The Genal Valley
of the
Serranía de Ronda, Málaga, Andalusia
The quiet and restful Genal Valley has a history that goes back hundreds of years. It is located in La Serranía de
Ronda, the Mountains just to the south of the bustling white village of Ronda; it is also sandwiched happily between two
national parks, La Sierra de las Nieves and Grazalema and it is commonly acknowledged as the greenest part of Andalusia. The
valley is divided into upper and lower sections, with the upper valley (in Spanish "Alto Genal”) having seven white villages
(“pueblos blancos”) while the lower ("Bajo Genal”) has eight. There are two main roads that access the Genal Valley,
the A369, known locally as the Ronda - Algeciras road, from which one can access both lower and upper valleys while the A397
(formerly known as A376), commonly referred to as the Ronda - San Pedro road accesses the upper valley only.
Following the A397 (formerly A376) up the mountain from the Costa del Sol town of San Pedro de Alcántara, the exit for the
Alto Genal is located 12km before Ronda. The A397 is a winding mountain road with plenty of traffic, especially in the
summer months. It will repay you with the fantastic views of the Spanish coast, Gibraltar and, on a clear day, the
mountains of North Africa. Following the turn for the Genal Valley, one will see six of the seven white villages of the
upper valley, Parauta, Cartajima, Júzcar, Pujerra, Faraján and Alpandeire. All have populations of less than 300 and
all have very traditional lifestyles. Mobile vendors still pass through these villages on certain days of the week selling
a wonderful variety of wares: bread, fish, garlic, live poultry, homemade cheese, fresh vegetables, melons among an orchards
worth of fruit, as well as fabrics.
Because the Genal Valley is still not widely known nor developed, it is not heavily travelled; it is therefore a
recommended destination for those looking for an authentic experience in a normally peaceful and quiet, traditional, Spanish
environment. In December, the flowers blossoms begin with the wild almond trees sprouting beautiful pink or white flowers
which last until early February. And then from March until May, the valley is filled with wild flowers. As many as
2,000 species come to life during springtime with different blooms appearing almost daily. The Upper Genal is also chestnut
country; normally starting in May, the valley fills with the pungent odour of the yellow chestnut flowers in bloom. And
then in autumn, there is a swath of autumnal colours burning across the valley as the chestnut leaves pass through their seasonal
change after the harvest.
The Genal Valley is a great destination for motorcyclists, cyclists, walkers, hikers, bird watchers, star gazers, rock climbers,
painters, photographers, writers and nature enthusiasts generally. All the villages are connected by marked walking trailers
offering spectacular views and possible bunny rabbit or boar sightings. For bird watchers especially, this area is a must
as it is located on the north-south corridor of the annual bird migrations. It is not unusual to see hear owls hooting,
wood-peckers pecking or soaring griffin vultures, golden eagles, falcons or other birds of prey above the mountainous terrain.
With all the natural subjects to paint (ruins, mountains, rooftops, churches, valleys, villages, trees, flora, etc.)
and stunning changing light, painters could spend endless days painting with endless subjects. And for those interested
in local culture, all of the valley villages have annual fiestas, romerias (a traditional Andalusian outdoor festival involving
singing, b-b-q’s, dancing, horses and campfires) and Semana Santa (Easter and Holy Week) festivities, August being the month
of fiestas for the Upper Valley.
Along the boundary between Cartajima and Júzcar lies another area which is worth a visit, Los Riscos (literally, "The Cliffs").
It is a wild area in which millennia of winter winds and rains have worn the limestone of the terrain into a series of wild
natural sculptures. They are worth seeing as a reminder of how desolate and remote this area was in the days before paved
roads and the automobile arrived and of the days when a handful of hardy Berber Arabs made their way into the mountains from the
coast on mule and on foot and decided to stay.
The Serrania de Ronda offers a selection of vineyards producing fantastic red, white and rose wines. Wine production began
in the Ronda area with the Romans; the area was once an ocean of vines but was wiped out in the 19th century by Phylloxera along
with the rest of Europe’s vines. While wine production had a lull for a number of years, it began again in the 1960s and continues
today with a healthy wine product that is highly regarded.
