The area

Cartajima, a quiet pueblo blanco, is a small mountain village; electoral roll is 250 but full-time residents are probably closer to a hundred. The remainder are people who are on the electoral roll but don´t live here full time but either in nearby Ronda or down on the coast where there are better work opportunities ...

Ronda is our nearest town, about 15 minutes´ drive from Cartajima. It is where we do all our shopping and laundry and bureaucracy. When the hotel opened its doors to the public in 2004, one would frequently go to the Costa del Sol to purchase speciality food items. This was not the way to keep it simple. And local. So everything comes now from a radius of 40 km including our delicious Ronda wines.

There are 18 vineyards in the area each producing small quantities of excellent wines with the D.O. Sierras de Malaga, category Serranía de Ronda. Wine tasting tours in Ronda cost on average 20 euros per person for tour, tastings, and tapita. Contact vineyard direct for reservation or ask us to do it for you ...

It is strange but true that the category “sherry” does not exist in Spain. The wines referred to by the word are called vinos de Jerez, the wines of the Jerez region in the west of Andalucia. Ask for a sherry in a bar and it is likely they will give you a blank stare. Had you asked for a vino de ...

The first question guests often pose is where are the bars of Cartajima! And we provide a handy map in each room showing where they are and introducing you to the owners so you can greet them by name – always a good start. There are three bars, one with a restaurant – all very different. There is also the possibility of a fourth opening at the entrance to the village ...

Everybody loves a tapa or two but we tend to make a meal of them which is not what you are supposed to do. They are meant to tide you over the long gap between lunch and dinner which doesn’t begin until at least ten in the evening. (Except at Los Castaños where we serve dinner at about 8 pm) But I love nothing better than a meal of tasty morsels similar to a Greek meze – many parts, different tastes, crazy combinations ...

Olive oil tasting Andalucia! Doesn´t that sound romantic! Such an ancient craft and we are fortunate to have several mills where you indulge your taste buds and see if you can tell the difference between the various olive oil grades. I have in my kitchen three different sorts of olive oil alone not to mention the avocado oil which is wonderful for cooking at high temperatures ...

The Alto Genal is the place to be in November! Four of the seven small villages scattered around the Alto Genal valley have a special festival celebrating an important aspect of local produce. But this is Andalucia so there is plenty of joyful partying – eating and dancing and joining in the celebration ...

Andalucía (or Andalusia as it is often written) is a magnificent part of southern Spain – a country with wonderful walking. Each area of Spain offers something special to the walker but a self-guided walking holiday in Andalucia is particularly good because of the climate. And our area, the Genal Valley and National Park Sierra de las Nieves, is extra special because it is an unspoiled paradise with undiscovered pueblos blancos, the white mountain villages of Andalucia...

The undiscovered white villages of Andalucia are well worth visiting if you like to explore new territory, stay away from the tourist hordes, or aren´t interested in knick-knack international tat tourist shops. The Alto Genal Valley, in southern Spain near the touristy town of Ronda, is a secret ...

We are conveniently located between two of Spain´s fantastic parques nacionales: the well-known Sierra de Grazalema and the overlooked Sierra de las Nieves. There is tons of information about the former online and we have detailed notes for a five-hour hike in the Grazalema Sierra but there are many more ...

The infamous Caminito del Rey was reopened in 2015 after it was closed due to several deaths. The full length of the path is 7.7 km, including the walk in and the boardwalks. Advance tickets are required and the hard hats supplied must be worn. Lots more information and ticket purchase on the official Caminito Del Rey website ...