Location of Olvera Properties

How to find us from almost anywhere

Ok, so you need to find your way to Olvera and you only have a vague notion where it is, or you live here and you want a map of the town to find your way around. This is the page for you as you can click on any map and obtain a larger, printable version in a new window. Route maps from airports are subject to changes as the infrastructure of the network of roads is being constantly upgraded. If you find any mistake please let us know so we can correct it.

Street Map of Olvera

Spain

The Iberian peninsula, represents the extreme southwestern part of Europe and includes Portugal, Spain, Andorra, a tiny part of France and Gibraltar and is defined by the Pyrenees Mountains. Spain also includes the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands and in Africa there are the towns of Ceuta and Melilla.

The mainland is divided into Autonomous Communities: Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria, Paiis Basco, Navarre, Aragon, Catalonia, Castilla y León, Madrid, Castilla La Mancha, Valencia, Murcia, Extremadura and of course, where we live and work, Andalucia.

The "only" official language of Spain is Castellano, however life goes on and some other Spanish languages have had to be declared "co-official", for example Catalan (spoken in Catalonia, the Baleriacs and Valencia) is an essential language if you want to work in the region. The other languages are: Aranese (Catalonia), Basque or Euskera (Pais Basco) and Galician (Galicia). There are also a couple of other semi protected languages. Now given that Portugese is pretty much a dialect of Castillano, one can only wonder at Spain's complex history that didn't allow Catalan, Galicia, Asturian and Euskera to become separate countries.

There are good ferry links from Portsmouth (UK) to Bilbao (Pais Basco) or Santander (Cantabria) and from Tangers (Morocco) and Ceuta to Tarifa and Algeciras (Cadiz). If you chose to arrive in Spain by car, the road (E 15) from Perpegnon, in the south of France, to Barcelona is dual carriage way and rapid while in the north the road (E 70) between Bayonne/Biarritz and San Sebastian is much busier. Not wishing to influence anyone unduly, I cannot recommend driving in through Andorra. Coming from the north, the quickest route seems to be Burgos - Madrid - Córdoba, while from Barcelona, some prefer Zaragoza - Madrid - Córdoba, while others like to take the Tarragona - Valencia - Benidorm - Alicante - Murcia - Granada route. Again, I simply cannot recommend the coastal road from Alicante (Cartagena - Almeria - Málaga) because although it starts out as a dual carriage way it soon becomes a traffic laden, windy, coastal road that will send you screaming mad well before you reach Motril. Tarifa to Perpegnon (via Murcia) takes about 14 hours of driving time - add a number of hours for rest/sleeping/eating.

Andalucía

In the south of the Iberian Peninsula is the Autonomous Community of Andalucia, with a land mass of about 87,300 km2 (Great Britain has 209,300 km2) and the city of Sevilla, its capital. It is surrounded by the Mediterranean and Atlantic seas, the country of Portugal, Extemadura, Castilla la Mancha and Murcia communities and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Straits of Gibraltar represent some of the worlds busiest marine traffic and Andalucia boasts Puerto Santa Maria, Sevilla, Tarifa, Puerto Banus, Malaga and Almeria ports, with Algeciras being the second busiest port in Europe.

Map of Andalucia showing regional roads and cities

Andalucia has an incredibly rich history: evidence of Phoenicians can be found all along the coast in the shape of tombs cut from the mountainous rock faces. Roman ruins are to be found everywhere, with some of the most famous in Italica where the worlds second biggest coliseum can be explored. The Vandals and Visigoths probably gave Andalucia its name, while the Moors turned Cordoba into the richest city in Western Europe and one of the largest cities in the world during their 700+ year rule. At the height of Muslim rule, "Al-Andalus" referred to nearly the whole Iberian peninsula.

