Discover Magacela

Those choosing Magacela as a destination will find points of interest in its protected architectural heritage, archaeological remains and routes for walking or cycling. When planning your trip, you can decide whether to focus on historic buildings, archaeological sites or a particular route. These themes are quite distinct: alongside the elongated castle, kilns, a dolmen and rock paintings offer further facets of the town.

Protected ensembles and historic building phases

Magacela is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category of Historic Ensemble. The fortified perimeter of the Castillo de Magacela follows the elongated rocky ridge on which it stands. It extends for more than 250 metres and is up to 65 metres wide in some places. These measurements give an idea of the extent of the fortifications along the ridge.

The Iglesia del Castillo also brings together different historic building phases: it preserves masonry from a Muslim mosque, which was later remodelled and extended after the Reconquista. One of Magacela’s hermitages was the church of the old priory monastery of the Order of Alcántara, which has now disappeared completely. The old priory palace stood immediately beside it. Together, these buildings point to different religious and historical contexts.

The kilns of Magacela

The Conjunto de Hornos de Magacela is protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the category of Ethnological Interest Site; the designation is based on Decree 14/2024. The complex comprises 21 kilns in total. Some were used to fire bricks, while others were used to produce lime. Their different purposes also make the complex an interesting testament to local craft production: bricks and lime represent two different applications of the same basic firing process.

Walking and cycling routes

The route through the Historic Ensemble is 2.6 kilometres long and takes about an hour on foot. It is rated as low difficulty. As local conditions can change, it is advisable to check the latest route information before setting out.

Another option is the Ruta de las Aves Esteparias y los Hornos de Cal. It is 18 kilometres long and takes about an hour and 15 minutes by bicycle. This allows you to compare two different durations and ways of getting around: a roughly one-hour walking route through the Historic Ensemble and a longer bicycle route of approximately 75 minutes. The times given are estimates.

Those interested in rock climbing will find a climbing school for beginners beside the well-known Peña de El Búho. It is just a few metres from the town and easily accessible from the road by the castle. This option adds another activity to the walking and cycling routes; the school is specifically intended for people who are starting out in rock climbing.

Dolmens and rock paintings

The Dolmen de Magacela is in the Los Tejares area, northeast of the rocky outcrop on which Magacela was built. It is ten metres from a picnic area and very easy to reach by car. The rocky outcrop and the nearby picnic area are both useful landmarks for finding your way there.

There are up to eight sites with rock paintings in caves and rock shelters in Magacela. Schematic style predominates in the paintings. Peña del Águila is considered the most accessible site. Those interested in the archaeological remains can thus distinguish between the individually named dolmen and the several rock-art sites.

The Camino Mozárabe and local events

The Centro de Interpretación del Camino Mozárabe de Magacela presents the history, nature, culture and people of this Way of St James. The Camino Mozárabe connects Andalusia with Galicia and passes through Extremadura as well as Castile and León. The centre’s thematic scope therefore extends beyond local history and places the route within its broader regional context.

A local tradition is the pilgrimage in honour of Nuestra Señora de los Remedios. It takes place on Easter Monday near the hermitage and in the Berrocal area. Magadieval also features several events, including music, street theatre, percussion and a craft market. The market takes place from 8 p.m. on each of the three event days. If the pilgrimage or Magadieval determines when you travel, check the relevant event dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Higuera De Llerena, Villanueva del Fresno, Casas de Don Pedro, Llerena, Cabeza Del Buey, Valencia del Mombuey, Benquerencia De La Serena, Higuera De La Serena.

For the broader travel overview: Badajoz.