Jete – Cherimoya, Río Verde and History

Jete is part of the production area covered by the protected designation of origin Chirimoya de la Costa Tropical de Granada-Málaga. This designation protects exclusively cherimoyas of the Fino de Jete and Campas varieties.

Culture and History

Jete lies on the banks of the Río Verde, which divides the town into two districts. The origins of the present-day settlement of Jete are attributed to the Arab period; geographers from the 11th and 12th centuries mentioned Set, Xet and Yeth as an alquería of Almuñécar. Evidence of Neolithic settlement has also been found in Jete, including burials in caves and stone cists, as well as numerous lithic and ceramic finds.

The parish church of San Antonio is one of Jete’s two prominent historic-religious buildings. It was built between the 16th and 17th centuries and contains valuable works by Alonso de Mena. The pilgrimage chapel of the Virgen de Bodíjar stands on a hill outside Jete’s town center.

The Santuario de Bodíjar is located at the upper end of the Barranco de Bodíjar and offers views of the Río Verde valley and the sea. The Fábrica Trapiche was built in 1736 and was the first major sugar factory in Jete.

The Romería de la Virgen de Bodíjar was already known as a famous tradition in the 17th century. On the last Sunday in April, the Virgen de Bodíjar is carried in procession to her sanctuary, four kilometers from Jete. Today’s celebration includes prayers, singing and dancing until sunset; afterward, the Virgen is brought back to the church of San Antonio. The patron-saint festivities in honor of the Virgen de Bodíjar take place from December 31 to January 2.

Landscape and Trails

The agricultural landscape of Paisaje agrario del Alto Río Verde between Jete and Otívar is characterized by farming on terraces near the river; in the lower area there are sugar-cane plantations, while the rest of the basin is used for mixed vegetable and fruit cultivation. Within the cultural landscape of Paisaje agrario del Alto Río Verde, mills and sugar presses in Jete are listed as structures associated with horticultural and agricultural culture.

The townscape of Jete and the fertile, cultivated areas surrounding it form an agricultural landscape in which features of the landscape described in historical chronicles can still be recognized. The cultural landscape of Paisaje agrario del Alto Río Verde is part of an El legado andalusí route on the Ruta de al Idrisi.

A local hiking route begins at the Cortijo de la Malagueña, located where the municipal boundaries of Otívar and Jete meet. The local hiking route is approximately 2.5 kilometers long and has a steep incline. A route through the Sierra de Bodíjar ends at the Cueva de las Vacas.

Bus services operate between Jete and Almuñécar, as well as between Jete and Granada.

Products and Festivals

The Fino de Jete variety was selected by local farmers in Jete around 1880; an old plantation is documented at a place called El Chirimoyo. The protected local Fino de Jete variety is intended for fresh consumption in the Extra and Class I categories.

The Feria Chirimoya Fino de Jete was held in its third edition on November 27, 2025. When optimally ripe, the cherimoya changes from intense green to pale green; its flesh is white to ivory-colored, very aromatic, and develops from sour to sweet when eaten.

More Destinations

For further travel planning, you can also find Atalbéitar, Gualchos, Moclin, Graena, Motril, Darro, Venta Micena and Los Carriones.

For the higher-level travel overview: Granada.