The main airports in the region are: Sevilla, Jerez, Cordoba, Granada, Malaga, Almuria and of course Gibraltar, and, barring Almuria and Cordoba, all the other airports are frequently used by people visiting Olvera from the UK and the car journey from any airport, except Gibraltar, is under an hour and a half. The main roads in the region are mostly new, within the last 10 years, and are quite fast. There are detailed maps and instructions to and from Olvera further down the page.

Cadiz

This province takes its name from Cadiz city, the oldest continuously-inhabited cities in Europe (Cadir means "a walled fortress" in Phoenician) and a principle port for the Spanish navy since the 1700's - Jerez however is the largest city in the province. Cadiz represents the southernmost part of Europe, with Tarifa island situated on the 36º parallel, and is renowned for its spectacular Atlantic beaches, commonly called "La Costa de la Luz" or the coast of light.

In the northwest corner is the National Park of Doñana, a marshland located at the mouth of the Guadalete river, which is a favorite for bird watchers (with gannet solan goose, storch, cormorant, great crested grebe, flamingo, tern, sea eagle and avocet regularly spotted) and is also the habitat for the Iberian cervit cat.

Along the length of coast there has been a recent declaration for parkland within two hundred meters from the beach margin - this zone (which is forbidden to build on) expands around the Barbate Natural Park, where again bird watchers get a treat (herring gull, chaffinch, greenfinch, cattle egret, little egret, crested tit, woodpecker, kestrel and peregrine falcon - also abundant in Olvera!). Much of this land was previously for military use.

The Alcornocales National Park stretches from Facinas in the south to Ubrique in the north and covers a great deal of different habitats, but mostly focuses around the largest surviving cork oak ("Alcornoques") forest in Europe. This huge expanse of territory (1,700 Km2) is mostly wild although small towns and occasional ranches provide focal points for the country roads and dirt tracks.

Nearer to Olvera is the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, which includes the town of Zahara de las Sierras and anyone who has driven to Ronda from Olvera will recognise the stretch beyond Lake Zahara, on the left, as part of this park. This area is very mountainous and boasts the heaviest annual rainfall in Spain (!!) and it has also been declared a biosphere reserve in 1977, so besides the seriously threatened Egyptian Vultures there is an enormous verity of wildlife to see here.

Rail transport is generally cheap with the chief stations being Cadiz (to Sevilla) and Algeciras (to Granada). Getting to Madrid, for example, is quick (2 hours) and easy using the AVE, while going from Ronda to Algeciras is a pleasant 2 hour mountain ramble that costs under 20 euros. Bus routes from Olvera are a bit more problematic, as there is a severally limited service to Ronda and Sevilla. Our advice is, that if you drive, then hire a car at the airport and give yourself the freedom to visit the richness that is Andalucia's heritage with ease - and if you don't drive we can put you in touch with a taxi service to get you here!

Olvera

This is the map you have been waiting for! If you want to get around Olvera, you need directions, and Olvera Properties are (at the moment) the only provider of a decent map of the town - unless you want to print out a ViaMichelin Map of the area - and they are quite neat! Just click on the map to get a full sized, printable version.

Map of Olvera: Click to obtain a printable version with street names

To get to Olvera Properties for the first time, you will probably be coming from the west (from Ronda or Arcos) or from the east (Campillos). As you enter the town from the west you encounter a small roundabout - generally it is good to park near here as the town roads can be very narrow and often restrictive to park in. Coming from the east you will eventually encounter a busy roundabout (in the middle of the map) with a fountain - bear right and in 50 meters or so there is a cross roads (the bus station is in front to the left) turn left up the hill for about a kilometer and a half until you arrive at the roundabout mentioned above. Park near here.

From the roundabout, walk up the hill and up the flight of stairs - this leads to Calle Pico directly ahead - follow this road up to the T-junction and turn right. Ahead of you now is a long set of stairs to the left of which is an archway that leads into the town hall square (Plaza de la Ayuntomiento). If you stand under the arch and look back the way that you have just come you will see the door to Olvera Properties' office. Please ring the bell inside the door.

