Aldeaquemada: Cascada de Cimbarra, Culture and Hiking Trails

Aldeaquemada is one of the municipalities in the province of Jaén where sites belonging to the UNESCO World Heritage Site Arte Rupestre del Arco Mediterráneo de la Península Ibérica are located.

If you are looking for a holiday apartment in Aldeaquemada, you can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the offer pages. These three details can be incorporated into your personal travel planning early and at your leisure.

Nature

The Paraje Natural Cascada de la Cimbarra is part of the Natura 2000 network as a ZEC and ZEPA; the boundaries of these two protected-area designations coincide with those of the natural area. The area features rugged terrain, a succession of waterfalls and diverse vegetation, and covers 534 hectares within the municipality of Aldeaquemada.

The Paraje was designated a natural area in 1989 under Law 2/1989, a ZEPA in 2002 and a ZEC in 2015. The landscape can be understood from several perspectives: as a defined space, as a natural formation and in terms of its chronological context.

Culture

Aldeaquemada's old town preserves its urban layout and its distinctive monumental heritage from the colonies of the Sierra Morena. A grain store built in 1792 replaced an older building, served as a regulating grain store and occupies an entire city block with monumental proportions.

The church in Aldeaquemada was opened on 8 January 1771; before that, a house blessed on 8 February 1768 served as a temporary oratory.

The Centro de Interpretación de Arte Rupestre offers an immersive exhibition on prehistory with an immersive projection room and 360-degree virtual reality goggles. The local history offers different scales, from the preserved settlement layout to the individual building.

Trails

The Sendero Cascada La Cimbarra is a 1.2-kilometre circular trail with an estimated walking time of 30 minutes and a medium-to-low difficulty level. The Sendero Arroyo Martín Pérez is a 1.1-kilometre linear trail with an estimated walking time of 40 minutes and a medium-to-low difficulty level.

The Sendero Arroyo Martín Pérez runs mostly parallel to a small mountain stream through riverside vegetation and passes the Cascada del Cimbarrillo and Charco del Negrillo.

The Sendero Cerro Monuera is an 8.7-kilometre circular trail; its estimated walking time is 2 hours and 45 minutes, and its difficulty level is medium. It completely circles the hill and passes through different vegetation and landscape areas on land that has been inhabited since prehistoric times.

The route details can be considered separately when planning the day: length and walking time define the time frame, the difficulty level supplements it, and a circular or linear trail indicates the route shape. This allows you to compare different trail profiles side by side and structure your own planning according to time, route shape and landscape features.

Other Places

Other places to explore: La Hueta, Huelma, Mancha Real, Chilluévar, Peal De Becerro, Las Escuelas, Arbuniel and Sabariego.

Traditions

The Fiesta de San Antón takes place on 17 January and combines a procession with a communal bonfire and traditional foods such as bread rings with matalauva. Aldeaquemada's Jornadas Gastronómicas take place every year in May.

For the broader travel overview: Jaen.