The first part of our journey along the Caminos de Pasión takes us through the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba. We visit a total of six picturesque towns, each with its own unique charm and rich history. The start is in the impressive and...
The Caminos de Pasión is an impressive pilgrimage route in Andalusia, Southern Spain. This unique route connects ten historic inland towns, each with a rich heritage of traditions, gastronomy, and natural beauty. Last autumn, we visited all ten. It became a memorable journey of discovery through a lesser-known but beautifully authentic part of Andalusia.
The name “Caminos de Pasión” refers to the passionate way in which Andalusians express their culture, especially during the celebration of Semana Santa. The route connects the following ten towns in Andalusia, known for their fiery and unique traditions during that week, as well as their rich cultural heritage, gastronomy, and natural beauty:
The route was established in 2002 to draw attention to these lesser-known but culturally rich towns and to offer an alternative to the more famous Semana Santa celebrations in larger cities such as Seville and Málaga.
Semana Santa, or Holy Week, is one of the most impressive religious celebrations in Spain. This week preceding Easter brings cities and towns to life with beautiful processions and age-old traditions.
Each region in Spain celebrates Semana Santa in its own way. The celebrations along the Caminos de Pasión route are distinguished by their theatrical elements, historical figures, and unique musical traditions. We heard and read that in some of the ten towns, there are large-scale theatrical performances or plays about the Passion of Christ. Such performances sometimes involve more than 400 characters.
We visited the ten towns of the Caminos de Pasión in autumn. Therefore, we missed Semana Santa. Nevertheless, we experienced the route as a fantastic journey of discovery through the heart of Andalusia. During our trip, we became acquainted with the rich cultural heritage, gastronomy, beautiful landscape, and interesting architecture of this part of Andalusia. In that sense, we find visiting this area an excellent idea in any season!
What we found so special about our trip is that each of the ten beautiful historic towns offers unique cultural heritage. Alcalá la Real, for example, impressed us with its Moorish fortress La Mota. In Cabra, we were impressed by a beautiful Baroque palace. In Écija, the ‘city of towers’, we found numerous church towers and palaces. Lucena offers a rich Jewish history, while Osuna stands out for its Renaissance architecture. In Priego de Córdoba, we enjoyed Baroque fountains. And in Utrera, it’s the medieval city walls and churches that we found appealing. We’ll go into more detail about this later.
Along the route, we also enjoyed a rich variety of local specialities. In Baena and Priego de Córdoba, for example, you’ll find – reportedly – the best olive oil in the world. Lucena, on the other hand, is known for its refined wines. Osuna surprised us with its artisanal sweets, including the famous ‘roscos’. In Écija, we were able to taste the traditional ‘salmorejo’, a cold tomato soup. Puente Genil is famous for its ‘membrillo’, a sweet quince jelly. And in Carmona, we had delicious ‘espinacas con garbanzos’, a dish of spinach and chickpeas.
In each town, we found cosy tapas bars with the tastiest hams, cheeses, and other regional products. Along the route, we also encountered many traditional bodegas where you can taste local wines and sherries. Tours through olive oil plantations, including a tasting, are also possible. Such as at Núñez de Prado, where we were served such delicious organic olive oil that we immediately bought several tins as souvenirs.
You can discover the ten charming towns of the Caminos de Pasión in various ways, each offering its own unique experience. And of course – as we did – in a combination. If freedom and flexibility are important to you, then you can best travel the picturesque routes between the towns by (rental) car or motorcycle. This allows you to stop at hidden gems along the way at your own pace.
We ourselves did parts of the route by bicycle. This offered us a unique way to fully take in the beautiful landscape. As we followed the route between the ten historic towns, we enjoyed beautiful olive groves, charming villages, and quiet country roads. What we like about cycling is that we have the freedom to travel at our own pace. We therefore often stopped to enjoy the surroundings and take photos. We found some stretches quite challenging due to the hilly terrain. But our physical efforts were amply rewarded with breathtaking views.
To visit the towns on the Caminos de Pasión by bicycle, you follow the GR 341: a route of more than 320 kilometres through the provinces of Jaén, Córdoba and Seville. There are three variants, each adapted to different cycling styles: a road variant of 449 km, a gravel variant (route map, gpx) of 339 km and a mountain bike route (route map, gpx) of 336 km. These routes (accessible via a free account with Komoot), which take between three and seven days, are officially approved and marked. For the adventurous cyclist, there’s even the possibility of ‘bikepacking’ the route. You then camp along the mountain bike routes.
You can also walk the GR 341 route. This method of “slow travel” allows you to fully appreciate every step of the journey. Along the way, you meet local residents, discover hidden chapels and enjoy authentic tapas in small village cafés. Although walking between the towns takes more time, it offers an intimate and intense experience of the region’s rich culture, history, and nature. For the adventurous traveller who wants to experience the essence of the Caminos de Pasión, walking is the ultimate choice.
The stages of the walking route range from 11 to 40 kilometres in length. In total, you cover 320 kilometres with 3,660 metres of elevation gain. You can find the gpx of the route here. It goes without saying that you need an above-average walking condition for this.
