In recent years, the hustle and bustle of many holiday destinations on the Spanish coast has prompted people to seek quieter, more secluded locations inland.  Rural Retreats Andalucia was created to offer high-class accommodation in an area where guests can experience total relaxation and appreciate the real Andalusian way of life, whilst providing them with wonderful scenery and an abundance of wildlife.  

We offer a limited, but carefully chosen selection of Andalusian country cottages, country houses and farmhouses close to the village of El Gastor,  in the mountainous region of Cadiz. 

This area, of outstanding natural beauty, is on the edge of the Grazalema Natural Park and is still largely unspoilt by tourism.

Our in-depth knowledge of the area enables us to offer advice and provide useful tips to those who visit this privileged area for the first time. The spectacular scenery is particularly attractive for painting holidays, walking holidays and horse-riding.

Birdwatchers will have the opportunity to view a large range of birds, ranging from griffon vultures gliding on the thermals to ospreys, booted eagles and other birds of prey soaring overhead. 

Equally, botanists will be delighted to discover a huge variety of wild flowers in the area, particularly in spring-time.

All our properties have been selected for their peaceful and, in many cases, secluded and idyllic locations. 

Likewise, nearly all of them are completely private and are situated on large plots of land, some surrounded by many acres of farmland or natural vegetation. 

They all have private pools and are accessed by good roads or tracks. 

El Gastor, known as the “Balcony of the White Villages” is a small, typical white-washed mountain village.  Life moves at a slower pace here and the villagers are very friendly and willing to help. 

Amenities in the village include several small supermarkets, a fishmonger, butcher, chemist, two banks, post office, medical centre, restaurants and tapas bars. 

There is a street market on Thursday mornings and a children’s playground in the square at one end of the village.

As well as the national “fiestas” such as the Holy Week processions in March/April and the traditional “Three Kings” parade when the children receive their Christmas presents, El Gastor celebrates its own fiestas.  One of the major local fiestas is that of Corpus Christi in June when the village is completely transformed: the houses and streets are decorated with flowers and beautiful “mantillas” are hung from the villagers’ balconies.  

In August the summer fiesta lasts for 3 days and 4 nights, and this consists of eating, drinking and dancing from early afternoon until daylight the following morning.  Games and other activites are organised for children in the mornings. 

The village of El Gastor celebrates its Patron Saint’s day on 7th October and in February its Carnival time. 

El Gastor is well appointed for those wishing to travel further afield:  the picturesque villages of Grazalema and Zahara de la Sierra are nearby and other famous, historical cities such as Ronda, Seville and Cadiz can be visited on a day trip.

Apart from horse-riding and hiking, other outdoor activities such as rock climbing, cycling, canoeing and paragliding are available in the area.

Cheap flights with low-cost airlines make the cost of getting to Andalucia quite reasonable and all the main car hire companies have offices at the airports, so picking up a hire car is easy.  Since the public transport service to El Gastor is very limited, a car is essential.  El Gastor is within easy reach of three airports:  Jerez (1 hour by car), Seville (1 hour 15 mins.) and Malaga (1 hour 45 mins.).

Guests booking any of our holiday properties will be met upon arrival and shown around their accommodation. 

For their peace of mind, should any problems arise during their stay or in the case of an emergency, we offer a 24-hour local call service.