Olvera, Spain is where I have called home for the last 7 months. It’s a small village of about 8,000 people located in the Sierra de Cadiz (mountain range of Cadiz). It’s just over an hour to major cities like Malaga, Sevilla, Jerez, and Cadiz. Olvera is located high on top of a mountain so it looks down over the countryside. On cloudy days, you can sometimes see above the clouds.
Olvera is one of the famous Pueblos Blancos, or White Villages of Cadiz. It’s located along the White Village Route (Ruta de los Pueblos Blancos). It’s called this because all the buildings are painted a bright white which stands out for a clean and historic look against the clear blue sky and green mountain landscape below.
1700 years ago, the Moors ruled Southern Spain. Olvera was on the dividing line between Moorish rule and Christian rule. Moors and Christians lived together in peace for 8 centuries until finally Christianity reclaimed Southern Spain. Today, Olvera is predominantly Christian, although there are still a few descendants of Moorish ancestry living in Olvera.
Olvera is divided into the “new town” and the “old town.” The old town was built strategically on top of the mountain to protect it from approaching armies. The houses are ancient, built of concrete with no insulation. Some homes have installed wood burners for heat in the winter months, and the concrete homes stay cool in the hot summer months. The new town has expanded down the side of the mountain to flatter ground with one main street that runs through. Homes are more modern although still authentically Spanish with tile floors and whitewashed facades, but some of the newer homes have heating units installed.
The two main attractions of Olvera are the church on top of the hill and the old Moorish castle. The church is still in use every day, and the castle has a small fee for visitors to enter and appreciate the views from the highest point in Olvera. The castle is in good condition for its age and is well worth a visit. Some other noteworthy sites of Olvera are La Alameda, a green garden with a stone waterfall, huge statue of Jesus that overlooks the village, and small zoo of birds, chickens, and peacocks. Finally, the sanctuary of Nuestra Senora de Los Remedios is located just outside the village but connected via a footpath. It is famous on the Lunes de Quasimodo when the Virgen is paraded through the streets of Olvera and taken to the sanctuary to celebrate a much needed rain during a period of drought. It is common for people to make pilgrimages to Olvera for this celebration.
The Via Verde is a path that runs from Olvera to Puerto Serrano, 38 kilometers. You can hike, ride a bike, or even horseback ride down this picturesque trail. From high up on top of the mountain, you can see for miles, and there are even binoculars at some points along the trail. It’s an excellent place for exercise or just to enjoy the scenery.
Olvera is home to 2 high schools and 2 primary schools, which is surprising in a town of only 8,000 people. One of the high schools, Zaframagón, is bilingual, meaning many of the subjects are taught in both English and Spanish. (Currently, I work as an English language assistant at Zaframagón.) There is also an adult education school that teaches English to local Spanish people and Spanish to English-speaking expats.
A local joke in Olvera is that there are 99 bars in the 2-mile long town. Even though it’s said jokingly, I strongly believe this is a true fact! There are many bars in Olvera, some of which are also cafes that serve tapas. There are 2 nightclubs and a few lounges as well. There are also 2 hotels for visitors.
Olvera is famous for its olive oil. The village is surrounded by farms and olive groves and the town even produces its own olive oil called Los Remedios which is completely natural, local, and delicious. In fact, southern Spain is the top producer of olive oil in the world, with Italy coming in second. I don’t doubt this fact for a second after driving through Andalucía for 7 months.
At first glance, you might think Olvera is a small, boring town, but don’t underestimate this wonderful little village! It has plenty to offer: 99 bars, 3 public parks, a medieval castle, a public swimming pool and fútbol field, camping sites, the via verde, a dance school that teaches flamenco, 2 gyms, and plenty more. This gem has stolen my heart and I recommend that everyone visit Olvera.
Hola Lyssie, me encanta España y todo lo español. Mis antepasados eran de Andalucía y he trabajado allí tres veces cuando estaba en la universidad hace más de 20 años. Una ex novia era de Madrid. ¡Espero comprar una pequeña casa de pueblo para usar durante los fríos inviernos del Reino Unido! Tal vez haga algo de TEFL ya que tengo un certificado, aunque esto fue hace algún tiempo. Olvera parece bien posicionado para visitar Granada, Jerez y Sevilla. Conduzco una motocicleta en el verano y creo que el área cercana de Ronda es un gran lugar para esto. Primero tendré que visitar Olvera e investigar un poco. Quizás me encuentre contigo en algún momento. Disfruté mucho de tu blog. ¿Habrá más …? Saludos cordiales, Richard en Inglaterra.
