Cantillana, in the heart of the Vega del Guadalquivir
Cantillana is a town with deep-rooted traditions that will captivate you from the start. This town in the Vega del Guadalquivir is known for its enthusiasm for bullfighting, its much-loved local festivals and its long-standing tradition of handcrafting fringes for Manila shawls. So do not be surprised if you see the locals sitting on their doorsteps, making these beautiful shawls.
Indeed, a stroll through Cantillana’s streets is a real pleasure. Many of them are decorated with tiles panels of the two images of Virgin Mary most-revered by the locals, the Divine Shepherdess and Our Lady of the Assumption. If you visit in August and September, we can experience the festivals held in honour of these two religious images, declared events of National Tourist Interest.
This town also has a stunning and diverse natural landscape, due to its proximity to the Sierra Morena. Come, explore the surroundings, and discover this lesser-known side of Cantillana.
Enjoy the beautiful heart of the Vega del Guadalquivir.
Getting to Cantillana
If you are travelling from Seville by car, take the A-8004 road to Brenes. Once in this town, take the A-462 until you enter the SE-3101 that will take you to Cantillana in a few minutes.
If you decide to travel by train, the C1 and C3 Cercanías lines that depart from Santa Justa Station in Seville stop at Cantillana. You can also go by bus by taking the M-126 line run by the Metropolitan Transport Consortium.
Getting around
The best way to see Cantillana is on foot or hiking through the natural surroundings. You can also bring your bike with you.
Reasons to visit
- Walk to the area known as El Palacio, where the Asunción Parish Church is located and enjoy the impressive views of the Vega del Guadalquivir.
- Visit a shawl fringe workshop and admire this specialised local craft.
- Stroll through the town centre, decorated with typical local tiles.
- If you are a bullfighting enthusiast, you will love Cantillana’s Plaza de Toros that dates back over a century. The bullfighters Juan Solís Cantillana, Manolo Espinosa and Manili were born here.
- Do you enjoy culinary tourism? Be sure to try the game meat stews, battered prawns or dishes that use Cantillana’s flagship product, the orange.
- Come in August and September to experience the Festivals in honour of Our Lady of the Assumption and the Divine Shepherdess, declared events of National Tourist Interest.
What to see
Start your tour of Cantillana by visiting the 16th-century Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Parish Church. It is located in the area known as El Palacio, where you can enjoy beautiful views of the Vega del Guadalquivir.
Inside the church are the two sculptures highly revered by the locals, Our Lady of the Assumption, to whom the church is dedicated, and the Divine Shepherdess. The festivals of these two Marian images take place in August and September, respectively. Adjacent to the church is what remains of the Antiguo Hospital de los Santos, today an exhibition hall.
Continue through the area until you reach the Cuesta del Reloj, which gets its name from the Clock Tower found on this slope, and the symbol of the town. It is built over the remains of the Arab wall, hence its historical value. Nearby is the Plaza de la Alameda, where you can see some Roman remains such as millstones and sculptures.
Further ahead is the Plaza de la Misericordia. You can walk inside the Shrine to the Dulce Nombre, which although small, is very beautiful. The building was used as a hospital in the past. It houses the sculptures of Our Lady of Bethlehem, the Child Jesus, a painting of Our Lady of Mercy and a few votive offerings.
Continue walking until the Plaza del Llano. You can admire more religious buildings, including the 14th-century Shrine to San Bartolomé. Just an eight-minute walk from here is the Shrine to Nuestra Señora de la Soledad Shrine. Both monuments are worth a visit.
To finish, hike up to the Shrine to the Divina Pastora. It is only one kilometre away, on the outskirts of town. It takes about twenty minutes on foot (six minutes by car). You will love the scenery.
Places to visit
- Antiguo Hospital de los Santos
- Shrine to the Divina Pastora
- Shrine to Nuestra Señora de la Soledad
- Shrine to San Bartolomé
- Dulce Nombre de Jesús y Santa Misericordia Church
- Nuestra Señora de la Asunción Parish Church
- Archaeological remains in Plaza de la Alameda
- Clock Tower
- Plaza de Toros
- Piedra del Moro
- Tomb of the Painter José Pérez Ocaña
Surroundings
Cantillana is 36 kilometres from Seville, in the tourist region of Guadalquivir-Doñana. Nearby runs the River Viar, a tributary of the River Guadalquivir. To the north, it borders the foothills of Sierra Morena, which gives the town its beautifully diverse landscape.
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