What to see in Montefrio Spain, a wonderful little place

The essential things to see in Montefrio

In this article you’ll find all the information you need to see the best of Montefrio :

• A few words about Montefrio
• Where is Montefrio on the map?
• What to see in Montefrio
• What to do in the province of Granada
• Booking accommodation
• The dates of the Montefrio fair
• What to do around Montefrio
• Useful links (bookings and visits in Andalucia)
• Continue your trip to Andalucia

A few words about Montefrio

Montefrio is a small town in the province of Granada, 50 kilometres from the capital.

Visiting Montefrio is a real treat. Declared a historic and artistic site in 1982, the town has retained much of its authenticity.

Historically, Montefrio took on considerable importance from 1341 onwards. The Nasrid kingdom of Granada turned it into a stronghold, with Moclín and Ilora protecting the kingdom.

Montefrio was nicknamed the last frontier of al-Andalus. For almost 150 years, it repelled numerous attacks by Christian troops, and only finally fell into the hands of the Catholic kings in 1486. The Catholic kings captured Granada only 6 years later, in 1492.

What’s more, National Geographic magazine, a leading travel magazine, put an incredible spotlight on the town in 2015 – we’ll find out why below -.

Where is Montefrio on the map?

Arriving in Montefrio

When you arrive in Montefrio, the first thing that strikes you is the incredible monumental ensemble formed by the ancient Moorish fortress and the ancient church. Both sit atop a large rock overlooking the town.

What to see in Montefrio ?

1 – Church of the Incarnation

2 – Montefrío Olive Oil Museum

3 – The narrow streets leading to the site of the old Moorish fortress

4 – The ruins of the Moorish fortress of Montefrio

5 – La Villa church

6 – Interpretation centre of the last frontier of al-Andalus

7 – The Arrabal district

8 – Casa de los Oficios

9 – The church and convent of San Antonio

10 – Las Peñas viewpoint

11 – San Juan de los Reyes Hospital

12 – National Geographic viewpoint

13 – Montefrío Town Hall

14 – Church of San Sebastián

15 – The royal granary – The Posito –

16 – Los Peñas de los Gitanos

17 – The old cemetery

18 – The Sendero del Arroyo de los Molinos

Note: to discover Andalucia, there are several themed routes, and one of the best known is the Washigton Irving route. It is often said that Montefrio is one of the most beautiful stops. This route retraces the career of the famous American writer, author of the famous books Chronicle of the Conquest of Granada (1829) and Tales of the Alhambra (1832).

1 – Church of the Incarnation

The Church of the Incarnation, known as La Rotonda, dates from the 18th century. Its architect, Domingo Lois de Monteagudo, was inspired by Agrippa’s Pantheon (or Pantheon of Rome). A place where he lived and studied before returning to Spain. The resemblance is indeed uncanny 🙂 .

This kind of architecture is very rare in Spain; there are perhaps only 2 or 3 ‘round’ churches in the kingdom.

The interior of the church is just as surprising, with a very basic decoration.

There is a historical reason for this. In the eighteenth century, the Church encountered considerable opposition to the clergy’s abuse of the adoration of saints and relics, and to the theatricalisation of worship.

2 – Montefrío Olive Oil Museum

The Montefrío Olive Oil Museum is an interpretation centre for olive growing. It’s a really interesting place, where you can learn a lot about olive oil, and the visit ends with a tasting of different olive oils. After Jaen and Cordoba, Granada is the third-largest oil-producing province in Andalucia.

Here’s a link to the olive oil museum in Montefrio.

3 – The narrow streets to the site of the old Moorish fortress

The walk through these narrow streets is marvellous. It’s almost a shame not to have more narrow streets to wander through!

4 – The ruins of the Moorish fortress of Montefrio

The Moorish fortress was built in 1352 during the reign of Yusuf I. The architect of the fortress chosen by Yusuf I was the same man who built the Alcazaba at the Alhambra.

Today, only a few ruins remain.

Until its conquest by Christian troops in 1486, the castle served to defend the frontier of the Nasrid kingdom of Granada, the so-called última frontera de Ál-Andalus.

