Benamaurel offers several starting points for planning a trip: a linear route through the badlands, cave districts on the slopes of hills and ravines, and a vibrant festive culture. When choosing when to visit, you may want to consider the traditional April date of the Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos. The Ruta del Azufre, by contrast, focuses on the route itself and the history of sulfur.

Ruta del Azufre and the History of Sulfur

The Ruta del Azufre is an approximately 8-kilometer linear route. It begins at Plaza Mayor, passes through the San Antonio district, and descends to the Vega del Guardal. The route continues through the badlands of Benamaurel to the El Minado area, where sulfur was extracted from shafts. Its course and the subject of sulfur extraction give the route a clear focus; its approximate length makes it easy to plan as a separate activity for the day alongside cultural discoveries.

The geological formation of the sulfur deposits is also part of this story. Elemental sulfur formed there through biological processes in sediments beneath a shallow lake whose water was saturated with mineral salts. The history of the deposits’ formation thus extends well beyond their later extraction from shafts. The geological features of the Ruta del Azufre are designated Lugar de Interés Geológico, or LIG 55, in the Granada Geopark.

Cave Districts and Church Architecture

Benamaurel has troglodytic districts with cave houses, which were hollowed out of the slopes of hills and ravines and used as traditional dwellings for centuries. This is a long-developed form of housing, offering a different way to discover the town from the linear route through the badlands. If you are interested in how the landscape and traditional housing interact, this offers a distinct focus for exploring Benamaurel.

Another glimpse into the town’s history comes from the Iglesia de la Anunciación. It was built in 1520 on the site of an earlier mosque. The church preserves a wooden roof structure that was installed after a fire in 1837, when the coffered ceiling was lost. Its architectural history thus includes both construction over an earlier religious building and later alteration following the fire. The dates and surviving roof structure give the church a tangible historical dimension.

Festivals and Local Products

Benamaurel celebrates the traditional Fiestas de Moros y Cristianos on the last Sunday in April and the following Monday. They are recognized at the autonomous-community level in Andalusia. The festival includes “Las Batallas” and “Los Papeles,” which tell the story of the “Cautiverio y Rescate de Ntra. Sra. La Virgen de la Cabeza.” “Los Papeles” is the main element of the festival. If you want to plan your trip around the festivities, check the specific dates for your chosen year.

Local products are also associated with an event in Benamaurel: at the second edition of the Feria Alimentaria Benamaurel in 2024, the fair was presented as an opportunity to sample and buy products from the region during the event.

For an overview of the wider destination: Granada.