Las Virtudes: Sanctuary, Festivals and Routes

Sanctuary and historical layers

Las Virtudes combines the Santuario de las Virtudes with a diverse local history and routes through the surrounding area. The present-day Santuario de las Virtudes and the present-day monastery emerged from an expansion carried out in the 16th century of an original hermitage. The church of the Santuario has three naves and was built in the Gothic style. In the Baroque Camarín, the stucco work and 18th-century paintings depicting Marian allegories stand out.

Nearby is the Cabezo de la Virgen 1 archaeological site on the plateau-like summit of Cabezo de la Virgen. The Fuente del Chopo once sprang from the foot of the mountain. The archaeological finds from Cabezo de la Virgen 1 point to the Bronze Age, the protohistoric period and the Middle Ages. The historical perspective thus extends from early settlement traces to the medieval period.

Festivals between July and the pilgrimage

Las Virtudes celebrates its local festivals every year in July. The July festivals begin with a traditional Pregón de Fiestas. During these festivities, the annual presentation gala of the Lagunera takes place on the esplanade of the Santuario de las Virtudes. The local annual cycle also includes two Votos: during these visits, the sanctuary is visited in gratitude for the removal of the disease.

The present-day Día del Voto takes place on the Sunday after Easter, while the present-day Día de la Esclavitud is held on the Sunday after the end of the patron saint festivities. At the end of August, the image of the patron saint is carried in a pilgrimage from the Santuario de las Virtudes to Villena, so that it can preside over the festivities held in her honour. Alongside the architecture, these dates give the locality a clear festive rhythm.

Christmas tradition and regional customs

The Fiestas de Navidad y Reyes are also part of Las Virtudes’ distinctive character. The Generalitat Valenciana has recognised them as a festival of local tourist interest. The central programme includes the Autos Sacramentales featuring the Adoration of the Three Kings, the Flight into Egypt and the Massacre of the Innocents. The Agrupación de Fiestas de Navidad y Reyes de Las Virtudes in Villena has kept the Christmas celebrations tradition alive since 1926.

Routes for different travel plans

The official route of the PR-CV 197 hiking trail, Puente de los Espejos – La Encina – Santa Eulalia – Las Virtudes – La Zafra, passes through Las Virtudes. This route follows a linear course of 47.35 km. On the PR-CV 197, the Salinas de Penalva are located near this point; afterwards, the route crosses the old Camino de la Verge.

The Vía Verde del Xixarra begins at the Santuario de las Virtudes in Villena and can be travelled on foot, by bicycle and by wheelchair. It uses 15 km of a former railway line that was 84 km long in total and ran along the foothills of the Sierra de Mariola. This creates a clear distinction between the long, linear PR-CV 197 and the Vía Verde, which follows a former railway line.

The Santuario is accessible to people with reduced mobility, including wheelchair users with assistance from a companion. A ramp is available on the left-hand side for this purpose.

More places to discover: Murla, Tàrbena, Gaianes, Javea, Benidoleig, Rojales, Crevillente and Mutxamel.

For the broader travel overview: Alicante.