Fonelas combines an unusually deep insight into the history of the Earth with the landscape along the Río Fardes. The Fonelas P-1 palaeontological site is about 2.0 million years old and contains an exceptionally well-preserved fossil record with great biodiversity. There is also a geological trail and a prehistoric megalithic settlement centre with more than 70 Copper Age dolmens. Nature and cultural history stand side by side here—from geological connections to traces of human settlement.
Landscape along the Río Fardes
The entire municipality of Fonelas lies within the Granada Geopark, which is part of the UNESCO Global Geoparks Network. The Río Fardes runs through the municipality. Fonelas lies on the north–south axis formed by the river’s Vega and surrounded by ravines. This landscape offers another way to discover Fonelas, alongside its palaeontological and archaeological highlights. Its location in the Geopark also places the municipality within a wider regional context.
Palaeontology and the geological trail
The Centro paleontológico Fonelas P-1 is a scientific and technical facility of the IGME’s Valle del Río Fardes Palaeontological Station and is open to visitors. Check visitor arrangements before your trip. The geological trail provides another focus, exploring different aspects of the landscape.
The Palaeontological Station can be reached from Fonelas on foot or by bicycle; walking is recommended. Check trail conditions and visitor arrangements before setting out. A 1 km geological trail is located on the grounds of the IGME’s EPVRF in Fonelas. Information panels and information totems relating to magnetostratigraphy provide details about the Río Fardes valley, landscape units, present-day flora and fauna, and human settlement and use of the area. The trail thus connects geological topics with natural and settlement history. While the site focuses on palaeontology, the trail directs attention to the valley and its varied landscape and land-use themes.
Dolmens and prehistory
Fonelas’s history encompasses both the very long history of the Earth and human prehistory. During the Copper Age, more specifically the Chalcolithic period from around 2600 to 2200 BC, Fonelas was home to an important prehistoric megalithic settlement centre with more than 70 dolmens. This date places the archaeological focus within a clearly defined historical period and distinguishes it from the palaeontological site, which is around two million years old. Those choosing Fonelas for its historical themes will find two distinct time perspectives.
Annual festivals
Religious traditions also offer specific dates to help plan your trip. Every year, a pilgrimage takes place on 15 May or the nearest weekend, travelling from Fonelas to the Ermita de San Torcuato. The festivities in honour of Nuestra Señora del Rosario de Fátima take place on the weekend closest to 15 August. They include a romería, a church service and a solemn procession. On Palm Sunday, the celebration in honour of Nuestra Señora la Virgen de los Dolores includes a festive address, a procession through the streets of Fonelas and a solemn Eucharistic celebration. If you are travelling for one of these festivals, check the date and programme in advance.
Peaches from Fonelas
Peaches are among Fonelas’s best-known local products. They are grown in the area and used in numerous recipes; Melocotones al vino (peaches in wine) is a typical recipe from Fonelas. This local product and recipe add a culinary point of interest to a trip otherwise focused on geology and archaeology.
Discover more destinations: Cónchar, El Varadero, Zújar, Puebla De Don Fadrique, Alquife, Salar, Dílar, Villamena.
For the broader travel overview: Granada.
