Enviroment

We are in the middle of Sierra Morena

Villa Matilde is located north of the municipality of Andújar in the province of Jaén. It is in the heart of Sierra de Andújar which, in itself, is a part of the Sierra Morena mountain range that runs from east to west and separates Andalusia from the rest of Spain.

The surrounding nature is spectacular. There are also places of cultural and architectural interest nearby. The old city of Andújar with churches and monuments of baroque architecture has a medieval air. Other important cities and towns in Andalusia that are worth a visit and are not far from Villa Matilde are Baños de la Encina, Úbeda, Baeza, Jaén, Córdoba, Granada and Seville.

Click here to see images of the surroundings of Villa Matilde taken with a drone.

At the gates of the Natural Park

Sierra de Andújar Natural Park, northwest of the province of Jaén, is part of Sierra Morena. In the park, there are several recreational areas and two large reservoirs. There are and Mediterranean forests with shrubs and aromatic plants such as rosemary, myrtle, Spanish lavender, cist roses, mastic shrub and thyme. There are also countless holm oak and cork oak forests, pine forests and strawberry trees. The fauna is extensive with its Iberian lynx, red deer, wild boar, fallow deer and various birds of prey, such as the Spanish imperial eagle and the black vulture. In the mountains, you can go hiking and cycling.

For those who like ancient stories, there is much to discover in the surroundings of Villa Matilde. In the Sierra de Andújar, according to oral tradition, the Virgin of La Cabeza appears to a shepherd from Colomera (Granada) in the year 1227. From this date on, the Pilgrimage to the Sanctuary of La Virgen de La Cabeza is celebrated every year in April. Writers such as Miguel de Cervantes, Lope de Vega Carpio and Calderón de la Barca have highlighted the cult of this virgin.

Villa Matilde has also played a role in the Civil War. The shotgun holes in one of the walls of the house bear witness to this.