Casares, Andalusia.
Villa, village in the mountains.

The best known of the white villages that dot the rugged Bermeja range, Casares is also the most easily accessible. From a distance the village looks like a splash of white paint in the hills; its sun bleached houses cascading beneath the remains of a Moorish castle.

This is the real Spain; a workaday village, where goats must be tended, olives picked, and early loaves baked - a wealth of subjects for camera and canvas. Eagles soar above countryside that offers scenic walks, horse riding, bird watching and fishing.

The road down to the coast winds through groves of olive and cork, before skirting the southern most vineyards of Europe. In fifteen minutes you can be by the Mediterranean for a swim, the fun of local markets, or just to admire the boats in the marina. Within easy reach are a wide choice of golf courses.

Seasons and Fiestas

The year begins with fireworks and champagne in the Plaza España. On Twelfth Night the Three Kings ride into the village with sweets for the children. In January green hills are dusted pink with almond blossom, and it can be warm enough to breakfast outdoors. The fervour of Holy Week is Spanish and special. In May, wild flowers bloom in infinite profusion. For Corpus Christi, the streets are strewn with mint and rosemary. By June you can pick wild figs. July through August is hot and dry; time for the big feria, when the main square comes alive with music and people dressed to dance the night away. Early September is the feast of the Virgin, and new wine flows at the nearby grape festival. In October the still warm evenings are fired with spectacular sunsets. The mild, sunny Winters attract many seasoned visitors.

Caution Please be advised that the village streets are steep and unsuitable for anyone with heart problems or difficulties in walking.

Places of Local Interest

Fishermen still trawl the waters off Estepona, a small town with cobbled squares, an easy pace and friendly air. The seafront promenade is lined with palms and well-tended gardens. Ronda, with its spectacular gorge, patrician homes and 16th century bullring, is but an hour's scenic drive. Seville, city of the conquistadors and distillation of all that is Spanish, can be reached through simple villages and stunning countryside. Or take the Costa del Luz route via Tarifa and Jerez renowned for its sherry bodegas and riding school. A superbly engineered motorway serves Granada, in the high Sierras. To the south of Casares is historic Gibraltar, and just across the Strait another continent. Morocco - a totally new experience - can be visited in a day. Finally, not to be overlooked are the simple pleasures of walks in the natural countryside around Casares itself.

A bit of History

The area was fortified in Roman times and the village appears in their tax records. Julius Cæsar is said to have taken the waters in the Roman sulphur baths which are still used today.  In the 8th century when the Moors overran Iberia they called it al-Andalus, from the Vandals who had invaded the land earlier. Christians began to reconquer the peninsula in the 11th century, and the name Andalusia came to mean only the area still under Muslim control. The name Casares comes from cázar, a fortress in the Arab tongue. By the end of 15th century the Moors were gone - their last frontier traced by place names 'de la Frontera' - but they left behind their soul to flourish in the music and culture of this most colourful corner of Spain.