Zuheros in Cordoba Spain is one of the most beautiful Pueblos Blancos in Andalucia and by far one of the most underrated. History buffs and nature lovers are drawn to this hidden gem amidst the UNESCO-protected Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park.
We spent a while there and completely fell in love with the town during a road trip around the Sierras Subbeticas.
For being such a tiny village, there are plenty of things to do in Zuheros Cordoba from exploring prehistoric caves to taking in the views from the old hilltop castle. But my favorite feature is the hidden hanging bridge nestled in between the rocks under the castle.
If you’re a hiking enthusiast like me, make sure you stay a little longer because there are some incredible hiking routes that you can reach straight from the village.
In this post, I’ll compile my favorite things about Zuheros that you should not miss out on.
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I’m Linn Haglund, the face behind Amused by Andalucia! I’ve been based in Andalucia, Spain for the last 10+ years, mainly in Seville and Costa del Sol while exploring the region extensively. Since 2022, I’ve slow-traveled in my van with my fiancee and dog, spending significant time in each place to truly get to know all the hidden corners of this exciting and diverse region. I’m here to help you uncover Andalucia too!
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Table of Contents
Things to do in Zuheros Cordoba
Visit Zuheros Castle
Zuheros Castle is one of the most stunning castles in Andalucia, even though it’s quite destroyed, it’s one of few that has really left a mark on me.
It sits on the edge of a cliff overlooking the vast countryside of Cordoba’s Sierras Subbeticas region on one side and the town and its main square on the other.
Most of what’s left of it today was built between the 13th and 14th centuries, but its origin is Moorish dating back to the 9th century.
To visit, you need to book tickets in the little archaeological museum at the other side of the square and the ticket includes the city’s two museums.
Cross the hidden hanging bridge
Behind the castle, there’s a hanging bridge hanging between the mountainside and an individual pinnacle towering a few meters out of the mountain wall.
You find it by walking down below the castle from the larger square on the path past the public toilets. It’s not the only path along the mountainside, but this bridge is so picturesque and should not be missed.
Take a tour of Cuevas de los Murcielagos
The main draw of Zuheros is the prehistoric cave system in the mountains above the village. Tickets have to be bought in advance on the square in front of the castle where you also get the castle tickets.
It’s a 10-minute drive up a narrow mountain road with some epic viewpoints along the way. Outside the interpretation center and museum, there are plenty of parking spaces.
You’ll start the visit in the museum where you’ll learn more about the cave and its history. However, the guided tour of the cave is the best part. You’ll learn so much about the history and the remains found there.
It’s not only home to one of the country’s largest bat colonies (thus the name Cave of the bats) but they’ve found some really old human remains and sandals that are dated to be 6000 years old.
Hike to Rio Bailón
Straight from the village, you’ll access a number of hiking trails. The hike to Rio Bailón is by far one of the best.
It takes you through the incredible UNESCO-listed strict nature reserve in the Sierras Subbeticas to a stunning waterfall.
I went there twice when there was no water in the waterfall and it was just as beautiful. But if you go after heavy rainfall, it’s really pretty.
You’ll need a permit to hike as it goes through protected area, but you can find everything you need to hike it and get a permit (it’s free) here.
Visit the museums
When you get tickets for Zuheros Castle, other museums are included. The first one is the small archaeological museum which is located in the same building where you get the castle tickets.
It’s really tiny, but they have some pretty cool prehistoric remains there that have been found in the cave. There are also some Roman remains.
The other museum that’s included is set at the opposite end of the village and it’s the Museo de Costumbres y Artes Populares Juan Fernandez Cruz. It’s full of items used in the village from the middle ages.
You’ll see anything from machines to agriculture items and sowing machines and anything in between. It’s set on several floors and is actually quite interesting.
Stroll around the village
Make sure you make time to go for a stroll around the whitewashed village. Zuheros is such a pretty place and has been recognized as one of the “Pueblos mas bonitos de España” which means the most beautiful villages in Spain.
And I couldn’t agree more. With so much culture and heritage being maintained in the village and its surrounding nature.
Hike the highest peak in Cordoba
Not too far from Zuheros, you can climb the highest peak in Cordoba province and in the Sierras Subbeticas Natural Park, Pico La Tiñosa.
It’s a beautiful hike starting fairly easy from Las Lagunillas through farmland, up a river, and past an old abandoned building on the foothills of the mountain.
Once you reach the pass of Puerto de Mahina, the trail goes right, and soon you need to climb a steep steep ascent before you’re at higher levels and it’s a bit easier the last bit to the peak.
It’s a good 11.4 km day hike and takes about 5-6 hours to complete. Make sure you bring enough water!
To climb La Tiñosa, you need a permit (it’s for free), but don’t worry, I wrote a complete hiking guide including detailed information on how to get a permit on my hiking blog which you can find here.
Take in the views from the different viewpoints
Zuheros is full of viewpoints. While the best views arguably are from the castle itself, it’s worth taking in the views from the other viewpoints in town too.
The side of the village mouthing in toward the gorge has a walkway and features several viewpoints with seeing.
