The best cycling routes around Santiago De Calatrava

Great and unusual old train station.

The Laguna Honda is a remarkable nature reserve along the Vía Verde del Aceite in the province of Jaén, Andalusia. It is located in the municipality of Alcaudete, about 7 km northwest of the town center, nestled between the Sierra de Orbes and the Guadalquivir plain. With an area of around 65 hectares and an additional protected zone of 220 hectares, it is one of the most important wetlands in the region. Laguna Honda is an endorheic, shallow salt lagoon whose high salt content is due to the clayey and calcareous soils. It is mainly fed by rainwater and a small tributary from the Sierra de Orbes. Despite its shallow depth, it is a valuable habitat for numerous bird species, including flamingos, ducks, and other water birds that rest or breed here.

The Estación de Vado-Jaén is a historic stop along the Vía Verde del Aceite, located at kilometer 37 of the route between Martos and Alcaudete. Originally part of the Linares–Puente Genil railway line, it was converted into a rest and information station for cyclists and hikers after the line was closed in the 1980s. Today, it serves as an access point to the Vía Verde and offers parking and a rest area for visitors.

The station was opened in 1893 by the Compañía de los Ferrocarriles Andaluces on the Linares–Puente Genil line. It had a simple station building, a goods shed, several sidings, water depots, and a cast-iron “aguada” for steam locomotives. After the line was closed in 1984, the facilities fell into disrepair until they were restored and integrated into the network as part of the conversion to the Vía Verde. Next to the station is the Jardín de Variedades del Olivo, a botanical garden with 31 varieties of olives from 5 Mediterranean countries (including Carrasqueño de Alcaudete, Arbequina, Kalamon). There are picnic facilities here, but no restaurant.

It was founded by Jerónimo de Padilla, a member of the ancient Order of Santiago, with the intention of becoming a school for young women and a convent. It is in the Gothic-Renaissance style and was built in the 16th century. It is striking that the person responsible for the foundation of this enormous building belonged to the Order of Santiago, at a time when the Order of Calatrava was widespread throughout this area.

Beautiful historic old town, worth a detour 🐯🚵

Porcuna is a small town and a municipality (municipio) in southern Spain with 5,907 inhabitants (as of 2024) in the west of the province of Jaén in the autonomous community of Andalusia.

Little remains of what was once one of the most important stations on the Vía Verde del Aceite (Olive Oil Greenway), but we can still say that the old station has a warehouse used by maintenance workers. There's also a public fountain for filling up water and shade for relaxing. The city council also built adjacent sports courts where groups of young people often gather for physical activities.