A melting pot for a myriad of civilisations which have left their mark upon it, Casares (officially declared a place of historical and artistic interest) is the birthplace of the father of Andalusia, Bias Infante. Its curious little streets, intricate and sloping, along with the small houses which lay them out so picturesquely, have earned Casares the name " The Hanging Village".

There are two classic photographs which we immediately associate with Casares: the narrowing of the Mediterranean and the Straits of Gibraltar viewed from its 435-metre high vantage point, and the village itself, its houses climbing up towards the top of the mountain as if perched one on top of another.

Besides walking along the streets with their Moorish design, one should not miss the opportunity to visit the very well-preserved Arab castle. It was on this spot that the Duke of Arcos accepted the surrender of the rebel Moors. All the different cultures which, through the ages, have left their mark on Andalusia, have also passed through Casares, and, as a result, in Roman times the village had its own mint as well as the unusual "Baños de la Hedionda" (Roman baths), the building of which -along with the rest of the village, according to tradition- was ordered by Julius Caesar himself to show his gratitude at being cured of a skin complaint from which he suffered after bathing in the sulphurous, alkaline waters found in the locality.

This square, which was very important in times of resistance against occupation by the French, who never managed to take Casares, offers craftsmanship, especially pottery, and delicious cuisine, such as the typical Casares soup or mountain-style rabbit cooked in an onion, thyme, rosemary and laurel sauce.

The local fair takes place in the first fortnight in August. The day of Casares' patron saint, La Virgen del Rosario, is celebrated in the first week in September, and the Cristo fair is staged in the middle of the same month. There is also a romeria (open air party) in the village in honour of its patron saint in the month of May. It is worth noting that the people in this village sing and dance a strange fandango known as "casareño".

On the sporting front, this area offers all the necessary conditions and facilities for paragliding, climbing and typical mountain sports.

Geographically, Casares lies in an area of red rock split by deep ravines at Sierra Bermeja; of woods and groups of pine trees which have survived the fires, and whose shades climb towards the summit, coming together at Los Reales (1.440 m.), where Spanish firs sweep down from the mountains. Further west, the mountains become a limestone watchtower at Crestellina, looking down from their summit over the Genal valley in Ronda. Here, between steep cliffs and ridges, dwells one of the peninsula's colonies of tawny vultures. These birds, with a wingspan of almost two metres, fly daily across the sky above Casares, from Crestellina to La Utrera, their majestic gliding adding further charm to the area.