Las Virtudes – Sanctuary, Festivals and Trails

When planning a trip to Las Virtudes, you can focus on three main interests: the Santuario de las Virtudes, local festivals and the surrounding trails. These offer different considerations when choosing when to travel. The July festivals take place every year, while some religious dates vary from year to year. If you want to spend time outdoors, you can also choose between the Vía Verde del Xixarra and the linear PR-CV 197 trail.

The Sanctuary: History and Architecture

The present-day Santuario de las Virtudes and monastery grew out of an expansion of the original hermitage in the 16th century. The church has three naves and is built in the Gothic style. The Baroque Camarín is distinct from it: 18th-century stucco and paintings adorn the room and depict Marian allegories. The sanctuary’s historical development, the Gothic church building and the Baroque decoration are therefore separate aspects.

If you are particularly interested in cultural history, these details offer a specific focus for planning your trip. The local festivals complement the sanctuary with religious traditions and recurring dates.

Festivals and Changing Dates

Las Virtudes celebrates its local festivals every year in July. They traditionally begin with a Pregón de Fiestas. During the July festivals, the annual presentation gala of the Lagunera is also held on the Santuario esplanade. If you want to travel for this festival programme, check the dates for your chosen year before booking.

Two other religious feast days are tied to different dates: Día del Voto falls on the Sunday after Easter, and Día de la Esclavitud on the Sunday after the patron saint festivals end. Their exact dates change from year to year. It is therefore particularly useful to check the dates if you want to plan your trip around one of these days.

The Fiestas de Navidad y Reyes include the Autos Sacramentales, featuring the Adoration of the Three Wise Men, the Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents. These festivals are recognised by the Generalitat Valenciana as a festival of local tourist interest. The Agrupación de Fiestas de Navidad y Reyes de Las Virtudes in Villena has kept the Christmas celebrations tradition alive since 1926.

Local customs also include two annual vows. On these occasions, people visit the sanctuary in gratitude for the disease having been overcome. At the end of August, the patron saint’s image is carried in a pilgrimage from the Santuario to Villena, where it presides over the festivals in her honour. Together with the July and Christmas events, these make up a festival calendar with different occasions throughout the year.

Trails on Foot, by Bike or in a Wheelchair

The Vía Verde del Xixarra starts at the Santuario de las Virtudes and can be used on foot, by bike and in a wheelchair. It follows 15 kilometres of an 84-kilometre former railway line that ran along the foothills of the Sierra de Mariola. The two figures refer to different scales: 15 kilometres are covered by the section used by the Vía Verde, while 84 kilometres is the length of the former railway line as a whole.

The PR-CV 197 Puente de los Espejos – La Encina – Santa Eulalia – Las Virtudes – La Zafra, by contrast, is a linear trail measuring 47.35 kilometres. Its official route passes through Las Virtudes. The Salines de Penalva are close to the route, which also crosses the old Camino de la Verge. The distance and linear route help you tailor your tour planning to the route’s format and length. Check current trail conditions before setting out; for this trail, signage and maintenance should also be checked.

Archaeological Context in the Surrounding Area

Nearby, the Cabezo de la Virgen 1 archaeological site is located on the flat-topped summit of the Cabezo de la Virgen. The Fuente del Chopo spring once flowed at the foot of the hill. Finds point to the Bronze Age, the protohistoric period and the Middle Ages. This archaeological context therefore spans several widely separated periods and complements the architectural history of the Santuario with a distinct view of the past of the landscape around Las Virtudes.

Discover more destinations: Banyeres De Mariola, Guardamar Del Segura, Montesol, Canyades d'en Cirus, El Campello, Ibi, Benejúzar, Bigastro.

For the wider travel overview: Alicante.