Felix is one of the interesting municipalities that are part of the province of Almeria. It is located in the western foothills of the Sierra de Gador, in the Poniente Almeriense region, at an altitude of 815 metres above sea level. Its inhabitants are known as “felisarios”.
The history of Felix dates back to the 11th century, during the time of the Muslim occupation of the peninsula. In this Nasrid period, the town known today as Felix received the name of Sant Afliy, belonged to the King of Almeria Almotacin and served as the capital of the Taha de Almexixar.
Felix's fountains
Felix is known in the area for its fountains. Among them, we find El Pilar, Mina del Agua, Balsa del Molino, Balsa del Calabrial, El Moniato Fountain, Luis Faba Mill Fountain, Los Cortijos de la Pasada Fountain and the Aguadero de Carcauz spring.
Monuments
Monuments are the main tourist attractions in Felix. Some date from the time of the Muslim occupation, while others have been built throughout the history of this municipality. Its main monuments are the following:
Church of the Incarnation
This parish was built in the 16th century on the remains of an old Moorish-style mosque.
Its floor plan was initially rectangular, with a tower attached to its left wall.
It was subsequently restored in the 17th, 18th and 20th centuries, and currently has a Latin cross plan.
Castle of Felix
This dates from the 11th century and belonged to Zugayba, great-grandfather of the King of Granada Abd Allah. It has recently been restored and its surroundings converted into a viewpoint, although only one of the castle walls is preserved, with a lintel door. From the viewpoint of the castle, we have access to impressive panoramic views of Cerro de la Matanza and Puente del Barranquillo, reaching the Poniente Almeriense.
Both the Church of the Incarnation and the Castle of Felix have been declared Assets of Cultural Interest.
Aqueduct of the 20 eyes
This is one of the five largest aqueducts in the country and is of Roman typology.
It is 40 metres long and 10 metres high and is made up of three floors of arcades; the lower one consists of a single arch to let rainwater pass, the intermediate one has eight arches and the upper one consists of 10 arches on which the aqueduct channel is located.
It acts as a boundary between the municipalities of Felix and Vicar.
Hiking trails
As with many other towns in the province of Almeria, rich in natural resources, Felix has different hiking trails. These can be explored by anyone who wants to enjoy contact with nature during their visit. The most popular are the following:
Lentisco Fountain – Pozuelo (SL-A 196). Through the Sierra de Gádor road, it has an extension of 8.82 kilometres.
Las Cantinas – Highway. Following the Carcauz Aqueduct route, it has an extension of 18.22 kilometres.
Collado Los Cerezos and Solera – Felix. Crossing part of Sierra de Gádor, it has a total distance of 10.26 kilometres.
Festivals
Felix is a picturesque town full of joy. To its festivals, it welcomes both tourists and locals with equal pleasure. If you’d like to participate, or simply witness the cultural festivities, some of the best known that you can enjoy when visiting Felix are the following:
Saint Mark Festival, celebrated on 25 April. It commemorates the second patron saint of the town.
Saint Roch Festival, celebrated between 15 and 16 August. It is celebrated in honour of the first patron saint of the municipality.
Chestnut Festival, celebrated on the first of November.
Festival of Dips in Saint John, celebrated on the morning of June 23.
Gastronomy
Typical dishes of the town are “tarbinas”, white garlic, “gurullos”, peeled wheat, chickpea and bean stew with cod, Felix paprika, stew, coloured porridge, “choto”, garlic rabbit, etc. All this is accompanied by young wine from the area.
The community stands out for its confectionery: the must or oil bread, the fried milk, the donuts, the “borrachillos” and the homemade cakes.
