Villacarrillo: Cultural Heritage, Festivals and Nature Trails

Culture and History

The parish church of La Asunción was designed by Andrés de Vandelvira. By royal decree of 3 June 1931, it was declared a National Monument.

The La Asunción Parish Museum displays goldsmithing works from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as missals, Bibles and liturgical vestments. Calle La Feria forms an axis of eclectic and historicist architecture; stately homes can be discovered along the street.

The Casa de la Inquisición is located on Calle Repullete and is a three-storey historic building in the old town of Villacarrillo; it probably dates from the 16th or 17th century. The façade, including the ironwork, has been preserved, as has the staircase decorated with several coats of arms of the Holy Office and a dotted cross.

The building adjoining the Church of Santa Isabel de los Ángeles was a convent with a cloistered area until 1737, a public prison during the French occupation and a hospital from 1884 onwards. The air-raid shelters of Villacarrillo were built in 1937 and refurbished in 2018 for their inclusion in the city's cultural heritage.

Festivals and Local Traditions

The Corpus Christi festival in Villacarrillo has a history of more than 650 years and was classified by the Junta de Andalucía in 2021 as a Bien de Interés Cultural (BIC) in the category “Actividad de Interés Etnológico”. During Corpus Christi, the streets and squares are decorated with flowers, broom, floral carpets and coloured sawdust.

Semana Santa in Villacarrillo has a tradition dating back to the 16th century and includes the Cantes de Pasión. The Feria de Villacarrillo dates back to a medieval trade and livestock fair; traditional bull runs through the streets, dating back to the 18th century, take place during its first few days.

Bolos serranos is a traditional game or sport; Villacarrillo currently has seven active boleras.

Other places to discover include Beas De Segura, Peal De Becerro, Ribera Baja, Arbuniel, Campillo De Arenas, Tíscar, Cazorla and Santa Elena.

Nature and Trails

The Sierra de las Cuatro Villas area near Villacarrillo is part of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park. The Cerrada de San Ginés is a vertically cut gorge between the Lanchas del Lobo and the Lancha de la Escalera, surrounded by deciduous forests, pine forests, and riverside and rocky vegetation.

The trail through the La Osera valley follows the Aguascebas Chico River and leads to waterfalls, pools and the Cascada de La Osera. The El Aguardentero (La Osera) hiking trail runs along the natural bed of the Aguascebas Chico River, crosses the river via a footbridge and passes several pools; it also leads to the Cascada de la Osera.

From the Aguascebas Reservoir, the El Aguardentero footpath is 4.5 km long and begins at kilometre 18.8 of the JH-7155 road (Transversal de las Villas). The Ruta Gil Cobo–Fuente Colorá runs through Villacarrillo and is a circular route from the Campamento de Gil Cobo to the Cortijos del Pardal. The one-way distance is 11.3 km and runs 100 percent along tracks, forest roads or rambla.

Olive Oil and Mogón

Olive oil from Villacarrillo can be purchased at the town's local olive mills. Puerta de las Villas is located in Mogón, a village in the municipality of Villacarrillo, at the foot of the Sierra de las Villas.

Puerta de las Villas offers visitors various olive oil tastings and combinations and explains the entire production process from the field to bottling. A tour of all the facilities is also offered, along with either a specialised olive oil tasting or a miller's breakfast.

The Playa Artificial de Mogón is used for swimming by visitors and residents every summer.

For the main travel overview: Jaen.