Discover Mairena: Trails, Culture and Festivals

Mairena can be explored via short and longer trails, viewpoints, architectural history and local traditions. The landscape becomes particularly tangible on the PR-A 421 – Sendero Acequia Real de Mairena: the route is 9 kilometres long, takes 2 hours and 40 minutes on foot, and is listed as taking 40 minutes by bicycle.

Trails and Landscape

The PR-A 421 begins at the entrance to Mairena, leads through the town centre to Las Eras, follows the Acequia Real de Mairena and returns via the road from Júbar. On this route, you should stay on the marked trail and respect private property. A section of the GR-7 passes through Mairena along former connecting paths of the Alpujarra.

Another route is the Camino de la Sierra. This 5-kilometre trail runs from Mairena via the Acequia Real and Júbar back to Mairena. The different distances and time estimates make the trails easy to compare if you would like to divide your days between a walk, a longer hike and a bike tour.

From the viewpoint at the hermitage of Mairena, you can see the Sierra de la Contraviesa, the Sierra de Gádor, the Sierra Nevada and more than ten surrounding villages. The Peñón de la Alfaguara offers views of the landscape and the village; there are also indications of a medieval cemetery there.

Below Mairena, a track runs through orchards and agricultural land to the road from Laroles to Valor. The Castaño Grande de los Molinos also stands near Mairena as a large tree in the Praomonte chestnut grove. Piedra de los Tiempos is located in the surrounding area, a legendary rock once believed to possess beneficial powers for the harvests.

Culture and History

The present-day Iglesia Parroquial del Santo Cristo de la Luz in Mairena was begun in 1704 and is an example of the continuing tradition of religious Mudéjar architecture. An earlier building stood on the site and was constructed between 1604 and 1610.

Water is still collected at the historic Fuente Alta because of its taste and the properties attributed to it. Below the Fuente Alta is the Lavadero de Mairena, which is regarded as an important public place for work and communication among women.

Las Eras is considered the largest and best-preserved group of traditional threshing floors in the surrounding area. Above Mairena, there is also a group of seven threshing floors built from large, flat stones and used for agricultural purposes. The Molino de la Trujilla is regarded as a notable mill in Mairena.

The Mirador de Mairena offers views of the village and also has an outdoor fitness area for adults. This means that different public points of interest are found side by side within the town: a viewpoint, traditional workplaces and an area for exercise.

Festivals and Local Cuisine

Ollas de San Marcos is a communal dish made with bacon, blood sausages, cardoons, fennel, pulses and potatoes. The Ollas de San Marcos festival in Mairena is associated with 25 April. During the related procession, people go to Piedra de los Tiempos, where the fields are blessed.

The San Juan tradition in Mairena on 23 June includes washing your face at the Fuente Alta. The Santo Cristo de la Luz festival is associated with 18 September and is characterised by a procession on Saturday afternoon, ribbon running and a nighttime verbena.

When comparing a holiday apartment in Mairena, you can view travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions side by side on the respective offer pages. The local facts help you clearly decide on your preferred focus among trails, culture, landscape and festival dates.

For the overarching travel overview: Laroles.