If you're considering a weekend getaway with your partner or friends, we highly recommend discovering the Natural Park of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas. We undertook a two-day hiking trail – want to know how it went?
After evaluating several options, we chose to visit Andalusia, specifically Jaén, where we found incredible landscapes and unspoiled nature. To orient you, Cazorla boasts natural wonders where water has left a significant mark, dotting the area with waterfalls and lagoons.
The headwaters of rivers like the Guadalquivir, Segura, Madera, Guadalentín and Guadalimar, along with numerous streams within the park's expanse, contribute to abundant flora, adding unique charm to this earthly paradise. It has special characteristics worth noting.
Rainfall is plentiful, with the highest precipitation levels in the region. The mountain barrier surrounding the park blocks storms from both the Mediterranean and Atlantic. Snow covers the highest points in winter. This climate sustains lush vegetation, particularly along rivers and streams. As for wildlife, there's remarkable diversity including deer, badgers and foxes. The gastronomy is equally unmissable, with exceptional dishes featuring garden produce and game.
With such scenery, choosing this two-day destination was natural. Though Cazorla fascinated us, we couldn't miss visiting Quesada, so we set off to enjoy its breathtaking landscapes and hidden corners.
We reached Cerro de la Magdalena, surrounded by olive and pine trees, home to Rafael Zabaleta's city with monuments reflecting its golden age. Following a newly acquired guidebook, we headed to the Visigothic Arco de la Manguita de Utrera (named after the Virgin of Consolation), rivalling the 14th-century Arco de los Santos in splendour.
We leisurely explored Zabaleta's museum, amazed how five rooms could house so many works. Before leaving Quesada's colourful, flower-adorned streets, we visited its 15th-century parish church.
En route to Buñuel (a village we never reached), we detoured towards Pozo Alcón to see our first natural wonder: Cueva del Agua. Parking in a designated area, we crouched through a short tunnel to the water-filled cavity. Trails led to a Virgin statue, surrounded by nature's chorus of water and birds. The cave was worth the diversion, despite needing to return to our Cazorla route.
Exploring Cazorla's historical traces, we discovered the old quarter - flower-filled balconies protected by the Arab-built Castillo de la Yedra (on Roman foundations), housing an Arts and Traditions museum. At Santa María Square stand church ruins and the impressive Renaissance-style Fuente de Cárdenas with three fresh water spouts - unmissable monuments.
Later we visited La Iruela's stunning viewpoints before retiring to our countryside lodgings between Arroyo Frío and Torre del Vinagre. Over dinner, we planned tomorrow's route.
Sunday began refreshed in this natural paradise, preparing for our main hiking adventure. For accessing restricted areas or the park's finest spots, we recommend guided 4x4 routes with hiking options (half or full day).
Our target was Río Borosa's source, but first we visited Torre del Vinagre's Interpretation Centre with its Hunting Museum - a must-see. We drove to Borosa's fish farm where a chain barrier forced us to continue on foot. Tip: with two vehicles, leave one at the route's end to avoid backtracking.
We crossed the river between towering rocks, awestruck by landscapes en route to Salto de los Órganos (passing Fuente Huelga Nidillo). Beyond the hydroelectric plant, we found Borosa's cascading waterfall near its ochre-rocked source - breathtaking beauty.
Reaching Laguna de Aguas Negras became a rewarding challenge. After 10km, the path zigzagged through rock tunnels until the spectacular lagoon vista appeared.
Borosa's source was nearby - beyond the dam we found Valdeazores lagoon, a wildlife-rich paradise. Taking a forest track to Fuente de Acero's hut (ideal vehicle drop-off point), we then drove easily to Nava de San Pedro, finding surprisingly inhabited houses and an animal breeding centre. Vadillo marked our route's end - leaving us eager to return and explore more of Sierra de Cazorla's hidden corners.
