Olvera: two crowns above the olive groves

The castle is the older of the town’s two crowns. Built in the late 12th century, it was part of the Nazari kingdom’s frontier defences, perched on the highest rock in town. The climb up is short but steep, through the old quarter. Inside you can visit the two floors of the keep, a stretch of wall, and the old aljibe (water cistern). From the top, the views over the white roofs, the church and the olive country are the best in town. A combined ticket covers the castle and the town museum; buy it at the tourist office on the Plaza de la Iglesia.

Right beside the castle stands the town’s second crown: a huge neoclassical church, finished in 1843, built by order of the Dukes of Osuna. Its two tall towers are visible from every corner of Olvera and far across the valley. Unusually for a church, the front carries a large clock, added in 1902. Inside are three naves, an Italian-marble main altar and a great organ above the door. Its scale, set against such a small town, is what makes it striking. Opening hours are limited, so check locally before you climb up.

This is the oldest part of Olvera, the Moorish core that once sat inside the walls with the castle and the church. Walking its narrow lanes is the closest thing to stepping back seven centuries. You find tight streets, hidden corners, whitewashed houses and short stretches of the old town wall. It is small and easy to walk, and best explored slowly with no fixed route. Look for the surviving buttresses of the vanished old parish church along the way.

On the Plaza de la Iglesia, between the church and the castle, stands La Cilla. This handsome old building was once the Dukes of Osuna’s grain store, and later, for a time, a women’s prison. Today it holds the “Olvera, La Frontera y los Castillos” museum, which tells the story of this frontier land and its Moorish and Christian castles through hands-on, family-friendly displays. The same building houses the tourist office and the Vía Verde interpretation centre, so it is the natural first stop. Its courtyard tower doubles as a viewpoint.

In the Plaza de Andalucía, a rocky outcrop rises in the middle of town, topped by a stone statue of the Sacred Heart placed here in 1929. A path climbs through a small vertical garden to the top. From there you get a wide view of the castle and the church face to face — one of the finest photo spots in Olvera. The little park has fixed opening hours, so it is a daytime stop rather than a sunset one.

Two kilometres outside town, on a low hill, sits this 18th-century sanctuary — a baroque church built over an older shrine. It holds the image of the town’s patron, the Virgen de los Remedios, and its walls are covered with offerings left by the faithful. It is also a fine viewpoint back toward Olvera, so many travellers stop here first for the classic view of the two crowns, or last as a farewell. The sanctuary is the heart of the town’s biggest festival.

Olvera marks one end of the Vía Verde de la Sierra. It is widely rated one of Spain’s finest greenways, and the only route in Andalucía declared of tourist interest. It follows an old railway line that was built but never used. The route runs 36.5 flat, car-free kilometres to Puerto Serrano, through 30 tunnels and over four viaducts. You can walk a short stretch or cycle the whole thing; from Olvera the ride starts with a long descent, so many people ride out and take a taxi transfer back. It is easy, scenic and suits families. A guided cycle with a local outfitter adds bikes sized for everyone and a taxi shuttle, so you never double back. You also get someone who knows exactly where the vultures are circling that week. It’s worth it if you want the greenway without the logistics.

About halfway along the greenway, near the Peñón de Zaframagón, is one of Europe’s largest griffon vulture colonies. The old Zaframagón station is now an observatory and interpretation centre. A hidden 360° camera streams the nesting cliffs live onto a screen, so you watch the birds fly, feed and return to their nests in close-up. The centre sits at roughly kilometre 21 of the Vía Verde, reached on foot or by bike, or by road via the hamlet of Zaframagón. It opens daily, but booking ahead through the greenway foundation is advised, especially in busy periods (see the FAQ for the link).

Even if you only have half a day, the walk up through the old town to the castle is the single best thing to do in Olvera. The lanes climb steeply past the church and small squares, and the reward at the top — the twin-crown view and the wide sweep of olive country — earns every step. Go early or late to avoid the midday heat, wear proper shoes for the cobbles, and take water; the town’s fountains are marked along the way.

Olvera is the home of the Sierra de Cádiz protected olive oil, and its co-operative mill runs guided visits. On a tour of the working almazara you follow the oil from olive to bottle. Then you sit down to a led tasting. It teaches you to read a good oil’s aromas and bitterness — the difference between a real extra-virgin and the supermarket kind. It is a genuine, unpolished producer visit rather than a show, and a good rainy-day or midday option. Booking ahead is essential, as visits run to a schedule.