Los Gallardos

Los Gallardos is a town located in the Bajo Almanzora region and to 74 km from the capital, after the carrying out of the Mediterranean motorway. The term Bajo Almanzora has been replaced journalistically by the one of Levante almerinse, an issue that dates from the mid-seventies, when this reporter began to use it.

You can prove this going round the newspaper libraries. A town located in a valley midway between the beach (eight kilometres) and the mountain (Bédar to five kilometres). Communications centre and privileged place due to its easy access. It belongs to the Judicial de Vera, with an estimated population of 1,800 people.

The town of Los Gallardos is established in 1924 as segregation of Bédar. With respect to the origin of its name, for some it comes from a settlement of only a family, that of Los Gallardos, hence its current name. For others, there is talk of Captain Gallardo, an officer from Mesa Roldán (Carboneras), who came to this town on the first street to be created, Soriano Street.

The Cadastre of Enseñada in 1750, in the section for the town of Bédar, it mentions 30 farms located in the present town of Los Gallardos. But the settlement's main population centre of this village is from the XIX century, with the mining operations in Sierra Almagrera, and more specifically the discovery of the veins of lead and iron in Sierra de Bédar. The men worked in mines and women, the elderly and children took care of the garden. From this period there is still some remains like the fragments of the aerial cable from El Pinar to Garrucha or the bridge of a mining railway that linked Los Gallardos, Bédar and Garrucha.

The crisis of the early XX century, the Civil War and postwar period will gradually decrease its population. The mines were closed in 1970. Its population is mainly used to work in the service sectors of the coast, Vera, Garrucha, Turre and Almería.

Monuments

Parish Church.

Archaeological Sites

Sites of Cadima.
Roman Villa.

Arab Baths in Alfaíx.

Town Planning

Mill of La Cueva. It is built in ashlars stone.

Wood-fired oven. It is the oldest in the town.

Flour mill, forge and oil mill.

Gastronomy

Potaje de hinojos. Potaje de trigo pelado. Potaje de acelgas. Migas. Fritada de conejo. Tortilla de collejas.

Sweets: Gurullos. Merengues. Soplillos.

How to get there

You have to exit Almería. Continue along: N-344. Then take E-15 / A-7 towards: Níjar - Murcia - N-340. Take the exit towards: Exit 471 - San Jose Escobar - Tanatorio - Parque Natural Cabo de Gata - Níjar. Alleyway of Viso. Cross Campohermoso and continue straight on. Turn right: E-15 / A-7 towards: Vera - Murcia. Follow direction: Salida 516 - Sorbas - N-324 - Guadix. Take the exit towards: Salida 520 - Los Gallardos - Turre - Mojácar - Bédar. At the roundabout, take the salida 2 and continue along: A-370 / AL-152 towards: N-340a - Los Gallardos - ALP-117 - Bédar - Garrucha - Turre - Mojácar. Follow the signs until you get the town.

Distances