Bedmar – Castles, Pilgrimage and Trails in Sierra Mágina

Bedmar begins with a fixed date in the calendar: the Romería de la Virgen de Cuadros takes place on the last Sunday in October and has been celebrated since the 16th century. Beyond its artistic and monumental value, the Santuario de la Virgen de Cuadros is significant for processions and pilgrimages by pilgrims.

Culture and History

The Castillo Nuevo de Bedmar was declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in 1985. Construction began in 1411 under the direction of the Order of Santiago; the fortress was adapted to the defensive requirements of the age of artillery. The Castillo Viejo de Bedmar was also declared a Bien de Interés Cultural in 1985. Its surviving remains recall Bedmar’s strategic role in the Middle Ages in defending the Guadalquivir Valley and protecting Baeza from the Nasrid Kingdom of Granada.

The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción has a Gothic chancel and Gothic transept, three Renaissance naves, and a tower that becomes octagonal in its second section. The church contains two 18th-century pulpits and a 16th-century baptismal font. PALEOMÁGINA is a public institution for prehistoric research in Bedmar. It offers popular-science lectures as well as temporary and permanent museum exhibitions on human origins, everyday life in prehistoric times and archaeological work.

Trails and Viewpoints

The Sendero Mar de Olivos Sierra Mágina begins in the Parque de la Pililla in Bedmar and follows the Camino de Cuadros through mountain olive groves to the Santuario de Nuestra Señora de Cuadros. At the Adelfar de Cuadros recreational area, you can leave your car and begin the Sendero Caño del Aguadero via the main path. The Vía Ferrata Al-Manzur is located in the Serrezuela de Bedmar at the foot of the Castillo Nuevo and includes vertical sections, a secured ridge, a more demanding K4 cable section and a 65-metre zip line.

In the area around Bedmar lies the Mirador del Torreón de Cuadros, a watchtower of Arab origin that has been converted into a viewpoint overlooking part of the Sierra Mágina Natural Park. The viewpoint can be reached directly via the JV-3.222 road and via the signposted Las Viñas walking trail.

Nature

The natural area is characterised by extensive esparto grass stands, which provide the raw material for one of the comarca’s most important craft traditions. The Adelfar del río Cuadros is a natural gallery forest and is considered probably one of the largest and most significant on the Iberian Peninsula. The Nacimiento del Río Cuadros, also known as the Senda de los Adelfares, is a gallery forest formed by oleanders along the source area of the Río Cuadros.

Regional Cuisine

Traditional dishes associated with Bedmar y Garcíez include espinacas guisadas, espárragos en salsa and andrajos.

Anyone choosing a holiday apartment in Bedmar can compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the respective offer pages and cross-check the information against their own travel period and the desired balance between cultural experiences, trails and nature observation.

More Local Pages

Friar, Arroyo Del Ojanco, Tíscar, Santisteban Del Puerto, Begíjar, Canena, Sabiote, Pilas de Fuente Soto

For the overarching travel overview: Jaen.