Villaharta: Springs, Trails and Whitewashed Facades

Trails

Located along the Cañada Real Soriana, the Fuente Malos Pasos is an important point on the Camino Mozárabe de Santiago; its iron-rich waters have a reddish color.

The final section of the Camino Mozárabe de Santiago through Villaharta leads via the Cuesta de la Matanza to the iron-rich springs El Cordel and Malos Pasos.

The Ruta de las Fuentes Agrias begins in Elías Cervelló Park in Villaharta and is an 8.38-kilometer circular route of easy difficulty, taking around three hours.

The Route of the Sour Springs II is 7.67 kilometers long, easy and takes around three hours; it passes through the Dehesa Nueva of Espiel-Villaharta and along historic paths formerly used by spa visitors to reach the San Rafael and La Lastra springs.

The Merendero de Las Serranas–Camino de las Monjas route is five kilometers long and has an uphill elevation gain of 184 meters; sections run along the GR-48 and the Camino Mozárabe de Santiago and lead to a picnic area among holm oaks.

The Camino del Molinillo to the Arroyo de las Serranas is a 2.6-kilometer linear route of moderate difficulty, with a walking time of around two to three hours for the return journey, and offers botanical, wildlife and scenic interest.

The Camino de la Mimbre begins at the intersection of Calle Camino del Cementerio and the road to Obejo in Villaharta.

Nature

The Camino de Pedrique leads into a dehesa landscape with Mediterranean scrubland, holm oaks, rockroses, mastic shrubs and broom, as well as to the former Monasterio de Pedrique, which now houses the Casa Museo de Aurelio Teno.

The skies over Villaharta are part of the Sierra Morena Starlight Reserve.

Birds of prey can be observed hunting in this area; traces of wild boar or deer can also be found there.

This viewpoint offers panoramic views of Villaharta, its whitewashed facades and the Sierra del Enjambradero.

Culture

The Fuente de El Cordel is located within the municipality of Villaharta and is historically closely linked to the Cañada Real Soriana.

It has a hexagonal pavilion in the regionalist style, built from exposed brick at the beginning of the 20th century and covered with a ribbed vault.

The Fuente Boca del Infierno is a historic iron-rich spring that emerges from an old water tunnel, is surrounded by scrubland and formerly supplied the old pavilions of the Balneario de Villaharta.

The Horno de Cal “Calerín” is a restored example of vernacular industrial architecture.

Other Places

Other places include Cabra, Almedinilla, Villaviciosa De Córdoba, Posadas, Ochavillo del Río, Ribera Baja, El Cerezo and Fuente Palmera.

Townscape

Villaharta’s old town lies on a hill and features steep streets and whitewashed facades.

For the broader travel overview: Cordoba.