Chirivel: La Sabina Hiking Trail, Natural Monument and Culture

In Chirivel, the La Sabina hiking trail leads to a viewpoint overlooking the Chirivel Corridor, a historic route between the Levant and Andalusia, as well as the Sierra de las Estancias and the Filabres.

Nature

The Sabina Albar Natural Monument is located in Chirivel. It forms part of the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park and the ZEC and ZEPA protected areas of Sierra María-Los Vélez. The Sabina Albar is a specimen of Juniperus thurifera, unique in the province of Almería because of its size and estimated age of 600 to 1,000 years.

The La Sabina hiking trail begins near the Cortijada del Mojonar in Chirivel and allows visitors to observe the three juniper species in the Sierra María-Los Vélez Natural Park: sabina mora, sabina albar and sabina rastrera. The route is linear and covers 9.768 kilometres each way, takes five hours and has a moderate level of difficulty. For your personal planning, the route type, length, duration and difficulty can be considered together.

History and Architectural Heritage

The Roman archaeological site of El Villar was crossed by the Roman road Vía Augusta between Cartagena and Cádiz. El Villar is believed to have consisted of a group of Roman villas; a 2nd-century BC statue, a geometric mosaic, a storage silo and domestic rooms were found there. El Villar is designated an Asset of Cultural Interest in the category of an archaeological zone.

The remains of the Nasrid-period Velad Al-Ahmar fortress lie on Cerro del Castellón. The Iglesia Parroquial de San Isidoro was built at the end of the 19th century in a blend of neoclassical and historicist styles; it has three naves and a tower attached to the north side. The Iglesia Parroquial de San Isidoro houses a painting attributed to Luis Tristán, who is considered a pupil of El Greco.

The Casa del Minero was built in 1906 on behalf of a mine owner from Cartagena as a modernist Art Deco residence. It preserves decorated walls, ceilings and doors, as well as a wrought-iron staircase.

Festivals and Cuisine

The songs of the Rosario de la Aurora are sung during the patron saint's festival in honour of San Isidoro in the penultimate week of August; the music is carried through the town's streets at dawn. In Chirivel, Cuadrillas de ánimas are performances by groups of musicians held at important festivals, preferably at Christmas. Parrandas are a dance typical of the eastern part of the province of Almería and the neighbouring regions of Murcia and Albacete; they are accompanied by castanets, guitars, violins and bandurrias.

Characteristic dishes of Chirivel's cuisine include Potaje de trigo, Asado de cabezas and Migas. Traditional sweets from Chirivel include pastries of Arab origin, Gachas, Tortas de la Virgen, Roscos de naranja, Roscos chiri and Barquillos.

More Destinations

An overview of more places: Cóbdar, Las Hortichuelas, Abrucena, Carboneras, Viator, Huércal-Overa, Canjáyar and Vélez-Blanco.

For the higher-level travel overview: Almeria.