Baños de la Encina

Member of Los Pueblos más Bonitos de España

Between the foothills of Sierra Morena and the olive-growing plain, the town stands on a hill guarded by Burgalimar, a 10th-century Umayyad castle on its southern edge. A restored 18th-century windmill with a small museum stands at the top of the village, and the Rumblar reservoir lies close by. Local cooking leans on game from the sierra, migas and Jaén olive oil.

Highlights

Burgalimar Castle, built in the 10th century
The church of San Mateo, with a painting attributed to Murillo
Peñalosa, a Bronze Age settlement studied by the University of Granada
La Candelaria on 2 February, with bonfires of olive prunings
Migas and gachas santeras, and cucharro bread with oil and tomato

Summary based on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA), written with AI assistance.

Population: 2,542

Things to see

Rumblar Reservoir (ES)
Ermita del Cristo del Llano (ES)

Events through the year

Fiesta de la Candelaria Seasonal · 2 FebruaryBig bonfires of olive prunings, with games around them
Carnival Seasonal · Carnival
Holy Week Religious · Holy WeekMagdalenas and hornazos are traditionally baked for it
Feria de Baños Religious · Second weekend of MayFor the patrons, with a pilgrimage to the Virgen de la Encina hermitage
Pilgrimage of Jesús del Camino Religious · First Sunday of MaySmall pilgrimage to the hermitage
Noche de la Rosa Historical · Last weekend of JulyMedieval festival
Fiestas del Emigrante Seasonal · 15 AugustEmigrants return home; gathering around migas santeras
Fiestas de los Esclavos Religious · 18–20 September
All Saints' Day in the countryside Seasonal · 1 NovemberVillagers head out to the fields with food for the day

Dates follow the traditional patterns described on Wikipedia and Wikivoyage: check locally before you travel.

Based on Wikipedia (Baños de la Encina) (CC BY-SA).

Local food & wine

CucharroDishHollowed bread crust with oil and tomato, olives and cod
Campiña de Jaén extra virgin olive oilOlive oil
Sweet gachasSweetAlso called gachas santeras
Migas serranasDishServed with radishes, melon or chocolate
SobáBread and pastaLarge crisp oil flatbread
HornazosSweetBaked traditionally for Easter week, sold in village bakeries

Based on Wikipedia (Baños de la Encina) (CC BY-SA).

Where to sleep

8 places to stay within 3 km

B&Bs and guest houses 6
Hotels 2

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Nearby member villages

Almagro · 80 km
Zuheros · 84 km
Villanueva de los Infantes, Ciudad Real · 91 km
Segura de la Sierra · 98 km
Trevélez · 137 km