Turrillas

Turrillas is a popular village with traditional architecture, neat and clean, surrounded by fields of almonds and located between the Sierra de los Filabres and the Sierra Alhamilla. Part of its municipal area is included in the Paraje Natural Sierra de Alhamilla, place of great ecological and landscape interest due to its abundant vegetation (consisting of an oak forest well preserved and pine reforestation), and its ornithological importance.

Turrillas's history is linked to its neighbouring municipality of Níjar. For real whim, in the year 1445, to favour Regi’s family, it will depend temporarily from the jurisdiction of Sorbas-Lubrín. Belonging to the taha of Níjar in the Muslim period, it passes into Christian hands in the campaign of 1488.

With the expulsion of the Moors, Turrillas must have been deserted, because in the second third of the XVI century the estimated population was 400 Moors and no Old Christian man. The new inhabitants arrived from Murcia.

Turrillas's population grew on into the XX century with nearly 1.400 inhabitants. This is the period of expansion of iron mining industry.

But the economic prosperity years ended with the beginning of the First World War. The mining in Almería did not recover after the European conflict and unemployment affect the inhabitants of Turrillas, who had to leave in search of a better future. The Lucainena reserve was one of the most profitable in the province, where the initiative of the vizcaina shipping company 'Sota y Azúcar' represents the “Compañía Minera de Sierra Alhamilla”, with its own railway to the port of Agua Amarga.

Monuments

Parish Church, XVI century. We can emphasize its tower, tower-fort, built around the middle of the XVI century to defend the Christians from the attacks of the Moors.

Hermitage of San Antonio. Morabito.

Archaeological Sites

Peñón de Inox.
Yacimiento argárico.

Gastronomy

Sausages. Migas de harina y pan. Rice with rabbit.

But the speciality of Turrillas is: Olla. Puchero. Gachas colorás. Gurullos.

How to get there

You have to exit Almería and take the road to Granada. Cross Huércal de Almería. Go straight on and take the national road N-340 towards: Huércal de Almería - Almería - E-15 - N-340 - Nijar - Murcia. At the roundabout, take the salida 1 and continue along: A-92A towards: A-92 - Benahadux - Guadix. Alleyway of Benahadux. At the roundabout, take the salida 3 and continue along: A-92 towards: Guadix - Granada. Take the exit towards: Salida 376 - N-340a - Tabernas - Sorbas. At roundabout, take the salida 2 and continue in: N-340A towards: Sorbas - Tabernas. Pass near Tabernas and follow the signs until you get Turrillas.

Distances