Located in the northeast of the province of Cadiz, the municipality of Prado del Rey is part of the route known as Pueblos Blancos. The town lies at the foot of the Subbaetic System and is surrounded by the Verdugo and Las Lomas hills. From the village, it is possible to see the Algodonales, Zafalgar and Margarita Sierras, among others, as well as the villages of Algar and Alcalá de los Gazules.
The first traces of civilization in the area date back to the Palaeolithic settlers, as remains of arrows, axes and other tools made from flint have been found. In Roman times, the city of Iptuci was built to the south of Prado del Rey, a town that became so important that it even minted its own money. The arrival of the Phoenicians led to the exploitation of the salt mines, located at the top of the “Cabeza de los Hortales”, reaching the period of maximum splendor. The town was destroyed by Alfonso VII, when it was under Nasrid rule.
The reign of Carlos III would lead to the occupation of abandoned areas. This would be the beginning of the municipality of Prado del Rey as we know it nowadays. The municipality has experienced moments of splendor, thanks to its agricultural exploitation and wine production. From the 1960s onwards, the leather goods industry was added, becoming the main driving force behind production.
LOCAL FESTIVITIES
HISTORIC HERITAGE
The Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen is the most characteristic religious temple in the town. Built in 1830 thanks to donations from local residents, it consists of three naves separated by pillars and semicircular arches. On its main altar is the carving of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of Prado del Rey, which dates from 1630. The images of the Virgen de los Dolores and del Rosario can also be found in this sanctuary.
The Allá Fountain, related to the Acá Fountain and located in the same street, has a single spout that crosses the eye of a millstone and from which water springs up with a good level of flow throughout the year. The wall is made of stone and is framed by two pilasters and a neoclassical pediment.
Just 6 kilometers from Prado del Rey are the Salt Mines and Archaeological Site of Iptuci, the historical remains of a Turdetan settlement dating from the end of the 2nd century BC. During the Roman occupation, it experienced its moment of greatest splendor. In the 8th and 9th centuries it played a defensive role against the Muslims who occupied it at that time. The city was destroyed in 1133 by the troops of Alfonso VII, precipitating its decline and abandonment.
The Granary of Farm Workers is the oldest building in the municipality, erected in 1789. It served as a storehouse for cereals that were later distributed among the inhabitants of the town in times of food shortages.
The Acá Fountain, also known as the Fountain of Mr. Joaquín, is an emblematic stone construction made up of three tambours and supported by two semicircular arches. Nowadays, water only flows from its spouts in times of heavy rainfall, as its flow is derived and extracted from a public well built in the Blas Infante Park.
Prado del Rey has a children’s playground to have fun and enjoy the views of the Verdugo Hill.
The Fountain Road is one of the paths with the longest history in Prado del Rey, as it has been used for centuries by shepherds and travelers. Along its route, walkers would stop to drink at its springs, from which water flowed directly from the earth. This urban path runs through the surroundings of the municipality.
De la Sierra Viewpoint is a natural balcony located to the north of the town, at one of the highest points in the town center. From here we can see the municipality and a large part of the Sierra of Cadiz.
The Equality Lookout is located to the southeast of the municipality, from where we can get a panoramic view of Prado del Rey, part of the countryside and the Verdugo Hill, a geological landmark that protects the town from strong winds.
Pilar de los Playeros Road runs from the town center to the source of water with a fountain with two spouts that gives its name to this path. This fountain is located on the side of the A-373R road, which links the town with Villamartín.
The Pilgrimage Road is made up of modified areas dominated by cereal crops and olive groves fields. After starting the descent, the pasture and brushes come to the fore, making it an ideal place for livestock farming. The route passes the Iptuci Salt Mines from where we can enjoy views of the Cabeza de Hortales and the Sierra of the Silla.
The Cerro Verdugo Trail is a route that starts from the Constitution Square, in the old town. We take the path that leads to the industrial estate to begin the climb and, once we begin the path, we take a detour that will allow us to walk through the remains of buildings dating from the time when the municipality was founded. Along this path we will reach La Granja farmhouse. This building, built on Castillejos Hill, was originally an olive plantation, which belonged to the Convent of Saint Jerónimo de Bornos. The construction was rebuilt in 1940 and now has an eminent residential character, with a garden and elements typical of Andalusian rural architecture. On the way back to Prado del Rey, we will pass through the Puerto del Albercón. Along the way we will come across orchards and pastures. Along the Verdugo Hill, we will be accompanied by a Mediterranean forest.
De las Lomas Road is a route that runs through a typical Mediterranean forest, where holm oaks, gall oaks and scrubland predominate. At its various stops we can enjoy views of the Sierra, the Labradillo, Sierra Margarita, the pine forest, Mount Albarracín and the Simancón. At the end of the route, we will find the Cabeza de Hortales on the right.
The Farm Road is approximately 7 km long and runs along a wide and easily accessible track around the Castillejos Hill. The path starts descending and then begins a gradual ascent and ends in a new descent. Along the route we find a great variety of tree species such as pines, mastic trees, gall oaks, holm oaks and carob trees.
It is a religious festivity, our town has 5 brotherhoods that make a penitential procession during Holy Week, an important number of brotherhoods considering that its population does not exceed 6,000 inhabitants. Like all Andalusian towns, devotion and culture are mixed in the different penitential processions and processional. As a peculiarity to highlight, on the Resurrection Day, the image of a resurrected person is not carried in procession, it is our Patron Saint, the Virgen del Carmen.