From Jerez Airport to Olvera

Overview of the road from Jerez airport to Olvera

Coming from Jerez you need to find the road east to Arcos and stay on this road until you arrive at Olvera, a total of 73.5 km and approximately one hour's journey time. There are a few typically late signposts that force the driver to make snap decisions which we will try and walk you through.

Details from Jerez airport to Olvera: the Junctions from Jerez airport

For the person who is here for the first time, you will probably have arrived quite late in the afternoon, so once you have the keys to the car, I strongly advise getting a bottle of water for the journey either in the airport canteen or near the customs control. There are petrol stations along the way, but the first one will be at Bornos, halfway through the journey. Also as you drive out of the airport compound, be aware of the 3 viscous bumps!

The first snap decision comes immediately after the first roundabout. Make sure that you take the left hand road, up and over the bridge signposted to Cadiz and Jerez. After going straight across the second roundabout you come onto a good length of slip road onto the A-4.
If you do find yourself on the road to Sevilla, don't wory too much - find a place to pull in on the main road and make a "U-turn" back towards Jerez.

Take the first junction (J631) off the A-4, this is signposted to Sevilla and Cadiz. There is nothing particularly exceptional about this junction except that, as with almost all slip roads in Andalucia, you have to follow the 40 kph speed restrictions because the curves are so steep and often poses a distinct camber in the wrong direction.
If you do miss this junction then I would come of at the next, about 1 km further and turn around. It is a bit awkward but easier than driving through the back streets.When you come off the first junction go right round the roundabout onto the N-349

Detail from Jerez airport to Olvera: the junction J79 on the road to Arcos

This next bit is a bit tricky, but after this it is all plane sailing. Go right round the roundabout, which can at times be very busy, and head in the direction of Cadiz (the sign on the roundabout says Sevilla/Cadiz), about 600m along this road. The road curves quite tightly - be warned that two roads, either side of you, join yours at the same time - you will see the traffic on the right coming down an even tighter curve, but you may not notice the one on your left. Stay in the lane you are in, go under the bridge and you will see a sign for Arcos - now you are on a really tight curve coming up to a fast-flowing main road. This junction is really not safe! Check left really carefully and once you are on the road and over the bridge you should have less than an hour's drive ahead of you.

If you find that somehow you got into the left lane while going under the bridge, you will now be on the main road to Cadiz. 5 km down is the first junction that you can turn around at. This junction is also a bit "hairy". Take your time to figure out the crossing procedure (a short feeder lane in the middle of the road with a second feeder lane about 20m further along to turn left again).

If, after the roundabout, you find that you have taken the left hand road which goes to Sevilla you will need to sit back and enjoy the journey - this is a toll road with no exits until "Los Palacios y Villafranca" about 40km away. Rather than turning round and driving all the way back, head for Utrera (A-362) and turn right at the first major junction onto the A-375. Follow this for 40 odd km's until you reach another junction where you turn left. Your next town will be Algodonales.

As the road passes Algodonales on your left it drops into a valley and then climbs the other side it includes a "crawler" lane making it much easier to overtake slow traffic. Be warned however that just at the top of the hill, past the last turnoff to Algodonales, you need to be in the right hand lane which takes you round a sharp corner and up through a tunnel to Olvera. Before you enter the tunnel there is a short feed in road from the right - watch for incoming traffic.

If you find that you are going in the direction of Ronda, the safest thing is to go 3 kms further and U-turn at the N-342 turnoff, signposted to El Gastor, then as you reaproach the junction again, take note that you have to make the right hand turn to Olvera really slowly (see above).

One last word of advice: there is a radar/photo trap just outside Bornos. You climb up from a long straight strech after Arcos and then the crawler lane joins the main road where you start a long curving descent. Do not let the car do more than 80km until you start to see the outskirts of Bornos.

From Malaga Airport to Olvera

Overview of the road from Malaga to Olvera via Campillos

Rather than taking the motorway northeast from the airport and then directly north to Antequera (Granada) from Malaga, it is much faster to go to Campillos and once you are outside of the suburbs of Churriana the journey is very easy to navigate and quite pleasant to drive.

