For centuries, there was only one way to travel from inland Spain to the sunny south: on foot, horseback, or by cart over dusty roads. From Toledo, the routes split toward the Alcudia Valley, the Guadalquivir Valley, or the rugged Muradal mountains. Travelers heading to the kingdoms of Jaén or Granada had plenty of winding roads to choose from, but comfort was scarce.

When Spain began trading with the Americas via Seville and later Cádiz, the Madrid–Seville–Cádiz route got a major boost. Yet transportation remained slow for centuries. Even well into the 18th century, the road network looked almost the same as in the Middle Ages: bumpy, dusty, and full of stops.

Camino de las Ventas

Between Toledo and Seville, the journey took eight days, with two more for rest. Along the way, travelers could stay at numerous ventas, inns where horses were cared for and weary feet could recover. Especially in the province of Córdoba, these stops were abundant. In less than sixty kilometers between Conquista and Adamuz, there were no fewer than ten: from Venta Nueva to Aguadulce. A kind of 18th-century highway lined with inns.

Despeñaperros: the New Passage

In 1779, construction began on a new route through the Despeñaperros gorge. It was no easy task: bridges, excavations, and earthen embankments were needed to make the path passable. Still, the project, led by engineer Carlos Lemaur, was a success. Within a few years, it became the main passage between northern Spain and Andalusia.

The success was so great that people thought Despeñaperros was the only access to Andalusia. Around the new road, new settlements appeared, inhabited by German and Flemish colonists who helped make the area safer.

From Cart Track to Lifeline

With the opening of the Despeñaperros route, Spain finally had a modern connection to Andalusia. The journey from Madrid to Seville became faster, safer, and far less dusty. What was once an endless trek along inns and mountain passes became the main artery linking the capital to the south. A road that literally brought Spain together.