The environment

The environment

Gaucin, Rural beauty in the Costa del Sol inland
On a promontory of limestone, at the foot of monte Hacho and crowned by the Castillo del Aguila, Gaucin is a small village located in the Serranía de Ronda between two importants valleys: the river Guadiaro and the river Genal, that run through the mountains to join the foot of Gaucin and lead in the Strait of Gibraltar. With incredible views to the coast of Morocco and to the narrow channel between the continents of Europe and Africa, Gaucin is considered as the balcony of the mountains to the sea.


Gaucin offers one of the most varied landscapes of the province of Malaga: you will find cork oak and pine forests and shrub formations mixed with chestnut and olive trees plus farmhouses with citrus orchards along the river banks.


The village is situated under the protection of Mountain Hacho in the west and the Eagles Castle in the east, which had great strategic and defensive value overlooking the rolling hills down to Gibraltar and the entrances to the valley of the Guadiaro and Genal Rivers. Though built by the Romans, it were the Arabs who left more traces on its premises.


Its streets of Moorish design easily fit the hill it sits on and its facades are gracefully decorated with bars and balconies, artistic products of its local forges. Of its monuments stand out the Church of San Sebastian (s. XVI), the Convent of the Carmelites, the Fountain of the six Dogs plus a number of stately homes (s. XVII-XVIII) with lintels and escutcheons carved in stone around the main entrance doors.


Its cuisine is typical of the white villages of the Serrania de Ronda with its specialties of pork products and traditionally handmade almond biscuits. The main festival is that of the bullrun (Toro de Cuerda) on Easter Sunday. They release a bull with a long thick rope through tied to its horns into the village streets.


In addition, At Gaucin and surroundings you can enjoy with:


- Sports ports La Duquesa and Sotogrande with catamarans school.
- Beaches 25 minutes away; Sabinillas, 25 minutes; Sotogrande, 45 minutes, Tarifa, 1 hour.
- Hotels and restaurants in Gaucin 12 minutes and 20 min in Casares.
- Hiking and rent horses.
- Sotogrande and El Cortesin golf courses.
Geography
Gaucín, 626 meters above sea level, is the most western point of the Serranía de Ronda, Penibética. Some of its peaks are than 2000 meters high, and it is crossed by the Genal, Guadiaro (River of gold, so-called by pre-Roman inhabitants) and Hozgarganta rivers.

Gaucín is a natural lookout point from which one can see the Campo de Gibraltar, Algeciras, the Straits and Africa.

The township of Gaucín borders
– to the northeast, Cortes de la Frontera
– to the east, the Sierra Bermeja mountains
– to the west, Jimena de la Frontera (Cádiz)
– to the south, Casares and the Sierra Crestellina
How to get here
ROADS:

– On the A7 in Sabinillas exit address Gaucin on the A377 until km. 23,600.

– The AP7 (toll) exit in Manilva address Gaucin to 23,600 km. From km 23,600, lane 2 kms., part is the old road from Gibraltar to Ronda, you will reach the House La Jara.

Ronda – approx. 45 minutes

Algeciras – approx. 1 hour

Ronda/Jerez – approx. 2 hours

AIRPORTS:

Malaga – approx. 1 1⁄2 hours
Gibraltar – approx. 45 minutes.
Jerez de la Frontera – approx. 2 hours
Monuments
The Eagle's Castle:
The Eagle Castle, built by the Romans, stands on a mound of 688 meters above sea level in the village of Gaucin, Malaga Province. The strength of the Eagle is a set of irregular plant consists of three walled enclosures. Outdooraccess is by two doors. The front door is the east, providing access from the side of the valley of Genal. It consists of two arcs. The other door is located on the north side of such a construction. The first of the exhibition is the largest and served to shelter people and livestock. The second enclosure is made of masonry and brick, and has two wells, one in every third house is extremo elcitadel.

Ermita del Santo Niño:
Situated in the interior of the castle this was built in the 17th Century where inside the most revered religious symbol of the village – El Santo Niño – can be found and in whose honour the most important festival takes place on the 7th September each year.

Iglesia de San Sebastian:
Erected in 1487 this is a magnificent example of popular Baroque architecture. The alter piece displays three very distinctive wooden figures the most important of which is the sculpture of the Virgen de las Nieves.

Fuente de los Seis Caños:
Built in 1628 near thePlaza de la Farola in an Andalucian Baroque style, it is constructed of sandstone. The front part is geometrically divided and shows six faces or fountains which give it its name. It is not known what these figures represent as they have been damaged by erosion over the years.