Cabra

Cabra is a rural town in the south of the province of Córdoba. It takes just over an hour to drive there from Malaga city.

Why did I visit this obscure town in the middle of the Cordoba countryside?

Well, good friend from Ibiza, Marisol, is originally from Cabra. This summer, she invited me along to visit her family’s hometown.

Cabra is mainly based on agriculture and largely depends on olive oil, harvested from the expansive olive orchards that surround the town.

I was lucky enough to see Cabra’s locally grown produce as I was shown around the family’s huerto (vegetable garden). The quality and quantity of the veg was impressive and included tomatoes, onions and enormous courgettes and aubergines.

Cabra’s town centre is charming and I was given a quick tour of it’s main attractions:

1. The church

La Iglesia de la Asunción y Ángeles is found in the medieval part of the town.

Nearby is a rather special building in an arabic style, a sign of the town’s Islamic history.

2. The main square – Plaza España

This is a popular spot for the locals to sit outside and enjoy. The town hall is pretty impressive for such a small, rural place.

3. Alcántara Romero park

This is the town’s main green space and it is full of life, particularly in the evenings. The tradition is to wander around the park eating hand made crisps. You buy these from small stalls that that fry the thinly sliced potatoes in vats of olive oil.

4. Fuente del Rio

This is a peaceful corner just outside of the town center. Fuente del Rio is an elaborate garden created around natural springs where the river Cabra begins. The park’s running water comes fresh out of the rocks which makes it a cool, shady spot. It is a welcome escape from Cabra’s suffocating heat in the summer months.

All in all, Cabra isn’t a well-known tourist spot but it is a sweet, unassuming place. The white town is an example of the hidden gems that Andalusia has to offer.