Subbetica
Montes Claros
To the south of the municipality of Iznájar, nestled on the hill of ‘Las Realas’, lies the hamlet of Montes Claros, comprising a small cluster of scattered houses and farmhouses, which are a clear example of traditional rural dwellings in the Iznájar area.
The village takes its name from the whitish colour of the clay soil that covers the hills on which it stands.
Montes Claros features several elevated vantage points offering magnificent views over landscapes of great natural beauty.
The surroundings, dominated by olive groves, also feature a wide variety of native forest species typical of Mediterranean woodland and crops, such as holm oaks, gall oaks, almond trees, pomegranate trees, fig trees, lilies, rosemary, orchids, daisies, gorse and others. Of particular note is the “Cañada de Pijirri”, where there is an ancient spring that once supplied water to the town centre of Iznájar.
Certain spots overlooking the reservoir serve as excellent birdwatching spots, from which you can observe ducks, cormorants, grey herons, grebes, sandpipers, gulls and other birds that make their home in the reservoir.
The most characteristic of the viewpoints in Montes Claros is the one known as “Los Barrancos”, on the descent along the A-333 road, which becomes a strategic terrace overlooking the reservoir and the town of Iznájar.
As an aspect of popular and traditional culture that still endures in the village, the ‘matanza’ (pig slaughter) stands out; a family and neighbourhood festival that takes place in the last month of the year