Zahara de la Sierra
Written by Geoff Forster
Zahara de la Sierra: We'd driven around the lake and seen Zahara de la Sierra a number of times but we hadn't visited the pretty pueblo. It was beautiful day in late June, when we left Benarrabá to visit Zahara de la Sierra. We drove down the A369 to Ronda then took the A376 Seville road for a few km before turning off to Zahara.
We drove around the lake and parked at the bottom of the pueblo. The plaza is plain, trees down one side give some shade. 
Standing at the bottom and looking up you can guess the streets of Zahara de la Sierra are going to be very steep. 
Zahara is very white and well kept. All the houses looked in excellent condition. 
Lots of very pretty streets. 
After a steep climb we turned a corner and saw the Iglesia de Santa Maria. 
It was finished in 1755 on the site of a previous church. 
The castle is considerably higher than the pueblo. 
This pretty fountain is in a small plaza just in front of the Iglesia de Santa Maria. 
At the back of the church is a small shady garden with this lovely statue of St Maria Virgen. 
The path at the side of the church up to the castle.
We passed a sign pointing out a Roman Cistern. It has been recently renovated with a few buckets of concrete!
It was very hot, the path went on for ever ... up, up, up.
We watched a pair of crows (quite rare around here) getting chased off by some Lesser Kestrels, who were nesting on the crag.
Poblado Nazari - The Castillo and Torre del Homenaje sits at the top of the outcrop, it dates from the thirteenth and fifteenth centuries. It has also been recently renovated ... 
Don't look down ... too late!
It was a very steep climb up to the pueblo, so you can appreciate from this photograph how much higher the castle is. 
The views are fantastic, if your legs and lungs are in reasonable condition you must climb up here!
The pueblo across the valley is Algodonales.
Looking down on the Iglesia de la Santa Maria. 
This is another church. Capilla de San Juan de Letrán. It was constructed in 1958, although I believe the tower is sixteenth century and belonged to an old Ermita on this site. 
The lake and surrounding Sierras looking towards Olvera which can be just about seen in the far distance. 
Another side of El Castillo. 
Walking back down to the pueblo, this is a photograph of the back of the Iglesia de Santo Maria. 
This photograph was taken looking towards the Iglesia de San Juan de Letrán.
There are a few street Cafés and restaurantes in this area.
Zahara de la Sierra does attract quite a number of tourists.
Although we were very much alone up at the castle! 
The pretty facade. 
On the way back to the car we walked down this steep street with lots of pretty flowerpots. 
We got to the car and had a well deserved chilled fruit juice and sandwich. We drove along this road on the top of the dam. 
This is Zahara from behind the dam. (bottom left) 
this is my town
This town is alomost too beutiful to be true. It is easy to believe that this is made up for tourism, but through many visits since 2005 I have noticed that this is in fact a living spanish village!
In addition to the beautiful and well maintained buildings the surroundings and especially the view from the castle is stunning!
You have been catching it all very good with your pictures – and it is even more fantastic when you are there.