Chauchina between Vega, Tower and Tradition

Tower, Route and Landscape

Chauchina showcases an Andalusia in which cultural history and the landscape of the Vega are closely connected. At the center is the Torre de Roma, which has been classified as a Bien de Interés Cultural. It was built in the 13th or 14th century. The approximately 14-meter-high Nasrid tower has three floors with barrel vaults, a terrace and a cistern. In addition, the Torre de Roma was within line of sight of the Alhambra and the Castillo de Moclín. This building therefore connects local history with Granada’s broader historical points of reference.

Another link between the cultural monument and the landscape is formed by the Ruta de la Vega a la Torre de Roma. It begins next to the Ermita de la Virgen del Espino, which is also known as Virgen del Pincho, and from there continues to the Iglesia de Nuestro Señor de la Humildad. The route runs through the Vega Baja between cultivated areas and irrigation channels, as well as parallel to the Río Genil. Chauchina’s natural surroundings are characterized by the poplar groves along the Río Genil. La Peana additionally commemorates a remnant of one of the columns of the Palacio de Carlos V.

Religious Sites and Local Memory

The Ermita de la Virgen del Espino holds a special place in local tradition and devotion. It has been venerated by the residents of Chauchina for a century. The image of the Virgen del Espino is kept in the Ermita by Capuchin Poor Clares. The first chapel was inaugurated in 1918. According to local tradition, the Virgin Mary is said to have appeared to a local woman at the site of the Ermita in 1906. The name Virgen del Pincho accompanies this religious site, as does the Ruta de la Vega a la Torre de Roma.

The Iglesia de Nuestro Señor de la Humildad is also part of this cultural tour. It is dedicated to the Santo Cristo de la Humildad; the present-day church dates from 1982. Its nave and two aisles are connected to the main nave by semicircular arches. Thus, different periods stand side by side in Chauchina: the medieval Nasrid tower, the chapel that has existed since the early 20th century, and the present-day church building.

Music, Processions and Festival Culture

Chauchina’s cultural life is also reflected in its events. The Certamen de Bandas de Música de Andalucía began in 1989 and has been held continuously ever since under the direction and leadership of the Ayuntamiento de Chauchina. It promotes the dissemination and appreciation of Andalusian music and its composers. During Semana Santa 2026, a traditional Good Friday procession was celebrated in Chauchina. A traditional festival in Chauchina also includes hornazo, which is eaten there.

Cycling Event and Unusual Collection

Chauchina is also home to the Saucina Bike Race, a non-competitive mountain biking event. It passes through the municipal areas of Chauchina, Fuente Vaqueros, Láchar, Chimeneas and Santa Fe. The Asociación Museo Pinballica preserves in a completely different way: it maintains, restores and preserves pinball machines. In Chauchina, the association was both a museum and a leisure gaming venue, opening to the public for playing pinball machines.

Getting There and Further Destinations

Chauchina can be reached via the A-92, using exit 227 toward Chauchina and Fuente Vaqueros. The combination of a clearly named motorway exit, historic sites, paths through the Vega and regionally themed events creates various ways to access the municipality: architectural history, religious memory, landscape, music, cycling and local festival culture all come together in a shared destination area.

Further destinations: La Calahorra, Lanteira, Iznalloz, Churriana De La Vega, La Rábita, Dílar, Lentegí and Alfornón.

For the overview of the wider travel region: Granada.