Detail from Malaga to Olvera: the junctions out of the Malaga Airport

As you leave the airport parking zone, you go straight over a roundabout and pass a brewery on your right. Stay in the right hand lane for about 200 meters and then turn right, in the direction of Marbella, Algeciras and Cadiz, onto the slip road that joins the N-340. Again, stay in the right hand lane and you take the first right, after about 2 km and signposted to Churriana and Coin. This is the A-404 "Caratera de Coin", also known as the MA-9002.

About 2 km further is a roundabout, turn right onto "Caratera de Aloro" (but still the A-404/MA-9002) and go past Churriana on your right. 3-4 km further you leave the A-404 and turn right at the roundabout onto the A-7052 (MA-9002). Beyond this is another small roundabout that you go straight over, passing signs to Zapata on your right

Detail of the route from Malaga to Olvera: the A-357 from Malaga Airport through Churriana

10 km or so past the Zapata roundabout is Junction 57 that will take you up onto the A-357. You go straight over the first roundabout, under the bridge, right around the second roundabout and the up onto the A-357, in the direction of Cartama, Pizarra and Campillos.

Detail of junction 57 (Cartama)

Detail of the route from Malaga to Olvera: J57 past Cartama

Continue on the A-357 for about 25-30 minutes to the outskirts of Campillos. The road to Teba is about 9 km before Campillos

Detail of the route from Malaga to Olvera: through Campillos

You will know you are getting near Campillos when you go over a railway bridge. About 1 km later there is a junction with signs to Antequera/Granada and to Campillos. Turn left on the MA-452. As you enter town, 2km later, you turn left around a small roundabout onto the Avenida de Manuel Recio Rosales and then over a "sleeping policeman". Keep going straight ahead over the roundabout onto the Avenida de la Constitucion - be warned that there is a concrete barrier in the middle of the road to take traffic right on this roundabout, so stay in the left hand lane as you approach it. You are now on the A-382 and you will pass Mercadona on the left. After staying on this road for about 3 km, you will come to a main road with a split roundabout. Cross the main road and go left, heading west onto the A-384.

There is a radar/camera just the other side of the Almargen junction, but it is for the oncoming traffic.

Detail the road into Olvera from Malaga direction

Stay on the A-384 for about half an hour and you will see a sign to Torre Alháquime (CA-9106) to the left and about 2 km's further on is the first turn off to Olvera. Take this road for about 3 km's directly into town. Go right at the roundabout with a fountain down towards the bus station. Turn left at the junction and pass the bus station on your right and continue up this road for about 2 km to another roundabout. It is a good idea to park near here as the town streets can be very narrow and difficult to negotiate for a first time visitor. From the roundabout, walk up the stairs and along Calle Pico. Turn right and you will see a long flight of stairs on the right going up to the castle and an arch on the left go: detailed maps

From Granada Airport to Olvera

Overview the road from Granada to Olvera

The road from Granada airport to Olvera is mostly straight forward. Once you leave the airport compound and turn left onto the A-92, which you stay on for about half an hour, following the signs to Sevilla.

Detail of the road from Granada Airport to Olvera

Detail of the road from Granada to Olvera (Junction 146)

As as you passing Antequera at junction J148, keep an eye out for signs that mention Ronda and Campillos heading for the A-384. There is an old steamroller in the middle of the junction, to your left. From here it is straight forward to get to Campillos and then the directions are the same as from Malaga.

From Sevilla Airport to Olvera

The directions will be posted just as soon as they are made available.

Overview of the road from Sevilla airport to Olvera

Detail of the road from Sevilla to Olvera: Sevilla airport

Detail of the road from Sevilla to Olvera (Junction 536)

Detail of the road from Sevilla to Olvera (Junction 2)

Detail of the road from Sevilla to Olvera (Moron de la Frontera)