Fornes: La Mesa and cultural heritage

Fornes lies at the end of the Bermejales Reservoir; the hamlet of La Colonia is located on its shores. You can plan your stay around a range of themes: La Mesa de Fornes and its early settlement history, the Fornes–La Resinera hiking trail, or local festivals. If you are looking for a hotel in Fornes, you can plan your trip according to whether you are most interested in archaeological traces, the route of the hiking trail, or a festival date.

The town and its historical heritage

Fornes has medieval origins and is mentioned as “Fórnex” in the work of Al-Jatib, a geographer from Loja. The town’s historical heritage reflects the various cultures that shaped this border region, especially Muslim culture. La Mesa de Fornes takes you back to a much earlier period: the fortified protohistoric settlement was inhabited mainly between the 9th and 8th centuries BC.

La Mesa covers 4.5 hectares and is also a flat-topped hill. It was shaped by the river erosion of the Cacín, Cebollón and Grande rivers. The settlement has a complex fortification system with six roughly rectangular bastions and a small ditch immediately alongside them. La Mesa thus brings together information about early settlement with specific features of its fortifications and surrounding landscape.

A 2022 archaeological field report describes access via marked paths. As trail conditions can change, check them before setting out.

Hiking trail and landscape

The Fornes–La Resinera hiking trail starts in Fornes at the steps leading to Cruz del Cerrillo. After descending from La Mesa, the trail reaches the Cacín River amid stands of holm oak and Portuguese oak. It then follows the Cacín and Cebollón rivers through riverside vegetation and Mediterranean scrubland. Native crayfish and brown trout can be seen in the clear waters.

These details describe a succession of different landscape features: the descent from La Mesa, the river sections and the vegetation described in each area. Check the hiking trail conditions before setting out, too.

Near Fornes, La Resinera is home to the remains of the Fábrica Unión Resinera Española. Also in La Resinera, an information point explains how pine forest resources were used industrially. Here you can encounter both traces of industrial history and an explanation of how the pine forest was used.

Festivals and local traditions

Fornes’s popular festivals take place every year around March 19 in honor of the town’s patron saint, San José. The traditional Candelarias are celebrated on the night before February 2. They include the Mancheo, in which torches made of esparto grass are swung in circles of fire. The Romería de Santiago takes place on the Saturday closest to July 25; decorated floats travel to the river. Check the program for the relevant year before your trip.

Culinary traditions

Fornes’s cuisine includes artisan sausages and cheeses; honey and olive oil are widely used. Local dishes include “plato alpujarreño,” “ajo blanco” and “habas con jamón.” Restaurants and bars give visitors a taste of local cuisine; individual establishments’ offerings may change.

For the broader travel overview: Arenas Del Rey.