 Area Guide - Casares
What’s it like in Casares?
Casares is one Spain’s most famous white villages, one with a network of tiny streets, its little white houses nestling into two hillsides. Inhabited for thousands of years by many different civilisations, all of which have left their mark, Casares literally hangs off the side of the cliff at an altitude of 435m and enjoys breathtaking views of the surrounding coastline and the Sierra Bermeja mountains. Its position, around 10km inland, between Estepona and Sotogrande allows fast motorway access to all points along the Coast, including the glamorous marinas at nearby Duquesa and Sotogrande, the millionaire’s playground of Puerto Banús and the international airports at nearby Gibraltar and Málaga. The beauty of Casares is that it is truly traditional Spain within easy reach of all the benefits that modern Spain and the Costa de Sol has to offer.
Stepping Out
There’s history galore in Casares, which even goes back as far as pre-historic man with plenty of evidence of his presence in the area. The town was also of considerable importance during the Roman period, when it had its own mint. Apparently Caesar himself commissioned the Roman baths (Baños de Hedionda), the ruins of which are close to the border with Manilva, after he was cured of a skin complaint while bathing in nearby sulphurous waters. The baths are just one example of the many Roman remains in the area. There’s plenty of evidence of the Moorish era too, clearly seen in the narrow cobbled streets and the Arabic castle on top of the hill above the village with its spectacular views. Part of the reason for those amazing views is that Casares is surrounded by some of the most beautiful natural parks in the area, the Sierra Bermeja with its breathtaking mountains, its stunning crimson earth and rare Pinsapo pine trees and the Sierra Crestillina which provides the perfect setting for birdwatchers, hikers and horse-riders.
If the more competitive sports are your thing, Casares is perfectly placed for golf, surrounded as it is by a large number of championship courses, not least the world-class course at Valderrama and the Robert Trent Jones Sr.-designed Duquesa Golf and Country Club, with its 18-hole course and spectacular sea and mountain views. Casares is also close to stylish Sotogrande, with its marina and world-class polo and of course, the village is just over10km from the beautiful sandy beaches of the coast and a wide range of water sports. One of the most popular beaches is Playa Ancha, which has plenty of facilities, allowing you to enjoy a lazy day with everything you need close at hand.
At the heart of the village itself, in the main square (Plaza España) with its bars and pavement cafes so that you can while away a few hours and also enjoy a little more history in the form of a statue of Blas Infante, a Nationalist leader who was born in the village and who was executed by Franco’s rebels at the beginning of the Spanish Civil War. So whether your thing is sea, mountains, plenty of activity or a lazy few days, then Casares is the perfect place for you. Once you’ve caught sight of those panoramic views of Gibraltar and Africa to the south, looked across the Río Genal valley to the neighbouring white villages of Gaucín and Jimena, seen the peregrine falcons and kestrels swooping across the sky, there is definitely no going back.
Healthy, Wealthy and Wise
So if you decide you’re not going back, or even if your time in this magical place is restricted just to holidays, you’ll want to know that you’re close to the best health, transport and education facilities. You can certainly sleep easy in Casares as there are health service and private facilities available. Apart from a local surgery, there are two main public health centres in nearby Estepona and a new private hospital (Hospital Hospitén). In addition, the public Hospital Costa del Sol in Marbella is extensively equipped and offers 24-hour emergency services and a multi-lingual voluntary interpreter service. A short drive from Casares, you’ll find the outstanding Sotogrande International School, which has been offering excellent education in English for more than 25 years. Other schools nearby are the International School, Estepona, Bede’s Grammar School and the Mayfair Academy. Estepona also has a bi-lingual kindergarten for younger children, called Children’s Place. All these places are easy to access via the A7/N340 coast road or the even faster motorway which runs parallel to the coast road, although it’s situated a little higher up into the countryside. There’s a motorway junction at Gaucín and Manilva, which gives easy access to Casares. You’ll be nearest to the international airport at Gibraltar, and around an hour and twenty minutes from Málaga’s airport.
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