Olula de Castro

a Cultural Heritage 

A  journey to the past

Olula de Castro is an ancient small mountain village, tucked in the Sierra de los Filabres that still preserves a Moorish flair and dates back to prehistoric times. It even made its mark in the Spanish history books, because of a number of Christianised Berbers who fled from the Muslims led by a woman, "Al Kahima".

Today, the hamlet is semi-abandoned most of the year (with only about 50 inhabitants during the winter). However, it regains all its strength and vitality during the summer, in particular during August, when those Spaniards with family ties and roots return to their home village.

This hamlet as well as the other towns of the Rio Nacimiento region, such as Fiñana, Abrucena, Abla, Las Tres Villas, Nacimiento and Gergal, owe much of their appearance to the North African influence. The houses are built as in the past, made of slate, greyish-whitewashed, with walls more than half a meter thick, wooden ceilings and stone. The streets are winding, narrow and only in few areas car transit is allowed. It is an ideal location for off the beaten track lovers.

There are no shops, except a couple of bars, only open during the holiday season. So if you wish to eat, you do good to bring your own picnic. Another point in favour of this charming little hamlet is its temperature, as though lying south of Andalusia, by virtue of being in the mountains, it has a very pleasant average temperature in summer and slightly cooler in winter.

One advantage, or disadvantage, depending on the beholder, is that there is no TV nor radio coverage. Some houses are now being sold and people restore them as week-end and holiday homes. 

Getting Here

To access the village, turn off the highway A92 at the height of Gérgal in direction to Olula de Castro. You then will have to drive about 10km on a secondary road, crossing the Sierra, which involves lots of curves. Nevertheless, the asphalted road has been recently renovated and driving conditions have been improved a good deal.

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