Humilladero is a small agricultural town located in the Antequera region. It is situated just over 70 kilometres from the capital city of Málaga and 18 kilometres from Antequera. The town is predominantly agricultural, with fertile lands and quiet streets. The main crops grown in the area are cereals and olives.
The town has a population of around 2,700 inhabitants and its economy is based mainly on the cultivation of dry fruits, especially olives. The town is located in the plains of the Antequera depression and enjoys wonderful mountain scenery, accompanied by the Ratosa lagoon.
Humilladero has a rich history and several monuments and attractions for visitors to explore. The Church of the Virgen del Rosario and the Cruz del Humilladero are two of the town’s main landmarks. If you continue reading our guide, you will discover other interesting places to visit in the municipality.
History
The exact date of Humilladero’s foundation is uncertain, but its origins can be traced back to the 15th century. Some sources suggest that Christian troops founded the town before they conquered Antequera, while an inscription on the Cruz del Humilladero, a monument at the town’s entrance, dates its foundation to 1618.
In 1410, an event occurred that is believed to have given Humilladero its name. Infante Don Fernando, who was Castile’s regent at the time, humbled himself before Per Afán de Ribera, who carried the sword of San Fernando. Don Fernando knelt and kissed the sword, swearing not to sheathe it until he conquered Antequera. A cross was erected to mark the spot where Don Fernando received the sword.
A convent was built near the cross over time, and workers constructed houses around it. This settlement gradually grew into Humilladero. The original cross was lost over time but has been restored several times. The current version dates back to 1995 and is located just a few meters from the original site.
Attractions
Humilladero has a rich history and several monuments and attractions for visitors to explore. If you continue reading our guide, you will discover interesting places to visit in the municipality and its surroundings.
Here’s a list of some of Humilladero’s tourist attractions:
- The Church of the Virgen del Rosario: The exact origins of the church are uncertain, but it is believed to have been built in the 19th century on the site of an old hermitage. An inscription at the entrance of the church dates it to 1861.
- Hermitage of Apostol Santiago: Located in the Carvajales area of Humilladero. Some locals believe that this hermitage was once used as a sanctuary for the town’s activities. The origins of the hermitage can be traced back to the 18th century. The hermitage was originally part of one of the local farmhouses.
- The Cruz del Humilladero: This cross, located at the entrance of the town, dates back to 1618 and marks the spot where Infante Don Fernando humbled himself before the sword of San Fernando. (Website)
- La Sierrecilla: This mountain range offers beautiful views of the surrounding area. (Map)
- Camping and bungalows: Map.
In addition to these attractions within Humilladero, there are also several interesting places to visit nearby, such as Fuente de Piedra, a town known for its natural lagoon and flamingo population.
Hiking routes from Humilladero
One of the things that stands out about Humilladero is its interesting hiking trails. Discover the surroundings of this beautiful town on foot, by bike or on horseback. You can drive there, park your car and start your adventure by exploring one of the routes we recommend below.
To Ratosa Lagoon
Ratosa Lagoon The Ratosa Lagoon is a natural reserve located north of Humilladero. This lagoon is a refuge for many bird species, including flamingos, purple swamphens, shovelers, wigeons, black-winged stilts and avocets. The lagoon is surrounded by hills and olive groves and offers a beautiful landscape for visitors to enjoy.
The starting point is Humilladero, from where we head towards the Cortijo Santillán, where the Granja Escuela is located. This farm school offers various services such as monument visits, socio-cultural animation, caving, agriculture and livestock work, among others. From there we continue towards the hamlet of Los Carvajales. Finally, we reach the Ratosa Lagoon.
Itinerary
- Departure: Humilladero, located on the N-451
- Landmarks: Humilladero town – Cortijo de Santillán – Los Carvajales – Ratosa Lagoon.
Basic Information
- Difficulty: Medium – Low
- Length: Approximately 10 km (one way)
- Accessible on foot, by horse or by mountain bike.
To Fuente de Piedra
The Fuente de Piedra Lagoon is a natural reserve located near Humilladero. This lagoon is the largest in Andalusia and is home to one of the largest colonies of flamingos in Europe. The lagoon offers a beautiful landscape for visitors to enjoy and is an important wetland for birdwatching.
