Has a population of over 1.800 inhabitants. Situated in the most southern area of “La Serranía de Ronda”, it serves as a connection between the administrative district and “El Campo de Gibraltar”. The beauty of the town itself and of its surroundings, its splendid climate and its tradition of hospitality make it into a town where a large number of foreigners have settled, fundamentally English Nationals who discovered the place nearly two centuries ago, when the long excursions from Gibraltar were frequent. The Hotel National is the living memory of those distant, romantic journeys. From the remains found, it is believed that its origin was Roman, although its consolidation as a stable urban centre comes about during the Arabic domination. The town is founded in the background of the castle of “El Águila” which was to witness, due to its exceptional strategic positioning, important warring, heroic deeds. In 1309, Alfonso Pérez de Guzmán, “Guzmán El Bueno”, met his death there. In 1485, it passes on to Christian hands but a few years later, the bloody Morís uprising has to be crushed. In more recent times, during the War of Independence, Gaucin offered a tenacious resistance to the invading Frenahc forces who brutally plunder it after its fall.
The Castle of El Águila, from the Tenth Century, together with the Church of San Sebastián, built in 1505, the Convent of Las Carmelitas, from 1704 and the Fountain of Los Seis Caños, dating from 1628, make up the most interesting of its monument heritage.
Its festive calendar includes the celebrations in honour of “El Santo Niño” and of “San Juan de Dios”, on the last Sunday in August; The Feria Mayor, also held in August; and “el Toro de Cuerda”, a very old tradition which consists of running a fighting bull tied with a rope through the streets of the town.
Its cuisine is essentially based on local grown products like fennel, “gachas”, “moraga” and cold vegetable soups. The home made sweets and cakes enjoy recognised fame and they continue to be made with the same age- old recipes: “roscos blancos”, “rosquillos de almendra”, “bizcochos”, “mantecados” and “pestiños” will delight cake lovers.