Originally it was a livestock fair, but with the passing of the years and the arrival of mechanization it gradually lost this name and is nowadays a fair with an authentic Andalusian character, where horses and carriage parades decorate the fairground promenade. It is always held on the first weekend of September.
It is always held on the last Saturday of the month of August, this competition is unique in its modality, the Serrana, like other flamenco palos, comes from old popular ‘coplas’ or ‘letrillas’ from the second third of the 19th century and has been adapted to the flamenco genre. Already in the 16th century there was a lyrical song called the serranilla, which seems to have a literary composition very similar to the serrana.
It is another unique celebration in its launching. Neighbors and visitors say goodbye to the year in costumes and eating grapes in the Constitution Square to the sound of the church clock. Throughout the night, the square becomes a real party, where young and old alike celebrate the beginning of the new year until the early hours of the morning.
The Carnival is a festival that is currently booming, during the weekend of its c elebration the streets of the municipality are full of songs and color, the local groups sing in the different establishments and streets of our town, within this festival there is a carnival contest, parade and the groups perform in the different streets of the municipality, filling it with joy and cooler.
It is held in Prado del Rey the weekend closest to the Pilar’s Long Weekend in the month of October and offers a unique opportunity, bringing together beekeepers, scientists and technicians; a beekeeping exhibition and current events in the sector.
This is the town’s most distinctive festivity, held in honor of our patron saint, the Virgen del Carmen, and it is an example of the idiosyncrasy of the municipality. It is a mixture of music, devotion, entertainment and reunion, as many residents who live in other municipalities take advantage of these days to visit the town.
This festival is held in March in honor of the patron saint San José. On this day, a convivial gathering is held in the Constitution Square where the participants prepare sopas cocías, a typical local dish, which are tasted by judges who decide which is the winner.
The Pilgrimage of Prado del Rey in honor of Saint Isidro Labrador is considered one of the most important in the Sierra of Cadiz, during this celebration the residents and visitors of the town make the Pilgrimage path in carriages, floats, on horseback or on foot, towards the Llano de Saint Ignacio, after the arrival of the pilgrims a conviviality takes place, once finished they return towards the town. This pilgrimage passes through two Natural Parks, Grazalema and Los Alcornocales. It is held on the first Sunday after 15 May.
Activities related to the founding of the municipality, conferences, exhibitions, popular games, designation of the townspeople of the year…. all these activities are held around 29 April, the date of the founding of Prado del Rey.
Thanks to the quality of the products from the mountainous areas, unique recipes of great flavor are prepared, which are one of the great tourist attractions of the region. Among the dishes that make up the Pradense menu we find salmorejo, stewed asparagus or tomato soup; broad bean, leg or cabbage stew; goat or turkey giblet, ‘tagarninas’ stew, rabbit with tomatoes or pajarillas.
Thanks to the quality of the products from the mountain range area, unique recipes of great flavor are prepared, which are one of the great tourist attractions of the region. Among the dishes that make up the Prado del Rey menu we find salmorejo, stewed asparagus or tomato soup; broad bean, leg or cabbage stew; goat or turkey giblets, ‘tagarninas’ stew, rabbit with tomatoes or ‘pajarillas’.
The Church of Nuestra Señora del Carmen is the most characteristic religious temple in the town. Built in 1830 thanks to donations from local residents, it consists of three naves separated by pillars and semicircular arches. On its main altar is the carving of the Virgen del Carmen, patron saint of Prado del Rey, which dates from 1630. The images of the Virgen de los Dolores and del Rosario can also be found in this sanctuary.
The Granary of Farm Workers is the oldest building in the municipality, erected in 1789. It served as a storehouse for cereals that were later distributed among the inhabitants of the town in times of food shortages.
The Acá Fountain, also known as the Fountain of Mr. Joaquín, is an emblematic stone construction made up of three tambours and supported by two semicircular arches. Nowadays, water only flows from its spouts in times of heavy rainfall, as its flow is derived and extracted from a public well built in the Blas Infante Park.
Just 6 kilometers from Prado del Rey are the Salt Mines and Archaeological Site of Iptuci, the historical remains of a Turdetan settlement dating from the end of the 2nd century BC. During the Roman occupation, it experienced its moment of greatest splendor. In the 8th and 9th centuries it played a defensive role against the Muslims who occupied it at that time. The city was destroyed in 1133 by the troops of Alfonso VII, precipitating its decline and abandonment.
The Allá Fountain, related to the Acá Fountain and located in the same street, has a single spout that crosses the eye of a millstone and from which water springs up with a good level of flow throughout the year. The wall is made of stone and is framed by two pilasters and a neoclassical pediment.
Prado del Rey has a children’s playground to have fun and enjoy the views of the Verdugo Hill.
Prado del Rey is a town located in the northeast of the province of Cadiz, very close to Seville to the north and Malaga to the east. Its location allows easy access to the municipality from different parts of Andalusia.
From Seville, the N-IV will allow us to reach the municipality in the quickest way.
From Cádiz, take the AP-4 and then the A-382 to reach Prado del Rey. .
From Jerez de la Frontera, follow the route along the A-382 and the A-372.
From Malaga, the shortest route is the A-357 and then the Antequera Road or A-384.
From Ronda, take the A-374 and the CA-8102 to reach the town.
The company DAMAS has an intercity line from Seville, Cadiz and Jerez de la Frontera to Prado del Rey. You can find all the information about the route on their website.