Hola Richard, y muchas gracias por visitar mi blog! I had no idea so many people from England knew about Olvera and wanted to visit/move to this beautiful little mountaintop village. It is a great place to relax, explore Andalucia, and teach English! Driving a motorcycle around the mountain roads would scare me but it would be a great way to get to know the area and see the incredible vistas. Olvera is the perfect spot to call home base if you want to travel between Granada, Sevilla, and all the white villages in between. I hope you get your house there one day and we can be neighbors! Saludos!
Hola Lyssie, me encanta España y todo lo español. Mis antepasados eran de Andalucía y he trabajado allí tres veces cuando estaba en la universidad hace más de 20 años. Una ex novia era de Madrid. ¡Espero comprar una pequeña casa de pueblo para usar durante los fríos inviernos del Reino Unido! Tal vez haga algo de TEFL ya que tengo un certificado, aunque esto fue hace algún tiempo. Olvera parece bien posicionado para visitar Granada, Jerez y Sevilla. Conduzco una motocicleta en el verano y creo que el área cercana de Ronda es un gran lugar para esto. Primero tendré que visitar Olvera e investigar un poco. Quizás me encuentre contigo en algún momento. Disfruté mucho de tu blog. ¿Habrá más …? Saludos cordiales, Richard en Inglaterra.
Hi Lyssie,
Great blog! A lot of good information.
My wife and I are looking into Olvera real estate for holiday and eventual retirement.
We haven’t spent a ton of time in Olvera but have loved the moments we’ve had there.
You mentioned a school of dance. Do you remember the name?
Hello! I am so happy to hear you’ve had a good time in Olvera and are looking to eventually retire there! I have the same goals. It is a truly beautiful part of Spain! I can’t remember the name of the flamenco dance school but it was on Calle Llana across from Plaza Andalucia and Monumento al Sagrado Corazon (the Jesus statue on top of the mountain). I hope it’s still there! But anyone in the town should be able to tell you where there is a dance school. It’s such a big part of Spanish culture that I highly recommend joining the locals in learning some Sevillana dancing! And definitely let me know how it goes 🙂
Hi,
Great blog!
I am hoping to come next August with my family to Olvera. My husband is Spanish and from Andulucia (he left when he was 8). I’d love my kids to learn Spanish and the only real way is to immerse them in it. I was thinking of coming for a month in the summer when the kids are off but was hoping to enrol them in a language school. Is there only the school for adults or can kids join too- they will be 13 and 15 at the time?
Hi, thank you! I completely agree, immerse them and make them speak Spanish! My role was the same but opposite: I was sent to Olvera to force the Spanish kids to speak English if they wanted to communicate with me. At 13 and 15, they may be nervous but they will be able to pick it up pretty quickly! I think they would be welcomed into the adult school to learn Spanish. But like you said, I think the best thing for them would be to just send them out in the town and force them to get by. As long as they have a grade school Spanish basis, they will be fine. Send them to the market for bread and water and see how they do, or have them order a pizza for delivery! When you get there, hit the adult education school right away to get started as well. Good luck, I’d love to hear how it goes!
hi
have been living in asia for the past 14 years and now returning to uk for a v,short while then onto olvera for an extended stay with the intention of making it my new home, i will rent for 2-3 months whist finding the right property to purchase , i would very much like to work there, p.t ,f.t ,ad hoc anything really, my background is hospitality consultancy but now would be happy having a go at anything from pot washing ,shelf stacking, office work, anything really , its the social interaction gained through working that i find so important, im mid 50s ,easy going and have a go at most things
Hi Sam! I’m so happy to hear you are choosing Olvera as your next stop. I haven’t been to Asia yet but I imagine it will be a bit of a culture shock for you. Olvera is a small village and most of the stores and restaurants are small, run by the people who own them and their families. It’s always good to have responsible help though, so I would just walk down the two main streets (Calle Llana and Av. Julian Besteiro) and apply everywhere! Working in real estate is popular with the expats in town. Tutoring in ESL is in high demand. There is a big gym in town where you could work, whether at the front desk or teaching classes. Or if you’re adventurous and motivated, it’s not too hard to start your own business! You will love Olvera. The people are so friendly and nice and will help you with anything. The whole village is like a big family. It’s beautiful and it’s close to the beach, airports, and other incredible villages. And the views from Olvera are just amazing! I hope you keep in touch so I can follow your path and live vicariously through you!
