Lanjarón

Information about the town of Lanjarón

Lanjarón is located at 650 m. above sea level in the Cordillera Southern Sierra Nevada. The World Health Organization has recognized Lanjaron as one of the places with the greatest longevity on the planet. It is indeed the quality of its waters – together with the climate, the pure mountain air and the Mediterranean diet – that allows many of its citizens to live more than one hundred years.

The Spa Baths The spa has been the most important mineral-medicinal waters of Andalucia since the 18th century when its healing properties were discovered.

A short video of Lanjarón.

The Lanjaron Festival of Water and Ham

Since 1980, Lanjarón has celebrated Midsummer’s Eve in honour of San Juan Bautista (John the Baptist) with its Fiesta del Agua y del Jamon (Water and Ham Festival), although the ham aspect has been overshadowed over the years by the liquid element. At the stroke of midnight on 23 June, the small mountain village erupts into the greatest water fight in Spain, and maybe even the world.
Famous for its mineral water, Lanjaron is the perfect destination for this crazy water war. Locals make sure they park their cars out of town in anticpation of the liquid onslaught that attracts revellers from all over the country and further afield.

At midnight, participants take to the streets armed with buckets, water pistols, and anything else they can get their hands on. Total strangers soak each other to the skin, while ladies spray the crowd with hose pipes from the safety of their balconies, filling up their buckets in the process.

By the time the whistle blows at the end of the fight, there is a river running through the streets, and all are soaked to the bone. After a quick change of clothes, the cerveza starts pouring, fireworks fill the sky and the real party begins. Over the next few days, revellers celebrate the calm after the storm with a feast of mouthwatering jamon (ham), another product for which Lanjaron is renowned.

The Moorish Castle of Lanjarón

Only its ruins remain over a rocky promontory near to the town. It is located about 600 meters of altitude. Its location was superb, because it dominated, on one hand, the access road to the Alpujarra and, on the other, the one that communicated Granada with the Coast. The castle was surrounded by a wall defended by two great towers of rubblework, one to the north, semi-circular, and another one to the south.

Fernando the Catholic King conquered the town in 1490. Its Moorish inhabitants rebelled again in 1500, a revolt that was controlled by the Christians after an epic defence. The captain who defended the place preferred to throw himself from a tower before surrender. It participated in an active way against the Napoleonic troops in the Independence War, its inhabitants receiving the qualifying name of “canoneros” since then. The castle is currently being rennovated.

Things to do whilst your here

Birdwatching with Birdwatch Alpujarras
Mountain days with Spanish Highs Mountain Guides
Horse riding with Caballo Blanco Trekking
Herb and flower walks with Self Sufficiency 4U

Eat, Drink and Hotels

Bar Flower – best tapas bar in town owned by Franci and Jeni
El Volante – good drink and food from Jose Antonio
Cafe Bar Health – More of a “Bistro” restaurant with great food including veggie options!

Accomodation:-

Casa Numero 61 For a little more up market accommodation, owned by my good friends Anna & David
3 or 1 bed apartment with swimming pool, ideally located within a few minutes walk from town.
La Casa del Viento Run by Ann who does great Sunday roasts

FESTIVALS AND DAYS

San Anton: Jan 13
San Sebastian: Jan. 20
Carnival: Feb
Women’s Day: March 8
Easter: March or April
Day of the Book: April 23
San Marcos: April 5
Day of the Cross: May 3
San Isidro: May 15
Corpus Christi: May
San Antonio: June 13
San Juan: June 24
Virgen del Carmen: July 16
Santa Ana: July 26
Feast of the heap: First weekend of August
Youth Day: Aug 10 & 11
San Roque: Aug 15
Our Lady of Sorrows: Sept 21
Virgen del Rosario: 1st Sunday in October
Virgen del Pilar: Oct 12
Feria de la Miel: Oct
All Saints – Feast of the Chestnut: Nov 1
Tango Festival: Nov
Santa Cecilia: Nov 22