Discover Huelma: Old Town, Castle and Sierra Mágina

Huelma brings together historic buildings, Iberian history and part of Sierra Mágina Natural Park for a stay. If you’re looking for a hotel in Huelma, you can plan your trip around whether you’d like to focus mainly on the old town, an event date or a challenging mountain route. The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fuensanta is located within the municipality of Huelma, at Pago de la Virgen, on the A-324 towards Cambil.

Old Town, Castle and Architectural History

The historic old town, with its white houses below the remains of the castle, was designated a historic-artistic ensemble in 1971. Huelma Castle, also known as Alburquerque Castle, was probably built over an earlier Muslim castle in the first half of the 16th century. Remains of the walls and the large cistern inside have survived from the earlier castle.

The castle’s architectural features include a square floor plan, four cylindrical towers at the corners, connecting stretches of wall and an entrance with a round arch. These specific architectural forms add to the building’s historical significance. Another highlight is the Church of the Immaculate Conception, built in the 16th century. It is considered a notable example of the religious architecture of its time and is designated a Bien de Interés Cultural. Under the direction of Diego de Siloe, Francisco del Castillo el Viejo, Andrés de Vandelvira and Francisco del Castillo, el Mozo, contributed to its construction.

The archaeological site of Cortijo Pajarillo offers a different point of reference in time: it is Iberian and dates to the 4th century BC. Huelma is also a stop on the tourist route “Viaje al tiempo de los íberos” (Journey into the Time of the Iberians). This means that, alongside medieval and early modern architectural history, Iberian heritage is also part of the themes to explore during a stay.

Sierra Mágina and Mountain Route

The northern third of Huelma’s municipal area lies within Sierra Mágina Natural Park. The Jandulilla runs from south to north through a large part of the municipality, dividing the area it crosses into two nearly equal parts. These landscape features offer a different perspective on the town from its old town and buildings.

A challenging mountain route leads to Pico Mágina and nearby Pico Miramundos, in the heart of the natural park. The first section follows a forest track, while the final section is a high-altitude mountain path. Pico Mágina reaches 2,167 metres, making it the highest point in the province of Jaén. When planning your trip, you can clearly distinguish this activity from the town’s history and architecture: the focus here is on two named peaks and the change from a forest track to a high-altitude path.

Festivals and When to Visit

Huelma’s Semana Santa (Holy Week) includes a procession with tronos (processional floats). If you’d like to plan your stay around it, check the dates and route of the procession for the year of your trip. The Fiestas de la Virgen de la Fuensanta are celebrated on 2 May. If you’re planning your trip around this occasion, check the local programme for the relevant year in advance.

EXPOHUELMA takes place every year as part of Huelma’s events calendar. As the Sierra Mágina Natural Park trade fair, it brings together numerous exhibitors and visitors. Huelma therefore offers different reasons to visit: you can plan your trip around architectural history, Iberian heritage, a challenging mountain route or a festival or trade fair date.

Discover more destinations: Porcuna, Prados De Armijo, Vites, Pegalajar, Aldeaquemada, Orcera, Las Escuelas, Rus.

See the main travel overview: Jaen.