Just came across your site. I plan to spend some time in this area next March, is yoga classes available or a studio perhaps. Also is pickleball played at the gym by any chance, it’s such a fun sport for winter time, great exercise also. Thanks, Lynn
Hi Lynn! I’m so happy to hear you found Olvera and plan to visit – you will love it! The gym in Olvera is really great with lots of good classes. I believe yoga is one of them! I’m not sure about pickleball (I only recently found out what pickleball is), although they do have rooms for paddleball. There are tons of opportunities for great workouts as well! The old town is built up the side of a mountain, so all of the walking is inclined at some point. The Via Verde is a beautiful path along the mountain where you can jog, horseback ride, walk a dog, rent a bike, or just walk along and enjoy the views. There is also swimming (although maybe not in March) and great hiking nearby! I know you will find exactly the right activity. I hope you have a wonderful time!
A client has just recommend this blog!
Lovely to find a fellow I love Olvera girl, Let me know if its ok to share this blog on any of my facebook pages,
Zoe from OP
Hi Zoe, I’m so happy to hear this! I’m surprised how many people are looking to visit or move to Olvera and come across my blog. It’s so wonderful! Absolutely, feel free to share it!
hiya my wife and myself have been looking at olvera online with a view to purchase a property that we could eventually move into full time.my only concern is the olvera might be too hilly as my wife has asthma.any help would be appreciated
martin and jacqui
Hi Martin and Jacqui! I love so much hearing people interested in relocating to Olvera, it really is a wonderful little town. Olvera is quite hilly in the old part of town, so that might not be ideal for your wife. However, there are plenty of flat options in the newer section, which is closer to a lot of things anyway! If you look near the park, gym, and school, you should have no problem with the hills. Be careful as you go closer to the church and castle, that’s where the hills get steep. And if you don’t mind driving more than walking, she won’t have a problem either! My recommendation is to take a trip to Olvera and stay in the hotel, which is in the flatter part of town. Take a walk around and see how it works out! Good luck, I hope you do choose Olvera! And please let me know if you do!! 🙂
What great luck to see this blog! I have just made arrangements for a trip to Olvera for this November and December…(yes! still a ways away!!!) The reason? to see if I want to buy a place and live here. Although I am not a fan of cold weather, travelling in the winter will let me know if Olvera is the place for me! Does the community center or one of the gyms have yoga classes? I plan on visiting the castle, cathedral, and walk the ViaVerde several times a week. What other things can I do? Thank you so much! Vicki
Hello! I am so happy to hear you’re considering Olvera, it is one of the most beautiful, peaceful towns I’ve ever been to and the people there are so helpful and supportive. Yes I do believe the gym in town has yoga! There are lots of good classes at the gym. There is horseback riding, a walking path to the sanctuary just outside the town, a campsite area with outdoor activities just down the road, and paragliding is very popular in this area of Spain. Just walking the streets to shop or visit friends is great exercise also! I hope you plan for a long enough time to really get a feel for Olvera, it is absolutely wonderful!!! Good luck and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask! Keep in touch 🙂
Hi Lyssie,
How are you? I love the look of Olvera. I’m thinking of a 2 month stay in September and October.
I definitely want to improve my Spanish and was wondering if you knew of any schools or teachers I could contact beforehand.
Also, I love to be near the water which this is not. So just wondering what kind of water options are nearby. I do believe there’s a swimming pool and that Caldiz is the nearest beach about an hour away. Any lakes nearby?
I can drive but prefer not to. Is it possible to get around locally and further away on public transport.
Is the nearest airport Malaga and is it possible to get from the airport to Olvera on public transport?
Many, many thanks
Helen
Hi Helen, I’m so happy to hear from you! I’m glad you like Olvera. September and October would be wonderful months there! It’s still warm and everyone is out and about.
Olvera is a great place to learn Spanish because there is a free adult school taught by Spaniards. I went there myself to learn! It’s full of other expats (English-speaking and other languages, but everyone wants to learn Spanish). The school is right on the circle in the center of town. Unfortunately I don’t know how to contact them beforehand but anyone in town will be able to tell you where and when to go.
I am a beach girl myself – I have never lived more than an hour from the ocean. Unfortunately Olvera is also about an hour from the ocean. The closest beach the way the roads run is Malaga. Cadiz is beautiful and one of my favorite cities, but it’s closer to an hour and a half (mind the speed limit signs, the police are strict!) There are TONS of little beach towns on the Costa del Sol too – Marbella literally means “beautiful beach” and it’s a popular tourist town with British visitors. If you don’t mind driving 1-1.5 hours, you can find some incredible beaches. In Olvera, there is a pool; it’s closed in winter but in September and October it will definitely be open! There’s also a pretty big gym, but I can’t remember if the gym has a pool too. There are some big mountain lakes nearby but I never thought about swimming in them – I’m sure it’s possible though! I never thought I could live somewhere landlocked but the mountains, bike riding, horseback riding, and other outdoors activities didn’t leave me yearning for a beach too many times. Which reminds me, definitely check out the Via Verde at the edge of town – you can rent bikes, horses, or walk/run the beautiful trail. It’s incredible!
