Villanueva Del Rosario can be explored through two themes: routes through the landscape and archaeology ranging from early traces to the Roman period. The tours differ considerably in time required, length and character. When planning your day, it is therefore important not to confuse walking time, approach time and via ferrata time.

Hiking Trails and Via Ferrata

The Ruta de las Cuevas is a linear route covering 5.3 kilometers: it runs from the Cooperativa agrícola San Juan to El Nacimiento – El Chorro. The estimated walking time is 2 hours and 5 minutes. Along the way, visitors can see up to six caves and rock shelters. Check local access conditions before setting out.

For the Vía Ferrata de Hondonero, 15 minutes are allotted for the approach and one hour for the via ferrata. The route is 97 meters long, with an elevation change of 55 meters; the difficulty level is low. Equipment and access conditions may change, so check both locally before your trip.

Both the PR-A 395 Fuentes de Hondonero and Stage 11 of the GR-249 Gran Senda de Málaga start at Parque de la Fuente Vieja. The PR-A 395 is considered an easy route into the Hondonero landscape. Linear Stage 11 runs 15.4 kilometers to Plaza del Puente in Alfarnate. As trail conditions may change, check them before setting out.

The Sierra de Camarolos – Arco Calizo Central route starts at Llano Hondonero. Its marked trail passes through a pine forest and climbs toward the 1,444-meter-high Pico de la Cruz. Trail conditions may vary seasonally. Along the Sierra de Camarolos route, ibex can sometimes be spotted on the steep rock faces of the 1,249-meter-high Pico Nacimiento; sightings vary and are seasonal.

Landscape and Archaeological Traces

The Sierra de Camarolos protected area is designated a Zona Especial de Conservación and also includes Villanueva Del Rosario. Nacimiento de El Chorro lies on the slope of the sierra. The Río Cerezo, a tributary of the Guadalhorce, rises there; its flow varies seasonally. Wooden tables and benches are available to visitors. Check their condition before your visit.

The upper course of the Río Guadalhorce flows through Villanueva Del Rosario. Ash trees, poplars and black poplars grow along its banks. This river landscape adds another perspective on the surroundings to the various routes, without implying that the individual trails are the same.

Cerro del Oso lies within the municipality and has been protected as a Bien de Interés Cultural in the Zona Arqueológica category since 2012. The archaeological site is located on the first foothills of Sierra Gorda at just over 900 meters above sea level. Its location offers expansive views; from here, the routes between the coast of Málaga, the Colmenar-Periana basin, the Antequera basin and the areas of Granada were kept under observation.

Cerro del Oso is one of the few known sites in the upper Guadalhorce Valley attributed to the Late to Final Chalcolithic; the site also has a Late Roman phase. Remains from the Paleolithic, Neolithic, Chalcolithic and Bronze Age have also been found within the municipality, including an early Roman settlement called Ovilia. Access to individual archaeological sites may be limited for the public.

The townscape is characterized by vernacular architecture and well-maintained, well-preserved buildings. Villanueva Del Rosario also has numerous rural houses with kitchen gardens and gardens. Alongside the archaeological evidence, the architecture and the historic town layout are also options for a cultural stay.

Festivals and Culture

The Ferias y fiestas de Nuestra Señora del Rosario are designated as intangible cultural heritage, characterized as a festival, fair and civil-religious procession. The October celebration includes a procession with around fifty bearers carrying the image of the Virgin and women wearing mantillas. Check the latest program details before traveling.

Rocksario has been held in Villanueva Del Rosario for more than three decades; its 31st edition took place on August 1, 2026. Each year, the festival attracts thousands of visitors from different parts of the province. The Feria del Emigrante is a summer celebration that has been held for more than half a century in honor of residents who had left the town and returned during the summer holidays. The 2026 edition took place from August 6 to 9. Its program included sports, children’s activities, music, food and traditional activities, as well as concerts, orchestras, tribute shows and the customary suelta de vaquillas.

The 2026 edition of Día de la Tagarnina included a free tasting of tagarnina stew, hiking activities, the Subida a Hondonero fun run, musical performances, children’s activities, and stalls selling regional food and handicrafts. The mix of activities may vary from one edition to the next.

The ACRO’25 festival is also part of the town’s recent cultural history: its second edition took place on November 21 and 22, 2025, with exhibitions, performances and participatory activities. During the festival, the collaboratively created ceramic mosaic “Zahorí, donde nace un río” by artist Rocío Rivas was inaugurated at the Mercado Municipal. It consists of around 1,500 ceramic pieces bearing residents’ fingerprints.

Discover more destinations: Ojén, Caleta De Vélez, Torre de Benagalbón, Sedella, Teba, Villanueva De Algaidas, Alpandeire, Cuevas Del Becerro

For the main travel overview: Málaga.