Medina Sidonia, Alcalá de los Gazules and Los Alcornocales in 2026-2027: what to see, trails and getting there

Updated: 10 November 2026

Medina Sidonia, high on its hill, and Alcalá de los Gazules, at the gateway to Los Alcornocales Natural Park, are two white towns in inland Cádiz that combine well on a short trip: Roman and medieval remains, churches built over former mosques and one of Europe's largest cork oak forests. This guide brings together what we could check on 10 November 2026 in publications by the Andalusian Government (Junta de Andalucía), the Cádiz Provincial Council (Diputación) and the Bahía de Cádiz Transport Consortium, and in a university blog, which we flag as such. We did not find official 2026 opening hours or prices for Medina Sidonia's monuments: anything we could not confirm is marked. We always give the year of each fact.

Medina Sidonia: Roman archaeological site and Cerro del Castillo

What we could check and what we could not:

Roman Archaeological Site (Conjunto Arqueológico Romano): 1st-century remains of the Roman city of Asido Caesarina, with sewers, drains, underground galleries, rooms and a stretch of road about 4 m below today's street (Cádiz Turismo, Diputación). It is at C/ Ortega, 10, next to the Municipal Archaeological Museum and the Municipal Tourist Office (Diputación de Cádiz leaflet, 2011).
Visiting: a Pablo de Olavide University blog (February 2024, not official) says the guided visit takes about an hour and that the remains were discovered in 1969.
Cerro del Castillo: an archaeological site with three fortresses built one over another, a Roman military castellum, an Arab fortress and a medieval castle, with views over the Bay of Cádiz and, on clear days, the African coast (Andalucía Turismo, Junta). The castle, next to the main church, keeps the Torre de Doña Blanca, where Queen Blanca de Borbón was imprisoned and died in 1361 (Diputación, 2011).
2026 tickets and opening hours: not confirmed. We found no open official source with prices or hours; ask at the Municipal Tourist Office before you go.

Church of Santa María la Coronada

According to the Diputación de Cádiz (2011) and the Pablo de Olavide University blog (2024):

Iglesia Mayor de Santa María la Mayor Coronada, 16th century, Gothic-Plateresque, on Plaza de la Iglesia Mayor next to the castle (Diputación, 2011).
It stands on the site of a former mosque; the tower was finished in the 17th century; inside are an altarpiece by Pedro Roldán and a rectangular cloister (UPO blog, 2024, not official).
2026 visiting hours and price: not confirmed.

Alcalá de los Gazules

According to the Diputación de Cádiz leaflet (2011):

The old town has been a protected historic-artistic site (Conjunto Histórico-Artístico) since 1984 and is part of the Almoravid and Almohad Route.
Iglesia Mayor de San Jorge, on Plaza Alta, built over a former mosque and an earlier medieval church, with a 16th-century crucifix and an 18th-century Virgen del Rosario.
Almohad castle and walls, listed as a Bien de Interés Cultural; the best-preserved parts are the keep (Torre del Homenaje) and the Puerta de la Villa (French troops blew up much of the castle during the Peninsular War).
Ethnographic Interpretation Centre (Centro de Interpretación Etnográfico), on the customs and trades of Alcalá and the park, such as cork. 2026 opening hours: not confirmed.

Los Alcornocales Natural Park and El Aljibe visitor centre

Junta de Andalucía information:

The park covers almost 170,000 ha across the provinces of Cádiz and Málaga; its highest point is the Sierra del Aljibe, about 1,087 m (Junta trail sheets, undated).
El Aljibe Visitor Centre (Centro de Visitantes El Aljibe): CA-2112 road (Alcalá de los Gazules-Benalup-Casas Viejas), km 1, Alcalá de los Gazules. According to Andalucía Turismo (Junta), it opens Tuesday to Sunday 9:30-14:30 and 15:00-17:00, closes on Mondays, is wheelchair accessible and has the El Aljibe Botanical Garden nearby. Whether these hours still apply in 2026: not confirmed.
The park office is in Alcalá de los Gazules; the Junta trail sheets and the 2011 leaflet give different addresses, so confirm the current one before you go.

Trails: which need a permit

According to the Junta de Andalucía trail sheets (undated):

Subida al Aljibe (Aljibe ascent): 6.9 km one way, about 3 h 30 min, medium-to-high difficulty, maximum climb 704 m; it starts at the El Picacho recreation area on the A-2304 (Alcalá de los Gazules-Ubrique), with about 15 parking spaces. A special permit from the park office is required.
La Sauceda: 4.8 km one way, about 3 hours, medium difficulty, from the La Sauceda recreation area (Cortes de la Frontera, Málaga). A permit is also required.
Both close on days of selective hunts and driven hunts; cattle are common and fog can make navigation difficult. Bring water, suitable clothing and footwear.
Which trails near Alcalá can be walked without a permit: not confirmed. Ask at the visitor centre or the park office.

Getting there: Consorcio buses

According to the Bahía de Cádiz Transport Consortium timetable site (checked 10-11-2026):

Line M-940 Medina-Chiclana-San Fernando-Cádiz, run by Comes, Monday to Friday. The published table shows one departure from Cádiz at 9:00, arriving in Medina at 10:12, and one departure from Medina at 21:00. Timetable valid from "07/01/2025".
Line M-947 Medina-Chiclana: Monday to Friday, 5 departures each way, about 30 minutes.
Alcalá de los Gazules: the M-940 title mentions it in brackets, but the table shows no stop there. Which line reaches Alcalá, weekend timetables and fares: not confirmed. Check the Consorcio website or app before travelling.

If you run a property in Medina Sidonia or Alcalá de los Gazules

What travellers typically ask AI assistants:

The opening hours and price of the Roman site and the castle, and whether the guided visit must be booked.
How to get there by bus from Cádiz, Chiclana or Jerez, and whether there is a weekend service.
Which Los Alcornocales trails can be walked without a permit and how to get one for the Aljibe ascent.
Keeping this clear and up to date on your website and listings avoids wrong answers.

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Frequently asked questions

How much is entry to the Roman archaeological site in Medina Sidonia?

Not confirmed: we found no official 2026 prices or hours. It is at C/ Ortega, 10, next to the Municipal Tourist Office, which is the place to ask. A university blog (2024) says the guided visit takes about an hour.

What can you see on the Cerro del Castillo in Medina Sidonia?

The layered remains of a Roman military camp, an Arab fortress and a medieval castle, with views over the Bay of Cádiz (Andalucía Turismo, Junta).

What are El Aljibe visitor centre's opening hours?

According to Andalucía Turismo (Junta), Tuesday to Sunday 9:30-14:30 and 15:00-17:00; closed on Mondays. It is on the CA-2112, km 1, in Alcalá de los Gazules. Whether this still applies in 2026 is not confirmed.

Do you need a permit to climb the Aljibe?

Yes. The Junta trail sheet says the Subida al Aljibe (6.9 km one way, medium-to-high difficulty) needs a special permit from the park office, and that it closes on hunting days.

Is there a bus from Cádiz to Medina Sidonia?

Yes, Consorcio line M-940, Monday to Friday; the published table shows a 9:00 departure from Cádiz (arriving 10:12). There is also the M-947 Medina-Chiclana, with 5 departures each way on weekdays. Weekends and fares: check with the Consorcio.

Sources

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