Historic curiosity: For seven years, it was the residence of Aben Ishmail III, who later became Yusuf V, King of Granada.

5 – Church of the Villa, a must-see in Montefrio

The Church of the Villa was built on the remains of the Arab fortress after the surrender of Montefrío on 26 June 1486.

This church was later modified by the famous 16th-century architect Diego de Siloé. He was the architect of the cathedrals of Granada, Malaga and Guadix.

It stands at the top of the rock overlooking Montefrio, dominating the entire town. The view of Montefrio and the surrounding area from the top of the bell tower, which can be visited, is superb.

Note: to get up there, you have to climb a spiral staircase with 111 steps! However, there are plenty of opportunities to stop and take in the stunning scenery.

6 – Al-Andalus Last Frontier Interpretation Centre

It may seem strange, but the Al-Andalus Last Frontier Interpretation Centre is located in the Villa church.

As the Villa church has long since been closed to worship, a cultural-historical space has been created. This place is well worth a visit. The price of the visit is 2-3euros (including access to the bell tower) to discover the history of the last frontier of Al-Andalus.

There is a rare and highly successful perspective of this frontier, with views (strategic, cultural and religious) from both sides.

7 – The Arrabal district

The Arrabal district (arrabal means faubourg in Spanish) is a little gem to explore. This district lies at the foot of the rock on which the fortaleza stood in the days of al-Andalus. It was protected by a second wall, which has now disappeared.

This district of Arrabal, right next to the La Peña de la iglesia viewpoint, offers a lovely little stroll through its narrow streets and whitewashed houses.

8 – Casa de los Oficios 

The Casa de los Oficios is undoubtedly one of the city’s most beautiful civil and historical buildings. Today, as with other old buildings, it has new functions. It now houses the Tourist Office! It can be found near the town hall.

9 – The church and convent of San Antonio

The church of San Antonio is Baroque in style. It dates from the 18th century and was built by the Franciscan religious community.

The adjoining building served as a convent, the Convent of San Antonio. Don’t hesitate to go inside, as the cloister is very beautiful. Inside, there’s also a bar, if you fancy a coffee 🙂 !

Around this cloister were the rooms of the convent: refectory, chapter house, profundis room… The monks’ lodgings were on the first floor.

Both the church and the convent are located in the Plaza del Convento de San Antonio. This square also offers a magnificent view of Montefrio!

10 – Viewpoint of Las Peñas – Mirador de las Peñas –

This viewpoint – Mirador de las Peñas – is located in a less-frequented part of Montefrio, and is well worth seeing if only for the location. You’ll pass through one of the most authentic neighbourhoods, and even find yourself next to a cave house.

It can also be reached by road from Montefrio, but is best reached on foot.

11 – San Juan de los Reyes Hospital

This former San Juan de los Reyes hospital now houses the headquarters of …. the local police. However, this building was once one of the oldest charitable hospitals in the province of Granada.

12 – National Geographic viewpoint

Montefrio underwent a bit of a tourism revolution in 2015. Indeed, this year National Geographic magazine published an article proclaiming Montefrio as ‘one of the 10 cities with the best views in the world’.

The town decided to create a viewpoint in honour of this publication. Over time, of course, it has become the most visited spot.

The National Geographic viewpoint is located on the outskirts of the town, on the Tocón road. It takes around 15 minutes to get there on foot from the town centre.

Note: there is another viewpoint not far away: the Mirador Panorámico de Montefrío….this one also offers an extraordinary view, this time of Montefrio and the surrounding area.

There’s no doubt that you’ll notice something curious when you visit Montefrio: all the tourist information signs are translated into several languages, including Japanese. This is probably unique in the province of Granada. The reason is as follows: Montefrio has been twinned with the town of Yasuda in Japan since 2017!

13 – Montefrío Town Hall

Montefrío Town Hall is an 18th-century mansion. Both the building and its façade are imposing and beautiful.

