Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Salud

Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Salud is a small pilgrimage chapel standing just outside Ítrabo, a quiet village in the Granada province, in Andalusia's Costa Tropical region. It looks modest from the outside, but for the people of Ítrabo it carries deep meaning — this is the very place where the image of the village's patroness was once kept.

Where does the chapel come from?

The hermitage stands in a spot known as La Joya, on the edge of Ítrabo. The earliest written mentions of it go back to the mid-18th century, though local tradition places its origins much earlier, tied to a story of a miraculous appearance. According to legend, an image of the Virgin appeared at a spring located beneath the present-day chapel, and the water flowing from it was believed to have healing properties — which explains the title "de la Salud," meaning "of Health." Two natural springs still flow beneath the hermitage: one known as "de la Salud" and the other as "de la Virgen." Tradition places the apparition at the second spring, in a spot resembling a small cave, and it was there that the chapel was eventually built.

Who is the patroness of Ítrabo?

Nuestra Señora de la Salud is the patron saint of Ítrabo, and her image, dating back to the 17th century, has long been at the heart of the village's religious life. The chapel takes its name from the fact that, for generations, this modest sanctuary on the outskirts of town was where the statue of the Virgin was kept before it made its way to the parish church in the village itself.

What does the hermitage look like today?

According to the local parish priest, the original religious complex was made up of more than just the chapel itself: it also included two houses, one for the hermit who looked after the sanctuary and another for pilgrims visiting the site. Today the building serves a mostly occasional role. The hermitage truly comes alive during the annual patron saint festivities, when a procession sets out from here — the image of the patroness is carried by men from the village toward the center of Ítrabo. It is the most solemn moment in the local religious calendar, one that ties together tradition, faith, and community identity.

Outside of festival season, the chapel remains quiet and rarely visited, which many find to be part of its appeal — it offers a genuine, almost intimate glimpse into Andalusian folk devotion, far removed from the crowds found at larger regional shrines.

When is the best time to visit?

The most memorable time to visit is during the patron saint festivities honoring Nuestra Señora de la Salud, when the hermitage becomes the starting point of the procession and the whole village joins the celebration. That is when the site reveals its full significance, offering visitors a living tradition rather than just a quiet historic building.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Ermita de Nuestra Señora de la Salud located? The chapel stands in an area known as La Joya, right next to Ítrabo, a small village in the Granada province within the Costa Tropical region.

Who is Nuestra Señora de la Salud? She is the patron saint of Ítrabo, and her 17th-century image has been venerated by the local community for generations, giving the chapel its name.

What legend is connected to this place? Tradition holds that the Virgin appeared at one of two springs running beneath the chapel, whose water was believed to have healing properties — hence the title "de la Salud."

When is the best time to visit the hermitage? The most special time is during the annual patron saint festivities, when a procession carrying the image of the Virgin sets out from the chapel toward Ítrabo.