Ferreirola: Cultural Heritage and Hiking Trails in the Alpujarra

Ferreirola is one of the six settlements comprising the historic site of Alpujarra Media Granadina and La Tahá, which is protected as an asset of cultural interest.

Discover more places: Mecina Fondales.

Culture and Village Character

The traditional village character of Ferreirola includes a public washhouse and an almost monumental fountain. Tinaos and small squares are also part of the village’s traditional character.

The washhouse, fountain, tinaos and squares therefore form several independent components of the traditional village structure. In the village character, they stand alongside the surviving historic building and functional remains.

The remains of an old mill have been preserved in Ferreirola. The village has a parish church dedicated to Santa Cruz.

Ferreirola also has a chapel. Two depictions of the Blessed Souls are venerated in this chapel.

The Era del Trance de Ferreirola is an agricultural threshing floor. It is located opposite a ravine.

The old mill and the agricultural threshing floor thus preserve two different examples of former uses in the village: the mill remains and the Era del Trance de Ferreirola opposite the ravine.

Hiking Trails and Routes

The medieval hiking trail passes through Ferreirola. The long-distance GR-240 trail also runs through the village.

A three-kilometre hiking trail leads from Pitres to Ferreirola. Its final section follows the long-distance GR-142 trail.

The route from Pitres to Ferreirola is therefore three kilometres long and ends with a section shared with the GR-142.

Route 2 is part of the “7 pueblos, 7 rutas” programme. It begins in Pitres, passes through Mecina, Mecinilla and Fondales to Ferreirola, and then returns to Pitres via Atalbéitar.

Route 6 is also part of the “7 pueblos, 7 rutas” programme and leads from Mecina to Ferreirola. Its route includes the escarihuela de Fondales, Cerro Corona and the escarihuela de Panjuila.

The two routes in the programme include Ferreirola in differently designed itineraries: Route 2 leads from Pitres through several villages and Atalbéitar back to its starting point, while Route 6 begins in Mecina and leads to Ferreirola via three named waypoints.

Festivals and Customs

The Santa Cruz festivities in Ferreirola take place on the third weekend of August.

During its festivities, Ferreirola continues to celebrate the festival or custom known as Entierro de la Zorra.

The Al-Taha mobile festival was scheduled to include several villages in the municipality, including Ferreirola, as venues from 23 to 27 July.

Ferreirola is therefore associated both with an annually scheduled festival weekend and with the continuing custom of Entierro de la Zorra. The Al-Taha festival was also planned as an event spanning several villages in the municipality.

Source and Interpretation

The Fuente Gaseosa in Ferreirola is a spring. Its water contains abundant dissolved gas.

This gas comes from iron carbonate-rich rocks. Local residents traditionally drink the water with their meals.

The spring is therefore characterised not only by its name, but also by the origin of the dissolved gas and the traditional use of its water.

Ferreirola has a Casa-Escuela for foreigners. Spanish, the history and customs of the Andalusian people are taught there.

In particular, Alpujarran folklore and traditional cuisine are taught.

The educational offering thus combines language lessons with history, the customs of the Andalusian people, Alpujarran folklore and traditional cuisine.

For the overarching travel overview: La Mamola.