Cabra brings together the history of its oldest quarter and its churches with the culture of olive oil and trails through the countryside. Holy Week was recognised as a Festival of National Tourist Interest in 1989. When planning your stay, you can choose from different ways to explore the area, from sacred art and museums about the history of oil to nature trails.
Old Town, Church Art and History
Cabra’s oldest quarter stands on the site of ancient Licabrum, which later became Egabro. The parish church of Nuestra Señora de la Asunción y Ángeles has medieval origins and was built over a former Muslim mosque. Its interior has five naves with 44 red marble columns; the high altar is made of red and black marble.
Holy Week is also represented in the city’s exhibitions. The Museo de Arte Sacro de la Hermandad del Buen Fin has four areas: the Capilla de Capuchinos, a heritage room, a room dedicated to Cabra’s Holy Week and a temporary exhibition space. Sacred art, local heritage and festival traditions are presented as distinct themes. A themed route highlights Cabra, alongside Priego de Córdoba, Lucena, Encinas Reales, Benamejí, Rute and Iznájar, as a place with exceptional examples of Baroque art.
For a self-guided tour of the historic quarters, the APP RUTA HISTÓRICA DE CABRA offers a dedicated route. Since 1984, the Archaeological Museum of Cabra has been housed in the former Banco de España building, now the Casa de la Cultura. The city’s development and the history of the building are also among the subjects you can discover in Cabra.
Olive Oil and Railway History
The Museo del Aceite “El Molino Viejo” is housed in a stone building considered an example of 19th-century industrial architecture. The museum explores different methods and equipment used to produce olive oil. Another olive oil museum displays esparto grass weaving, presses, storage systems and belt-driven mills. Its exhibits include a beam press dating from the 17th century, made of oak and limestone.
At Cabra railway station, the Olive Interpretation Centre houses a reconstruction of a railway station from 1920 to 1930. Its exhibitions cover the history of the oil train, the region’s olive groves and the Vía Verde de la Subbética. Together, these places offer different perspectives on oil production and transport, from the equipment in the olive oil museums to the history of the railway once associated with the oil train.
Spring, Cave and Trails through the Countryside
The Fuente del Río is a karst spring in the Sierra de Cabra, landscaped with gardens and trees. It is designated an Asset of Cultural Interest, a Site of Natural Interest and a Notable Tree Grove. Cabra lies wholly or partly within the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, recognised as a UNESCO Global Geopark.
The trail to the Sima de Cabra leads to a cave associated with a long history and numerous legends, and offers views of the Sierras Subbéticas and the depression of the Guadalquivir Valley. The route first passes through olive groves, then through natural vegetation including holm oaks, hawthorns, pistachio bushes, mastic shrubs and old Portuguese oaks. Along the way, you may spot birds of prey and other wildlife. The changing landscape makes this trail a different focus from the city’s churches and museums.
The Vía Verde uses disused railway lines in the Subbética, once served by the oil train, for cycling and walking routes through the Andalusian interior. The Vía Verde del Aceite has six rest areas with benches, picnic tables with benches, bins and bicycle racks. The Cabra–Los Pelaos trail starts at the Vía Verde del Aceite, passes under a bridge alongside a path, and goes past the Fuente de los Frailes and a Roman quarry. As trail conditions can change, it is advisable to check them before setting out.
These themes offer different starting points for a trip focused on cultural history, landscapes or both.
Discover more destinations: El Vacar, Rute, Hinojosa Del Duque, El Cerezo, El Carpio, Fernán-Núñez, Añora, Pozoblanco.
For the main travel overview: Cordoba.
