Where to visit in Alcaucín... Hermitage Parish church Fountain Plaza Salia
Pretty Moorish village with traditional charm
Alcaucin, this pretty Moorish style village with its unspoiled traditional charm, is well worth exploring; it is a myriad of small whitewashed houses hidden amongst its narrow, winding streets with patios and balconies decorated with flowers.
In Alcaucin there are many attractions. The beautiful Fuente de los Caños, a source of local tales as well as drinking water, and the popular Plaza Salia with its little flower-bedecked houses and fountains. Then there are two very interesting baroque style chapels, the parish church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario, and Jesús del Calvario, from around which there are amazing views of the village and surrounding landscape.
As ever, if you’ve visited any of these places, don’t forget you’re invited to leave a comment describing your experience, (note that a Facebook account is necessary).
Hermitage of Jesús del Calvario
An 18th-century chapel built in the Baroque style, with a square ground plan and half-point entrance arch supported by two pilasters. As it is the chapel that serves the local cemetery, it is extremely popular with the locals. It was founded by a certain Doña Ana de Bejar.
Apparently, in July 1936, some strangers came to the village and destroyed the beautiful sculpture of Jesus of the Calvary and the chapel’s altarpiece, as well as parts of the church. Later, the local people had the damage to their beloved church repaired.
From around the chapel are amazing panoramic views of the village and surrounding landscape, where La Viñuela lake, the Boquete de Zafarraya, and the Zalia plateau, can all be spotted.
It is on Calle del Calvario going out of the village.
Church of Nuestra Señora del Rosario
Built in the 18th century, this simple Baroque style church comprises of a nave and an aisle separated by three round arches, and above a two-bell belfry.
The Gospel aisle includes a side chapel behind the altar with fantastic Rococo plasterwork.
On the 23rd of April 1732, the Bishop of Málaga, Don Diego González de Toro, signed authorisation for this parish to be created in Alcaucín under the name of Nuestra Señora del Rosario.
It is on Calle Seis de Febrero, 1.
Fuente de los Cinco Caños
This fountain, whose source is a local spring, can be found on the street named after it – calle la Fuente. It is not known when it was originally built, what we see today is the restored 20th century version.
According to tradition if you drink from the spout in the middle you will marry a girl from the village…
There is an old tale about a ‘fantasma de la fuente’, or ‘ghost of the fountain’, who appeared to be as tall as a house and wore a white robe with a little red light on top. At night he would be seen wandering the streets nearby.
However, early one morning a local man grabbed and pulled off the apparition’s cloak, exposing a framework of wood and reeds underneath. Beneath it was also a quivering young man who pleaded with the neighbour not to tell his mother – who would shortly be waking up – what he’d been up to! Needless to say, the fantasma was never seen again.
Plaza Salia
Plaza Salia is a small but lively square in the old part of Alcaucin, not far from the main car park.
It’s definitely worth a visit to see the pots of geraniums (gitanillas) attached to the gleaming whitewashed facades of the buildings, as well as its little fountains. It certainly makes a welcome break from the narrow Moorish streets.
One of the fountains is in an island in the middle of the square, and the other, a drinking fountain is next to a delightful – and well photographed – little courtyard.
The second fountain, the Fuente Plaza Zalia, is another of Alcaucin’s fountains whose water is pumped straight out of the metamorphic rocks of the Sierra Tejada.
The Fuente Plaza Zalia never produces a great flow of water but like the others it never dries up too. In the courtyard near to the fountain there are benches and a small garden area.
There is a pretty restaurant here, as well as a supermarket and a children’s play area. At weekends there is also market here.
- Map to places to visit -
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Other attractions nearby Alcaucín
There are plenty of places to visit and explore close by, or only a few kilometres away from Alcaucin. And they really showcase the extraordinarily long presence of man in the area – including a different species of man!
If you scramble up to the Boquete de Zafarraya cave, you’ll be visiting the home of Neanderthals that lived here 30,000 years ago. Then there’s the imposing ruins of the Zalia Castle to visit that possibly dates back to Phoenician times.
If you just want to unwind and take in the fantastic views around here, there is the ‘Area recreativa el Alcázar’ created for picnickers and campers, and the countryside near the Majadas Springs.
In fact, there are so many attractions we’ve a dedicated page for them all. Clicking on any of the ‘view’ links below will take you there.
Alcaucín pages guide
Use the links below to explore what you can see and do in Alcaucin, what festivals take place through the year, and to read about the area’s fascinating history.
