Santiago de Calatrava – Culture, Landscape and Holiday Apartment

On the Plaza de la Iglesia in Santiago de Calatrava, distinctive details of the town come together: The square is elevated above its surroundings and enclosed by a wrought-iron balustrade. At the corner stands a stone fountain bearing the emblem of the Order of Calatrava.

Culture

The Iglesia Parroquial Virgen de la Estrella was built in 1723, reconstructed in 1940 and has a single-nave layout. Another architectural landmark is the Cámara Agraria: The building consists of a ground floor and two upper floors with rectangular openings and balconies. El Pósito is considered an important 18th-century building; it formerly served as a prison, grain store and health centre. The Ermita de la Virgen de la Cabeza is also located in the Paraje del Caño.

The square, church, agricultural building and the Pósito’s former range of uses add different accents to the townscape, without requiring a single theme to define the visit.

Nature

The landscape of Santiago de Calatrava is characterised by a succession of low, gently undulating hills covered with olive groves. The Paraje del Caño is a wooded place at a spring that irrigates fields and orchards. Old olive-tree trunks provide refuge for numerous birds, mammals and reptiles. The landscapes of the Campiña are associated with the observation of steppe birds.

Those comparing different landscapes will find here the contrast between the wooded spring, olive-covered hills and the open Campiña areas as a clear guide for planning their own trip.

Festivals and Traditions

The San Isidro Romería takes place on the second Saturday in May at the Paraje El Caño and has been celebrated there since the 1940s. Those attending are offered wine, soft drinks and pork products. The festival of San Sebastián on 20 January includes a solemn procession and the veneration of a relic of the saint. On 25 July, Santiago de Calatrava holds the Ferias y Fiestas in honour of the Apostle Santiago.

The different dates can be considered as distinct seasonal occasions alongside one another: January, the second Saturday in May and 25 July each set their own focal point in the town’s calendar.

Cuisine

Relleno or Mondongo is a typical dish at the end of the Carnival season. Gachas dulces, a dish with Moorish influences, is prepared for All Saints’ Day. During Holy Week, Potajes de bacalao is eaten and accompanied by the popular dessert manta de bizcocho.

When choosing a holiday apartment in Santiago de Calatrava, you can compare travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions on the offer pages.

More town pages: Marmolejo, Hornos, Solera, Torres, Beas De Segura, Ventas del Carrizal, La Hueta, Santisteban Del Puerto

Geographical Location

The A-6052 Martos–Porcuna is the main access road to Santiago de Calatrava. In Martos, it connects the town with the A-316, and in Porcuna with the A-305.

To the main travel overview: Jaen.