrow and steep and the path to the castle is a rough climb, not for wheelchairs or pushchairs. Allow two to three hours. Good for walkers and photographers.

Visit in spring, autumn or on a clear winter day. The toro de cuerda runs on Easter Sunday, and the Santo Niño is carried down from the castle on 7–8 September. Try the local chacinas, chestnuts and almond sweets such as alfajores and suspiros. Tip: check the castle hours on the Visit Gaucín Facebook page.

Gaucín in pictures

What you’ll find

• Car parkParkingFree
• CastleCastle visit (10:30–13:30)Free
• ChurchChurch visitFree
• FestivalAnnual festivalFree
• Hiking trailHikingFree
• Historic centreOld town walkFree
• Local foodLocal cuisineBuy
• Moorish quarterMoorish heritage walkFree
• ViewpointSightseeingFree

Nearby places to visit

The Cañón de las Buitreras (6 km), a limestone gorge of the river Guadiaro with a griffon vulture colony, is close to the south-west. The cave paintings of the Cueva de la Pileta (20 km) near Benaoján are reached on the road towards Ronda. In the Genal valley, Genalguacil (8 km), the village turned open-air art museum, faces Gaucín across the river, and Benalauría (10 km) has its oil-mill museum and Moors and Christians festival. Towards the coast, Casares (9 km) sits on its own crag below the Sierra Crestellina.