Olmedilla de Alarcón brings together religious art and the memory of a flooded settlement. The Parroquia de San Pedro y San Pablo and the Torre de Atojallano offer glimpses into different chapters of the town’s history. A stone monolith on the reservoir shore commemorates Gascas de Alarcón. Stage 11 of the Camino Natural del Júcar runs along the reservoir, adding a landscape perspective to visits to the town.

Church, Park, and Technical History

The Parroquia de San Pedro y San Pablo was built at the beginning of the 18th century. Inside are frescoes featuring allegories of the Battle of Lepanto in 1571. The construction date and subject matter thus point to different historical periods. The church’s history also includes its former Romanesque baptismal font, now kept at the Museo Arqueológico de Cuenca. The frescoes inside the church and the baptismal font in the museum are two distinct points of reference for understanding the church’s furnishings.

The municipal park is open to visitors. Its entrance has several arches, and the town’s coat of arms can be seen on the paving stones. The Torre de Atojallano offers a different perspective: it has three floors and was station no. 17 on the Madrid–Valencia optical telegraph line. The line operated from 1850 to 1855. This time span places the tower within the brief operating period of the historic connection.

Gascas and the Town’s Festivals

The Monumento a Gascas is located on the shore of the Alarcón Reservoir, within the municipality of Olmedilla. The stone monolith commemorates Gascas de Alarcón, which was flooded after the dam was built. When water levels fall in summer, parts of Gascas’s walls and ruins may become visible. The monument permanently commemorates the settlement; whether remains can be seen, however, depends on the water level.

Since the monument was inaugurated in 2010, Olmedilla de Alarcón has held the Homenaje a Gascas every year. This is followed by a mass on the reservoir shore. The Fiestas Patronales de San Roque are also part of the annual calendar: they are held every August, although the exact dates vary from year to year. One tradition is a communal Caldereta meal, prepared with the involvement of local residents. If you would like to plan your trip around one of the festivals, check the dates for that year’s event in advance.

Stages and Routes through the Landscape

On Stage 11 of the Camino Natural del Júcar, a turnoff to Olmedilla de Alarcón is reached after about 3.5 kilometres along the reservoir. The stage’s landscape is predominantly agricultural, with Mediterranean scrubland, holm oak stands, and pine forests also found along the way. The route description thus connects the reservoir as a landmark with a variety of landscape types.

There is also a practical limitation on the Camino Natural: two seasonal sections are impassable when the Alarcón Reservoir is at a very high water level. Check the current conditions before setting out. This means that water levels matter not only as a feature of the shoreline landscape, but also when choosing a route.

The Carrera Popular “Pinos de Abdón” offers another example of a route through both urban and rural areas. The 2025 edition consisted of two laps and passed through the town’s streets and natural areas such as the Arroyo de la Hoz. These details refer to the route for that edition; route features may change from year to year.

Discover more destinations: Horcajo de Santiago, Villar De La Encina, Mota Del Cuervo, Chumillas, Olivares De Júcar, Casas De Garcimolina, Villaescusa De Haro, Zafra De Záncara.

For the broader travel overview: Cuenca.