Níjar
At the foothills of Sierra Alhamilla and standing at 300 metres above sea level is the Village of Níjar, which has seen the passage of time and various cultures, among which the Muslim period particularly stands as having left an indelible mark on the layout of its streets, architecture, gastronomy and craftsmanship.
The surrender of Níjar (Nixar) to the Catholic Monarchs occurred in 1488 and scenes of these events are reflected in reliefs carved in the lower stalls of the Choir of the Cathedral of Toledo.
Narrow and labyrinthine streets of white cuboid houses, adorned with colourful flowerpots make for a peaceful walk through this beautiful village, which can be admired in its entirety from La Atalaya (watchtower), located on an easily accessible promontory.
Níjar is an artisan town famed for its production of ceramics and “jarapas” (traditional rugs), the manufacturing of which is testament to our Arab heritage as can be seen in the workshops where these crafts are still practised.
Points of interest abound, such as the Church of the Annunciation, the Glorieta, the Market Square, the Water Museum or El Portillo; and visitors must be sure to taste some of the typical dishes of our local gastronomy, testament to the town's rich history and featuring dishes such as garlic potatoes, saffron pasta ('gurullos') with rabbit or cuttlefish, the fritá de matanza (fried pork products) and sausages.
Welcome to Níjar and enjoy your walk through history.
Audio guíaAudio guide
I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to visit Níjar, a town that has preserved its traditions, architecture, craftsmanship and gastronomy and whose history lives on in its narrow streets and the architecture of its houses.
Níjar offers the visitor the chance to lose themselves strolling the streets of its historic centre, with all its charming nooks and crannies. Discover our traditional ceramics and beautiful hand-woven rugs, made with affection by artisans who still work according to ancient Arab methods, or enjoy our delicious and varied cuisine in any bar in town, sampling “tapas” of our typical dishes.
I cannot fail to mention some of the places of interest that you can visit, such as the Watchtower, symbol of the town and from which you can see the entire Campo de Níjar; the church of the Annunciation, in Mudejar style, El Portillo, La Plaza del Mercado, or the vestiges of the ancient water mills in the Rambla de Huebro, some built on the sites of the ancient Almohad mills, in memory of their forebears.
In addition to all its charms and a rich local and cultural heritage, Níjar's inhabitants are open and extroverted, likely to become improvised guides at a moment's notice.
Becoming part of “The Most Beautiful Villages in Spain” is a source of pride for all Nijareños, and strongly supported by village associations such as the Níjar Cultural Association, the Refajonas Cultural Association, the Old Town Neighburhood Association, the Brotherhood of the Blessed Sacrament of Níjar and the Brotherhood of Santa María de Níjar.
This distinction contributes to marking our village out as special, while also representing an opportunity for us to participate in the sharing of experiences and knowledge with other villages so as to improve even further.
All that remains is for me to wish you a very pleasant visit to the Village of Níjar.
