Las Tres Villas Travel Guide

Las Tres Villas expands over a territory of 85 km² and is made up of the towns of Ocaña, Escullar and Doña Maria, whose union owes its name to it. It belongs to the Sierra Nevada Natural Park since it is located at the foot of this mountainous formation, in the valley of the Nacimiento river.

These three villages share a railway station, although their origins differ. Doña Maria dates from the times of the Roman Empire; by the 18th century, it was a simple rural estate. It joined the town of Ocaña in 1820, taking advantage of its proximity. It was in 1976 when the current composition was constituted in order to improve various aspects of the people.

As in many other small towns located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, the mountainous landscapes of great beauty are a constant in the natural environment. The community’s surroundings are suitable for hiking, trekking, mountain biking, and skiing in winter.

In Escullar, there are the rock carvings of Piedras Blancas, located south of the Sierra de los Filabres. They date from the Palaeolithic era and have been declared a site of cultural interest. The Cerro Negro and the Peñón de la Encantá are rock formations that are also tourist attractions in the area.

The gastronomy of the place is present in the varied restaurants and typical inns. There, one can taste dishes such as ajo colorao, pot of wheat, migas, gurullos with rabbit, pancakes, emperor fry, and panizo cakes. The inhabitants of this area are basically engaged in agricultural production, where they concentrate on the fields of grape, cereals and some fruit species. At present, the packaging and marketing of olive oil is distinguished.