One of those villages is located high up in the hills of Andalucia, just off of the main coastal section of the Costa del Sol. The one we are referring to is the ancient village of Gaucin.

Gaucin was thought to have been built back in the Roman times, although it really came into it’s own during the occupation of Spain by the Moors where it was an invincible fortress.

A fort was built at the very top of the hill and beneath it a village started to spread out thanks to the protection offered by its monumental fortress. The name of the village was actually derived from the position of the fortress “Sair Guazan”, which basically translates to “strong rock”.

Nowadays the fortress is just ruins but still something that attracts many tourists to Gaucin.

As you can imagine, there is a lot of interesting history associated with Gaucin, especially during the uprising of the Moors and their eventual defeat at the hands of the Christians, many centuries later.

Due to the strategic location of the castle, it made the village very difficult to overwhelm. Eventually in 1485 the Catholics captured the castle of Gaucin, called ” el Aguila” and although there were many revolts, the Marquis of Cadiz dealt with them firmly and harshly to maintain order.

The views from Gaucin are quite spectacular and on a clear sunny day, (most days during the summer) you can see Gibraltar and Africa in the distance, a stark reminder of how close Morocco is.

The village itself is on various levels and there are narrow windy roads that work their way through the whitewashed houses.

The views, the countryside, the hospitality and warmth of the villagers, have brought many an author and artist to the village to write or paint.

Within the town there are some great restaurants and bars, and some very quaint hotels in which many a couple have spent a romantic weekend.

Although Gaucin is popular with tourists it has managed to remain very authentic and still retains its roots and values. If you are staying in Gaucin make sure you book somewhere to eat as there are not lots of restaurants and it’a a fair drive to the next village.