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An evocative itinerary from the capital of the Cordoba Caliphate through its Campiña region, as far as the Sevillian town of Marchena.
This Natural Path - Greenway it was executed within the framework of the Natural Paths Program of the Ministerio de Medio Ambiente. More info>> The Luisiana-Marchena stretch of the Greenway has been executed by the Plan Écija Water Supply and Sanitation Consortium.
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| Technical data
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 CONDITIONED GREENWAY
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LOCATION
Between Cordoba and Marchena.
CORDOBA and SEVILLA.
Municipalities: Cordoba, Guadalcazar, La Rambla, La Carlota (Córdoba) and Écija, Fuente Palmera, La Luisiana, Fuentes de Andalucía and Marchena (Sevilla).
Length: 91,40 km.
*Suitable with difficulties due to the irregular surface and some speed bumps.
In the town of Marchena, there are bikes available that are adapted for the use of persons with reduced mobility on the greenway.
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Type of firm: compacted soil, irregular surface.
Natural Environment:
Cereal countryside. Guadalquivir riverside.
Cultural heritage:
Monumental ensembles of Cordoba, Écija and Marchena. Baroque urbanism in La Carlota. Roman baths in La Luisiana.
UNESCO Heritage in the surroundings of the Greenway. #Greenways Heritage 
Cordoba is the first city in the world with four UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Mosque of Cordoba, Historic Centre of Cordoba, The Patios of Cordoba and the Caliphate City of Madinat Al-Zahra More Info>>
Greenways Heritage travel proposal "Go as you please" Download it>>
Infrastructure:
Greenway, 3 stations, 2 halts, 1 tunnel and 10 bridges / viaducts.
How to get there:
Public transport. Train. Renfe: AVE (high speed train), Middle Distance and Long Haul.
Connections:
Cordoba: 7 km from Valchillón.
Sevilla: 86 km from Écija; 60 km from Marchena.
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| Description
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The Cordoba section of this route –the 26 km from Valchillón to La Carlota– were restored in 2005 as a Nature Trail–Greenway. Since 2017, it has been maintained by Cordoba Provincial Council’s Environment and Roads Office.
The proposed greenway begins in Valchillón station, a few kilometres from the capital city of Cordoba. It is easily reached via a road running alongside the Guadalquivir river, which begins in the Amargacena industrial estate. This remote station no longer receives trains linking Cordoba and the Mediterranean. It is now a peaceful place from which to contemplate, in the distance, the wooded banks of the Guadalquivir and the Guadajoz, as well as small planes taking off and landing at a nearby airstrip.
From Valchillón station, the greenway heads south (km 0). It starts at the foot of the tall grain silo, taking the entrance to the silo facilities as a reference. It is worth knowing that the surface is somewhat irregular and that there may be some muddy spots after periods of rain.
Two kilometres further on, after the first rest area, our greenway will jump across the Guadajoz river’s usually low volume of water. The bridge is made of concrete and brick, like all of those along the route. All these bridges are works of great simplicity but they have an undoubted aesthetic mark of good taste that we will see along the way. The contemporary bridges date from the post-civil war period, when the original metallic ones were replaced.
After the bridge, the route enters La Reina estate (2.5 km from Valchillón), featuring the route’s first large bends through the hills that are populated with almond plantations. The railway thereby gradually gains sufficient height in order to leave the Guadalquivir valley, gently climbing as it passes large embankments and trenches. The path is flanked by hurdles, a hallmark of these first few kilometres. In relation to these embankments, during the rainy season they form peculiar pools of water, due to the drains at their base being blocked. These mini reservoirs add a picturesque touch to our journey. This climb leads to the line’s first and only tunnel, that of Las Tablas (km 6), with no lighting, which was used to grow mushrooms. This unfruitful experience was abandoned decades ago.
After the tunnel, we come to Las Tablas de Córdoba halt (km 7). Our route continues winding up through the hills and watercourses, surrounding by cereal-growing countryside, which is especially attractive in spring. Daring, stylised bridges were laid down to overcome the steeper watercourses, most of which have survived almost intact. The first of the bridges crosses the Temple stream; this construction has a curious well attached to one of its pillars. After crossing the bridge, from the trail we can see, in the distance on the right, the unmistakable silhouette of Almodóvar del Río castle, under whose centuries-old stones dozens of AVE (high-speed) trains pass daily, on their way to Seville, Cordoba or Madrid. There is a viewpoint to appreciate the place.
After passing by La Cabaña hill, another bridge crosses the watercourse of La Torvisca stream. This construction announces the arrival of the station of Guadalcázar (km 16), a village that, nonetheless, can be reached more quickly -although with more slope- from the bridge itself, following several country lanes that pass under the bridge. All that is left of this station is the lot, which has been turned into a park, and a solitary well as a sign of better times. It is now a rest area with a picnic site, fountains, car park and children’s playground. A piece of track is exhibited on the fountain as if it were a sculpture, as a reminder of the railway. From here there is a good access to the town where we can stock up if we are short on something.
