Ochavillo del Río – Holiday apartment near the Guadalquivir and Sierra Morena

Ochavillo del Río lies very close to the Guadalquivir and the foothills of the Sierra Morena; this proximity is associated with numerous hiking and rural tourism routes.

History and Townscape

Straight streets preserve the rationalist layout from the Carolingian period of Charles III’s New Settlements. The earliest references to Ochavillo del Río are attributed to the Arab geographer Al-Idrisi and date from 1154; the original Arabic name Susabil has been handed down. The historic spring of the village was one of two traditional systems for the communal water supply of the population in the colonisation settlements.

At Plaza Real stands one of the best-preserved façades of a colonial house in Ochavillo del Río. The façade has a small window above the door; this feature is associated with the original houses that were given to settlers in this part of the province of Córdoba.

Church and Art

The Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen is listed as a sight in Ochavillo del Río and was blessed on 16 July 1890. A commemorative plaque at the Iglesia Nuestra Señora del Carmen records its donation to the village by Ana Pulido. A mural by the architect Luis Valdelomar is located in the pumping station of the Fuente Palmera irrigation community in Ochavillo del Río.

Festivals and Customs

The carnival in Ochavillo del Río includes the Batalla de la Harina on Ash Wednesday. As part of the patron saint’s festival of the Virgen del Carmen, a procession through Ochavillo del Río takes place on Plaza Real after Mass. The Fiesta del Emigrante takes place from 14 to 15 August and includes musical performances, paella and the traditional immersion in the village fountain.

Easter customs such as the burning of Judas and dragging tin cans through the streets continue to be observed in Ochavillo del Río. The tradition of Easter eggs is also actively being revived there. Processions with the Cristo de la Clemencia and the Virgen de los Dolores take place on Friday evenings.

The event Los Encuentros Literarios a la Luz de la Luna takes place on Friday evenings in July and includes flamenco, pop, rock, theatre and literary presentations.

Routes and Landscape

The entire Ochavillo Route can be completed on foot, by bicycle or on horseback. It begins at the village library and follows rural tracks through areas dominated mainly by fruit cultivation, as well as through orange, almond and olive groves. The route crosses the Arroyo de Los Picachos, reaches the riverside area of the Guadalquivir and returns through typical riverside landscapes and fruit orchards.

Ochavillo del Río can be reached via the CO-4313 and CO-4315 roads towards the hamlet of La Parrilla.

Local Speciality

Ochavillo del Río is associated with local pastries called negritos or cuñas.

More destinations: Villaviciosa De Córdoba, Villanueva De Córdoba, Lucena, Encinas Reales, Santa Cruz, Almodóvar Del Río, Peñarroya-Pueblonuevo, Venta del Charco

To the higher-level travel overview: Cordoba.