Residents of Casares can now take a golf-buggy taxi

Casares is a picturesque white town with steep, narrow streets that look good on a picture but pose a real challenge for residents and visitors, especially those who are elderly. 

To address this, Mayor Juan Luis Villalón has launched a new free golf buggy service to improve mobility for seniors in the historic village centre. Casares is a difficult village to walk through. Hiking books are highly recommended. Even driving to the centre has become notorious for being the quickest way of losing your wing mirrors, as confirmed by David España, local artist who has his gallery in the pueblo blanco.

Inspired by a conversation with a crutch-using resident who struggled to visit the town square, Villalón had been seeking solutions to combat isolation among the elderly. Casares, which has been using a sociosanitary buggy since 2020 for tasks as essential as meal delivery and medical transport, is able to do these things. However, the new buggy is geared towards emotional well-being. It allows seniors to visit friends, shop or even enjoy a coffee at the plaza.

This service, which operates mornings and evenings 6pm-8pm, is very easy to use. Simply call 600 658 212 and the buggy comes to pick you up. Its success is due in large part to its driver, an old-timer from the centre of the city who provides companionship as well as transport. “He’s more than a driver; he’s a friend,” Villalón says.

The buggy was tested rigorously to ensure it could navigate the steepest and most bumpy streets in Casares, including the Arco de la Villa. It even worked well in the rain. Villalón believes Casares is a pioneer in this initiative, which complements other senior services like cognitive stimulation programs. “Our responsibility is to make sure our seniors live in dignity and with joy, he said.