Besides, make sure you head to Mirador de la Villa, it’s a large viewpoint reached through an arch from one of the village’s narrow streets.
Cycle Via Verde del Aceite
Below Zuheros, you find Via Verde del Aceite, which is an old train route used for transporting olive oil. This is one of the most popular cycling routes in the area.
It’s also possible to walk it, but in my opinion, it’s nicer to cycle as it’s flat and straight so I find it a bit monotone for walking (but that’s my subjective opinion.)
The train line was built in 1875 and was operative until 1985. It was of high importance as it made it easier to export olive oil and other items that were produced in smaller villages like Cabra and Lucena where the infrastructure was bad.
Among the highlights of Via Verde del Aceite, you find the aqueduct crossing the Guadajoz River which is at the beginning of the line at the natural border between Cordoba and Jaen provinces.
There are 5 remaining stations you can see along the route. I love the one in Cabra as you can actually enter old trains and the interpretation center is there.
You can rent bikes along the Via Verde in Doña Mencia which is only a few minute’s drive from Zuheros. The bike rental is set by the roundabout at the entrance of the village right next to a caravan park, so it’s easy to spot and there’s plenty of parking there.
Hike to the best view of the village
For the best view of Zuheros village, you need to do a little hike from the trailhead for Rio Bailón. You basically just follow the zig-zagging trail up until you find a small trail to the right where there’s like a plateau where you can take in the stunning views.
Zuheros is set in the most picturesque environment with mountains on three sides and endless countryside on the fourth.
It’s a fine site with its castle ruins perched on the edge of the cliff and it’s totally worth getting up there for a picture or two.
Visit Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios
The town’s church, Parroquia Nuestra Señora de los Remedios, is set on the square opposite of the castle. It’s a small and simple church, typical for a small pueblo.
If it’s open, it’s worth taking a peek inside. The red church tower seen from different parts of the village, however, is behind the church, and somehow locked inside, so I’m not sure if it belongs to the church or to a different church that’s not accessible anymore.
Take a day trip to Doña Mencia
Just a 10-minute drive or a 1 hour 15 minute hike from Zuheros you get to one of the cutest possible villages, Doña Mencia.
It’s super small but still has a lot to offer. We really enjoyed the street art around the village, but the ancient church and the castle remains in the center of the village are also really worth seeing.
There are quite a few places to eat and drink in Doña Mencia and you could also take a walk up the hillside to get beautiful views of the village.
Hike to Pico Abrevia
Among the many hikes you can do from Zuheros, Pico Abrevia is a lovely hike with beautiful views. I did the hike from the cycle hire in Doña Mencia, but I walked past Zuheros on the way back.
So you can just as well start from Zuheros and walk down to Via Verde del Aceite and take it past the cycle hire before turning up to the mountain trail.
There’s no need for a permit for this 13 km loop hike and it takes about 4-5 hours to complete with some steep ascents from Doña Mencia to the peak.
Take in the views from the caves
Cueva de los Murcielagos is set way above Zuheros village and there’s a nice area to walk with different viewpoints right by the entrance/exit of the cave.
I really enjoyed walking around there and taking in the views from different angles. You can see patches of olive groves as far as the eye can see.
There are also picnic tables by the parking area which are great to sit down at to have a bite to eat if you bring some snacks.
How to get to Zuheros
Zuheros village is about 80 km from Cordoba and it takes just over an hour to drive. If you come by car (which I recommend as you can easier explore other towns in the Sierras Subbeticas,) there are parking spots on each side of the village.
We always park at the bottom of the village by the trailhead to Rio Bailón as we love the landscape there and often cook up coffee at the picnic tables before going to the village or starting a hike.
But if you don’t drive, there are some buses from Cordoba run by Autocares Carrera. There are 3 on the weekdays and one late bus on Saturdays and Sundays making it hard to go on a day trip from Cordoba by bus as they all arrive quite late.
You can check the bus table here.
Getting around Zuheros is easy on foot as it’s a small village. In fact, the streets are so narrow you probably prefer not to drive in. Besides, there are no places to park once you enter the village.
Where to stay in Zuheros
There are many private lodgings in Zuheros you can stay in, but if you prefer a hotel, make sure you stay at Hotel Zuhayra.
It’s a budget 2-star hotel in the heart of the village, which is super nice and friendly staff. There’s a cute little patio where you can sit outside too.
If you travel by campervan or RV, there’s a caravan park in Doña Mencia. We have slept in the van at the parking at the entrance of Zuheros, but we have a small van, so if you have a larger vehicle, there won’t be space for it.
Reflections on visiting Zuheros Cordoba Spain
Summing up, Zuheros is a fantastic place to visit if you’re looking for something small with plenty to do around. Especially if you enjoy hiking, but it’s also a good base if you want to visit nearby places like Doña Mencia or Cabra.
Make sure you plan your visit in advance so you get tickets for the Cueva del los Murcielagos and a permit if you want to hike one of the hikes in the strict nature reserve.
Nonetheless, I’m sure you’ll love Zuheros, at least that’s what I did.
Happy travels!