Sierra Parapanda - Andalucia Holiday

Sierra Parapanda and the Fuente Madrid are the two mountains on whose slopes Illora is built. The Sierra Parapanda is the higher and the longer of the two and rises to 1,792 metres above sea level. Sierra Parapanda is the mountain range forming the backdrop to views from the private terraces at Casa Pilar Alto Illora and it sits between Illora and Alomartes on one side and Montefrio on the other.

Both Sierra Parapanda and Fuente Madrid are openly accessible on foot and the Sierra Parapanda also by car. Long, winding routes will take you to the very top of Sierra Parapanda to the TV relay station. On the road up, you will pass open-cast marble mines and, if you have a car with you, can often help yourself to smaller pieces of marble in which the mines have lost interest. If you choose to make the walk up on foot, you will find that you can decide your own route as there are no fields and very few fences on the slopes to bar your way.

However you choose to get to the top of Sierra Parapanda, the summit itself makes for a challenging but rewarding walk for almost as far as you want to go with extremely rewarding views over the surrounding countryside – both towards Illora and Alomartes and towards Montefrio, on the other side. There are also more sedate walks at lower levels. Whichever way you go, the slopes of the Sierra Parapanda are a delight for lovers of the very varied plant life, bird watchers, for painting or simply for walking and enjoying the scenery and the fresh mountain-top air.

Getting there: from Casa Pilar Alto Illora drive straight up the hill and along Calle Santa Ana, joining Avenida San Rogelio. Then turn left and left again at the end of the street. This brings you up to the Ajuntamiento (town hall). Go to the right around the Ajuntamiento and you will pick up signs for Montefrio. The road takes you up high above Illora and then turns away from the town. On leaving Illora, you are on the slopes of Sierra Parapanda and you can either find a good off road spot to park your car and start the climb or continue a little further. You will see a sign to the left for Sierra Parapanda, which takes you onto a narrow, uneven road. This road is long and winding but will eventually bring you to the top of the Sierra Parapanda by the TV relay station.