Beautiful corners await you in the little-explored Granada region of Huéscar, where Castril hides, a beautiful white town on the Altiplano of Granada, a quintessential place for rural tourism.
This beautiful town stands majestically around Natural Monument, and its namesake, La Peña de Castril, making its way through the impressive landscape of the Sendero de la Cerrada del Rio Castril, between a canyon through which the river Castril flows, and can be traversed through wooden walkways.
The Sierra de Castril Natural Park also houses other natural treasures such as the Cueva del Muerto, with an interior full of stalagmites and stalactites, or the Don Fernando Cave, which holds the title of being the deepest cave in the province.
Now let’s look towards its ample history… We begin by highlighting that Castril is located on the Route of the First Settlers of Europe, as is evident in the Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements that were discovered, but, really, its history begins when the Carthaginians settle.
The Romans later used La Peña as a refuge, until they created a town, which then passed into the hands of the Muslims, who turned it into a fortified city which they called Hisn de Qastal. After the Reconquest, the Lordship of Castril was granted by the Catholic Monarchs.
Now that we know some information about its origin, do you think we can take a tour of its heritage? There is no other way to start the tour than beginning at the Castle of Castril, the greatest exponents of the Arab military fortifications in the peninsula found on the the Peña del Sagrado Corazón. On La Peña de Castril, the castle has indisputable beauty even despite the fact that’s only ruins of it remain. It is also recommended for you to see the breath taking views from the site’s viewpoints.
Attached to what was the original castle, we find the town where the streets are dressed in immaculate white and form a beautiful ensemble of traditional architecture. Here we can also visit the picturesque Arco de la Villa, which was formerly part of the castle wall.
Moreover there is the Church la Virgen de los Ángeles, a 16th century building in a sobering Renaisssane style. This church, alongside a large part of the town were burned during Napoleon’s invasion in 1810 and you are still able to see traces of the tragic event at the Puerta Del Sol, one of its entrances together with the Puerta de la Lonja.
On the other hand, if you want to know the traditions and customs or the surroundings of the town, you can visit the Ethnographic Museum - Visitor Centre of the Sierra de Castril Natural Park.
Are we now delving into its gastronomy? Maimones (traditional local soups), Migas (breadcrumbs) with an Arabic orange salad, buns with rabbit, noodles with hare or partridge, dishes prepared with fish such as trout are some of its most typical dishes, along with all kinds of artisanal sausages.
Now for something completely different, let’s consider its modern economy. Glass has been one of the region’s main activities, along with the manufacture of esparto grass products.
