DESCRIPTION OF THE VILLAGE
Less than an hour away from the main cities in Andalusia, Málaga airport and Córdoba AVE (high speed train) station, in the very heart of Andalusia, in the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, lies Carcabuey. |
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It is a welcoming and friendly village whose scenery will submerge you in the deepest feeling of tranquility. Coming to Carcabuey will allow you to enjoy the warmth of its people, as well as the beauty of its white-walled houses, its waters, its lands and its mountain ranges. All of them contribute to making possible that those who come to our town find here an idyllic spot to rest, buy handmade products and enjoy leisure time and fine cuisine. |
Carcabuey is a village of rich past, whose valuable heritage remains nowadays. Together with the idiosyncrasy of its people, it encourages the visitors to share our celebrations and traditions.
White, clean streets, open doors, crowded taverns, well cared for, regarded heritage. Open, accessible, waiting to be shared. |
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ACTIVITIES (up)
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Carcabuey offers an unequalled network of rural accommodation that comprises rural cottages fit to lodge the most demanding tourist and a quiet hotel for a stay in full comfort. |
| The village is well known for its medieval castle and its virgin olive oil. The first has allowed the villagers to put together a first rate tourist event, the Medieval dinners, interactive performances where the visitor will not remain impassible. The second, which belongs to a prestigious denomination of origin, is one of the basis of our culinary richness, its other cornerstone being the traditional slaughter of the pig, open to visitors who wish to take part in it. |
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Besides, you will be able to go on guided tours of Carcabuey and the surrounding area and visit the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park, as well as practise all kinds of outdoor and adventure sports and take part in hunting activities. |
Carcabuey has a rich, worth visiting, historic and cultural heritage, as well as traditional, singular and well-renowned celebrations, such as Semana Santa, Pascua de los Moraos, Corpus Christi and Toro de Cuerda that, together with a wide range of high-quality cultural and recreational activities, will make the delight of those who visit our village.
Do not hesitate, come to Carcabuey and feel right at home. |
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HISTORY (up)
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From the dawn of time men have inhabited this land; they, men and land, have built a relationship of respect whose legacy consists, in the first place, of a rich historic and artistic heritage and outstanding monuments and, in the second place, of astonishing landscapes and a wide variety of flora and fauna. |
| As the cave paintings and archaeological remains come to show, already in prehistoric times men profited from the game generously offered by the lush forests in the area. Later, the goodness of the land, together with the abundance of water, encouraged sedentariness as farming developed. Then came the Iberians and the Romans, who found in Cerro del Castillo (Hill of the Castle) the perfect place for a bastion to keep watch over the area. |
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With the arrival of the Muslims the fortification grew in importance, and it remained a strategic landmark until a much later stage of the Reconquest, as this was frontier land where many combats that tipped the scale in the Christians' or Muslims' favor were fought. |
Time passed and so did cultural movements and architectural styles. Examples of the Renaissance, the Baroque and the Rococo styles remain in our streets, squares and churches, and they never fail to amaze us.
However, it must not be forgotten that Carcabuey has always been a village, and as such it has preserved its environment, creating a singularly beautiful harmony. |
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TRADITIONS (up)
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Considering its rich historic and cultural heritage and the sociability of its people, the fact that Carcabuey is a land of many traditions and celebrations, which the locals work hard to promote, comes as no surprise. As a result, the visitor who comes to Carcabuey leaves as a friend who has gained knowledge of our culture. A wide variety of events takes place all through the year, some of the highlights being: |
| • Three Kings Parade, on the evening of January 5th. The number and beauty of the floats that take part in the parade attract tourists and people from neighbouring towns. |
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• Holy Week. Its climax is "el Consejito" on Good Friday: the images of Jesus and the Virgin Mary are brought together until they almost touch. |
| • Pascua de los Moraos, on Easter Sunday. This carnival, unique in Spain, is famous for its satirical choirs ("murgas"), speeches ("pregones") and street music ("pasacalles"). At present, it is in the process to be declared a Celebration of Tourist Interest of Andalusia. |
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• Corpus Christi. The neighbours of Carcabuey make coloured sawdust carpets to decorate the streets. This is one of the most singular celebrations in Andalusia. |
| • Feria (Summer Fair), from the 14th to the 17th of August. You will fell most welcome in its "casetas" (tents), where you will be able to try "fino" (sherry wine) and the typical "tapas" during the day and, at night, enjoy the music up to the small hours of the morning. |
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• La Aurora, at the end of August. The daring can take part on the running of a bull, called "toro de cuerda". Other main events are a three-night festival, the crowning of the queen and maids and a popular meal for villagers and visitors where each person must buy a clay bowl that can be refilled as many times as desired. |
• La Virgen del Castillo, on September 7th and 8th. This celebration honors the patron of the village. It is a sign of popular devotion to the Virgin.
Exhibitions, courses, lectures... are also a part of our wide variety of cultural activities.
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GASTONOMY (up)
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As a land where fine cuisine is highly appreciated, each celebration in Carcabuey has its own typical dishes. Therefore, we cannot forget our gastronomy as a part of our cultural heritage that deserves to be praised... and tasted. It is worth mentioning: |
• ESlaughter of the pig (October-February): kidney bean stew with pig's blood and onions and a variety of pork products such as "chanfaina".
• Carnival: "relleno" (stuffing), a kind of sausage made from a mixture of meats.
• Holy Week: chicken pea and cod stew and fish meatballs.
• Summer: "gazpacho" (vegetable cold soup) and "picadillos" (minced meat). |
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Confectionery is just as important in Carcabuey,and each celebration has typical sweets of its own. Among those products that are worth discovering and tasting are "mostachos" (made with olive oil and fat) in Christmas and "pestiños" (fried dough) and "empanadillas" (sweet pasties) in Easter, as well as "roscos de vino" and "rosquetas" (round fritters), which are consumed all year round. |
| Furthermore, any cuisine that prides itself of its richness and singularity must be complemented by beverages no less rich and singular. Hence, in Carcabuey, in addition to local "finos" (a kind of sherry), the visitors will be able to try "charco", a refreshing summer drink similar to "sangría", and "Resol", a homemade liquor made from coffee or milk. |
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THE AREA (up)
| Carcabuey belongs to Córdoba; the village is located on the south of this centrally situated Andalusian province. This is an exceptional location, right in the centre, but not in the middle, of everything. |
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Nearby villages such as Priego de Córdoba, Cabra, Lucena, Zuheros and Rute can also be visited. They belong to the Subbética Joint Community, whose administrative seat Carcabuey is honoured to be. It is honoured as well to be the municipality that has the largest area of the Sierras Subbéticas Natural Park within its borders in the province of Córdoba. Carcabuey and Priego de Cérdoba also share an internationally prestigious Denomination of Origin extra virgin olive oil, the only Spanish Denomination of Origin that has won an Italian contest. |
Other locations such as Alcalá la Real, Antequera, Guadix, Montilla and Estepa are not far from Carcabuey. They can be the perfect complement to a trip from our village.
Come to Carcabuey. You will be surprised by what you will find: Nature, tourism and oil.. |
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More information about Carcabuey here: |
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Mancomunidad de la SubBética |
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Andalucia Turismo |
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TurEspaña |
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GDR SUBBETICA |
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