14 – Church of San Sebastián

This church was built in the 16th century. Worship in the church of San Sebastián was abandoned after the neighbouring church of La Encarnación was built. Like the hospital of San Juan de los Reyes, it became a civil building and today houses… the municipal music school.

15 – The Royal Granary – Le Posito

Built in 1795, it was used as a granary. It now houses the Casa de la Cultura de Montefrío.

Its neoclassical main façade is very simple and features the Bourbon coat of arms above a window.

16 – Las Peñas de los Gitanos

This site is outside the actual city, but it is one of great importance. This place was the first human settlement in the municipality of Montefrío, known as Hiponova. It dates back to the Neolithic period, 5300 years BC. It was inhabited until the 10th century.

You can see :

• a megalithic necropolis with over 100 dolmens
• Roman and medieval remains
• a Visigothic necropolis

Here’s the link to find out more.

17 – The old cemetery

Montefrio’s old cemetery can be found at the foot of the cliff where the Villa church stands.

According to historians, this was the burial place of the town’s noble families. Over time, the tombs were emptied, leaving these niches carved into the rock.

18 – The Sendero del Arroyo de los Molinos

To finish off the list of things to do in Montefrio, here’s a great idea for a hike. It’s the Sendero del Arroyo de los Molinos, where you can see the remains of Roman flour mills and a Visigoth necropolis!

It’s a circular route that starts from the village. It takes around 4 hours 30 minutes and is almost 14 kilometres long.

Here’s the wikiloc link for the Arroyo de los molinos trail.

Book an excursion or activity in the province of Granada

Below you’ll find the excursions and activities on offer from Granada.

You can also book them online today (with free cancellation):

Book accommodation in Montefrío

Among all the accommodation on offer in Montefrio, there are the 4 little houses, las casillas de la Villa. Inside, they are very clean and tastefully decorated. Here’s a link to one of them, casa Solea. They are all conveniently located between the centre of Montefrio and the Villa church.

Below you will find all the hotels and accommodation available in Montefrío after selecting your dates:

The dates of the Feria de Montefrio

The dates of the Feria de Montefrío may come as a surprise. In fact, as was the case everywhere else in the past, the Feria still takes place in two periods, in June and September:

Festivities are still celebrated in Montefrío according to the agricultural calendar, depending on the harvest.

What to do around Montefrio?

There are some fabulous places to visit in the Montefrio area. Here are 4 ideas for visits fairly close to Montefrio.

The Roman villa of Salar

In the comune of Salar, 37km away, you can visit the Roman villa of Salar by appointment. This is an opportunity to discover an archaeological site that has only been open to the public for a few years. The mosaics are in an incredible state of preservation.

To find out more, here’s a link to the Roman Villa of Salar.

La Malaha and its salt marsh

If you’re heading towards Granada, you’ll have the chance to stop off at an extraordinary place: a salt marsh located in a fairly deserted area.

Note: this site is only 17 km from the Alhambra!

Here’s a link to this curious salt marsh in Andalucia, at La Malaha.

Iznajar

This is a small town in the province of Cordoba, 44km from Montefrio, with a beautiful centre.

Here’s a link if you’d like to visit Iznajar (link under construction).

Zuheros

If you’re heading from Montefrio towards Córdoba, here’s a white village to discover. Its location is surprising, as is its castle. It is also the only village in the province of Córdoba to be part of the Pueblos más bonitos de España network.

Note: don’t miss a visit to the cueva de los murcielagos (bat cave). A magnificent experience awaits you in this cave.

Here’s the link if you want to visit Zuheros (link under construction)

Some ideas and useful links

The links below can be very useful depending on where you are staying and what you need to do to have a wonderful time in Andalucia.

• An interactive map of Andalucia to find lots of ideas for visits around you, off the beaten track.

• link to book a rental car at Malaga airport.

• link to book a rental car anywhere else in Andalucia with the rentalcars platform.

• If you’re on the Costa del Sol and looking for ideas for excursions in Andalucia, you can use the following link to book a tour departing from Málaga, Torremolinos, Estepona or Benalmadena.

Discover more of Andalusia’s beautiful sites in the Andalucia blog pages.

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