Campillos between lagoons and cultural heritage
Accommodation in Campillos
If you are looking for a hotel in Campillos, the focus of your trip can help guide your choice: local attractions range from seasonal lagoons and hiking trails to archaeological sites, architectural history and summer events. This lets you plan your stay around nature, history or a specific experience, without confusing these different sides of the town.
Lagoons and trails through the nature reserve
The Reserva Natural de Las Lagunas de Campillos lies near Campillos. This seasonal, endorheic lagoon complex includes Laguna Dulce, Laguna Salada, Laguna de Capacete, Laguna de Camuñas and Laguna del Cerero; Laguna Dulce is the largest. The area was designated a nature reserve in July 1989. Its seasonal character is an essential part of this landscape.
Campillos has hiking trails through the reserve. The Centro de InterpretaciĂłn de la Reserva Natural Lagunas de Campillos provides information about the different lagoons and the local flora and fauna. To help you choose, note the distinction: the trails lead through the natural area, while the interpretation centre offers information about its waters and habitats.
The wider landscape around Campillos is also shaped by extensive farmland, wetlands and mountains such as Peñarrubia and Sierra Huma. This mix of plains, wetlands and mountains offers a different focus from the town’s architectural and archaeological history.
Architectural history and archaeological sites
The Iglesia de Santa MarĂa del Reposo was built in 1506 and later underwent major structural alterations between 1805 and 1821. It has three naves, several chapels and a tower topped with blue and white tiles. The main façade reflects Sevillian Baroque, and the main portal was designed by the architect Antonio de Figueroa. The church thus combines a long building history with distinctive architectural features.
The Ermita de San Benito also tells a story of several building phases: construction began in 1578, it was blessed in 1596, rebuilt in 1756 and given an exterior porch in 1814. The Torre del Tejar offers a different glimpse into the past. The tower preserves the chimney of a brickworks and tile factory, which began operating in the 1950s and continued until the end of the 1960s. The Ayuntamiento de Campillos restored it in late 2017; today it is considered an industrial landmark within the town.
On Cerro de los Castillones in Campillos stands a rectangular Roman building, partly built over Iberian structures. The archaeological site is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Zona Arqueológica category; it received its official designation in 2009. The Necrópolis de las Aguilillas, by contrast, is notable for seven prehistoric burial sites, set in artificially created caves and dating to approximately 2100–1900 BC. Architectural forms, human remains and archaeological finds have yielded particularly extensive insights into the life and death of the early inhabitants of Guadalteba. A route leads to the Las Aguilillas burial complex.
A Hispano-Visigothic necropolis contains around one hundred Roman and Visigothic tombs. The tombs date from the 1st and 2nd centuries and from the period between 450 and 550 AD. The Cortijo de las Mezquitas is a mosque that was converted into a farmhouse. The mosque dates approximately to the 10th or 11th century and has numerous horseshoe arches and an almost square courtyard, measuring 28.25 metres on each side.
Activities and events
There are several options for active pursuits. Parque Multiaventuras Campillos has twelve activities of varying difficulty and a zip line. Participants are secured to a safety track with harnesses and safety lines and are accompanied by staff. Circuito Internacional de Karting Campillos has a 1,500-metre track and offers rental karts for adults and children. Check the current operating arrangements for each facility before visiting.
The routes also offer different experiences: hiking trails run through the nature reserve, while another route leads to the Las Aguilillas burial complex. If you mainly want to experience the landscape, the first route description is relevant; for an archaeological focus, the second leads to the complex.
Recurring cultural and food highlights include the Festival Flamenco de Campillos and the Feria del JamĂłn. The Flamenco Festival has been held during Campillos’ summers since 1969. In 2010, the Feria del JamĂłn, which features pork products made from ham, was recognised as a Fiesta de Singularidad TurĂstica Provincial. Each year, you can buy artisanal products there, such as morcillas, salchichones and chorizos. Check the event dates before travelling.
Getting there and other destinations
As a guide for your journey, Campillos is about a ten-minute drive from the Antequera-Santa Ana AVE railway station. Check connections and timetables before setting off so your travel plans reflect current conditions.
Discover more destinations: Cañete La Real, Sedella, Valdés, Almargen, Torrox, Cortes De La Frontera, Atajate, El Burgo.
For the main travel overview: Málaga.