The lower Genal Valley has eight villages which are all located along the Algeciras – Ronda road. Travelling north from
the coast, one first comes to Gaucín, the most southern village on the A369 and then on to Benarrabá, Algatocin, Benadalid,
Benalauría and finally Atajate; Genalguacil and Jubrique are located on the eastern part of the valley accessible via Algatocin.
All these villages are a bit bigger than the villages of the Alto Genal and have their own unique charms. Some offer
museums and artworks, all offer at least one place to stop for a drink and a tapas or a meal and some offer accommodation.
Júzcar also boasts La Fábrica de Hojalata (the Tin Factory). This was the very first factory built in Spain which operated
from 1731 to 1901 producing tin for the king’s armoury, ruins of which can still be viewed today. Alpandeire was once home
to the much revered Friar Leopoldo, a local friar who lived out his life in a monastery in Granada but is still admired by many
in the Serrania de Ronda; it is not uncommon to come across his portrait in any number of shops, bars and restaurants in Ronda
and the surrounding area.
Accommodation and Restaurants
Lodgings and restaurants are available in varying shapes and sizes throughout the valley, be it a hotel, casa rural (country
house) or other accommodation, bar or restaurant. Hotel Bandolero in Júzcar, a two star hotel and restaurant opened in
October 2004; currently owned and operated by its American and Spanish proprietors, it offers eight spacious double rooms with
sweeping views of the valley and theme holiday packages including a Ronda Wine Tasting weekends, Relaxation packages, Cooking
Classes, Painting Workshops Holidays and the occasional varied themed seminar. Its restaurant, La Bodega del Bandolero,
offers creative tapas, country cooking and tempting delicious homemade desserts, all prepared by a Cordon Bleu trained chef,
all of which may be enjoyed in the restaurant, bar, poolside or on the terrace. The hotel comprises the restaurant
and bar, terrace, an outdoor swimming pool & terrace, lounge/library, eight spacious double rooms, all decorated in a rustic
style and offering creature comforts of country living. Wifi and internet access are also available.
Hotel Bandolero is the perfect location from which one can explore the Serranía de Ronda and the various surrounding points of
interest as Júzcar is at the cross roads for many interesting points in Andalusia. Bustling historic Ronda is 30 minutes
away with its historic Moorish old town, museums, tapas bars, restaurants and incredible sweeping vistas. Historic Seville
and Jerez de la Frontera, home to several bodegas producing famous sherries and other liquors, are a short two hour drive,
Gibraltar and Tarifa are less than two hours. The well publicized Costa del Sol with its beaches and glamorous Marbella
is only one hour from Júzcar. In the Guardiaro Valley, neighbour to the Genal Valley, lies the Cueva de Pileta (”Pileta
Cave”), an ancient find with drawings which include goats, man, and a dolphin dating back 25,000 years and has some
fascinating stalactites and stalagmites.
Hotel Los Castańos in Cartajima is at the higher end with five luxury doubles, a roof top terrace, sweeping valley views and an
in-house residents only restaurant. La Casa del Llanete in Alpandeire offers bed and breakfast rates as well as creative
and therapeutic holidays by its English owners. Restaurant Anafe in offers a range of game meats while Bar Torricheli in
Júzcar offers a variety of tapas as well as combination plates. There is also a camping site in Júzcar, Nuestra Seńora de
Moclón, alongside the Genal River for those on a budget opened in the warmer months with a bar / restaurant and a wonderful
natural swimming site in the river itself. Hotel Banú Rabbah in Benarrabá has 10 rooms, a restaurant and a good size swimming
pool which is open in the warmer months. La Mesón la Sierra in Atajate also offers combination plates and tapas.
Locally based outdoor adventure companies offer services such as rappelling in Júzcar in the Rio Genal, paint ball,
archery, mountain bikes, hot air ballooning, guided walks and hiking, guided bird watching, guided mountain bike tours,
horseback riding, hot air ballooning from Ronda, amongst others.
For more information on each of the 15 white villages of the Genal Valley, please visit the page below:
The White Villages of the Genal Valley
Member - Cultural Initiatives of
the Genal Valley - Ronda
Cultural Initiatives of the Genal Valley - Ronda
