San José del Valle - Cádiz

San José del Valle is located in the centre of the province and it is 62 kilometres from the capital, it has an area of 22.382 hectares, in a place of transition between the countryside and the sierra, sharing the characteristics of both geographical spaces. It borders on the North-Western extreme with the road 343 in the kilometric point 10’200 where is blocked by Arcos de la Frontera.

The boundary of San José del Valle spreads along that road towards the South in the direction of Paterna de la Rivera, until the kilometric point 24´100. Towards the East the boundary carries on along the path that crossing the property called El Chorreadero arrives to the farmhouse with the same name.

A part of the town is included in the Alcornocales Nature Reserve.

The city centre continues towards the East by the track that leads to the path of Hill Parpajón until the Castle of Gigonza, it crosses the Cattle Track Las Latetes, where it takes South direction towards the Path of Rodadero, from that and through the Cattle Track El Banco arrives at the Stream Las Perdices. It follows the river bed of that stream until its confluence with the one of Pajarete.

To the South-East the boundary roams along the track of La Alcairía, and further along it joins with the track of Alcalá de los Gazules, Sierra de las Cabras, road of Cortes, road of Los Hurones Dam & Reservoir, boundary of Los Montes de Propio de Jerez until the Majaceite River, and finally, it borders on Jerez de la Frontera until you arrive at the starting point.

As regards the history of San José del Valle, it seems that its origins goes back to Al-Andalus age, where there was a settlement called Hisn Tanbul, vassal of Algeciras. The Castle and area of Tempul were transferred in 1333 to Jerez de la Frontera by Royal Concession. After some settlement attempts of the land in XVIII century (distribution of lands in 1770), in XIX century there were another attempts: Manuel Sagrario de Beloy, Utopian socialist, wanted to set up a phalanstére (a type of building designed for a utopian community).

In 1880 Rafael Romero García promoted the creation of a farming colony in San José del Valle, transformed in a district of Jerez and with a farming character. In 1995 it was changed into the fortieth fourth town in Cádiz. Mr. José María García Gutiérrez was the first Mayor like an Independent Town and Mr. Antonio García García the first Justice of the Peace.

Guadalcacín Dam & Reservoir

Monuments

Castle of Gigonza
Aqueduct of Tempul
Church of San José

Gastronomy

The gastronomy of San José del Valle is famous because of its hunting meats: venison, wild boars, roe deer, partridges, rabbits, etc.

Slaughter products.

Routes of Interest

Route of Los Baños
Route of Los Molinos
El Charco de Los Hurones
The Nature Reserve of Los Alcornocales
The Route of El Toro
Los Descansaderos
The Castle of Gigonza
The Route of Los Pueblos Blancos

How to get there

You have to exit Cádiz and continue by N-443, by AP-4. Take the exit. Turn right by CA-3113. Crossing Azahares. In the roundabout, take the exit 2 and continue by the Motorway A-408. Crossing Torre Alta. When you arrive at the roundabout, take the exit 2 and continue by CA-3200. Arrive at Paterna de Rivera and then exit Paterna de Rivera. Continue by the Motorway A-389. Follow the indications until San José del Valle.

Distances

To Cádiz 62 km
To Algar 22 km
To Sevilla 125 km
To Algeciras 76 km
To Puerto Real 46 km
To Paterna de Rivera
To Puerto Serrano 59 km
To Arcos de la Frontera 21 km