El Tarajal: River Landscape and Cultural Heritage

El Tarajal combines a rural accommodation with archaeological sites, a traditional washhouse and a river landscape. When searching for a hotel, it is worth looking at these different facets: Hacienda El Tarajal offers rural accommodation; Torre de Barcas and Las Cabezuelas point to the area’s archaeological history, while a circular walk takes in the Río Salado and its gorge. This gives you a clear picture of the place before you choose your accommodation.

Accommodation and Landscape

Hacienda El Tarajal is a rural accommodation located at Carretera de Priego CO-7207, Kilometer 1, El Tarajal 4, Priego de Córdoba, 14814. It is surrounded by olive groves in the heart of the Las Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark. Check current availability before booking.

Archaeological Sites and Settlement History

Torre de Barcas lies between El Tarajal and the neighboring scattered settlement. The fortification is in the northern part of the municipality of Priego de Córdoba, at the confluence of the Salado and Zagrilla rivers and beside the road to Luque. It consists of a small walled area built of rubble masonry set in mortar and a square, two-story masonry tower. The combination of the walled area and two-story tower describes a compact complex with clearly distinguishable structures. Torre de Barcas is designated a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC), a cultural asset of special interest.

Las Cabezuelas del Tarajal, also known as Cerro del Camino del Tarajal, lies at the confluence of the Salado and Zagrilla rivers. The settlement is one of the three large settlements in the municipality of Priego de Córdoba. Its fortification may date to the Late Bronze Age, perhaps the 6th century BC. El Tarajal developed into an urban settlement nucleus in the 19th century. The area’s history therefore brings together settlement development dating to the 19th century and a much older fortification whose dating remains tentative.

Local Features and Circular Walk

The name El Tarajal refers to the abundance of tamarisks, a shrub characteristic of the surrounding soils. El Tarajal also has a traditional washhouse as one of its local features. While the name points to the surrounding vegetation, the washhouse is a tangible built feature of the place.

The “El Tarajal, Río Salado y Torres” circular walk runs near El Tarajal. It is 8.66 km long, with an ascent and descent of 260 m each, and is rated easy. The recorded hike dates from September 2020. Its first section passes through the gorge formed by the Río Salado near the hamlet of El Tarajal. The distance and elevation figures refer to the entire route; the gorge description refers to its first section. Check local trail conditions before setting out.

Discover more destinations: Santa Cruz, Montemayor, Belalcázar, Monturque, Luque, Iznajar, El Viso, Aguilar De La Frontera.

For the broader travel overview: Cordoba.