The Sierra of Cazorla and Segura, Jaén

This is a route for those who enjoy rural landscapes, nature and even camping, as well as architecture.

These mountain ranges, separated by the Guadalquivir near its source, form a space in which water is ever present, with an abundance of torrents, waterfalls and springs. There are great areas of magnificent forestland, where there is good hunting and fishing, where holm oaks, oaks, jumpers and brushwood carpet the mountainside, and from which villages and castles emerge. All of this reminds us of the fact that, for a long time, this was a border area.

The villages of the sierras, where Castilian influences and the Andalusian spark merge, are filled with steep streets and alleys that follow the form of the rugged land. The houses are up to three storeys high, with lime-painted facades through which the stonework may sometimes be distinguished.

The harsh climate is evident through the presence of chimneys and very few small openings, although inCazorla or la Iruela we do find continuous balconies protected by great overhanging eaves. The roof is normally tiled and single or double pitch. Large spaces at the top of the houses, the drying rooms, are also characteristic.