Past Ronda, the road to Grazalema climbs to the Puerto de las Palomas at more than 1,300 metres. It is narrow, it is walled in stone and the mist often sits in the valley below you until late morning.
The road
This is the opposite of the A-397: tight, technical and slow, with blind corners and the odd goat. A light car with a lot of feel is the only thing to take, and the Artura is the lightest car we own.
Where to stop
- Puerto de las Palomas, the top of the pass, for the view over the reservoir at Zahara
- Zahara de la Sierra, a white village under a ruined castle, for lunch
- Grazalema, for a walk and the local cheese
Before you go
The pass closes now and then in winter snow, and summer afternoons bring motorbikes. Start from Ronda in the morning and you will have the best of it.
