Discover Villacarrillo: Culture, Nature and Holiday Apartments

Villacarrillo is home to the parish church of La Asunción, a building designed by Andrés de Vandelvira and declared a National Monument by royal decree on 3 June 1931. Anyone looking for a holiday apartment in Villacarrillo can compare travel dates, room categories and cancellation policies on the listing pages. The decision can be based on personal priorities: culture, nature trails, local olive oil offerings or summer swimming in Mogón.

Culture

The La Asunción Parish Museum displays goldsmiths' work from the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, as well as missals, Bibles and liturgical vestments. The Casa de la Inquisición is a three-storey historic building in Villacarrillo's old town and probably dates from the 16th or 17th century. Its façade, including the ironwork, has been preserved, as has the staircase decorated with several coats of arms of the Holy Office and a dotted cross. The building is located on Calle Repullete.

The building adjoining the church of Santa Isabel de los Ángeles was a convent with a cloistered section until 1737, a public prison during the French occupation and a hospital from 1884 onwards. Calle La Feria forms an axis of eclectic and historicist architecture; manor houses can be discovered along the street. Villacarrillo's air-raid shelters were built in 1937 and restored in 2018 for inclusion in the city's cultural heritage.

Festivals and Traditions

Holy Week in Villacarrillo has a tradition dating back to the 16th century and includes the Cantes de Pasión. The Corpus Christi festival has a history of more than 650 years and was classified in 2021 by the Junta de Andalucía in the category “Actividad de Interés Etnológico” as an Asset of Cultural Interest (BIC). During the festival, the streets and squares are decorated with flowers, broom, floral carpets and coloured sawdust.

The Feria de Villacarrillo dates back to a medieval trade and livestock fair. During the first few days, traditional bull runs take place through the streets, dating back to the 18th century. Bolos serranos is a traditional game or sport; Villacarrillo currently has seven active boleras.

Nature and Trails

The Sierra de las Cuatro Villas area near Villacarrillo is part of the Sierras de Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Nature Park. The Cerrada de San Ginés is a vertically cut gorge between the Lanchas del Lobo and the Lancha de la Escalera, surrounded by deciduous forests, pine forests, and riverside and rocky vegetation.

The El Aguardentero (La Osera) hiking trail runs through the La Osera valley along the natural bed of the Aguascebas Chico River; it crosses the river via a footbridge, passes several pools and leads to waterfalls and the Cascada de La Osera. From the Aguascebas Reservoir, the El Aguardentero footpath measures 4.5 km; its starting point is at kilometre 18.8 of the JH-7155 road, the Transversal de las Villas.

The Ruta Gil Cobo–Fuente Colorá runs through Villacarrillo and is a circular route from the Campamento de Gil Cobo to the Cortijos del Pardal. The 11.3 km easy route runs 100 percent along tracks, forest roads or rambla. The different routes, lengths and surfaces provide you with various points of reference for planning your own day.

Food and Drink

Olive oil from Villacarrillo can be purchased at the town's local olive mills. Puerta de las Villas is located in Mogón, a settlement in the municipality of Villacarrillo, at the foot of the Sierra de las Villas. Visitors can enjoy various olive oil tastings and combinations there; the entire production process, from the field to bottling, is also explained. The offerings include a tour of all the facilities and a choice of either a specialist olive oil tasting or a miller's breakfast.

The Playa Artificial de Mogón is used for swimming by visitors and residents every summer.

Other Places

Other places for your own research: Chilluévar, Castellar, Friar, Aldeaquemada, Iznatoraf, Escañuela, Beas De Segura, Mengibar

To the higher-level travel overview: Jaen.