We made the journey along the ten towns of the Caminos de Pasión at the invitation of the Spanish Tourist Board. This gave us the opportunity to get a good impression of the many sights along the Caminos de Pasión in a short time. In that sense, we have already explored the route for you.
We have made a two-part report of our journey of discovery along the Caminos de Pasión. In part 1, we take you to the towns of Alcalá la Real in the province of Jaén, and the towns of Baena, Cabra, Lucena, Priego de Córdoba and Puente Genil in Córdoba. Part 2 describes our experiences in the towns of Carmona, Écija, Osuna and Utrera in the province of Seville. In addition to our experiences, we also provide answers to practical questions in each travel report.
The first part of our journey along the Caminos de Pasión takes us through the provinces of Jaén and Córdoba. We visit a total of six picturesque towns, each with its own unique charm and rich history. The start is in the impressive and...
The second and final part of our journey along the Caminos de Pasión takes us through the province of Seville. We start just across the Genil river, cycling towards Osuna. We then visit the particularly charming cities of Écija and...
The Caminos de Pasión is a cultural and tourist route in the heart of Andalusia in southern Spain. This route connects ten historic towns in the provinces of Seville, Córdoba and Jaén, each with a rich cultural heritage and unique traditions.
The route starts in Alcalá la Real and then passes through the towns of Alcalá la Real, Baena, Cabra, Carmona, Écija, Lucena, Osuna, Priego de Córdoba and Puente Genil. The final destination is the town of Utrera.
The name "Caminos de Pasión" (loosely translated as "Paths of Passion") represents the passionate way in which Andalusians express their culture, especially during the celebration of Semana Santa. The route connects ten towns in Andalusia known for their fiery and unique traditions during Semana Santa. But also for their rich cultural heritage, gastronomy and natural beauty.
The Caminos de Pasión route is a fantastic journey of discovery through the authentic heart of Andalusia, even outside of Semana Santa. The ten historic towns that the cultural route connects are interesting to visit all year round for the following reasons:
The Caminos de Pasión is a cultural route in the heart of Andalusia, southern Spain. The route stretches over approximately 315 kilometres and connects Alcalá la Real in Jaén with Utrera in Seville.
To reach the Caminos de Pasión from the Netherlands or Belgium, you have several options:
The Caminos de Pasión, a route along ten historic towns in Andalusia, can be explored in various ways:
Each method offers unique benefits, from speed and comfort to an intimate experience with local culture and nature. The choice depends on personal preferences and available time.
Absolutely! Contact the Oficina Técnica Caminos de Pasión or the tourist information offices of the municipalities along the route. They can provide information about local services that offer luggage transport. In addition, there are specialised travel organisations that offer packages for the Caminos de Pasión route, including luggage transport. An example of this is EVA Incoming, a provider of sustainable travel experiences in Andalusia. They also arranged our cycling trip. Furthermore, accommodations along the route are often willing to transport your luggage to the next overnight location, sometimes for a fee.
The Caminos de Pasión route is indeed signposted. The route is excellently marked and can be followed by bicycle, on foot or even on horseback.
For cyclists, the paths are well-maintained and wide, made of gravel. This makes the route technically not too difficult and ideal for the average cyclist. The signposting ensures that you can follow the route without many navigation problems.
In addition to the physical signposting, GPS tracks are also available for both the car route and the cycling/walking/horse riding route.
For cycling the Caminos de Pasión route, there are various options for renting a bicycle. You'll find bicycle rental companies in almost every town along the route. Furthermore, there are several specialised cycling tour operators that also offer bicycle rental or refer you to reliable rental companies, such as Harman Bikes. For us, the entire cycling trip was organised by EVA Incoming, a provider of sustainable travel experiences in Andalusia.
The best time to follow the Caminos de Pasión route is in spring (April to May) or early autumn (September to October). These periods offer ideal conditions for exploring the region. You'll have pleasant weather and it's less busy than during the high season.
An additional reason to go in spring is that several important festivals take place. These include the famous Semana Santa (Holy Week) celebrations, which are particularly important along the Caminos de Pasión. The Feria de Abril in Seville and the Patios Festival in Córdoba also take place during this period. However, it is very busy and therefore expensive in the towns along the Caminos de Pasión, especially during Semana Santa.
Outside of busy periods, there is sufficient accommodation available along the Caminos de Pasión route. You have a choice of luxury hotels, charming country houses, paradores, budget-friendly options and even unique stays such as haciendas. You'll find them in all ten towns along the route but also along the way. Below we make some suggestions for each town in alphabetical order.
Alcalá la Real
Baena
Cabra
Carmona
Écija
Lucena
Osuna
Priego de Córdoba
Puente Genil
Utrera
It is advisable to book in advance, especially during the high season, local festivals or Semana Santa.
The Caminos de Pasión route offers a range of culinary experiences that reflect the rich gastronomy of Andalusia. Here are some highly-rated restaurants where you can enjoy delicious meals along the route:
Alcalá la Real
Baena
Cabra
Carmona
Écija
Lucena
Osuna
Priego de Córdoba
Puente Genil
Utrera