DALÍAS
Dalías has two main populated areas; Dalías and Celín. At just 12km from the beach, it is a popular destination for lovers of the outdoors, offering sports such as hiking, climbing, paragliding or mountain biking. It has about 4,000 inhabitants.
HISTORY
The origins of Dalías date to the Al-Andalus period. The current population corresponds to the old Muslim town of Ambrox, although other data indicates that the primitive population was located 2km from the current situation, in El Campo, where there are remains of tombs, aqueducts, houses and streets. Its name comes from the Arabic word dalaya, which means vineyard. The village was a farmstead with a fortress and mosque. Some remains of the fortress can still be seen today, like the watchtowers that provided a system of defense for the area. The most popular of them is the Torre de la Garita.More>
THINGS TO SEE
Iglesia de Santa María de Ambrox
The Church, with a Latin cross plan, was built in the second half of the 1990s. It is made up of three ships and a cruise ship, with a main chapel, tribune on a carpal arch, a lowered vault and sacristies on both sides. Outside, the walls are plastered showing a longitudinal development facade divided into three sections. Recently, the Church had to be restored after suffering a fire during the festivities in Honor of the Christ of the Light. The Church was built over the remains of two former constructions on the same site; one from 1501 that was destroyed by the Moorish rebellion in 1568, and a second that was destroyed after the earthquake of 1804. Located on Calle Santo Cristo.
Casino
This building dates from the early nineteenth century and resembles a nineteenth-century bourgeois house. Two floors high, the Casino is currently the hub of the town’s social and cultural life. Located on Calle del Casino.
THINGS TO SEE OUTSIDE THE VILLAGE
Torre de la Garita
Possibly the most popular watchtower among the inhabitants of Dalías; from it, visitors can see the entire town and its valley. It is a late-medieval watchtower that dominated the fertile plain and defended a nearby farmhouse. Located north east of the town.
Ermita de San Miguel
The Chapel was built in the eighteenth century on the remains of an Islamic mosque, using the same rectangular structure, and is made up of a main chapel that was presided over by the images of San Miguel and the Virgen de la Inmaculada. Located north east of Dalías.
Iglesia de San Miguel Arcángel de Celín
The Church was built in the eighteenth century with Mudejar architecture and an important bell tower. It was demolished by the earthquake of 1804, and was later restored in 1953. Inside, it has a basilica plan and is structured from three naves that are covered by continuous barrel vaults. The main chapel is square in plan and is presided over by an image of San Miguel made in 1939. Located in Plaza de la Constitución, Celín.
Ermita de los Dolores (Aljízar)
The Aljízar Tower stands on the Rambla de Almecete and is, along with the Chapel, one of the most notable historical buildings in Celín, also being the first Nasrid construction of the fourteenth century. The tower is actually from the twelfth century mosque that existed where the Chapel is today. The hillside location offers great views of the coast. Located north east of Dalías.
Baños de la Reina
This is the only complete example of Arab baths in the province of Almería. A rectangular building with three naves, located at the foot of the hill where the Aljízar Tower is located. Designated a site of Cultural Interest in 2005.
GASTRONOMY
Gastronomically, those who want to sample the typical local food must try the migas (fried breadcrumbs with pork), habas de la vega (broad beans), menestra de présules (peas stew), tortilla de présules (pea omelette), choto con ajos (garlic goat), salsa de caracoles (snails), ajoblanco (garlic and almond soup) and arroz de caracoles (snail rice).
FESTIVALS
Popular festivals in Dalías are Fiesta del Cristo de La Luz, Fiesta de la Cruz, Fiesta de San Juan and Día de San Miguel Arcángel. More>