Virgen De La Cabeza brings together the basilica and the natural surroundings of the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Andújar with a pilgrimage whose tradition dates back to the first half of the 13th century. This offers different priorities to choose from when planning your visit: the history of the sanctuary, the date of the festival, which changes each year, or the landscape and its trails.

Sanctuary and natural surroundings

The Basílica y Real Santuario de la Santísima Virgen de la Cabeza is located in the Parque Natural de la Sierra de Andújar, in the Cerro del Cabezo area. The park represents the hilly landscape typical of the Sierra Morena. Threatened, characteristic species find refuge here among Mediterranean woodland and dehesa grasslands. The sanctuary can therefore also be viewed in the context of the surrounding landscape.

The Centro de recepción de visitantes Virgen de la Cabeza offers information about the monument, its religious heritage and the natural surroundings of the Parque Natural Sierra de Andújar. As service information may change, check the centre’s latest notices before visiting.

Building history and pilgrimage tradition

The Basílica y Real Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza was originally built between 1287 and 1304. After being almost completely destroyed during the last civil war, it was rebuilt. On 21 April 2010, a papal brief elevated it to the status of a minor basilica. These milestones distinguish the early building history from the later reconstruction and ecclesiastical elevation.

The Romería de la Virgen de la Cabeza has been celebrated on the last Sunday in April since the first half of the 13th century. The exact date varies from year to year. The Sunday celebrations culminate in a procession of the Santísima Virgen de la Cabeza. Participants arrive on foot, on horseback, on mules or in wagons. If you are planning your visit around the Romería, you should therefore take the relevant festival Sunday into account as a separate planning point.

Another way to explore the religious heritage is the Museo Mariano Virgen de la Cabeza, located in the sanctuary’s premises. It displays a significant artistic, documentary and anthropological collection about the history of devotion to the Virgen de la Cabeza. Specific insights include a 17th-century painting of the Romería, on display in the first room. Check the museum’s current visiting arrangements before your visit.

Trails and getting there

The route descriptions use different reference points. The Camino Viejo: Tramo Santuario de Nuestra Señora de la Cabeza–Lugar Nuevo section begins at Cerro del Cabezo and descends throughout. By contrast, the Circular Santuario–Río Jándula circular trail begins and ends in the square at the Santuario de la Virgen de la Cabeza. These provide two clearly distinct details for planning: a section that descends throughout and a circular route that starts and finishes in the same square.

For the journey there, the A-6177 road connects Andújar with the sanctuary and is the main access route to the Parque Natural Sierra de Andújar. The route is 32 km long. Check road conditions before setting off. Together with the trail information, this connection helps you plan the journey and your preferred focus—pilgrimage, culture or landscape—separately, without assuming a particular walking time or a full-day itinerary.

If you are looking for hotels in Virgen De La Cabeza, first decide on the purpose of your trip. For a visit during the Romería, the festival date, which changes each year, is an important reference point; if you are focusing on the building’s history, the collection or hiking trails, each topic points you in a different direction when planning.

Discover more destinations: Martos, La Puerta De Segura, Úbeda, Cazalilla, Villanueva Del Arzobispo, Pilas de Fuente Soto, Aldeaquemada, Bailén.

For the main travel overview: Jaen.