Villanueva de la Fuente – Trails, Museums and Mentesa Oretana

In Villanueva de la Fuente, there are various hiking trails that run along livestock tracks, paths and rivers, forming part of an extensive network of routes.

Nature and Trails

The hiking trails towards the Sierra del Relumbrar pass through Mediterranean woodland with diverse flora and fauna, including wild boar and deer. The hiking options include the “Ermita Nuestras Señora de los Desamparados a Cañada Baños de Cristo” route. The circular “Barranco Hernando-Vega del Río Villanueva” route follows the river to its source and passes through the local fruit and vegetable-growing areas, along gallery forests and past old hydraulic mills.

The source area of the Río Villanueva consists of three springs: Pilar Grande, Pilarete and Pilar del Huerto. The 31-kilometre “Vía Augusta” mountain-bike route is one of Villanueva de la Fuente’s visitor attractions. The Ruta de las Esculturas runs through several streets in the town centre of Villanueva de la Fuente. For planning a day out, the options can be distinguished by activity and landscape focus: hiking, mountain biking and the route through the town centre each offer a different emphasis.

When comparing holiday apartments in Villanueva de la Fuente, travel dates, room category and cancellation conditions can help you assess different offers. Check this information directly on the respective offer pages and compare them at your leisure before deciding on a specific travel plan.

More town pages: Argamasilla De Alba, Campo De Criptana, Ciudad Real, Herencia, Santa Quiteria, Valdepeñas, Mestanza, Almodóvar Del Campo.

Culture and History

The town’s history goes back a long way: in Iberian and Roman times, Villanueva de la Fuente was known as Mentesa Oretana; the earliest settlement traces date back to the Bronze Age, around 1750 BC. Roman urban construction work connected with Mentesa Oretana is documented at the archaeological site at Callejón del Aire 7 in Villanueva de la Fuente.

The Museo Arqueológico is housed in the former Encomienda, a 17th-century building with a beautiful ashlar-stone façade. It preserves an archaeological collection of finds from various excavations in the municipality of Villanueva de la Fuente. The Museo Etnográfico displays agricultural equipment, carriages, tools used in traditional crafts, household objects, looms, a forge and an oil mill.

The historic chapel of the Santuario o Ermita de la Virgen de los Desamparados dates from the final years of the 15th century; the Virgen de los Desamparados has been venerated there since 1650. Situated at the top of a calar, the religious building offers views of the plain, the irrigated landscapes and the Sierra de Alcaraz. The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Paz is a 20th-century building that combines modern lines with Manchester-style simplicity. The festivals of San Marcos, San Antón and the Virgen de los Desamparados are part of the local cultural life of Villanueva de la Fuente.

The Torre vigía de los Baños del Santo Cristo is located in the surroundings of Villanueva de la Fuente, on the road towards Albaladejo; beyond the turn-off for the road to the Ermita de la Virgen de los Desamparados, a signposted path leads left to it. In the wider area around Villanueva de la Fuente, the proximity of the Parque Natural de las Lagunas de Ruidera is one of the attractions for active and nature tourism.

To the higher-level travel overview: Ciudad Real.