The starting point is Humilladero, from where we head towards La Realenga. We then pass by the Depuradora and finally reach the Cerro del Palo (Reception and Interpretation Centre of the Reserve).
Itinerary
- Departure: Humilladero, located on the N-451
- Landmarks: Humilladero town – La Realenga – Cerro del Palo – Fuente de Piedra Lagoon.
Basic Information
- Difficulty: Low
- Length: Approximately 6 km (one way)
- Accessible on foot, by horse or by mountain bike.
To La Sierrecilla
The starting point is Humilladero, from where we head on foot towards La Sierrecilla Recreational Area. From there, we can climb to the top of Pico Pollo, which is 628 meters high and offers beautiful views of the Fuente de Piedra Lagoon Natural Reserve and the Vega de Antequera. Finally, we can also climb to El Puntal, which is 680 meters high.
Itinerary
- Departure: Humilladero, located on the N-451
- Landmarks: Humilladero town – Pico Pollo – Sierra de Humilladero.
Basic Information
- Difficulty: Medium
- Length: 5 km to Pico Pollo and 7 km more to El Puntal
- (Map)
Festivities
- Candelaria Festival: This festival takes place on the night of February 1st and marks the end of the Christmas season. It is a traditional celebration that involves lighting candles and bonfires to welcome the coming of spring.
- May Crosses Festival in Los Carvajales: This festival takes place in May in the district of Los Carvajales. The festival involves decorating crosses with flowers and organizing various activities such as music, dancing and food tastings.
- San Juan Fair: This fair takes place on June 24th and celebrates the arrival of summer. There are many activities with music and dancing.
- Emigrant Fair: This fair takes place in the first week of August and commemorates people who had to leave their hometown in search of better economic opportunities. The town organizes various activities such as theatrical performances, flamenco shows, tastings of typical products, sports and cultural events.
- Verbena Ntra. Sra. del Rosario: This festival takes place in the last week of August and celebrates the Virgin of the Rosary. It involves various religious and cultural activities.
- Fair of the Hamlet of Los Carvajales : This fair takes place in mid-July in the rural district of Los Carvajales. This Fair ncludes numerous activities over three days.
- Romería Ntra. Sra. del Rosario: This pilgrimage takes place on the last Sunday of September and honors the Virgin of the Rosary. A mass is celebrated in the church, followed by a procession to La Sierrecilla, where a large meal is held. On October 7th, a triduum is held in honor of the Virgin, ending with a procession of the Patron Saint.
- Procession Ntra. Sra. del Rosario: This procession takes place on October 7th and honors the Virgin of the Rosary.
- Emigrant Festival in La Realenga: This festival takes place in mid-October in La Realenga.
How to get
To get to Humilladero from Malaga Airport by car, follow these steps:
- Head northeast on Av. del Comandante García Morato.
- Take the ramp to N-348/Av. de Velázquez.
- Merge onto N-348.
- Keep right at the fork, follow signs for E-15/A-7/Benalmádena/Algeciras and merge onto E-15/A-7.
- Take exit 241A to merge onto A-45 toward Córdoba/Sevilla/Granada.
- Take exit 138 toward A-7280/Humilladero.
- Turn left onto A-7280 (signs for Humilladero).
- At the roundabout, take the 1st exit onto A-7280.
- At the next roundabout, take the 2nd exit onto Calle de la Mollina/A-7279.
- Turn left onto Avenida del Emigrante/MA-5404.
The approximate travel time is 50 minutes, depending on traffic conditions.
By public transportation There are several options for getting to Humilladero from Málaga Airport by public transportation:
- You can take the Commuter train line C1 from Malaga Airport to Malaga María Zambrano station, then transfer to a medium-distance train towards Sevilla-Santa Justa and get off at Bobadilla station. From there, you can take a taxi or a bus to Humilladero.
- Alternatively, you can take a bus from Málaga Airport to Málaga city center, then transfer to another bus towards Antequera or Sevilla and get off at Humilladero.
The approximate travel time by public transportation is around 2 hours, depending on the connections and waiting times.