The Famed History Of Gaucin Within the Costa Del Sol For The Avid Visitor.
When you are holidaying in a Apartment in Casares you might like to visit the gorgeous mountain village of Gaucin. Those staying in Casares villas or apartments highly recommend a scenic tour of both Gaucin and Casares to see the contrast between the two.
Gaucin has sweeping views of the Rif Mountains of Africa and Gibraltar. The village is a literally a painter’s palette showing amongst its colours vivid red poppies, yellow mimosa, and wild orchids depending on the time of year you visit.
Being not heavily populated with only around 2000 inhabitants you won’t be overrun by the locals at its busiest. The village was once a major Roman settlement. Its castle, Castillo del Aguila (meaning Eagle’s Castle due to its lofty position) dates from this period and was later developed into a fortress by the Arabs. Study carefully and you may well find eagles circling above, while smaller kestrels often nest in the walls of the medieval convent.
The Romans settled in Gaucin as they found it the easiest place to access the Ronda mountain range from the sea to penetrate to the heart of the region. Camino de Ginraltar, the Roman road, is still in use, and in parts unbelievably the original stones are intact. In fact, Gaucin was a resting place for soldiers after the battle between Julius Caesar and the sons of Pompey.
Gaucin is constructed around a maze of narrow twisting streets and was once a haven for brandy and tobacco smugglers who travelled the area. It was like stepping back in time visiting until recently as the majority of houses had no running water and one light bulbs.
Gaucin actually predates the Roman period. Step back in time by visiting the Cave and see the prehistoric Cave paintings. Ancient Iberian ceramics have been found in the castle’s water deposit. The Phoenicians established gold mines on the nearby Sierra Bermeja and probably controlled Gauc
