Discover Tonosa: Chapels, Traditions and Routes

Tonosa between culture and activity

Tonosa offers several distinct themes to explore during a stay: the history of two chapels, traditional dances during the celebrations of the Virgen de la Candelaria, medieval pottery remains, a hiking route and a cycling route. If you’re looking for a hotel for a trip to Tonosa, choose your focus based on whether you’re most interested in architectural history, festival culture, archaeological history or outdoor activities.

Chapels and landscape

The Ermita de Santa Bárbara dates back to 1728. The Asociación Cultural de Tonosa restored the Ermita de Tonosa by renovating and repairing its outer walls. These two details relate to different architectural histories: the year refers to the Ermita de Santa Bárbara, while the restoration work concerns the outer walls of the Ermita de Tonosa. When comparing historic buildings, keep these names and references separate.

Historically, the Ermita de Tonosa is located at the Fuente del Pino, at the foot of the Sierra in the direction of Vélez. This also places the chapel in its landscape, a perspective distinct from its construction date and restoration: here, the focus is its traditional location, not its architectural history. This perspective is a separate addition to the picture of Tonosa.

Tonosa is also home to a large area containing medieval pottery remains. This archaeological connection adds another dimension to the local history associated with the chapels. If you want to explore cultural history beyond religious buildings, these medieval traces can be considered a focus in their own right.

Festival traditions and music

The square by the Parroquia de Tonosa is used for traditional dances during the celebrations of the Virgen de la Candelaria. An ethnographic study from 2010 records the Candelaria festival in Tonosa as taking place on February 2. If you want to plan your trip around this festival, check the current dates locally in advance.

Music is also connected with the chapel: a radio program broadcast on January 19, 2026, introduced Domingo Quiles Ramal as a guitarist and mayordomo of the Ermita de Tonosa. Alongside restoration and festival traditions, music and the role of the mayordomo are also topics to consider when exploring the chapel.

Hiking, cycling and getting your bearings

The “Tonosa – Sierra de las Estancias” hiking route starts in Tonosa and was uploaded and completed as a user-submitted route in November 2025. The “Águilas–Vélez-Rubio–Lorca” cycling route passes through Tonosa. Check current route conditions before setting out. The distinction is clear for planning purposes: Tonosa is the starting point of the hiking route, while the cycling route passes through the town.

A provincial report from 2023 places the Camino de Tonosa between the AL-8102 and the A-327. This raises two distinct questions of orientation: where the Ermita is historically located and between which roads the Camino runs. These details add a separate road reference to the route information without conflating the different locations.

Discover more destinations: Mojácar, Cantoria, Cóbdar, Vicar, Pechina, Marchena, Alhama De Almería, Taberno.

For the main travel overview: Almeria.