Zahara de la Sierra Castle, Zahara de la Sierra, Spain

Zahara de la Sierra Castle is actually a six-hectare area on the rocky hill, known as the Villa Arabe or Villa Medieval; its crowning glory is the Homage Tower. The town was originally a Moorish outpost, overlooking the valley. Due to its position between Ronda and Seville, it was a perfect site for a castle to be built to serve as a fortress in case of attack.

The path starts at the car park on the roof of Hotel de la Villa and is wide with a handrail in good condition. It is a steep climb through the cacti and pines with wild flowers, prickly pear and almond trees. Initially you pass by foundations of unmarked buildings clinging on the more level slopes. The first historic building looks like the homage tower but is the Iglesia Major and you still have a long way to climb. Be careful here as the birds nest in the walls and make a mess on the path or persons below. The supporting buttresses are modern but the walls are original.

User Reviews

José Francisco Pereira da Silva de Pádua (4 years ago)
Wonderful view. Its worth to climb Possible see all Zahara de la Sierra and villages near

Lukasz Taborski (4 years ago)
Staying in the town itself is nothing. Start your climb up to the remains of the 13th-century Moorish castle and you will experience the magic of this place. Amazing views of the Zahara el Gastor reservoir and its turquoise waters. All these valleys and mountains around and the town below. The wind gently chills on a hot day and the silence all around. Fantastic place!

Patrick O Connor (4 years ago)
Excellent views but need to be relatively fit..in hot weather..

Traveler (4 years ago)
Lovely views from the top of the small castle-tower. I strongly recommend going hiking to take cool shots:)

Emma Glaisher (5 years ago)
Lovely town. We arrived by bike just in time for an evening procession - music, drums and incense. Unforgettable.

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Photo from Flickr, copyright Andy Hay

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Argos Theater

The ancient Argos Theater was built in 320 BC. and is located in Argos, Greece against Larissa Hill. Nearby from this site is Agora, Roman Odeon, and the Baths of Argos. The theater is one of the largest architectural developments in Greece and was renovated in ca 120 AD.

The Hellenistic theater at Argos is cut into the hillside of the Larisa, with 90 steps up a steep incline, forming a narrow rectilinear cavea. Among the largest theaters in Greece, it held about 20,000 spectators and is divided by two landings into three horizontal sections. Staircases further divide the cavea into four cunei, corresponding to the tribes of Argos A high wall was erected to prevent unauthorized access into the theatron and may have helped the acoustics, but it is said the sound quality is still very good today.

Around 120 CE, both theaters were renovated in the Roman style.

Zahara de la Sierra Castle

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