ARMUÑA DE ALMANZORA
Armuña del Almanzora once had an impressive castle, however, nowadays only the ruins remain on the edge of the village centre. The town is well known for its delicious peaches and apricots. It has around 320 inhabitants.
HISTORY
Some archeological sites have been unearthed that demonstrate former Roman presence in these lands. Later, in medieval times, the community developed the name it holds today; of Arab origin, it refers to a fertile garden. Sources confirm that by 1560, the town belonged to the Duke of Escalona. More>
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de Nuestra Señora del Rosario
The church was built during the sixteenth century. It is named in honor of the patroness of the town, and its interior has numerous images of saints, including the Virgen de Montserrat, who was donated by a neighbour of the town when they had to emigrate to Catalonia. Over time, the building has undergone reforms to manage its deterioration, but it still maintains its original structure. The most significant restoration was executed in 1981. The church is located on Plaza de la Constitución.
Mirador de Armuña de Almanzora
The panoramic viewpoint has great views of the surrounding valley, and can be found on Calle de las Eras.
ACCOMMODATION
Accommodation and hotels in Armuña de Almanzora are few and far between. There is a hotel centrally located hotel in town (shown below), and more accommodation in the neighbouring towns of Serón, Laroya and Olula Del Río. These are often country houses, villas or apartments rented out on a short-term basis.
Hotel Spa Armuña Oasis offers a fitness centre, a spa, a sun terrace with panoramic views of the surrounding countryside and a restaurant serving traditional Mediterranean food. There is also a 24-hour reception, café and bar with a sun terrace.
NATURAL AREAS
Acerolo del Cortijo de las Iglesias
The Azarole tree of the Cortijo de Las Iglesias is listed on the Trees and Unique Trees of Andalusia, since it has reached an unusually tall height for one of its species and has a columnar trunk of considerable thickness. Its two largest branches form an interesting pattern; one grows vertically, the other with a slighter incline. Between them is a circular gap of 6.75m in height, in which the tree’s foliage is much less dense. The tree is located in Cortijo de Las Iglesias, north of Armuña de Almanzora.
GASTRONOMY
The gastronomy of Armuña de Almanzora incorporates typical Andalusian dishes such as caldo de pimentón (paprika soup), cocido con trigo (wheat and chickpea stew), cocido de calabaza (pumpkin stew), cocido de hinojo (fennel stew) and gazpacho, as well as cured meats and sausages. Sweet treats include pan de aceite (olive oil bread), suspiros (choux buns) and mantecados (Christmas sweets).
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Armuña de Almanzora are Corpus Christi, Candelaria, San Marcos and Virgen de Rosario. More>
NEARBY PLACES
The neighbouring villages to Armuña de Almanzora are Purchena, Tíjola and Lúcar.