The route continues westwards, and begins to descend on entering the watercourse of La Marota stream. There, a discrete bridge crosses over the reedy streambed. From this bridge, the route begins going around a pine forest that makes up the park of El Hecho (km 18). This park, where Guadalcázar holds its San Isidro fiesta, is equipped with a barbecue area and plenty of shade, which is well received and enjoyed since these spots are exposed to the unforgiving Andalusian sunshine.
After this resting place, the greenway enters a section that passes by a curious reservoir containing (when it is not empty) the water flowing from the Escorial stream. What makes this construction curious is the fact that it uses the railway embankment as a dam.
At a distance of 300 m from the reservoir, several rustic stone benches are all that remain of the discrete halt of Las Pinedas. The new village that it catered to (located at km 20 on the greenway) is a few metres from the route. However, as one of our railway’s peculiarities, the halt was located almost a kilometre from the village. It has now been turned into another recreational area.
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Making an aside in the route’s description:
In the summer of 2021, Cordoba Provincial Council’s Environment and Roads Office initiated a pilot experience in Las Pinedas, with a view to environmentally managing the surroundings.
Thanks to the collaboration of a local shepherd, a herd of 25 sheep is used to keep the vegetation in the area under control. This initiative is carried out in Las Pinedas, in the municipal district of La Carlota, specifically in some plots that will be reforested as part of a project to offset CO2 emissions.
Traditional stockbreeding and vegetation control in the surrounding area, combined in this sustainable, ecological practice that reduces the risk of fire. Moreover, Cordoba University will collaborate in studying the improved biodiversity in this area of La Carlota at different times of the year.
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There is a drinking fountain in the village beside the greenway. Stopping here is a must in order to face the long, straight stretches that, after crossing the Guadalmazán stream, will take us as far as the station de La Carlota (km 26). This locality is actually 6 km from the station, while the village located beside the greenway is called Fuencubierta. Also, identifying the station is almost a challenge for industrial archaeologists, since all that is left of it is the foreman’s house, and a small store attached to it.
This is the last station in the province of Cordoba. From here on, the greenway continues for another 65 km through the province of Seville. Its total distance of 91 km makes it the second-longest greenway in Andalusia.
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| Railway History
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Foto: Railway Historical Archive of the Madrid Railway Museum (RENFE).
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Andalusia enjoyed one of the densest railway networks in the Iberian Peninsula. The MZA and Andaluces railway companies coincided in the task of linking Seville and Cordoba. The former opened its railway line in 1859, along the Guadalquivir Valley, which is a route that still survives today. Since the Andaluces company’s line arrived later, being completed in 1885, it had to opt for a more winding, harder route, going through the Campiña region to reach Seville from the south, via Marchena. This railway line was, in turn, a shortcut for the trains that, from Cordoba, were bound directly for Cadiz. They thus avoided entering Seville and joined the Andaluces railway company’s own line at Utrera.
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After the disappearance of private railway companies, and their integration into Renfe in 1941, the Campiña railway gradually became less important compared to the main line along the Guadalquivir Valley. The latter was more direct, featuring a far easier route for trains, and catering to an area with a lot more of its own economic activities. Therefore, after a gradual decline, it was closed entirely in 1970, with all of its installations being dismantled shortly thereafter.
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| Interesting data
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Festivals and holidays
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Cordoba
February
Carnival
March/April
Easter
National interest festivity
May 1st
Battle of the Flowers
Beginning of May
May Crosses
2nd and 3rd week of May
Cordovan Patios Festival
End of May
Fair of Córdoba
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February 2nd
La Candelaria
May 1st
May Cross
May 15th
San Isidro Labrador pilgrimage
August 15th
Virgen de la Caridad fair and popular festivities
La Carlota
Mid September
Fair and festivities of La Carlota
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Alojamientos
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Cordoba
Vast offer of tourist accommodation
Tel. 957 201 774
La Carlota
Rural accommodation Vía Verde Las Pinedas
Tel. 656 663 118 / 625 263 949
Camping Carlos III
Tel. 957 300 338
Laredo inn
Tel. 605 299 036
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Hotel Carmen***
Tel. 957 300 281
Hotel Santa Ana**
Tel. 954 834 045
Hostel Victoria
Tel. 957 852 665
Rural accommodation Los Postigos
Tel. 957 300 338
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Eco-tourism
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Proffesional Association of Tourist Informants
Tel. 957 486 997
Rural accommodation Vía Verde Las Pinedas
Mountain bike rental and guide service
Tel. Tel. 656 663 118 / 625 263 949
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Managing Authority
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Provincial Council of Cordoba
Environment Area
Tel. 957 211 389
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Town Halls
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Cordoba
Tel. 957 499 900
Guadalcázar
Tel. 957 342 001
La Carlota
Tel. 957 300 001
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Emergencies
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Tel. 112 and 062 |
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Buses
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San Sebastián company
Tel. 957 475 926
Carrera company
Tel. 957 231 401 / 957 300 268
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Railway
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Cordoba station
Tel. 912 320 320
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| Links
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Autonomous Goverment of Andalucia 
Andalucia Tourism
Provincial Council of Cordoba
Tourism province of Cordoba
Greenways of Andalucia
Natural Paths Program of the
Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación
Non-motorized itineraries in Spain
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| Multimedia
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Photo gallery
Photos: ©FFE-Vías Verdes
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