The first few months I was in Olvera, I took the buses. The buses come through three times a day and go to every town. They’re very affordable. There is no train station unfortunately. One of the big methods of transportation is Bla Bla Car. If you don’t mind hopping in a car with a stranger, it’s the cheapest and easiest way to catch a ride! It sounds more dangerous than it is, I think. I never had a problem as a passenger or a driver. Driving is definitely the easiest, but by no means necessary. The buses in Olvera were pretty good about being on time most of the time.
Olvera is about one hour from Malaga airport, one hour from Sevilla airport, and just under 2 hours from Granada airport. It’s also just over an hour from Jerez airport, which mostly just flies local flights (but great if you want to visit Barcelona for a weekend!) There is a bus you can catch from the Malaga airport right into Olvera. It makes a few stops so it takes a little longer than driving, but you get to see some other really beautiful white Andalucian villages on your way. Plus if you’re not driving, you get to take in the scenery so much better! You can catch the bus into Olvera, see how you manage without a car, and you can always catch a bus back to Malaga to rent a car if you need to. I found rental cars for 40 euros for the month, and with diesel gas, an entire month worth of gas only cost about 40 euros as well! But see what works for you. Like I said, I did both public transportation and rented a car.
I’m so happy to hear you’re considering Olvera and I don’t think you would regret the decision to choose this beautiful village. It’s absolutely wonderful with incredibly helpful people and plenty to do. I hope to hear from you again soon if you do choose to go!
Fantastic blog, thanks, were coming over in November 18 & February 2019 to look for a holiday home that will eventually be our main home.
We keep looking for reasons to look closer to the coast but every time we look elsewhere our minds & hearts just bring us back to Olvera.
That is so wonderful to hear!! Have you been to Olvera before? The coast is wonderful but it’s a little more expensive and touristy. There are some great places though! I love Olvera and the coast is only an hour drive, and it’s a beautiful scenic drive. I think a quaint little town like Olvera, where everyone knows who you are and is willing to help their neighbors, is the place to be. I could definitely see myself there long term as well!
We are contemplating purchasing a vacation home in Olvera. We currently live in Wisconsin in the US. We would travel and stay in Olvera from roughly November through April annually. What is the weather like over the winter? I am reading that it is a bit chilly and dreary. Your perspective? Would greatly appreciate how early spring was for you.
Hi! I’m so happy to hear you’re thinking about getting a winter house in Olvera. It rarely snows, but it does get cold. I would compare Olvera’s weather to Virginia. The summer temperatures get up to over 100 degrees so the cold feels colder than it actually is. Most homes have wood burners and heated blankets on tables which helps keep the cold out. It almost never goes below freezing though. Coming from Wisconsin, I think you’d feel just fine! Plus, Olvera is only an hour from the beach where it stays about 60 degrees in the winter. It might be a good idea to visit Olvera in winter to see what you’d be dealing with. I recommend December, it’s just lovely around Christmas! Just curious, what made you choose Olvera?
You have convinced me and its on my to do list when i eventualy leave the UK for Spain. I like the fact it is peaceful but also has activities, ok the 90 bars, but also the major towns are only an hour away and there is a bus service ! Wonderful, and thanks so much for your overview it is much appreciated.
There is a nice British expat population in Olvera too! Whether you go for a quick vacation or half the year, you will absolutely love peaceful little Olvera (and exploring everything nearby in Spain). If and when you go, let me know – I’d love to see pictures!
Awesome! Can’t wait. Im a painter.I’m in Mexico for another 3 months and then hopefully Spain. This town looks perfect! Could you tell me the names of the two hotels or is it better to find a rental.
This town is perfect for painting! Especially from afar – it’s amazing. From the high points in town, the mountains are picture perfect too!!
The main hotel is Hotel Sierra y Cal right in the center of town. There’s also Hostal Medina, although I think I’d recommend Hotel Sierra y Cal. For a more local feel, there are tons of Airbnb rentals, which is what I did when I first arrived in Olvera and I loved living in the local neighborhood. If you’ve never used Airbnb before, you can get $40 off with my link too (www.airbnb.com/c/aacree). Depending on how long you stay, you could look into a long term rental for a great rate, but still the best way to find a long term rental is to stay in a hotel for a few nights and just look for “se alquila” signs. I look forward to seeing some of your paintings of beautiful Olvera!