El Bejarín: Peach Route, Festivals and Historical Traces

Landscape and Trails

El Bejarín lies in a cultural landscape shaped by irrigation and agriculture. A hiking route through the Vega de El Bejarín passes several blooming peach orchards. The route is called “Ruta entresaque del melocotón”, begins in El Bejarín’s square and leads towards Benalúa.

The Guadix–Purullena cultural landscape includes irrigated vegas along the Guadix and Alhama rivers. Poplar groves and peach orchards lie between the river courses. The route described therefore connects the village of El Bejarín with the agricultural areas of the Vega and follows the route towards Benalúa.

Along sections of the “Ruta entresaque del melocotón”, the paths lead to peach orchards where different effects of frost on the harvest are shown. Peach cultivation is presented not only as part of the landscape, but also as a topic explained at the orchards along the route.

If you follow the trail to its described endpoint, the route concludes with tapas and wine from a local bodega. This conclusion is therefore part of the defined course of the “Ruta entresaque del melocotón” and is connected with the agricultural products of the surrounding area.

Peach Festival and Local Cuisine

The “Jornadas del Melocotón” in El Bejarín are a gastronomic festival held in the settlement belonging to Purullena. It is dedicated to the peach as the most important product of the Huerta accitana. The festival’s name therefore refers directly to the product that also defines the orchards and the route of the same name.

The Jornada del melocotón in El Bejarín ended in 2025 with a blues concert in the square. In this edition, the gastronomic focus was therefore followed by a musical finale in the central square.

Culture

The literature festival of Purullena and El Bejarín is organised by the Ayuntamiento de Purullena and El Bejarín. The festival’s activities take place in various cultural, educational and tourism spaces in both locations. Its geographical scope therefore includes Purullena and El Bejarín, while the venues belong to different cultural, educational and tourism areas.

Historical Traces

The Castillo de Luchena is located in the surroundings of El Bejarín. The structure is also known as Guadix el Viejo. The former Muslim fortification was an earlier watch post under the authority of the Alcazaba of Guadix. Its historical function and former affiliation with the Alcazaba are part of the traditional classification of the Castillo de Luchena.

San Blas Tradition

The San Blas tradition includes blessing and distributing bread rings. These bread rings are known as “roscos de San Blas”. The tradition thus combines a religiously shaped act—the blessing—with the subsequent distribution of a specifically named pastry.

For the overarching travel overview: Purullena.