El Simarro: Chapel, Festivities and Landscape
Accommodation in El Simarro
El Simarro is a sparsely populated hamlet. Its notable features include the square and the Ermita de Santa Catalina. The chapel, festive traditions and two named routes offer different highlights for a stay. The landscape is also one of the area's distinctive features: hills and rises shape the terrain, while cereal crops, vineyards and olive groves define the cultivated landscape.
The Village, Chapel and Location
El Simarro lies on the road connecting Casas de Fernando Alonso with Casas de Haro. The chapel in El Simarro is dedicated to Santa Catalina de AlejandrĂa. The Ermita de Santa Catalina has been restored several times, with contributions from residents and friends of El Simarro.
Festive Traditions and Events
El Simarro's patron saint festivals are celebrated in honour of Santa Catalina. During the festivities, the Mayos are traditionally sung in the church in honour of the patron saint. La Luminaria is a local custom: on the Saturday before the local festival, a large fire in the centre of the village is part of the tradition, and residents gather firewood for it. The “VI Quedada Mountain Bike” was also held during the Fiestas de El Simarro. The church and the village centre provide different settings for the festivities: the Mayos are sung in the church, while La Luminaria is associated with the fire in the centre. The activities therefore differ in form: singing, a fire tradition and a mountain biking event.
Landscape and Nature
The landscape of El Simarro is shaped by hills, rises and rugged terrain. Its cultivated landscape consists mainly of irrigated and dry-farmed cereal crops, vineyards and olive groves. The surrounding terrain is considered a suitable habitat for partridges, rabbits, hares, foxes, and both golden and imperial eagles. When planning your trip, you can consider the terrain, agricultural land use and wildlife as different aspects of the surrounding area.
Routes with Different Highlights
The “El Simarro–El Cañavate” cycling route runs from El Simarro to El Cañavate; its route description gives 25 March 2023 as the review date. It starts with a gentle climb and then follows rural roads across extensive plains. Lavajos de Simarro is listed as a point of interest along the way. The easy, one-way “Vara de Rey–El Simarro” walking route is 7.44 km long and runs from Vara de Rey to El Simarro. Its difficulty is rated as easy. In comparison, the walking route can be described by its length and difficulty rating, while the cycling route is distinguished by its described course and destination, El Cañavate. Conditions and availability on the walking route may change, so check the latest route information before setting out.
Discover more destinations: Atalaya Del Cañavate, Arcas, Ribatajada, Las Valeras, El Peral, Rada De Haro, Castillo De Garcimuñoz, Garaballa
For the main travel overview: Cuenca.
