Discover Baza: Nature, Alcazaba and Iberian History

Baza can be explored through two major themes: nature in the protected Parque Natural Sierra de Baza and a layered history with Muslim, Iberian and Christian traces.

Nature

The protected Parque Natural Sierra de Baza has 16 marked hiking trails where visitors can explore the nature park’s diverse landscapes. The nature park covers more than 52,000 hectares and reaches an altitude of 2,271 metres at Calar de Santa Bárbara in Prados del Rey. There are extensive stands of pine, holm oak, maple, juniper and creeping juniper trees.

The Parque Natural Sierra de Baza also includes an extensive network of forest tracks, camping and recreational areas, as well as the Narváez visitor centre with a themed exhibition and activities. The marked hiking trails and forest tracks focus on different aspects of the natural environment.

History and Architecture

The Baños Árabes de Baza, also known as the Baños Árabes de la Marzuela, date from the 13th century, the period of the Almohads. The complex is divided into three main rooms. The historic centre of Baza essentially preserves the structure of the former Muslim city.

At the foot of the Alcazaba stands the Iglesia Mayor, built on the remains of the former main mosque. The church is a historic building featuring Gothic and Renaissance architecture; notable elements include its Renaissance grille, wooden ceilings and octagonal bell tower. Sections of the Alcazaba’s walls and the remains of several towers have survived. The walls show three construction phases: an initial phase from the 11th to the 12th century, a Nasrid phase and a later Christian phase from the 16th century. The ascent to the Alcazaba offers views over Baza and the Hoya de Baza.

The Iglesia de Santiago was built in 1505 on the site of a former mosque and is considered an outstanding example of Mudéjar architecture in Baza. The Iglesia de la Merced is a 16th-century Mudéjar church with an elliptical Baroque chapel decorated with stucco, paintings and mirrors.

The Palacio de los Enríquez was commissioned in 1506 by Enrique Enríquez and María de Luna, the uncles of the Catholic Monarchs. The building evolved from a late Gothic country house into a Renaissance villa and is considered the only Renaissance recreational palace in Andalusia modelled on the grand Italian Renaissance villas.

The Antiguas Carnicerías are a historic building with U-shaped architecture, a wooden gallery and heraldic coats of arms dating from 1568. The Casa de las Tetas is located on the Placeta de los Moriscos, the former residential area of Baza’s Morisco, or New Christian, community.

Iberian Traces

The Centro de Interpretación de la Cultura Íbera is located in the San Jerónimo temple, a building of considerable heritage value. It has an exhibition covering approximately 400 m², with true-to-scale scenes of everyday Iberian life and a faithful reproduction of the tomb of the Dama de Baza. The centre also permanently houses the exhibition “Íberos. Nuestra civilización antes de Roma”.

The Museo Arqueológico Municipal de Baza is housed in two connected historic buildings from the 16th century. In its galleries on the Iberian period, it displays a faithful reproduction of the Dama de Baza. The Iberian necropolis of Cerro del Santuario yielded the funerary statue known as the Dama de Baza in 1971.

Cerro Cepero is a fortified settlement of almost 7 hectares on a flat-topped hill that became an Iberian oppidum in the 8th century BC. Together with the exhibitions and the necropolis, this presents different forms of Iberian history side by side: a fortified settlement, an archaeological site and museum reconstructions.

Trails, Traditions and Wine

The Ruta de las Fuentes y Caños in Baza is a tourist route to monumental fountains, smaller watercourses and the historic urban water infrastructure heritage. The Cascamorras tradition in Baza includes an approximately 3-kilometre run through the town, during which black-painted people chase Cascamorras.

The Vino del País tradition in Baza includes a tasting of young wines every year on 4 December, served by local winegrowers in the Plaza Mayor. The route, run and tasting differ in terms of activity type and date; you can compare these features when planning your trip.

Other Places

Other destinations on the portal: Cuevas Del Campo, Illora, Polopos, La Mamola, Zagra, Soportújar, El Ventorrillo, Albolote.

When comparing holiday apartments in Baza, you can check travel dates, room category and cancellation policies side by side on the respective listing pages. When choosing a location, these details can be considered separately from nature, architecture, archaeological evidence, trails and traditions.

Getting There

The most common and flexible way to travel to Baza is by private vehicle via the A-92 Norte.

To the main travel overview: Granada.