Bacares town hall

Bacares Town Hall sits on Plaza de los Filabres in Bacares, a small municipality in the Sierra de los Filabres, close to the abandoned mining settlement of El Cortijuelo, which falls under this local authority.

Where is it and how do you get there?

Bacares lies in the province of Almería, in the Valle del Almanzora region, perched above 1,100 metres in the Sierra de los Filabres range. A local road connects the village with Serón and Tíjola, and a car is really the only practical way in — bus links through this stretch of the mountains are sparse. The town hall building stands right in the heart of the village, on its main square, making it an easy first landmark for anyone arriving for the first time.

What will you find there?

The building itself is a modest municipal office, typical of small Andalusian mountain towns — it serves an administrative role rather than functioning as a heritage site open for tours. Its real appeal for a visitor lies in what surrounds it: the square in front of the town hall is the natural hub of Bacares, from which the narrow streets typical of the white villages of the Almanzora valley branch out. It's also the natural starting point for heading toward El Cortijuelo, an abandoned settlement built by the British company The Bacares Iron Ore Mines Ltd. to house workers from the nearby Beltraneja and Las Grajas iron mines. In 1923, residents staged a strike over working conditions, and once mining declined the settlement gradually emptied out, remaining uninhabited to this day. Ruined houses and remnants of the cable car line once used to haul ore down to the railway station at Serón are still visible traces of that industrial past.

When should you visit?

Spring and autumn are the best seasons — mountain temperatures are comfortable for walking, while summer heat in this part of Almería can be intense. In winter, routes higher up in the Sierra de los Filabres can be harder going depending on conditions, though Bacares itself stays accessible year-round.

Who is this destination for?

This is a stop for travelers exploring the Almanzora valley and the Sierra de los Filabres who are after an authentic glimpse of life in a small Andalusian mountain municipality and the region's iron-mining history, rather than a conventional tourist attraction. Hikers and anyone drawn to industrial ruins will find it a solid base for exploring the surrounding area.

Frequently asked questions

Can you go inside Bacares town hall? No — it's a working local government building, not a museum. You can view it from outside as you pass through the village's central square.

How long does it take to walk from Bacares to El Cortijuelo? The settlement lies about 3 km from the centre of Bacares, which usually takes 40–60 minutes on foot, depending on pace and route.

Are there places to eat or stay in Bacares? It's a very small municipality, so options are limited — it's worth checking availability ahead of time or basing yourself in larger towns nearby, such as Serón or Tíjola.

What else is worth seeing nearby? The Sierra de los Filabres offers scenic trails and mining remnants scattered throughout the Almanzora valley, making it a good reason to pair a visit to Bacares with a longer exploration of the area.