The best cycling routes around Benizalón

The sanctuary of the Virgin of Cabeza de Monteagud, in Benizalón, stands at the top of Monteagud Hill and is one of the most iconic sites in the area. The hermitage, built on the site of an old Muslim ribat, houses the venerated image of the Virgin, a center of devotion for residents and pilgrims from throughout the region. Every year it hosts a mass pilgrimage that fills the area with a festive and religious atmosphere. For hikers, the climb offers excellent panoramic views, so it's a good idea to wear comfortable shoes and water.

Uleila del Campo is a small town located on the southern slopes of the Sierra de los Filabres, at the foot of Monteagud Hill. Its surroundings combine hills, gullies, and unusual sites such as "El Salar," a salt flat with a unique ecosystem. Its heritage includes the Neo-Romanesque Church of Santa María and the Cueva de la Mora archaeological site, home to Neolithic remains and cave paintings. The town keeps its traditions alive with festivals such as the Santo Cristo de las Penas festival in September, ideal for discovering local life and culture after a hike through the mountains.

Village situated in the foothills of the Filabres, descending to the depression of Sorbas and near the Campo de Tabernas. Situated on a small elevation, it forms a well-structured round group of buildings in a not unattractive landscape where fields of vineyards, almond and olive trees predominate. The church of St. Mary characterizes the village.

Beautiful via Verde with many views

VIA VERDE DEL VALLE DE ALMONZORA is a spectacular route of a total of 98 km through the southeast of the peninsula between the highlands of Granada in the Baza area towards the district of Almendricos, already in the region of Murcia, and passes through the Almanzora Valley in Almería. A route that for decades crossed a railway line that transported tons of iron and other merchandise.

The towns of Fines and Olula del Río are an encounter with the culture of marble; figures and pieces of marble with inscriptions and inspiring phrases appear on the old railroad track. In Olula there is the famous giant head of a woman, on the other side of the road, you have to be careful not to pass it by. And nearby is the town of Macael for those interested in visiting the “white gold” quarries of the Almanzora Valley. Purchena is far from the road, it is a town with an Andalusian feel, with narrow streets with whitewashed facades at the foot of the remains of an old Muslim fortress from the Nasrid era. The railway continues to trace the slopes of the valley and cross seasonal boulevards over imposing stone bridges to the Tíjola station, which preserves a train engine from the glorious era of the mining railway and the railway buildings. The station is a bar with food service and a terrace on one of the platforms. In Los Canos there are remains of the old iron ore loading dock. The carts arrived loaded with material by aerial cables from the mining sites and by simple gravity they filled the train cars that were in the tunnels located under the loading dock.

In 1227, Pastor Juan de Ribas, originally from Colomera (Granada), witnessed the apparition of the Virgin on a hill in the Sierra Morena. He asked her to build a temple in her honor, and a few years later, the devotion led to the construction of a building that still stands today.

Popular restaurant, mainly Spanish customers. Good food for great prices. Not far from the Via Verde and worth the detour along the Via Servicio.