Most visitors to Andalucia have heard of the famous pueblos blancos – the beautiful white towns which are dotted around the countryside, but in my opinion, Zahara de la Sierra is the most breathtaking.

Situated between Ronda and Seville, this quaint village with only 1,500 residents, clings perilously to the hillside with the deep, blue reservoir in front, and some of the most beautiful views you will find in southern Spain. If you are fit enough, take a trek up to the Nazarit Castle, which was built by the Moors during the 10th century and was the perfect place to build a fortress between Ronda and Seville.

Zahara means flower in Arabic, and the village is situated in the middle of the beautiful Parque Natural Sierra de Grazalema. Being an agricultural community, asparagus, figs, almonds, olives and cotton are harvested throughout the year, and the local lake is full of bass, barbel and carp, which feature in many local dishes. Wild game is also plentiful, and is served in many of the village´s restaurants.

The Embalse de Zahara is the dam which creates the famous lake, and this is a favourite with visitors who want to picnic, swim or fish in a tranquil setting. We had a fantastic day out last Autumn, when I took my three nieces canoeing on the lake. Paddle boats can also be hired, and there are plenty of places for sunbathing if you prefer to relax by the lake.

The water comes from high mountain springs and is not only clean, but a beautiful turquoise colour and crystal clear.
After a refreshing swim, we had lunch at the Bar Naranjos, enjoying the views from the shaded terrace, which is lined with orange trees. The girls devoured plates of squid, boquerones, barbecued ribs and a huge house salad with fresh asparagus and goat´s cheese. I enjoyed a fabulous grilled freshwater bass, which was served with lemon and garlic. Including drinks and fresh fruit, the bill worked out at approx. €7 a head – a fraction of what you would pay on the coast for a similar meal.

Honey is also produced locally, and is absolutely delicious. It is well worth stopping in the village to pick up a few pots to take home.
Bar Nuevo is the best place to eat fish or meat paella, or simply to people-watch. The busiest and noisiest time of the day is 10am when all the local artisans meet for breakfast, and chatter over café con leche y tostadas.

One of my favourite festivals in Zahara is the Corpus Christi processions, which take place every June. The whole village is transformed from white to green, when tree branches are bought down from the mountainside and fixed across the front of the houses. The roads are line with leaves and street musicians, flamenco guitarists, and food and drink stalls pack the main street. Following the religious processions and parades, the whole village seems to take to the streets for two days in a fabulous display of colour, noise and merrymaking.

Several hotels and hostals are situated within the village, and a fully equipped campsite just 2km outside. If you are touring round inland Andalucia, Seville, Ronda and Grazalema are easily reachable, and the coast is less than two hours drive away.

We stopped at the excellent Hotel Molino del Puente for the night, which is situated just 5km before Ronda on the way back from Zahara. The hotel has ten comfortable rooms, some with terrace, an rustic style dining room, a swimming pool and the most delicious food imaginable. Ian and Elaine, who hail from the UK, have lived in Andalucia for 20 years, and restored a derelict olive mill into the Hotel Molino del Puente. Local ingredients are used in all of the dishes and fresh herbs and fruit is used in abundance. Favourites include rack of baby Lamb, fresh lobster, poached salmon with pesto pasta and chicken parmesan. The majority of desserts are home-made and include the delicious banoffee pie and fresh marinated figs with crème fraiche.

If you have time, visit Ronda on the way home – you won´t be disappointed!