El Contador brings together church history and rural culture, with routes through the landscape of the Sierra de María. Two specific points of interest for a stay are the parish church of San Antonio de Padua and the Museo del Esparto. There are also religious traditions with different seasonal associations, and routes that situate El Contador in its landscape from different directions.
San Antonio Church: Building History and Traditions
The parish church of San Antonio de Padua was built in 1900. It was preceded by an older hermitage dating from the early 18th century. The building history therefore reaches further back than the present-day church building: the hermitage is the older point of reference, while 1900 marks the year the parish church was built.
Every year, El Contador holds a festival in honor of its patron saint, San Antonio. Another religious tradition is the special Misas de Gozo held in the church. They take place in the winter months, a few days before Christmas. A small musical group, or cuadrilla, performs various parts of the Eucharist. If you would like to plan your trip around these services, check the local schedule.
The dates provide two different planning considerations: the festival in honor of San Antonio is held annually, while the Misas de Gozo are tied to the winter months and the days shortly before Christmas. This distinction is useful if a religious tradition is the reason for choosing when to travel.
Esparto Museum and Rural Culture
The Museo del Esparto de El Contador houses around 65 to 70 objects connected with everyday life and rural activities. Its themes range from the history of production and rural communities to Chirivel and its surroundings, as well as harvesting, honey, esparto and weaving techniques. The museum thus brings together social and local connections alongside specific materials and topics related to their processing.
The museum also has a courtyard for demonstrations. It complements the themed collection with a space intended for practical demonstrations. For visitors interested in culture, the focus on esparto offers a different way to experience El Contador than the church’s building history: here, rural activities and weaving techniques take center stage.
Routes and Landscape Around El Contador
The Vélez-Blanco–El Contador stage passes through the Sierra de María via Puerto de Chirivel before reaching El Contador, its endpoint. The III Ruta del Estraperlo – II Ruta AlVelAl offers a different perspective on the landscape. Its 2023 edition included a 10-kilometer section from Venta Quemada to El Contador. This section passes through the transition in the landscape from the Granada Geopark to the Comarca Los Vélez.
In the October 2023 edition of the III Ruta del Estraperlo – II Ruta AlVelAl, a final section ran from El Contador toward Los Álamos on a Sunday. The Vélez-Blanco–El Contador stage passes through the Sierra de María via Puerto de Chirivel; the section from Venta Quemada to El Contador passes through the transition in the landscape from the Granada Geopark to the Comarca Los Vélez. For the Vélez-Blanco–El Contador stage, it is advisable to check conditions and signage before planning.
When looking for accommodation in El Contador, these themes can help you choose the focus of your trip: church building history, esparto and rural activities, or the landscape featured on the routes described.
Discover more destinations: Macael, Fondón, Pulpí, Cuevas Del Almanzora, Huércal de Almería, Vicar, Aguadulce, Albox.
For the broader travel overview: Almeria.
