Discover the dehesa

The dehesa is one of Spain’s most unique landscapes and home to its most symbolic animal. Get to know the bull in this diverse natural environment.

The dehesa is a type of Mediterranean forestland used for grazing pigs and cattle, as well as for hunting, forestry activities such as logging and cork production, and the collection of foodstuffs like wild mushrooms.

This kind of natural environment is particularly prevalent in the autonomous community of Extremadura and north of the Guadalquivir River in Andalusia. However, there are areas of dehesa in Málaga province and its western region – Serranía de Ronda – that provide a particularly good opportunity to experience the way of life in this natural landscape, which is of such great agro-economic and ecological importance.

From the Latin defesa, the word dehesa refers to the ‘defence’ created within this landscape by the first Christian settlers during the reconquest of southern Spain from the Islamic empire, as they built fences to protect their flocks.

The bull is the real star of the dehesa landscape. Exploring first-hand how these animals are bred, from birth to maturity, is a truly unique experience for any traveller. The wild plant and animal life of the area is another reason why sites such as the ReservaTauro [Bull Reserve], at the heart of the Serranía de Rona, are universally recognised for their environmental value and diversity.

In fact, for visitors who are interested in the cultural heritage of bullfighting in Spain, there is the opportunity to gain expert knowledge from the bullfighter and cattle farmer Rafael Tejada, the owner of ReservaTauro.

We offer a range of options for your visit: standard (60/90 minutes), special (90/120 minutes), with lunch and other meals; outdoor activities (construction of nests and typical Spanish cairns known as majanos; clearing up of the land; artisan production of sangría; wine-tasting; simulated bullfighting classes; trial fighting events called tentaderos, in which the breeders test the strength of the bulls’ mothers; capeas, or fights with bull calves; 4×4 tours, etc.).