Holidays in Jimena de la Frontera, Andalucia, Spain

Jimena de la Frontera is an officially declared historic village at 200 metres above sea level. It was originally populated by the ancient civilisations of the Iberians, Phoenicians, Carthaginians and Romans, and later by the two dominating cultural influences of Moors and Christians. Standing majestically at the entrance to this town are three arches sculptured into a gateway. Further up on the highest peak stands a castle – that is still mainly intact – testament to its significant importance to previous resident generations. The views from this ancient fortification roll to the valleys below, to the distant coast, to the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, Gibraltar.

The Los Alcornocales Natural Park, which surrounds Jimena and other municipalities, is mainly forested with cork trees, which are extracted for bottling provincial and national wines, jar lids and fishing rods as well as various other things. The cork is carefully taken so that it can regenerate its supply again without any damage to the trees. Tree heath is also foraged for the production of tobacco pipes and it can also be used as a basis for charcoal. And there are also game reserves within the forest as well as it being the natural habitat of other types of birds, wildcat and deer. Also there are many caves that display evidence of Neanderthals that lived in the area. Inscribed prehistoric paintings with the walls show some of the earliest predecessor vessels that sailed the seas. Many pictograms too, as well as pre-dated tools used to carve and eat with many thousands of years ago.

The nearest airport to Jimena is Gibraltar airport, which is approximately 43km away. There is a regular bus service and taxis that can take you the nearby Gibraltar town centre – only 2 km away. And within walking distance across the British territory border is the Spanish town of La Linea where there are coach services, taxis and a car hire service to take you to Jimena. There are also Spanish airports located at Jerez and Malaga, which are both approximately an hour and 45 minutes away from Jimena. If you prefer to take the Spanish route then it may be cheaper to travel to Malaga as it is the more popular airport there may be cheaper flights and more availability of transport options. Shuttle services operate frequently from here but by far the best way to enjoy your stay is to rent a car. This is more flexible and it will give you the freedom to explore the full beauty of Los Alcornocales Natural Park. You could also visit Sotogrande to take in a game of golf or lounge on the beaches of Estepona and Marbella.

Another mention is to try out the restaurants here which source a lot of their produce from its local and provincial area. There are some good hotels, however many who visit here prefer to rent their holiday home as there are many varying styles, from traditional to more modern with outdoor swimming pools.


The Author writes for Holiday Home Rentals who have a selection of Villas in Jimena de la Frontera and Apartments in Jimena de la Frontera which can be rented direct from their owners.