Ugíjar: Monastery, culture and hiking landscape

Ugíjar brings together Franciscan history, ethnographic themes and a clearly described hiking route. The Convento Franciscano de San Juan Bautista, two cultural institutions, the Sendero SL-A 205 and local festival traditions each offer a different focus. When planning your stay, you can decide whether you are most interested in architecture, everyday culture, the landscape or an event. The time of year also matters, especially if you would like to include ExpoAlpujarra, which takes place every December.

Hiking between the Río Ugíjar and Cuesta Viñas

The Sendero SL-A 205 Ugíjar–Cuesta Viñas crosses the Río Ugíjar and climbs through the Barranco del Diablo in the Terrera de la Cará. The Cueva de la Muela can be seen there. The trail continues to Cuesta Viñas, an area with mineral medicinal waters. The river crossing, ravine and Terrera are all part of the route description, as is its destination. If you plan to access the water, check locally first. You should also check trail conditions before setting off.

The artificial Cuevas-Silos de la Cará are visible from Ugíjar and lie about 200 metres from the town. Their history goes back to the Alpujarras War of 1568: Moriscos used these medieval cave silos for defence, as a hiding place and for supplies. Their visibility and approximate distance place the structures in the landscape, while the three recorded uses provide a distinct historical connection. The Cueva de la Muela, by contrast, is the cave seen along the Sendero SL-A 205.

Franciscan history and cultural heritage

The Convento Franciscano de San Juan Bautista was officially founded on 5 September 1646. It is the only surviving example of convent architecture in the Alpujarra of Granada. As such, it represents a specific architectural focus within the region’s cultural history.

The Centro de Patrimonio Cultural de La Alpujarra displays an ethnographic collection with items relating to beekeeping, carpentry, metalworking, textiles, basketry, pottery, agriculture, viticulture and livestock farming. The range spans both crafts and agricultural and animal husbandry activities. Anyone interested in the different types of work in the Alpujarra will find several subjects represented together here, rather than just a single craft.

The Centro de Interpretación de La Alpujarra covers the geography, history, and cultural and ethnographic heritage of the Alpujarra. The two institutions have different emphases: the collection is organised around specific fields of activity, while the interpretation centre explores the region through geographical, historical and cultural themes. Together, these provide different ways to learn about the history and way of life of the Alpujarra.

Festivals and their different focuses

ExpoAlpujarra takes place every year during the long weekend of the Immaculate Conception in December. The event showcases tourism, crafts and traditional products from the Alpujarra. If you want to plan your trip around the fair, check the dates for that year’s edition.

The traditional Fiesta de la Parva, held on the threshing floors of Cerro de Ugíjar, includes bringing in barley and wheat, threshing and winnowing, as well as traditional music and homemade tapas. The festival therefore centres on both grain-related tasks and music and food. The Feria y Fiestas Virgen del Martirio in Ugíjar has been celebrated every year since 1606 in honour of the Virgen del Martirio. The events thus have different themes: ExpoAlpujarra showcases tourism and products from the Alpujarra, the Fiesta de la Parva draws on an agricultural tradition, and the Feria honours the Virgen del Martirio.

Discover more destinations:

Velilla-Taramay, Montejícar, Quéntar, Darro, Castilléjar, Válor, Atarfe, Cortes De Baza

For the broader travel overview: Granada.