Zuheros and Luque
Day Trip
The neighbouring villages of Zuheros and Luque are within easy reach of Córdoba, on the northern edge of the Sierras Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark, which was designated in 2015 for its impressive karst landscape features and a fossil record documenting millions of years of the region’s history. A visit to the Cueva de los Murciélgos (“Cave of the Bats”) lets you see the rock formations up close.
Both villages have Moorish castles. Luque’s castle has been recently restored and is worth going inside, while the castle at Zuheros is more of a ruin that just adds to the village’s great charm.
Morning
Zuheros
Zuheros is a picture-postcard white village with narrow flower-filled streets overlooked by a romantic castle perched on a craggy rock.
You can visit the castle ($), although there’s much less to see than at other castles in the area. You get the key from the small archaeological museum ($) across the square. There’s also an ethnographic museum ($) in the village that you could pop into. A combined ticket allows you to visit all three sights on the same day.
Opening hours: Tues-Sun 10:00-14:00; 16:00-18:00 (winter) or 17:00-19:00 (summer).
Luque castle
For centuries, Luque has been a frontier town. Its Moorish castle dating from the 9th century has been lovingly restored and is well worth a visit. Allow about 45 minutes to have time to park and walk up to the castle.
Opening hours: Wed-Thurs 12:00-14:00; Fri-Sun: 10:00-14:00 and 17:00-20:00.
Civil War bunkers
Near Estación de Luque, there are some Civil War bunkers you can visit for commanding views of Luque castle and the surrounding landscape. The site isn’t very well maintained, so the terrain is a bit rough – only go if you have good trainers.
You can walk there from Luque. By car, it’s best accessed from the N-432 from Estación de Luque towards Alcaudete. Take the first right after the sign saying you have left Estación de Luque and then turn left down a small road immediately after you cross the Via Verde walking and cycling route.
Lunch
GuisoTeo is a good spot for lunch on the village square in Zuheros. On the menu you’ll find a delicious selection of goats’ cheeses from local producer Los Balanchares, which is just outside the village on the A-318. You can also stop at their shop to stock up on cheese and other local products such as olive oil on your way out of the village, but bear in mind that it closes at 3 pm.
Afternoon
Cueva de los Murciélgos
Cueva de los Murciélgos means “Cave of the Bats”. It’s an impressive limestone cave that we highly recommend visiting – unless you suffer from claustrophobia or would struggle to negotiate the 700 uneven steps. It was occupied in the Neanderthal period, and there are the cave paintings from the early Neolithic period. One thing you don’t need to worry much about is bats – numbers have collapsed in recent years due to the use of pesticides and other factors like climate change. The cave is up in the hills above Zuheros, and the winding road up offers some spectacular views of the dramatic landscape and the village.
Visits: Wed-Sun 12:30 and 17:30 (16:30 in winter); also 11:00 on Saturdays and Sundays. It’s by guided tour which must be booked in advance.
Book by email (turismo@zuheros.es) or phone (957 69 45 45). More information (in Spanish) on the Zuheros tourism website.
If you have more time
This is a lovely part of the world, so it’s worth spending more than a day, especially if you like hiking or cycling. The Vias Verdes (which means “green ways”) are walking and cycling paths that use the routes of disused railway lines. There’s one that links Luque and Zuheros with Doña Mencía, Cabra and Lucena. Another beautiful hiking route starts from Zuheros and goes up the gorge cut by the River Bailón.
Questions and answers
Zuheros is a picture-postcard white village with a romantic castle perched on a craggy rock. It’s on the northern edge of the Sierras Subbéticas UNESCO Global Geopark, which was designated in 2015 for its impressive karst landscape features and a fossil record documenting millions of years of the region’s history.
For centuries, Luque has been a frontier town. Its Moorish castle dating from the 9th century has been lovingly restored and is well worth a visit. You can also see bunkers dating from the Civil War that offer commanding views over the surrounding countryside.
A visit to the Cueva de los Murciélagos is highly recommended. It’s an impressive limestone cave that was occupied in the Neanderthal period, and there are the cave paintings from the early Neolithic period.
Cueva de los Murciélagos means “Cave of the Bats”.
Yes, Zuheros and the neighbouring village of Luque makes a great day trip from Córdoba. It’s easiest if you have a car, but there are also some buses on weekdays.
It’s just about feasible to visit Zuheros and Luque by bus on Monday-Friday, but not on weekends. Get the latest timetable on the Autocares Carrera website.
The journey from Córdoba to Luque and Zuheros takes about 1 ¼ hours by car or bus.
The villages of Luque and Zuheros are only about 10 minutes apart.