Another regional sierra "capital", CAZALLA DE LA SIERRA seems quite a metropolis with its comparative abundance of facilities, and in fact the town dates back to the times of the Romans - its original name of Callentum was later changed to Kazalla ("fortified city") by the Moors.

 

The main sight is the church of Nuestra Señora de la Consolación at the southern end of town, an outstanding example of andaluz "mix and match" architecture - begun in the fourteenth century, continued with some nice Renaissance touches and finally completed in the eighteenth century.

There are also some fine spots within easy wandering distance of the town: a walk of just 5km will take you east to the Ermita del Monte , a little eighteenth-century church on a wooded hill above the Rivera de Huesna.

A rather sleepy tourist office at Paseo del Moro 2 (Mon-Fri 9.30am-2pm & 5-7pm; tel 954 883 562) has information on the region but not a town map; this is available from the ayuntamiento (same hours) a five-minute walk away at Plaza Dr. Narcea 1. Among a number of hostales in Cazalla the best is perhaps La Milagrosa , c/Llana 29, on the main street (tel 954 884 260; ¬18-27). There are also several upmarket hotels, including the charming Posada del Moro , c/Paseo del Moro s/n (tel 954 884 326, fax 954 884 858; ¬36-48), with its own good restaurant and delightful rooms overlooking a garden and pool. There are numerous bars around the centre of town and plenty of places to eat - Bar Gonzalo , c/Caridad 3, in the centre, serves a good-value menú , and the casino on the central La Plazuela serves simple and hearty meals. The casino is essentially a place to drink and relax - quieter and more comfortable than most of the bars - and serves as a kind of club, with locals paying a nominal monthly membership charge. Most towns of Cazalla's size have one, and tourists and visitors are always welcome to use the facilities free of charge - worth doing since the membership rule means everybody drinks at reduced prices.

Cazalla is well served by public transport, with daily buses connecting it with Sevilla. Buses also run at 7am and 11.45am to the Estación de Cazalla y Constantina, twenty minutes to the east, from where there are three or four trains a day northwest to Zafra and Extremadura, and a similar number that follow the river down towards El Pedroso and ultimately Sevilla. If you're making for El Pedroso, though, you might consider walking from the station - a lovely route, with great river swimming and a fabulous variety of valley flora and fauna; it takes about five hours. A kilometre south of the station there's also an excellent place to stay, the Molino del Corcho with rooms and food (tel 955 954 249; ¬18-27).