Gaucin
by Chris Chaplow
Gaucin is a charming whitewashed mountain village, just half an hour's drive from the Costa del Sol.
Gaucin is a spectacularly beautiful mountain village commanding sweeping views to Gibraltar and North Africa. The village is a gateway to the Serranía de Ronda where, depending on the time of year, you can enjoy an impressionist palette of colour: brilliant brush strokes of red poppies, yellow mimosa, purple wild orchids, tempered by the cool green of olive groves and occasional splash of pale pink almond blossom. Indeed, Gaucin is famous for its international artists' community.
The town has a population of less than 2,000, and its narrow medieval streets and tall, narrow houses are sprawled picturesquely over two hills and the adjoining land between them. Perched high above the deep River Genal valley, Gaucin is overlooked by the imposing the Sierra del Hacho mountain. The village is 626m above sea level.
As you would expect from the name, it is not unusual to see eagles circling the towers here, and kestrels nest in the walls of the convent. Gaucin, like many other birding sites in this part of Andalucia, has plaques around the town showing both native and migrating birds which can be seen in the vicinity.
An oasis of calm, nestled in the white village of Gaucin, our rooms and terraces have stunning views across the Genal Valley to Gibraltar and Morocco.
| There are many small hotels nestled in the village of Gaucin © Michelle Chaplow |
Gaucin offers a hotel in the centre of the village: La Fructuosa plus another in the nearby vllage of Benabarra. There are a number of hostals in the village and just outside, on the road towards… More →
| Gaucin is a spectacularly beautiful mountain village © Michelle Chaplow |
Gaucin is a spectacularly beautiful mountain village commanding sweeping views to Gibraltar and North Africa. The village is a gateway to the Serranía de Ronda where, depending on the time of year… More →
| Art Gaucin Centro Cultural "El Convento" © Michelle Chaplow |
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| Art Gaucin 2025 poster |
The Art Gaucin Open Studios double weekends each May have become a well-known fixture of the art scene in Andalucia, with exhibitions of work by several Spanish and foreign artists.
| The white village of Gaucin © Michelle Chaplow |
To visit Gaucin from the Costa del Sol, turn inland at Sabinillas (A7 km145), go up the A377 and drive past Manilva and the AP7 motorway toll exit and the turning for Casares. The road skirts… More →
| Gaucin is a spectacularly beautiful mountain village © Michelle Chaplow |
The small tourist office is located near the petrol station, on the road leading into the village from the A-369; it also houses the Museo Etnografia.
The Gaucin bull run, better known locally as the Toro de Cuerda, takes place every year on Easter Sunday. With the first bull released at around 10:30am, an early arrival is strongly encouraged to… More →
| Tapas in Andalucia. Southern Spain is certainly heaven for a foodie. |
Although it is a small pueblo blanco, Gaucin has a good number of restaurants serving up the very best of traditional, Andalucian cuisine. Gordon Ramsay came to this town to film a part of his… More →
| The Castle of Gaucin, Castillo de Gaucin © Michelle Chaplow |
Castillo del Aguila (Eagle's Castle) in the Moorish hilltown of Gaucin, consists of a series of fortifications built across a rocky ridge above the village. The castle, which is of Roman origin,… More →
| The white village of Gaucin is surrounded by beautiful villas. © Michelle Chaplow |
You can find a number of holiday villas for rent in the countryside around Gaucin. The space and the privacy of a villa, with or without a pool and staff, is an attractive option for visitors who… More →
| Gaucin has a fascinating, if not tumultuous history |
The town's magnificent castle, now called Castillo del Aguila (Eagle's Castle), dates from Roman times, although earlier Iberian ceramics have been found in its water tank. The castle was expanded… More →
| Wandering around the beautiful white Village of Gaucin |
Gaucin is delightful village, to just stroll around in the sunshine and here we have highlighted the curiosities of the village. Walk into the village on Calle Luis de Armiñan, past the Convento… More →
COUNTRYSIDE WALKS
There are a number of walk in the vicinity of the village - some of these are described Guy Hunter Watt's book, Walking in Andalucia.
The Walk of Melanie and the Tiger leaves the village by the signed Camino Piedras del Rio near the Castle and cuts across past the Ermita de la Adelfilla, looping round to return up the Roman road known as the 'Camino to Gibraltar'. Another interesting walk near Gaucin is described in "The Walk of Mr Henderson´s Railway"
Walking in Andalucía is a 260 page full colour guide to some of the very best walks in southern Spain, taking the walker on 34 routes - all starting and most finishing in beautiful villages.
Hover the cursor over Gaucin to see bigger map and click to go to the maps page.
Gaucín - Bed and Breakfast outside Gaucin
Book holiday homes around Gaucín
The Walk of Melanie and the Tiger leaves the village by the signed Camino Piedras del Rio near the Castle and cuts across past the Ermita de la Adelfilla, looping round to return up the Roman road known as the 'Camino to Gibraltar'. Another interesting walk near Gaucin is described in "The Walk of Mr Henderson´s Railway"