Discover Lucainena de las Torres

The Camino Natural Vía Verde de Lucainena de las Torres to Agua Amarga begins in Lucainena de las Torres and currently runs as far as Venta del Pobre in the municipality of Níjar; the route is just over 15 kilometres long.

If you are planning a holiday apartment in Lucainena de las Torres, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the accommodation listing pages. These details help structure your choice without limiting the destination to a single type of trip: the Vía Verde, hiking trail, mining heritage, festivals and cuisine offer different points of focus.

Along the way

The Camino Natural Vía Verde de Lucainena de las Torres to Agua Amarga is divided into three sections of approximately five kilometres each. On the Camino Natural Vía Verde, hikers and cyclists now retrace the former route of the mining railway. The new Pasarela de la Rambla Honda is part of a route on which more than 15 kilometres of the former mining railway can be covered continuously from the old railway station of Lucainena to Venta del Pobre. The former railway station of Lucainena de las Torres has been converted into a tourist information office.

El Túnel is approximately 85 metres long, carved into the rock and unlined. There is no artificial lighting, but it is not necessary for crossing. The Senda Minera de Lucainena, SL-A 62, is a short hiking trail that can also be walked with children.

Cuisine

Traditional dishes from Lucainena de las Torres include Gurullos de conejo, Pelotas de maíz, Potaje de trigo, Choto al ajillo and Pimentón or Caldo colorao. Local sweets include Roscos, Bollos de nata, Hojaldres, Alfajores de almendra and Cuajao de almendras.

Views and mining history

The El Poyo de la Cruz viewpoint is located at the main entrance and offers panoramic views of the town and the old Molinillo. The Mirador de El Algarrobo on the Camino Natural provides a place to rest and panoramic views. The Mirador del Garruchete opens up views of Lucainena de las Torres and the folds of the surrounding mountains.

The restored complex of the Hornos de calcinación serves a tourist function for visitors to the Vía Verde. The first kiln was restored and displays its original structure; a staircase leads to the top, with extensive panoramic views over the Lucainena valley. At the Cortijo de Las Tejas, the Camino Natural offers particularly beautiful views of a private manor house from the period when Lucainena’s mining railway was at its greatest extent, surrounded by palm trees and now completely ruined.

The Hornos de calcinación were built in 1900 near the railway station of Lucainena by the former Compañía Minera de Sierra Alhamilla. The Torre del Molinillo is the only watchtower that has survived over the centuries on a rock atop a hill near Lucainena de las Torres. The former El Molinillo railway bridge was restored through the installation of two metal walkways.

Church, festivals and townscape

The Zugnoria at the Cortijo de Las Tejas was used to draw underground water for human consumption or irrigation. The parish church of Nuestra Señora de Montesión is an 18th-century neoclassical church building with a fortified appearance and a square tower. The first church in Lucainena was founded in 1505 on the site of a former mosque and destroyed during the Morisco Rebellion.

The Día de las Flores includes a choreography featuring the traditional type of local costume known as Refajona. The festival in honour of Saint Sebastian takes place on 20 January and includes a procession through the streets, during which Roscos are thrown from the balconies as offerings. In Lucainena de las Torres, the tradition of white lime decoration is visible in the flowerpots and geraniums on façades and in the streets. The traditional public washhouse, Lavadero de la Fuente, uses springs from the Peñón and is still in use.

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