In El Villar, both the history of the settlement and the rural Mills Route II shape the character of the place. Festivals are also held throughout the year. Consider whether you would prefer to plan your trip around a local event, architectural and settlement history, or the mills route.
Settlement Layout and Church
The houses in El Villar are scattered and preserve the original settlement structure of the Nuevas Poblaciones. Many homes were once built on agricultural plots so that the colonists could work their fields directly. This scattered layout also tells the story of a form of settlement in which living and working in the countryside were closely connected.
The church in El Villar was built in the early 2000s with a circular floor plan. Inside are frescoes by Kiko Argüello and his team. The building thus combines a distinctive architectural form with a specific artistic design.
Pilgrimage and Festival Dates
The Romería de El Villar in honour of San Isidro Labrador dates back to the 1950s. In 1952, an image of the patron saint was purchased with the proceeds of a raffle, and the tradition began thereafter. The romería takes place on 15 May or the nearest weekend. Check the exact date for your travel year.
Several dozen decorated carts and hundreds of pilgrims travel from El Villar to the Paraje de Los Arroyones. A shared meal among the brotherhood along the way is part of the romería. Both the procession to its destination and the shared meal are therefore among the described elements of the festival.
Other festivals take place throughout the year: the Feria de El Villar is held in mid-June, and the festival of Cristo del Perdón in October. Together with the romería in May, these dates offer different points in the calendar to plan around if a local festival is to be the focus of your trip.
Mills Route II
Mills Route II runs between Cañada del Rabadán, El Villar, La Ventilla and Fuente Palmera. It is about 17 kilometres long and rated easy. When planning your trip, its length and rating provide a practical guide to the route’s character; the approximate distance remains a guideline.
The route passes through a more rural landscape of dryland and irrigated agriculture, olive groves and old rural huts away from the settlement centres. This section therefore offers more than just the mills: it also takes in different forms of agricultural use and scattered rural buildings.
The route also leads to Molino de la Palma. The former estate dates back to the 17th century, was converted into a country house and restored while preserving its original features. The route also goes to Molino Sotomelero, a historic mill dating from the 16th century. After restoration, it was repurposed for various celebrations; it has gardens, accommodation and event halls. The two sites thus represent different later uses: one was converted into a country house, while the other is used for celebrations.
Historical Traces and Getting Your Bearings
The area’s more distant past is also worth exploring. Muslim alquerías once stood around El Villar, having previously been Roman villas. Oil was produced there for export from Astigi to Rome. Archaeological remains in the area point to this sequence of events, although a thorough investigation has yet to be carried out.
Parque de El Villar is on the road between Fuente Palmera and Écija. Together with the route, festival dates and settlement history, it provides a framework for planning your stay around your preferred focus.
Discover more destinations: Villafranca De Córdoba, Baena, Santaella, Monturque, Nueva Carteya, Iznajar, El Vacar, Cabra.
For the overview of the wider trip: Cordoba.
