Discover Cabra: Baroque Art, Olive Oil and Nature

Cabra is highlighted on a themed route together with Priego de Córdoba, Lucena, Encinas Reales, Benamejí, Rute and Iznájar as a place with exceptional examples of Baroque art. The area of ancient Licabrum, from which Egabro later emerged, lies in the oldest quarter.

Culture and History

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción y Ángeles has medieval origins and was built over a former Muslim mosque. Its interior has five naves with 44 red marble columns, as well as a high altar made of red and black marble. Cabra's Holy Week was recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 1989. Cabra's Holy Week has been celebrated in its current form since 1945; the period given is from 3 to 8 September.

Cabra also offers a self-guided route through the historic neighbourhoods with the APP RUTA HISTÓRICA DE CABRA.

Museums and Olive Oil History

The Olive Oil Museum displays esparto-work items, presses, storage systems, beam mills and a 17th-century beam mill made of oak and limestone. The Museo del Aceite “El Molino Viejo” is located in a stone building that is an example of 19th-century industrial architecture, and displays various methods and devices used to produce olive oil.

The Museo de Arte Sacro de la Hermandad del Buen Fin has four exhibition areas: the Capilla de Capuchinos, a heritage room, a room dedicated to Cabra's Holy Week and a room for temporary exhibitions. The Archaeological Museum of Cabra has been located since 1984 in the former Banco de España building, now the Casa de la Cultura.

The Natural History Museum of Cabra originated from a century-old educational museum. Its collections were built up through numerous acquisitions and significant donations from students, former students and people associated with the town and the institution. Cabra railway station houses an Olive Interpretation Centre that recreates a railway station from the years 1920 to 1930 and includes exhibitions on the history of the oil train, the region's olive groves and the Vía Verde de la Subbética.

Landscape and Nature

Cabra lies wholly or partly within the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, which has been recognised by UNESCO as a Geopark. Fuente del Río is a karst spring in the Sierra de Cabra that has been landscaped with gardens and trees and has, among other designations, been classified as an Asset of Cultural Interest, a Site of Natural Interest and a notable tree area.

The path to Sima de Cabra initially passes through olive groves and then through natural vegetation with holm oaks, hawthorns, pistachio shrubs, mastic shrubs and impressive old Portuguese oaks; birds of prey and other wildlife can also be observed along the way. With impressive views of the Sierras Subbéticas and the depression of the Guadalquivir Valley, the path leads to a cave with a long history and numerous legends.

Cycling and Hiking Routes

The Vía Verde uses disused railway lines of the Subbética, formerly used by the oil train, for cycling and hiking routes through inland Andalusia. The Vía Verde del Aceite has six rest areas with benches, tables with benches, litter bins and bicycle racks.

The Cabra-Los Pelaos route begins at the Vía Verde del Aceite, runs under a bridge parallel to a path and passes Fuente de los Frailes and a Roman quarry.

Discover More Places

For discovering more places, pages on Pozoblanco, Hornachuelos, Montemayor, La Carlota, El Cañuelo, Fernán-Núñez, Aguilar De La Frontera and Cardeña are available.

For the higher-level travel overview: Cordoba.